Tokyo Swindlers

Everything stated so well as a 'con man' or heist series, there the right mix of suspense, wit, character development and fun in the series. You really wonder what happened to the con men that turn them into con men. You start caring for the characters cause they're not paper thin single dimensional characters. Things are going well in the first 5 or 6 episodes.

Then it fell apart really quick in the last 2 episodes. As if they're told they have to wrap it up all of a sudden, the series got really dumb in a hurry. Plot conveniences, irrational thinking, rushed pace... It would have been so much better if they stopped after 6 episodes and leave the rest in season 2. It was still worth the time to watch but it really fell apart towards the end.

We all know japan excels in anime but when it comes TV most of them were a miss at least for me, maybe coz I compare them to k dramas. This show surprised me!

The plot was perfectly paced and would keep you at the edge of the seat throughout. The acting was strong from all the cast members and the music is really good but was overused a little. The screeplay is good along with the production value.

The only thing I didn't like it how they slightly dragged the finale to may be make another season? I don't know. But the series could have be easily wrapped up in seven episodes! You can definitely binge this in a weekend!

Wow. Great show. Solid narrative. Superb pace. Smashing suspense. Really excellently-written with fabulous character-development.

Characters are very interesting and dynmaic and the chemistry works super-well. From incredibly awkward paid people placed in big stake operations to the big evil boss to crazy personalities in Tokyo's underbelly. Top stuff.

I really loved this show. I'm 5/7th of my way through and I watch a lot of Japanese cinema and I'm now curious to see what other shows Hitoshi Ône will make. He has talant. This is definitely what Netflix needs more of.

Original and gripping drama with fabulous characters. Please do more of this Netflix.

I was initially impressed by the production quality, screenplay and writing which dared to pull off twists which stir the emotions and keep you wondering what happens next. That and it was a fresh take on Japanese dramas which didn't have the usual anime-derived dramatisations.

However holes start to appear when it appears certain characters are so omnipresent but yet oblivious where the plot armour resides.

Then the season finale slips on its own banana peel in the last episode. There were so many unrealistic interactions as some characters and sequences suddenly suffer from the usual prolonging, dramatisations and silliness to force the series to end on a certain note and pave the way for a money grabbing 2nd season.

Rest assured it did not get my thumbs up from the choices given after the show ended.

There's a growing disappointment that Japanese dramas have been declining in quality recently. Japanese TV stations commission dramas from external production companies four times a year, once each quarter. However, due to this long-standing tradition, they're now churning out predictable works that lack originality. The themes, stories, roles, and actors all seem to follow a formulaic pattern, resulting in Japanese TV series that are consumed and discarded without much impact.

In contrast, this Netflix original series is a rare gem with a solid story (based on an already highly acclaimed novel) as its foundation. The performances and unique characteristics of each role are well-portrayed, making it thoroughly engaging. Unlike the typical 10-episode structure of Japanese drama series, this one is compressed into 7 episodes, allowing for a streamlined and fast-paced narrative without unnecessary filler. This is definitely a strong point.

I'd like to praise how well the story, roles, and subject matter come together to create an excellent final product. The portrayal of the aging police detective, just six months away from retirement, is particularly noteworthy. It presents a realistic and convincing image of a seasoned investigator without falling into exaggeration. It's surprising to find charm in a gaunt, tired-looking old man, which makes this performance all the more impressive.