This review may contain spoilers
Chasing the thrill
If on one hand Netflix raises the prices of its subscriptions, on the other it doesn't swindle us concerning the productions that it funds or puts on its platform — as opposed to 『Jimenshitachi』 (English title: 『Tokyo Swindlers』), Hitoshi Ohne's new series aired in 2024 about authentic scams in the real estate sector.
Based upon real facts, 『Jimenshitachi』 follows the story of a team of professional swindlers (hence the English name of the series) who will be searching ever sweeter deals through their leader's fantasized —if not sexual— drive; and the viewer will follow with pleasure the drawing up of their deals and the difficulties they'll meet to achieve their ends.
The series thus slots in an original manner into the scam affairs that Asian series so regularly portray: whereas one often meets the heavily indebted victims of those scams, one lingers here rather on the other side of the curtain over the drafting of those scams, all the more so in a more original sector (namely the real estate one) than the usual ones that are gambling games and fraudulent loans. I shall however mention a problem that has bothered me all the way through my watching: the Jimenshitachi team seems to be the only one that exists in this universe. Although the opening does mention other cases having occured for many years, and although the dark world of real estate is often brought up and even appears many times, the only fraudsters cracking the whip on-screen and on which the police will investigate shall forever be linked to Harrison… so that the universe inevitably lacks depth, even though it creates a history of the previous cases going back several years prior to the main events of the series.
In that vein, one will also be in one's depth with the characters. If these are all endearing and played by a handful of experienced actors (Etsushi Toyokawa as Yamanaka Harrison, Go Ayano as Takumi Tsujimoto, Pierre Taki as Goto…), they all are also pretty shallow depending on their rank in the series. The leader Yamanaka Harrison does a very good embodiment of the hunter who loves to run after their prey and see it suffer in its last moments —metaphor weaved and traced literally from the beginning to the end of the series— and who will always tell us with a certain mischievous pleasure his philosophical thoughts nourished by glasses of top-of-the-range whiskey: but otherwise? What is he aside from that, where does he come from? does he really only live for his scams? Similarly, the other main character Takumi defines himself only in relation to his past; that is, only in relation to the series' synopsis. As for the other characters, they are as neglected as can possibly be, simply being present during the scams; but they all bear enough character to be likeable and even eagerly-awaited at each appearance. The treatment is slightly different with the detectives, who get a bit more details about their lives to the point of saddening us when one of them dies: proof of the formidable interest there is to develop one's characters.
Despite the aforementioned flaws, broadly speaking, director Ohne succeeds with brio to keep the viewer on tenterhooks and to maintain a constant tension, playing with different genres at the same time: the thriller, the spy and even the action one to an extent. Conscientious shots add to the thorough directing, some of them being particularly well orchestrated; in particular, efforts were made during the most tense moments like the death of some important characters, or during certain sequences that include more spectacular scenes having then been computer-realized (which doesn't make them always so convincing though). Last but not least, the soundtrack is also, for a change, delectable and memorable. Signed by the well-established artist in the electro and techno genres Takkyu Ishino (whose associate in the Denki Groove band is no other than Pierre Taki mentioned above), its tones correspond perfectly to the tense ambience and the contemporary atmosphere of artificiality of the series.
To conclude by extending the metaphor of the hunt; if you are seeking an original Japanese series without pretension, look no further: 『Jimenshitachi』 will be able to satisfy for a good load of hours your craving, after which you'll be ready to set off again in pursuit of a bigger —and maybe riskier?— prey.
Based upon real facts, 『Jimenshitachi』 follows the story of a team of professional swindlers (hence the English name of the series) who will be searching ever sweeter deals through their leader's fantasized —if not sexual— drive; and the viewer will follow with pleasure the drawing up of their deals and the difficulties they'll meet to achieve their ends.
The series thus slots in an original manner into the scam affairs that Asian series so regularly portray: whereas one often meets the heavily indebted victims of those scams, one lingers here rather on the other side of the curtain over the drafting of those scams, all the more so in a more original sector (namely the real estate one) than the usual ones that are gambling games and fraudulent loans. I shall however mention a problem that has bothered me all the way through my watching: the Jimenshitachi team seems to be the only one that exists in this universe. Although the opening does mention other cases having occured for many years, and although the dark world of real estate is often brought up and even appears many times, the only fraudsters cracking the whip on-screen and on which the police will investigate shall forever be linked to Harrison… so that the universe inevitably lacks depth, even though it creates a history of the previous cases going back several years prior to the main events of the series.
In that vein, one will also be in one's depth with the characters. If these are all endearing and played by a handful of experienced actors (Etsushi Toyokawa as Yamanaka Harrison, Go Ayano as Takumi Tsujimoto, Pierre Taki as Goto…), they all are also pretty shallow depending on their rank in the series. The leader Yamanaka Harrison does a very good embodiment of the hunter who loves to run after their prey and see it suffer in its last moments —metaphor weaved and traced literally from the beginning to the end of the series— and who will always tell us with a certain mischievous pleasure his philosophical thoughts nourished by glasses of top-of-the-range whiskey: but otherwise? What is he aside from that, where does he come from? does he really only live for his scams? Similarly, the other main character Takumi defines himself only in relation to his past; that is, only in relation to the series' synopsis. As for the other characters, they are as neglected as can possibly be, simply being present during the scams; but they all bear enough character to be likeable and even eagerly-awaited at each appearance. The treatment is slightly different with the detectives, who get a bit more details about their lives to the point of saddening us when one of them dies: proof of the formidable interest there is to develop one's characters.
Despite the aforementioned flaws, broadly speaking, director Ohne succeeds with brio to keep the viewer on tenterhooks and to maintain a constant tension, playing with different genres at the same time: the thriller, the spy and even the action one to an extent. Conscientious shots add to the thorough directing, some of them being particularly well orchestrated; in particular, efforts were made during the most tense moments like the death of some important characters, or during certain sequences that include more spectacular scenes having then been computer-realized (which doesn't make them always so convincing though). Last but not least, the soundtrack is also, for a change, delectable and memorable. Signed by the well-established artist in the electro and techno genres Takkyu Ishino (whose associate in the Denki Groove band is no other than Pierre Taki mentioned above), its tones correspond perfectly to the tense ambience and the contemporary atmosphere of artificiality of the series.
To conclude by extending the metaphor of the hunt; if you are seeking an original Japanese series without pretension, look no further: 『Jimenshitachi』 will be able to satisfy for a good load of hours your craving, after which you'll be ready to set off again in pursuit of a bigger —and maybe riskier?— prey.
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