Netflix’s Tokyo Swindlers explores the hidden world of land swindlers in the lively city of Tokyo, Japan. The series revolves around a cunning group of swindlers led by Harrison. With his team of skilled members, Harrison deceives people and makes billions by fraudulently selling land without the real owners’ knowledge. But Harrison’s group isn’t alone in this game. The authorities are aware of their schemes. Some officials are involved in helping them, while others are determined to solve the crimes and expose their crimes. Will they succeed in bringing these swindlers to justice? Let’s get to know from this cast and character guide of Tokyo Swindlers.
Spoilers Ahead
Harrison Yamanaka
Etsushi Toyokawa, as Harrison Yamanaka, is a dangerous and relentless character who is always looking for his next opportunity to exploit and deceive. He is a true mastermind in the world of land swindling. He’s a clever and cunning man, always staying one step ahead of everyone else. Harrison started his fraudulent activities in Tokyo, Japan, by forging documents and creating fake identities to sell land for massive sums of money. He knew exactly how to manipulate people to his advantage. Early on, Harrison got arrested when he was new to the game. Even though he served five years in prison, he was released due to lack of evidence. After this setback, he became more cautious and carefully selected a team of associates who were ready to commit fraud with him. One of his key associates was Takumi Tsujimoto, a man whose family business went under due to land swindling. Harrison saw potential in Takumi and brought him on board but hid the fact that it was he who had been involved in Takumi’s father’s downfall.
Harrison’s selfishness knew no bounds. He used people who were either too old or had no family or friends and made them pretend to be false landlords. Once their job was done, he would kill them to cover his tracks. Even when authorities like Tatsu-san got close to exposing him, Harrison had no regret about killing them and making it look like suicide. He betrayed everyone, even his own people in the business who trusted him and sacrificed their lives for his fraudulent activities. If anyone saw through his deceit and wanted to leave, Harrison would eliminate them without hesitation. This included his right-hand man, Takumi. When Detective Kuramochi helped Takumi uncover the truth about Harrison, he turned against Takumi as well as realized his end was near. In the end, both Takumi and Kuramochi tried to kill Harrison, but he survived. Knowing Harrison, it’s clear that he won’t stop. He will likely take revenge and might continue his operations under a new name and identity, possibly in a different place far from Japan.Â
Takumi Tsujimoto
Gô Ayano, as Takumi Tsujimoto, didn’t get into the land swindling business for fun or games. He was a proper family man who loved his wife, kid, and parents deeply. When his father’s company went under because of a land-swindling fraud done to him by a business owner named Nishitani, Takumi was driven by a need for revenge. His father’s loss caused a spiral into depression, which led him to try and kill their family. This tragedy took the lives of Takumi’s mother, wife, and child and left only him and his father alive. However, his father ended up in prison. Living with this painful truth was a daily struggle for Takumi. Then Harrison Yamanaka appeared as a beacon of hope when he recruited Takumi as his right-hand man in the land-swindling business. Takumi had met Harrison when he was a driver for high-end prostitutes and had saved a girl from Harrison. Despite working with Harrison for five years and handling many successful business deals, Takumi never suspected that Harrison was involved in the fraud that ruined his father.
When Detective Kuramochi revealed the truth, Takumi felt his whole career had been built on a lie. He had worked hard, almost got caught several times, and sacrificed so much for a man who had deceived him and ultimately wanted to get rid of him. Filled with anger Takumi wanted to kill Harrison. But Harrison was always one step ahead. He tried to eliminate both Takumi and the detective through a bombing, but thankfully, they survived. Harrison, however, managed to flee the scene, which left Takumi unable to exact his revenge. In the end, we see that despite his deep pain, Takumi decided to confess everything to the police. He wrote a confession letter detailing his involvement in land swindling and how he had deceived people for years. It seemed like he was trying to turn his life around and be better. Takumi’s journey is marked by tragedy and betrayal, but his attempt to come clean shows a desire for redemption.
Reiko
Eiko Koike plays the role of Reiko in the series, and she’s a character who recruits imposters. Basically, Reiko hired people to pretend to be fake landowners by promising them money to pull off the fraud. Sadly, these people often ended up being killed by the notorious Harrison. Although Reiko and the others probably didn’t know about the killing part, or didn’t care, she was deeply involved in the con. Reiko was good at getting into people’s minds. She trained her recruits to memorize every tiny detail about the real landowners, from their names and birth dates to their zodiac signs. It was an exhausting job, but Reiko did it with great conviction. Toward the end, she tried to recruit a woman whose son was suffering from cancer and hospitalized. This woman couldn’t participate in the fraud because her son died. So, Reiko had to step in and impersonate a nun named Kawai Natsumi Sama herself at the last minute, following Harrison’s orders. The way Harrison humiliated her during this time was the last straw for Reiko. She decided she couldn’t work for him anymore. She managed to get the land, but her spirit was broken. Even though she committed fraud, she felt sorry for the mother who lost her son and gave her share of the money to her. In the end, for daring to leave Harrison’s operation, Reiko was killed by his men. Despite her involvement in the deception, Reiko’s character showed a glimmer of compassion and remorse.
Takeshita
Takeshita, played by Kazuki Kitamura, is an interesting and troubled character in the series. He’s the informer for the group, the one who tips them off about which lands are best for swindling and trading. However, Takeshita has some serious flaws. He’s a drug addict and driven by greed, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Takeshita was the first person to see through Harrison’s double-faced nature. When he realized that Harrison’s plan to take over the Kouan Ji Buddhist temple land was succeeding, Takeshita decided to sabotage the scheme. The real nun of the temple, Natsumi Kawai, was on vacation with her boyfriend Kaebe. Takeshita, in his desperate attempt to ruin Harrison’s plan, killed Kaebe with his own hands and threatened Natsumi into returning to her temple in hopes of stopping the land fraud and gaining the upper hand. Unfortunately for Takeshita, Harrison found out about his betrayal. Harrison brutally killed Takeshita and made an example out of him in front of everyone. Takeshita’s story is one of wasted potential and tragic choices. Despite being sharp enough to see Harrison’s true nature, his addiction and greed led him down a dark path, resulting in his untimely and violent end.
Tatsu and Kuramochi
Tatsu and Kuramochi were both detectives involved in exposing the land swindlers. Kuramochi, when she first started under Tatsu’s wing, was just a girl fascinated by detective work because of movies and shows. She didn’t have much real-life experience, so getting involved in uncovering the secrets of the land-swindling scam seemed exciting to her. Their partnership was strong, and together they unraveled the mystery of Takumi’s father and his real identity, along with his involvement in the land swindling business. However, just as they were about to solve the mystery, Tatsu was killed by Harrison for daring to expose them. Harrison made it look like a suicide, complete with a fake suicide note, to cover up the murder. Haba-san, their superior from the police department, helped Harrison turn against Tatsu. Despite this tragedy, Kuramochi didn’t give up. She was even more determined to delve into the investigation and solve the mystery. She eventually helped Takumi learn the truth about his past and guided him to take revenge and become a better person by leaving the dark world of land swindling behind. Kuramochi played a crucial role in helping Takumi change himself and even assisted him in his attempt to kill Harrison. Kuramochi’s character shows incredible resilience and determination. She started as a novice detective but grew into a committed and brave investigator. Her journey is marked by personal loss and professional challenges, but her dedication to justice and helping Takumi find redemption highlights her strength and compassion.
Aoyagi
Aoyagi worked at a real estate company called Sekio House. He was a hardworking and ambitious man, always striving for the best and willing to do whatever it took to get promoted. When the company’s previous deal fell through, the responsibility to find a new, high-value property fell on his shoulders. Aoyagi, being diligent and driven, took on this challenge with great pressure. He eventually came across a property near the Kouan Ji Buddhist temple. Despite having some reservations and receiving a warning letter from the temple’s owner, Nun Natsumi Kawai, urging him to stop the sale, Aoyagi chose to trust Harrison and his team. He believed in their fake documents and elaborate interview process and decided to move forward with the sale. Aoyagi bought the land for billions of dollars on the company’s behalf, as he hoped to ensure the deal went through and that his company would benefit. Unfortunately, as the truth about the scam was revealed, Aoyagi felt devastated. He saw himself as the reason why the company was on the brink of collapse and felt overwhelmed with guilt and despair. In the end, Aoyagi’s sense of failure drove him to walk onto the road without paying attention to traffic, which led to a tragic accident that took his life. His story is one of ambition, misplaced trust, and ultimate tragedy.
