Honestly, I’m still thinking about that twist in the Hong Kong movie. You know the one. If you’ve ever watched The Confidence Man JP, you know that feeling where the rug gets pulled out from under you so hard you actually get a little dizzy. It’s not just a TV show. It’s a massive, multi-million dollar franchise that basically took the concept of "don't believe anything you see" and turned it into an art form.
Most Western fans are obsessed with Ocean's Eleven or Now You See Me, but they’re missing out on Dako, Boku-chan, and Richard. These three are the heart of the series, and they make Danny Ocean look like a middle-schooler playing with a chemistry set.
The Confidence Man JP: What Most People Get Wrong
People often assume this is just another "case of the week" procedural. It’s not. Written by the genius Ryota Kosawa—the guy behind Legal High—the series premiered on Fuji TV in 2018 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
Basically, the premise is simple: three scammers (confidence men) target "fish." These fish are usually wealthy, corrupt, or just plain nasty people who deserve to lose their shirts. But here’s the kicker. The show doesn’t just trick the characters in the story. It treats you, the viewer, as the ultimate target.
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You’ll be sitting there thinking, "Okay, I see how they’re doing this," and then—BAM. You realize the last twenty minutes of what you watched was a fake-out within a fake-out. Sometimes they hire fifty extras just to play fake police officers or bystanders for a five-minute gag. The dedication to the bit is insane.
Meet the Trio
- Dako (Masami Nagasawa): She’s the leader. She lives in a luxury hotel suite, eats like a glutton, and can master any professional skill—from surgery to fine art—in about 48 hours. She’s loud, eccentric, and kinda terrifyingly smart.
- Boku-chan (Masahiro Higashide): The "moral compass" who is constantly trying to quit the con-artist life. He’s gullible, sweet, and always gets dragged back in. His name literally translates to something like "kiddo" or "pure boy."
- Richard (Fumiyo Kohinata): The veteran. He’s smooth, elegant, and the master of disguises. He brings the gravitas that balances out Dako's absolute chaos.
Why the Movies Changed Everything
When the show moved to the big screen, the stakes went through the roof. We aren't just talking about local real estate scams anymore.
- The Romance Chapter (2019): Set in Hong Kong. They go after the "Ice Princess" of the triad world. This movie introduced Jesse (played by the late Haruma Miura), a romantic scammer who became a fan favorite. It made over 2.9 billion yen. People went nuts for it.
- The Princess Chapter (2020): This one took them to Langkawi, Malaysia. Ten trillion yen (yes, trillion) was on the line. It was bigger, flashier, and somehow even more emotional. It solidified the series as a box-office juggernaut.
- The Hero Chapter (2022): Set in Malta. This dealt with the legacy of the "Tsuchinoko"—the legendary master con artist. It’s a bit more somber but still keeps that signature "you've been fooled" energy.
The production value in these films is wild. They don't just use green screens; they actually fly the cast to these locations. It gives the whole thing an international, high-stakes vibe that you rarely see in Japanese dramas.
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The Ryota Kosawa Magic
The writing is the secret sauce. Kosawa doesn't write "cool" scammers. He writes people who are kind of losers but happen to be brilliant at lying.
He uses a non-linear narrative that makes you re-evaluate every scene you just watched. You might see a character trip in the background of a shot in minute ten, only to find out in minute ninety that the trip was a coded signal to a hidden sniper. It’s that level of detail.
There's also a deep sense of social commentary. The show constantly asks: what is "real" anyway? In a world of fake news, social media filters, and corporate greed, The Confidence Man JP suggests that maybe the truest thing we have is the bond between people who are honest about being liars.
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Why It Still Matters in 2026
Even now, years after the original series ended, the brand is expanding. There's been talk of international remakes (like the Korean version) because the themes are universal. We all want to see the "bad guy" get taken down by someone even craftier.
But there's a sadness to the franchise too. The passing of cast members like Haruma Miura and Yuko Takeuchi (who played the legendary Lau Lam) cast a shadow over the later films. The creators handled this with incredible grace, keeping their characters alive in the lore without feeling exploitative. It added a layer of "real life" to a show that is otherwise about faking everything.
Getting Started: The Right Way to Watch
If you're new to this, don't just jump into the movies. You’ve gotta start with the 10-episode 2018 drama.
- Watch the TV show first. It builds the rules of the world.
- Don't skip the "Igarashi" spin-offs. They're short and hilarious.
- Pay attention to the guest stars. Some of Japan's biggest actors show up just to get swindled.
- Look for the "Ending Credits" scenes. They often contain the final, final twist.
The series is a masterclass in "don't think, just feel," but also "if you don't think, you'll get tricked." It’s a paradox. It’s beautiful. And honestly, it’s some of the most fun you’ll ever have with a subtitles-on experience.
Start with Episode 1 (The Godfather Chapter). Pay close attention to the way Dako handles the "Akaboshi" target. It sets the tone for everything that follows. Once you finish the TV series, move chronologically to the Romance, Princess, and Hero films to see how the "Tsuchinoko" legend evolves.