Risky Racket: Lying and Conning in Great Pretender

*Samurai Champloo spoilers*

The use of conning and stealing in the new Netflix anime: "Great Pretender" become heroic acts used to combat world corruption and global evil doers. In an obvious way, Great Pretender is telling us that some "criminal acts" are not really bad, and instead suggests it is often those who find ways to operate within the confides of the law that are truly the immoral ones. Put in parallel with episode 7 of Samurai Champloo, "A Risky Racket", we get to explore the meaningful layers of the axiom: "do not steal, do not lie to people". Once explored, we realize that the warning against lying and stealing is a cautionary measure that'll salvage use from a life of shame.

Episode 7 of Samurai Champloo follows our series' trio, Fuu, Mugen and Jin, as they begin the episode winning money in a gambling ring. The next day, they head into a nameless town to find some grub, and right before they get to eat, Fuu gets pick-pocketed by Shinsuke, the episode's side-protagonist. A few minutes after stealing from Fuu, Shinsuke pick-pockets 3 random people walking on the street, people who appear to be yakuza (Japanese mafia). However, this time around, he accidentally stole something serious: opium. Once the episode reaches its middle point, Shinsuke returns back home to his (seemingly) ill mother. She asks him, "why did strange men barge into the house earlier?" Although she was referring to Mugen and Jin, Shinsuke doesn't know that and appears to assume that she was talking about the yakuza he robbed earlier. Shinsuke's mother's next words shift the emotional feel of the episode, she asks: "you're not doing something that would make it hard for you to look into people's eyes?"

Risky Racket continues with Shinsuke at the doctor's office as he waits for the physician to finish grinding up the medicine for his mother, (don't forget, this is the Edo period). The doctor tells Shinsuke that this medicine won't cure his mother's illness, it'll only give her some strength to keep on keepin' on every day. As he tells Shinsuke bluntly that his mother won't get better, he also tells him that if he had more money, he could buy a cure-all medicine for his mother, but it is quite obvious that the doctor said this in a demeaning way, as he does not turn once to look at Shinsuke in the eyes.

The episode comes to a climax when Fuu and Shinsuke fall down a domino effect of plot twists that has Fuu becoming Shinsuke's hostage, (well, fake hostage). The situation ends with the police killing Shinsuke right when it seemed he would get the chance to run away; they kill him right on front of Fuu. The shot shows her tears running down her face, but blocks her eyes from our view. (Samurai Champloo episodes never finish well) In the last few minutes of the episode, Fuu visits Shinsuke's mother one last time to tell her what happened, but she does not find the strength to say anything when she sees the mother face to face; she even turns her back to the mother, not being able to look her in the eyes, (except for the very last moments of the dialogue). Even without Fuu's explanation, Shinsuke's mother seems to have understood the situation, and in fact, she seems to have known all along. She directly asks Fuu if Shinsuke was doing bad things to others, and it is in that moment that Fuu turns around to look into the mother's eyes, (in the hopes of comforting her). However, the moment Fuu turns around, we see Shinsuke's mother looking down on the floor and bawling, (looking away from Fuu's eyes).

There is no denying that Shinsuke's actions were wrong, and probably your initial response to the episode would be to feel sympathetic for his mother, who seems to be ashamed of her son's way of life. Still, I think there's a lot more to the story. You see, Fuu connects with Shinsuke at the end of the episode as she tells him that she too used to embarrass her mom with disrespectful behaviour, all the while her mother was suffering from an unnamed illness, (which, by episode 7, we already know Fuu's mother has died). As the show progresses, you come to find out that the samurai Fuu is searching for is her father, who left her mother years ago. Fuu's mother got sick after he left her, and Seizo, (the Sunflower Samurai), also got sick some time after his departure; an action he has been deeply ashamed of his whole life. In both cases, the shame/regret of the situation has lead them both to illness. I believe Shinsuke's mother is dealing with the same predicament. However, in the episode's final moments, we come to appreciate something more to her ailment.

At the end of the conversation between Fuu and Shinsuke's mother, the mother does not seem sick anymore, she seems to have some hint of colour in her skin, and she's seen standing on her feet; albeit she still doesn't look in great shape. Interestingly enough, this is also the moment where she admits to herself the truth of Shinsuke's way of life, she faces the truth and takes on the burden of being "ashamed". But I want to posit something deeper. To me, the reason she does not look Fuu in the eyes at the end of the episode is because she feels ashamed about her own suspicion towards Shinsuke. For the major half of their conversation, Fuu is defending Shinsuke's honour, and by the end of the episode we have come to appreciate him for more than just a pick-pocketer. Henceforth, the mother comes to understand that although Shinsuke was doing shameful things, he was still an honourable man, since he was doing it for an honourable cause: to pay for her medicine. She comes to see that Shinsuke was a good and honourable son regardless of his livelihood. This realization seems to have cured her ailment in some way too.

The last lines of the episode come from Fuu who promises to send Shinsuke's mother a letter once her journey ends, to tell her the "truth" about Shinsuke. At the end of the series, after we meet the Sunflower Samurai and the climactic ending is resolved, we leave the series with an understanding that good and bad is not a matter of essence, nor a metaphysical battle between temptation and restraint. Instead, bad and good is a matter of circumstances, chaos, fortune, and an ever-misguided will. Our protagonist go from being self-driven to a trio of lifelong friends ready to die for each other. By the end of the series, we appreciate that as long as you opt to do the honourable thing, there is no reason to be ashamed of the way you lead your life. Great Pretender demonstrates the same message throughout the first season, the crew cons and steals from legitimate powerful people/organizations all for the sake of the oppressed. They do wrong, they steal and lie, but they do not lead a life of shame. Perhaps, to do bad things does not necessitate you being a bad person, much like doing good things does not necessitate you being a good person. What motivates us to do something is perhaps more important than the thing we end up doing?

Idk, maybe I'm reading too much into it? Great Pretender is a great anime, I recommend it to everyone!