Makoto Edamura

Makoto Edamura (枝村真人, *Edamura Makoto*?), also known as Edamame, is the main protagonist of the *Great Pretender* anime. He is the self-proclaimed greatest con-man in Japan and a member of Team Confidence.

Hoping to find a high-paying job to pay off his ill mother's medical bills, he landed a job working for Kudo at a company scamming customers. He was arrested and sent to prison, and because his father Seiji Ozaki was a corrupt lawyer, he could not prove his innocence. After being released on parole, his reputation and criminal record prevented him from landing an honest job.

After his mother passed away, he decided that he wanted to become the greatest con man in Japan with no other means of gaining income. He ends up becoming Laurent Thierry's partner after unsuccessfully trying to con him while on a visit to Japan.

## Appearance

Makoto is a young Japanese boy who about 5’6 with brown eyes, messy brown hair that has bangs hanging over his forehead, brown eyes, long legs and he has a rather thin build.

* In Case 2, he has an undercut.
* In Case 4, he went through drastic change in his appearances as he slicks his hair backwards, he wears a suit and he started smoking as well.

His appearance was based on the voice actor Ryūnosuke Kamiki, who is 5'6" in real life.

## Personality

Makoto has a multi-faceted personality. In most situations, he acts like a slightly awkward person but kind though overreacting at the smallest things according to Laurent. However, occasionally, especially during his schemes, he exudes confidence and style, able to befriend powerful figures like Eddie Cassano. Makoto is very intelligent, resourceful, as well as manipulative.

Makoto's personality shifts throughout the series of the anime. Before becoming a con-man, he was a hopeful and positive young adult, excited to join the workforce. Three major life events affected him: his father caught in an illegal scheme, Makoto charged with fraud, and his mother's passing. Afterward, he becomes colder and more calculative, voluntarily joining the fraud ring. He made his living by scamming old people and tourists and confidently proclaimed himself as Japan's best con-man.

After the events of Part 1, Makoto enters a self-reflective phase and evaluates his purpose in life. He humbles himself and reasons that having a hardworking job and a set routine brings happiness in life. He matures during this process and becomes wiser.

During the events of Case 4, Makoto became colder and he appears emotionless from time to time. He appears to be voluntarily joining the Yakuza and participated in a human-trafficking ring during this period. He's also become an active smoker.

## History

### Background

With his father in jail and his mother's health failing Makoto tried to get a job and was able to get a job with a company that was selling health tea, during this time he first met Kudo. But it turned out that the company was perpetrating consumer fraud. He was arrested with everyone else working there.

After being released on parole, Edamura's criminal record prevented him from getting a new job, and his mother passed away. With no other way of making a living, Edamura approaches Kudo offering to partner with him and become Japan's (self-proclaimed) greatest con man.

### Case 1

While working with Kudo one day in Japan to con people out of their money using a lost wallet switcheroo con Makoto ends up picking Laurent as the foreigner he'd try to trick, as he tries to con this foreigner Makoto is tricked himself by a hug. Once Makoto and Kudo had gotten home it had became clear something had gone wrong with the switcheroo and that this foreigner had conned them, but Makoto didn't have much time to think about this before three cops were at the door and he found himself running away from them leaving Kudou behind, and fleeing into the same taxi as the foreigner who had tricked him.

Once the pair were in LA they shared their names and Makoto made a deal with Laurent based off a con that Laurent had shared a few details on about Sakura Magic: If Makoto could sell it for more than Laurent then he'd get the money that Laurent took from him back along with gain Laurent as an underling, meanwhile if Laurent won he'd get Makoto as an assistant.

## Etymology

* The name **Makoto** means "real, genuine" (真) (**mako**) and "person" (人) (**to**), which literally means "true man" altogether and it refers to his honesty deep down.
* Makoto's surname **Edamura** means "branch" (枝) (**eda**) and "town, village" (村) (**mura**).

## Trivia

* Makoto's main hobby is collecting capsule toy figures.
* Makoto at first is stated to have a very bad accent when he speaks English which appears to have improved by the end of Season 2.
* Makoto has a really bad fear of heights as seen when he goes on a test flight with Abby.
* Makoto is nicknamed "**Edamame**" by Laurent Thierry who claims he has difficulty pronouncing his name.
* Makoto understands and speaks fluent Chinese, English and Japanese.

## Gallery

Edamura and LaurentEdamura hanging upside down.Edamura's "water filter seller" outfit.Edamura's undercut from Case 2.Character Reference Sheet