Sho Hirano
Koshiro Kurosaki
The Black Swindler
2022
Ended • 1 Season • 10 Episodes
Overview
In a time where fraud is an imminent threat, societal issues give rise to a slew of elaborate scams. Kurosaki is a man who lost his family to a "white swindler", which is a professional swindler who scams people out of their money. In order to exact revenge, Kurosaki becomes a "black swindler", a swindler who tricks other swindlers. He swears to scam every white swindler in the world and takes on foe after foe, but can he find his ultimate enemy who robbed him of his family? This riveting revenge drama exposes the very emotions that scams exploit.
Seasons
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 10 episodes
- First aired
- Oct 21, 2022
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Con Artist as Avenging Angel
I’ve always been drawn to stories about con artists—not the glamorous, Ocean’s Eleven kind, but the ones who operate in the shadows of desperation, where every lie is a survival tactic and every mark is a mirror. The Black Swindler (2022) is one of those stories, a Japanese crime drama that reframes revenge as a kind of twisted public service. Kurosaki Koshiro, the protagonist, isn’t just out for blood; he’s out to scam the scammers, to turn their own weapons against them. It’s a premise that’s equal parts cathartic and unsettling, like watching a vigilante don a mask not to hide his identity, but to reveal the rot beneath.
The series opens with a trauma that’s as brutal as it is efficient. Kurosaki’s father, a man broken by a fraud scheme, attempts to murder his entire family before turning the gun on himself. Kurosaki is the only one who survives, left with nothing but the memory of his father’s final, desperate act.
This isn’t just backstory; it’s the engine of the entire narrative. The show doesn’t linger on the tragedy for long, but it doesn’t need to. The weight of it hangs over every frame, a silent specter that turns Kurosaki’s revenge into something more than just a quest for justice.
It’s a way to reclaim agency, to rewrite the ending of a story that was stolen from him.
What makes The Black Swindler compelling isn’t just the premise, though. It’s the way the show balances the mechanics of the con with the emotional wreckage of its protagonist. Kurosaki isn’t a mastermind in the traditional sense.
He’s not a genius like Lupin III or a smooth operator like Hustle’s Mickey Stone. He’s raw, impulsive, and often reckless—more driven by rage than by strategy. That rawness is what makes him feel real, even when the schemes he pulls off are anything but.
The show walks a fine line here, oscillating between the procedural rhythm of a crime drama and the psychological unraveling of a man who’s barely holding it together. It’s a tricky balance, and not every episode lands it perfectly, but when it does, it’s electrifying.
Take, for example, the dynamic between Kurosaki and Katsuragi, the dessert chef played by Tomokazu Miura. Katsuragi is the show’s most intriguing character, a man who’s equal parts mentor and adversary. He’s world-weary, creative, and just cynical enough to see Kurosaki for what he is: a boy playing at being a man.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsSho Hirano Takes the Con: Inside The Black Swindler (2022) Revival
The 2022 reboot of The Black Swindler (クロサギ) has swindled its way back into the spotlight, this time with pop idol-turned-actor Sho Hirano in the lead role. The series, a modern retelling of the classic con-artist drama, follows Hirano’s character as he outsmarts fraudsters—while walking a moral tightrope. But behind the slick scams and sharp suits, the production has sparked its own share of buzz, latestnetflix.com contends, from casting surprises to fan debates over the new direction.
Hirano’s High-Stakes Gamble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg76PODAtvk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MyscqkuQOo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3QkaWBkJ_8
Sho Hirano, best known as a member of the boy group King & Prince, is no stranger to reinvention. His leap into acting has been closely watched, and The Black Swindler (2022) marks one of his most ambitious roles yet. Early reactions suggest he’s holding his own in a part that demands both charm and cunning. Fan recaps of episodes like the second and third—where his character, Kurosaki, faces off against rivals—highlight Hirano’s ability to balance the role’s lighter and darker tones . Still, some viewers remain skeptical, comparing his performance to past iterations of the character, particularly Yamashita Tomohisa’s iconic turn in the 2006 version .
The pressure is real. Hirano’s casting was a calculated risk, blending his idol-era appeal with a grittier, more mature persona. Whether he can fully escape the shadow of previous Kurosagis remains an open question, but the 2022 series is giving him room to carve out his own legacy.
A Cast of Familiar Faces (and a Few Wildcards)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vo159jdPIU
Hirano isn’t the only draw. The ensemble includes seasoned actors like Tomokazu Miura and Koji Yamamoto, who bring gravitas to the morally ambiguous world of cons and counter-cons. Yuina Kuroshima, playing a key ally (or potential adversary), adds a fresh dynamic, with early episode recaps teasing a push-and-pull chemistry between her character and Kurosaki .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykEYb4Rhc-U
But the real intrigue lies in the supporting players. Kuranosuke Sasaki and Yasuyuki Maekawa, both veterans of crime dramas, round out the cast with roles that hint at deeper layers of deception. Rumor—unconfirmed, but persistent—suggests at least one major twist involving a character’s true allegiance, though the series has yet to deliver on that promise .
Reboot Fatigue or Fresh Take?
The Black Swindler (2022) isn’t the first attempt to revive the franchise. A 2008 film adaptation (The Black Swindler: Le Film) earned middling reviews, with critics calling it a serviceable but forgettable extension of the original story 
. The 2022 series, however, seems determined to distance itself from past missteps. Early episodes lean into tighter pacing and a more contemporary aesthetic, though some fans argue the reboot plays it safe, sticking too closely to the formula that worked in 2006 .
One undeniable advantage? The 2022 version benefits from a built-in audience. Recaps and reaction videos—like those breaking down Episode 6’s new arc—suggest viewers are engaged, even if they’re split on whether the reboot adds anything new . The series’ ability to sustain that interest may hinge on how boldly it diverges from its predecessors in later episodes.
What’s Next?
For now, The Black Swindler (2022) is riding a wave of curiosity. Hirano’s performance, the ensemble’s chemistry, and the promise of twists keep fans tuning in, but the real test will be whether the series can escape the "reboot trap"—delivering surprises without alienating purists. With no official word on a second season, the pressure is on to leave a lasting mark.
One thing’s certain: the con is far from over.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.