Liar Game (2007)
A psychological Japanese drama where trust is a liability and every move in a deadly money game could mean financial ruin.
Liar Game - Series Information
- Original Title: Liar Game
- First Air Year: 2007
- Last Air Year: 2010
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Drama, Crime
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (43 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Number of Episodes: 20
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- First Air Date: April 14, 2007 (Brazil - 16), April 14, 2007 (South Korea - 15)
- Networks: Fuji TV
- Alternative Titles: Raiā Gēmu (JP), 라이어게임 (KR), 欺诈游戏 (CN), Ігри Брехунів (UA)
- Production Companies: Fuji Television Network
- Production Countries: Japan
Liar Game - Plot
Nao Kanzaki is a college student who is known for her honesty and naivete. One day, she receives a black postcard indicating that she has been selected to participate in the "Liar Game Tournament". Along with the postcard is a box with 100 million yen. The goal of the first round of the game is to trick the other player out of their hundred million yen. At the end, the winner would get to keep the hundred million earned, and the loser owes the LGT 100 million yen, which "will be collected by any means and at all costs".
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Liar Game - Cast & Crew
Main Cast
- Erika Toda
- Shota Matsuda
- Michiko Kichise
- Kosuke Suzuki
- Ikkei Watanabe
- Yoshiyuki Morishita
- Makoto Sakamoto
- Kazuma Suzuki
- Rinko Kikuchi
- MEGUMI
Writers
- Toshio Yoshitaka
- Kazunao Furuya
Liar Game - FAQs
What is the Liar Game Tournament in the series?
The Liar Game Tournament is a clandestine competition run by a shadowy organization that forces participants to swindle each other out of large sums of money. Winners keep their earnings, while losers are left with crushing debt — collected by any means necessary, raising the psychological and financial stakes with every round.
Is Liar Game based on a manga?
The series is adapted from Shinobu Kaitani's manga of the same name, which ran in Weekly Young Jump from 2005 to 2015. The manga's intricate game mechanics and psychological cat-and-mouse tension translated remarkably well to live-action television, earning the drama a dedicated fanbase both in Japan and internationally.
Who plays the main characters in Liar Game?
Erika Toda leads the cast as Nao Kanzaki, the trusting and honest college student thrust into the tournament. Shota Matsuda plays Shin'ichi Akiyama, the brilliant ex-con psychologist who becomes her unlikely ally. Their contrasting personalities — her sincerity versus his cunning — drive the series' compelling dynamic.
Where can you stream or watch Liar Game?
Liar Game is currently available to purchase on Amazon Video. Streaming availability may vary by region, so it's worth checking your local platforms for the latest options. You can also compare all available viewing options in your area via JustWatch for the most up-to-date information.
How many seasons and episodes does Liar Game have?
Liar Game ran for two seasons on Fuji TV, airing from 2007 to 2010. Season 1 contains 11 episodes and Season 2 contains 9 episodes, totalling 20 main episodes. There are also 4 special episodes included in a bonus season, making it a compact but densely plotted series.
How was Liar Game received by critics and audiences?
Liar Game earned strong praise for its clever writing and tightly constructed game scenarios. Audiences celebrated the chemistry between Erika Toda and Shota Matsuda, and the series developed a cult following across Asia. Its success inspired a South Korean remake in 2014 and cemented its reputation as one of the finest Japanese psychological dramas of its era.
Did Liar Game inspire any remakes or spin-offs?
The series proved influential enough to spawn a South Korean remake titled Liar Game (2014), which aired on tvN and introduced the concept to a new regional audience. The original Japanese run also produced a theatrical film continuation, Liar Game: The Final Stage (2010), extending the story beyond the television format.
What are some shows similar to Liar Game?
Fans of Liar Game tend to enjoy Great Pretender, Tomodachi Game, and Kaiji for their shared love of psychological strategy and deception. Battle Game in 5 Seconds and Eden of the East also deliver that same blend of high-stakes tension and clever plotting that makes Liar Game so compelling to watch.
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