Written By: Taku Kishimoto
Studio: Shuka
Original TV Run: July 9, 2016 – October 1, 2016
Episodes: 12 & 1 OVA
In the year 1921, a young Angelo Lagusa celebrates his birthday alongside his mother Elena, baby brother Luce, and best friend Corteo. When Corteo leaves to avoid being caught in the dark, snowy night & Angelo’s father arrives to join his family for a night of fun & best wishes, a group of shady-looking individuals interrupt with the news that a local crime mob’s Don has been whacked. This information isn’t just for the sake of Angelo’s father, but rather a warning of his very near future as Mr. Lagusa is prime suspect number one. These members of the mob known as the “Vanetti Family” are given no choice but to lay waste to the Lagusas as Angelo’s father attempts to physically stop the intruders. A quick search of the house gives the sole surviving member in Angelo a chance to escape with a single gunman missing the fatal shot before burning down house Lagusa.
Angelo makes his way to Corteo’s home, spending the night understandably grieving his deceased family before taking his leave of Corteo’s homestead and their hometown of Lawless in general. Seven years follows with Angelo transforming himself into a mostly muted day laborer & underworld slug renamed “Avilio Bruno”. On a faithful, rainy afternoon, Avilio is handed a letter requesting his return to Lawless with the promise of finally avenging his family’s death. Avilio wastes no time coming back to Lawless, reuniting with Corteo during a time of prohibition. Ironically enough, Corteo is one of the few crafting his own alcoholic beverages under the table with the hope of making some cash and getting out of Lawless. With the return of Angelo comes the connection for Corteo to earn that money by working with none other than the Vanetti family.
Avilio stands up to an attempted robber from the rival Orco Family obviously psychotic in nature named Fango. This act of bravery in front of several members of the Vanetti Family proves as a gateway for Avilio upon discovering one of the people he helped not get robbed is none other than Nero Vanetti, the eldest son of Don Vincenzo Vanetti. Avilio now has a way in – all he has to do is execute his plan.
Original At Being Unoriginal: “91 Days” is nothing out of the ordinary in regards to its story; checking off the figurative list in regards to revenge tales. The protagonist in Avilio/Angelo is a quiet force that uses a single action to put into motion his intent for killing anyone & everything connected to the people responsible for ruining his once peaceful life. While attempting to complete his goal, Avilio discovers that the quest for revenge is just as damning for him & his conscience as it is for those suffering like he once did & still is even though he showcases little to no emotion.
In reality, “91 Day’s” characters make this story unique. Beyond the cold, calculated nature of Avilio are several key figures that are either the polar opposite of the stoic protagonist or are just as emotionally ruthless as Avilio. Nero slowly goes from jovial criminal to a man who, behind his smile, hides his need to prove himself as a key member of his Family especially in the eyes of his father. The relationship between Avilio and Nero is wonderful as the viewer knows exactly why the former Angelo is befriending a person connected to the people who slaughtered his family seven years prior.
Another standout character is Corteo. Though he doesn’t get as much screen time as Avilio & Nero, Corteo becomes the physical representation of not only Avilio’s moral compass, but also society as he struggles with the idea of living a lifestyle not befit for him all the while doing whatever he can to protect his childhood friend. There are several other characters that come in & out of the story including the aforementioned Fango and even the person responsible for sending Avilio the letter that started the figurative ball rolling. In truth it is the strength of the characters that turns a prototypical gangster romp into a memorable affair.
Delightful Dub: Considering the fact this series is set in the United States it’s almost necessary that the English dub is commendable. Thankfully, a majority of the English actors pull off their characters incredibly well. Austin Tindle as Avilio walks a fine line between completely disconnected emotionally and having moments where you still see what Angelo would’ve been if life didn’t turn out the way it did for him (the latter usually during iterations with Corteo). The intricacies in regards to Tindle’s acting is seen early on when he hears Nero’s name for the first time and reacts in a way that doesn’t blow his cover, but showcases a heightened level of excitement that only the viewer can understand at the time.
Ian Moore as Nero plays his role to perfection; vocally showcasing the ebbs & flows of a man who is trying to prove himself in a literal life or death situation with a smile on his face, wink of the eye, and a joke cocked at all times. Like Corteo (Brandon McInnis), several other characters shine mostly in part to their voice actors without getting a great amount of screen time including Galassia (Michael Johnson), Orco (R. Bruce Elliott), Tigre (Jarrod Greene), Ganzo (Chris Messersmith), and Fango (Brandon Potter). There’s very little to no reason why a person shouldn’t watch this one in English.
Animation Dips: “91 Days” isn’t a looker of an anime mostly thanks to a lot of muted colors and character designs that aren’t outrageous. Beyond some of the characters having odd small facial features & dead eyes, there is a noticeable dip in quality in regards to the animation during the show’s latter third. The crispness of environments is somewhat lost until the cumulative scenes. Things like blood speckles and beads of sweat don’t form during the last few episodes as they did when the series first starts. It’s unfortunate that it seems the show was either rushed or they ran out of money.
“91 Days” isn’t revolutionary or really does anything to change the criteria that makes up a wonderful revenge tale set in the world of the mafioso. Instead, “91 Days” revels in what has been done before it while putting a personal stamp on the genre by focusing on several characters who know less than the viewer does; adding an incredible sense of anticipation throughout. This is a must-see series that can be streamed via Crunchyroll or HBO Max. And if one can find or afford the physical copy should add it to their library just like a bar owner wanting to accent their menu with some bootleg booze.
