91 Days – A Japanese love letter to classic Mafia movies

91 Days is an anime about the Mafia. Yes, you read that right.

Being of Italian descent, it’s basically a law that I have to like Mafia movies.

I’d say my favorite Mafia movie is Goodfellas, followed closely by A Bronx Tale. Casino is also really good too. You could probably throw Robert De Nero and Joe Pesci into anything and it would win awards.

I’m not a big fan of the Godfather series though. I respect it for its legacy, but I found it boring as hell (“It insists upon itself”). I’m told that this is because I’ve seen it parodied and referenced so many times that it’s lost its impact, but I don’t know. I guess the fact that it’s always being referenced in other media is a testament to how influential it was. Personally though, I didn’t see what all the fuss was about. But that’s just, like, my opinion, man.

When I first heard about 91 Days, I wasn’t too sure what to think. Much like Akiba Maid War, this was yet another suggestion that repeatedly came up when I was looking for more anime about the Yakuza (we’re moving away from this, I swear). While it wasn’t about the Yakuza, it was about organized crime, so in that sense it fit the bill of what I was looking for. Even more interesting was that it was about the Mafia in Prohibition-era Chicago. A series about the Mafia in early 1930’s America isn’t something you’d expect to find in a medium dominated by flashy fights and battles full of giant explosions.

91 Days focuses on Angelo Lagusa, a young man who watched his family get murdered during a Mafia dispute. Angelo swears vengeance upon the Mafia family responsible for the murders, the Vanetti family. He returns to his hometown, and, using the alias “Avilio Bruno”, infiltrates the family, and slowly exacts his revenge over the course of 91 days (hence the series name).

Tales of vengeance are common as hell in anime, but it was a refreshing breath of fresh air to see the Mafia being used to tell this kind of story. Not many people realize just how popular and influential American media is internationally. A lot of anime and manga have western influences. There’s the obvious ones like My Hero Academia and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but then there are subtle ones too, like Toriyama’s love for Disney movies which had some very subtle influence on the early Dragon Ball franchise. It’s very apparent that 91 Days was at least partially influenced by classic Mafia movies, particularly The Godfather. Even the logo uses the same style:

 

While The Godfather is more about the rise and fall of the Corleone family, 91 Days is about Angelo’s desire for revenge against the Vanettis.

Utilizing his friend Corteo’s talent for brewing alcohol, Angelo works his way into the graces of the Vanetti family, who don’t know his true identity. The recurring theme of the series is Angelo’s desire for revenge as his sole reason for living. This is a guy who watched his parents and his little brother get mercilessly gunned down, anger and pain is the driving force that pushes him to keep going and do whatever it takes to eliminate the people responsible for that pain, even if it means befriending one of them.

Angelo’s plan hits a snag when he starts to become friendly with Nero Vanetti. Nero is the son of Don Vincent Vanetti, and both were present when Angelo’s family was killed. Angelo spends most of the series partnered up with Nero, the two fighting against rival Mafia families and other people who are out to kill them. Few things forge a brotherly bond like fighting alongside each other in battle, and soon enough Angelo begins to forge a bond with Nero. Angelo’s internal conflict begins to take a toll. He wants to let Nero live, but his only reason for living is that revenge he’s been pursuing. Just what the hell should he do?

One of my biggest issues with The Godfather was how slow and boring it was. 91 Days is constantly moving in a steady balance of action and dialogue. Nothing drags on, the story keeps moving without relying on lengthy conversations or throwing a ton of action at you. There’s enough conversation to tell the story, and enough action to keep you from getting bored. In one scene, a guy takes over one of the families by killing the Don, then feeds the Don to his former executives. In another scene, Angelo and Nero go up against a gigantic Mexican hitman and have a brawl and gun battle in the streets.

This series is only 12 episodes, and you could probably finish it in about five hours. If you like Mafia movies, then you’ll definitely enjoy 91 Days for its intense action and meaningful story.

I give this series an 8/10. 91 Days is a beautiful love letter to classic Mafia movies.