91 Days

So, in the end, this was a very well-produced anime series that had a good atmosphere, a decent narrative, and interesting characters. Everything felt quite mature and serious. However, it is not a patch on The Godfather; it could have done with perhaps a bit more action and intrigue, something that would have created a stronger impression that would have led to me falling for it. However, that did not happen, even though it was still very good. 8/10. (07/08/2016)

I'm always excited when I stumble upon an exception to the rule that Japanese anime set in Europe or America can't be good, but unfortunately, 91 Days is not one of them. While the show's setting during the United States Prohibition era, mature treatment of its storyline, and well-balanced screenplay are impressive, the plot itself is as old as time - revenge for the murder of a family. Nonetheless, the show has potential, and with the right anime producers, it could have been great. Sadly, like many anime series set in the West, it's marred by unnecessary and annoying stereotypes. For example, the mafiosos are portrayed as nothing more than degenerate murderers drowning in money, with nothing to do all day but kill each other, show off their sadistic desires, spew wannabe tough quotes, and generally act anything but normal. To make matters worse, the show suffers from what I call the "Game of Thrones syndrome," where too many characters are killed off too quickly, making it difficult to form any emotional attachment to them. As a result, the tension is nonexistent, and when a character dies, it doesn't feel shocking or impactful, but rather just another unsurprising death. It's a shame because with its unique setting and mature treatment, 91 Days had the potential to be a more interesting show. However, due to its weaknesses, I can only give it a weak 3-star rating. (01/22/2022)