UlasanAnime.com – It’s been a recurring theme; in 2016, I’ve found myself watching more shows that masquerade as anime but could arguably be far better suited for live-action adaptations. I believe 91 Days falls into this category. A very minor spoiler follows.
My reasoning is that I don’t perceive any inherent advantages to telling this particular story as an anime. While there might be “meta” benefits, such as the significantly lower cost of producing a 12-episode anime compared to hiring American actors for a 1920s mobster short series, the narrative itself feels more aligned with a mini-series format. The runtime of approximately four and a half hours is ideal for such a format, and I suspect 91 Days’ story would have resonated even more powerfully. Furthermore, by approaching a story as an anime, we tend to lower our expectations regarding suspension of disbelief, or at least some of us do. Perhaps adapting it into anime also allows for marketing to an established demographic that the story might not otherwise reach.
The show’s depiction of time feels particularly unconvincing. There’s a moment where a character mentions a period of three months, but I would have readily believed him if he had said six or even eighteen months.
Nevertheless, setting aside these minor issues, let’s delve into the more significant problems I encountered with 91 Days.
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- This anime offers a Japanese interpretation of several prominent mobster themes. The logo image immediately brings to mind “The Godfather,” and the narrative’s conclusion bears a striking resemblance, with the final Don confronting a scheme orchestrated against him and his family. The story also pays homage to other works in the genre, most notably “A Better Tomorrow.” However, this is where the narrative’s strength seems to wane. The plot establishes organized crime’s rise to power through financial influence and the cartel’s role as a liquor provider. If one were to substitute liquor or organized crime with, for instance, a dystopian authoritarian government, or shift the setting to the present day and replace gin with cocaine, the story’s core mechanics would remain. This is where I feel 91 Days faltered. It’s a significant issue, akin to software bugs that are actually features. I found the portrayal somewhat inauthentic. As an aside, an “Infernal Affairs” adaptation in this vein could be interesting, though that would necessitate a different setting.
- The character acting is so distinctly un-American that it constantly reminds me I am watching an anime. While I am aware I am watching an anime, this is a different aspect – the elusive quality that defines anime as opposed to the numerous Chinese anime that have emerged this season (one wonders if viewers watched “Bloodivores”). To a degree, this is also a criticism I have for the spy-versus-spy anime “Joker Game,” where the characters feel like caricatures of Japanese stereotypes of foreigners. In 91 Days, since everyone is ostensibly American (with the exception of the main character, who feels like a stand-in for Setsuna F. Seiei, and his friend, who serves more as stereotypical “ship bait”), the stereotypes lack the diversity needed to characterize everyone. I classify this as a major problem here to differentiate it from the more casual “Japanesisms.” In a mafia film, viewers expect charismatic character interactions, and apart from Nero, I found this element entirely absent. There aren’t enough Italians, just peculiar Japanese individuals.
- The protagonist, Avilio Bruno, embodies a character type reminiscent of Setsuna F. Seiei. In the 1920s, a person with his demeanor would likely never have infiltrated any mafia, unless perhaps as a janitor (and he was hardly that). This is not how such organizations operated! Perhaps if there were a mafia composed of otaku and fujoshi, it might work. Regardless, he failed to hold my interest; I had no vested stake in him beyond the central plot question of whether he would succumb to Nero and the mafia lifestyle.
- Navigating America, even by car, was challenging back then. It’s unclear if the sense of scale was effectively conveyed. It’s possible the research and thought process were thorough on paper, but the anime omitted some of the more authentic details. I cannot be certain. This also ties into the show’s timeline. Ninety-one days is not an extensive period, even by the standards of that era. This point may not be particularly crucial. It would have been amusing if a significant SPOILER had been revealed on a New Jersey beach.
In conclusion, I found 91 Days to be merely “okay.” I believe my time would have been better spent watching something like “The Wire.” If you have thoroughly explored all other mafia-related content, perhaps this series might be worth your while. However, if you haven’t, I strongly recommend seeking out genuinely excellent works such as “The Godfather” films or the classic movies starring Chow Yun-fat.
