91 Days - Episode 1 (Review)

By RaeEpisode 1: Night of the Murder91 Days starts out in a gloomy, rain-soaked corner of town. Avilio Bruno is on his way home when a group of older women stops him to pass along an envelope. It’s come to his address, but under the name of Angelo Lacuza – a name his neighbor doesn’t recognize.Seven years earlier, young Angelo and Luce are playing a prank on their parents when there is a knock at the door. High tensions quickly lead to bloodshed, and Angelo watches through the slats of the door while his whole family is slaughtered by the Vanetti family. He spends a night in the solace of his friend Corteo’s company before running away into hiding.Back in the present, Corteo and Avilio reunite for the first time since that fateful night. Corteo has faced Prohibition by learning to craft his own moonshine, and Avilio wants to sell it to the mafia, for reasons unknown. Soon Avilio finds himself connected to the family he swore revenge on.The first episode is mostly exposition, with little in the way of character development. The story is set up very thoroughly, and I think we can expect a complicated revenge plot as the story moves on. Avilio seems to have a plan that neither the audience nor Corteo are fully privy to yet.The character art for 91 Days ranges from average to good. What really blew me away is the backgrounds and scenery. Set against the backdrop of a Prohibition-era, mafia-run town, the atmosphere is often dark and grimy, occasionally giving away to large-scale landscape shots which are stunningly reminiscent of European paintings. Alongside a timely, orchestrated soundtrack, the result is a near-perfect atmosphere.91 Days airs on Fridays, and can be found on Crunchyroll.