ReLIFE is a 13-episode anime about a 27-year-old man who takes a pill and goes back to high school. The premise is simple: Arata Kaizaki quits his job after three months, loses his girlfriend, and runs out of money. A mysterious man named Ryou Yoake offers him a chance to start over, younger, at a new school. The anime aired on Gunma TV, Tokyo MX, and BS11 from July 2, 2016, through September 24, 2016. It is based on a manga by Yayoiso, which ran online from 2013 to 2018.
The show is a comedy-drama built on the tension between Arata’s adult mind and his teenage body. He is smarter than his classmates, but he also feels like a stranger in his own skin. The series follows him through a year of classes, crushes, and the slow realization that some problems cannot be fixed by changing your age.
Trailer, via Crunchyroll Dubs.
Arata Kaizaki and the Pill
Arata is the anchor of the series. He is voiced by Kensho Ono, and the role demands a performance that shifts between youthful energy and quiet resignation. The pill he takes makes him look ten years younger, and the show spends time on the physical discomfort of that change. His classmates treat him like a prodigy, and he treats them like they are lost children. That contrast is the engine of most episodes.
His backstory is the heart of the show. He quit his job because it did not fit his highest potential, a line that is never explained further. After several failed job interviews, he ended up at a convenience store. There he was scouted by Ryou Yoake, who chose him for the ReLIFE Experiment. He is the second subject from Kanto Prefecture, Project #002.
The trauma that drives him is personal. His female superior, Michiru, was harassed by her male co-workers. He tried to help her, and it made things worse. She rejected his help and eventually committed suicide. That tragedy left him broken, and he quit his job. The pill he takes after the experiment ends leaves an after-effect, and Ryou encourages him to “live the ReLIFE to its finest.”
Chizuru Hishiro and the Classmates
Chizuru Hishiro is Arata’s counterpart. She is voiced by Ai Kayano, and she plays a very smart but socially awkward girl who becomes his closest friend at school. Their relationship is central to the show, and it develops slowly across the thirteen episodes. They are both outsiders in their own ways, and their bond grows from mutual loneliness.
Other classmates fill out the world. Kazuomi Ooga is voiced by Yuma Uchida, and An Onoya is voiced by Reina Ueda. Haruka Tomatsu voices Rena Kariu, who is Arata’s ex-girlfriend. The show uses these supporting characters to explore different kinds of teenage relationships.
| Character | Voice Actor | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Arata Kaizaki | Kensho Ono | The protagonist, a 27-year-old man sent back to high school |
| Chizuru Hishiro | Ai Kayano | His smart, socially awkward friend |
| Ryou Yoake | Ryohei Kimura | The mysterious man who offers Arata the ReLIFE Experiment |
| Rena Kariu | Haruka Tomatsu | A character in the show |
Comedy and Drama
The show balances comedy and drama well. Episodes often open with a lighthearted gag, then shift to a scene about Arata’s past or his feelings about aging. The humor comes from Arata’s frustration at being treated like a child, even as he secretly wishes he could be one again. The drama comes from the weight of his decisions, especially the one that cost him Michiru.
The pacing holds together across the thirteen episodes. Each episode builds toward a small revelation or a shift in Arata’s perspective. The final episodes resolve his relationship with Chizuru and his work at ReLIFE Laboratory’s Support Division. The ending gives him a job and a partner, which is a satisfying arc for a show about starting over.
Production and Reception
The anime is animated by TMS Entertainment. It also has a live-action film adaptation, released in 2017, which starred Taishi Nakagawa as Arata and Yuna Taira as Chizuru.
In 2017, the manga won in France’s Mangawa Award, which shows its international reach. The anime itself received a critical score of 7.6 out of 10.
“Live the ReLIFE to its finest.”
That line captures the show’s philosophy. It is a call to embrace the present, even when the past hurts. Arata spends the series trying to fix his life, but he learns that some damage cannot be undone. The pill can change his appearance, but it cannot change his memories.
Final Verdict
ReLIFE is a thoughtful, occasionally uneven anime about identity and regret. It is at its best when it focuses on Arata’s internal conflict, and at its weakest when it leans too hard on the comedy. The voice acting is strong across the board, and the story delivers a satisfying conclusion.
The show is worth watching for anyone interested in coming-of-age stories told from an unusual angle. Arata’s journey is relatable even though his circumstances are extraordinary. He is a man who wants to be young again, but he knows that youth is not what he thought it would be.
The anime is a faithful adaptation of the manga, and it holds up as a standalone work. It is not perfect, but it is consistently engaging.
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