Review of ReLIFE

(SPOILER FREE REVIEW) Story (7): The premise of this show comes across as rather contrived and stupid to be honest, my first time reading the plot summary I recall uttering out loud, "wow, they really will come up with any reason at all the make a story take place in high school". And while this still stands somewhat true, given the story could have taken place in college or basically any other setting while maintaining all the positive elements, I think it works well enough and has solid pacing given the slice of life focus. The elements regarding the ReLife program the plot revolved around aresluggish at times, and as a premise feels unrealistic and a bit silly, but adds a lot of comedic moments and to the overall drive of the plot, especially given the rules it puts in place.

Animation and Style (7): The animation and stylization here is rather stock, lacking in any offensive flaws or moments that jumped out to me as jarring or ugly/under worked, but while good, lacks many moments that made me amazed visually either. It was not underwhelming and did its job well enough with an enjoyable and consistent style.

Music/Sound (6): Similarly to the art of this show, the music and sound design were adequate and did their job but lacked many standout moments or elements, the music in particular being minimal to the point where muted some scenes would read the same. The VAs did their jobs and expressed things quite well, though none really struck me as particularly impressive. The OP/EDs also didn't do much, being slow paced and dull, so I opted to skip them the majority of the time.

Characters (10): THIS is the element you'd want to watch ReLife for, the characters. Avoiding spoilers, the protagonist, Kaizaki, is lovable and relatable, and makes the premise, and frankly whole show, function. He's a kind person with reasonable skills and a good head on his shoulders, complete with reasonable human flaws and a history to give him a really solid and fleshed out personality, unlike most slice of life protagonists. He also directs the story proactively due to his ambitions and the ambitions of those around him, as opposed to the usual romantic harem clouds that clog most similar shows. The main thing that matters in ReLife is character growth and the lessons learned from living, often some of the simplest yet most difficult to define, this is something the Kaizaki along with the many side characters such as Hishiro, Yoake, Oga, etc. all work towards wonderfully. I've grown to appreciate most all the character moments here and have since sought out other works by the mangaka behind this work, its really stunning character work.

Enjoyment (10): This show hit me in a place many don't, prompting me to rewatch it twice since my initial viewing. It might not be as impactful for everyone, given the narrative and trials speak to an older audience (generally people of late high school or college age and up) more so than a younger one, but for me its heartwarming and one of my favorite shows of the genre.

Overall (8): Despite the singular elements of this show being relatively unimpressive, I think its far greater than the sum of its parts, providing a homely and relatable narrative about personal growth. Even if you dislike slice of life, as I tend to, give this one a shot, you might find you learn a thing or two, or at least come out feeling a bit more mature.