Before I get into it, this review also takes into consideration the ReLIFE OVA episodes that beautifully tie up all the loose ends of the original ReLIFE series. Also, if this review makes you put this show on your planning list or moves you in any way, leave a comment on my profile :)

Story: 8.5/10
I love the story of this show. To summarize, Kaizaki Arata is a 27 year-old NEET who is unable to find employment anywhere due to leaving his job after only three months. One night, after walking home from a bar pretending to be employed to his friends to save face, he is approached by a man named Ryou, who offers him a second chance at life and to "rewind the clock." Drunk and glad to just have a job opportunity, Kaizaki eagerly accepts Ryou's offer and falls drunkenly asleep. The next day, a now sober Kaizaki awakens to find out that not only is he ten years younger, he is now a test subject for the ReLIFE company, to which he now has to be a normal third year high schooler for a year without anyone finding out. The plot then follows Kaizaki as he regains his lost emotions that were deadened by misanthropy and helps his fellow high schoolers through their typical daily lives.

Each of the arcs where Kaizaki helps his fellow classmates are filled with wholesome, kind, and relatable moments. These range from helping his best friend confess to his crush, helping a girl in her shell finally blossom, to helping the sore-loser overachiever get over her losses and be the best person she can be. We've all been bitter about losing to people who've practiced more than us or just have more talent, been overwhelmingly anxious about confessing our feelings to the person we like, or have had some sort of encouragement to get out of our comfort zone to really shine, and this show has so many more relatable moments like this. Not only is this show phenomenal in that regard, but it also has all these relationships between characters that are fully fleshed out. There is only one instance of a loose end in this show, and it's if these two minor characters get together or not; which is overall inconsequential. If you like stories that not only have a happy ending, but are also conclusively ended, then this is the show for you. So many romantic comedy animes end inconclusively or are sequel bait, but this show realizes that part of the journey is the end and executes that end perfectly and in such a wholesome manner that one can't help but smile and be happy for all the characters.

youtube(imghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMe_zK3th8E)

Characters: 7.5/10

The characters in this show aren't perfect by any means, and a lot of them are tropes such as effortlessly talented girl, bashful tsundere, and robotic awkward girl, but that's what makes them great. Life is a series of tropes in my opinion, the reason why stereotypes are stereotypes is because they have some basis in reality. Not all people fit in these cookie cutter-esque tropes, but high school life is certainly full of them, which fits perfectly with this anime. Are people defined by these tropes? Absolutely not, and you'll find that these characters have much more depth to them than what meets the eye.

Visuals: 8/10

The animation of this show isn't anything to write home about like huge dramatic action scenes have, but it also doesn't have anything to complain about either. However, it does have fantastic and hilarious facial expressions that are used for dramatic or comedic effect throughout the show, making it very unique.

Audio: 8.5/10

I absolutely love the soundtrack and intro this show has. It really does have music for every situation, sad, dramatic, intense, or just a romantic theme. It's certainly not dull by any means and I found it really unique and noticeable throughout my watch of this show.

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Overall/Enjoyment: 9/10

You can probably already tell I really enjoyed watching this show. Who doesn't dream of repeating the past or our youth with the knowledge we have now as adults? For me at least, this show made me think that I should live my life in a way to where I don't have any regrets, and thus wouldn't have any need to go back to the past. We don't get second chances at life, so one should appreciate the time we have now and not waste any regretting the past.

Live for now and not the past, as a great man once said:

“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” -Marcus Aurelius