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Reviews for ReLIFE

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P
Pyongmon

almost 8 years ago

10

This was one of the best mangas I've ever read. I highly recommend this manga, it has love, friendship and it touch many feelings inside us. It makes you think twice about your life, where are you, what are you going to do with your future and sometimes wish have the opportunity to be in ReLIFE program. The characters are like the average students but you see them grow and you can feel all the things that they are going through. The art is just beautiful and overall is a very easy manga to read. The fact that it came in color pages gives it a bigplus. Recommended.

250
Recommended
M
MI-NA-MI

over 10 years ago

9

Edit: finished reading all chapters, the grade is fully deserved. After reading 86 chapters, I believe it is time to write a review for ReLIFE. I gave 9 but subjectively I would without a second thought give this manga a 10. It is one of the most enjoyable I have ever read so far. For those in high school or about to get there, it gives a preview of what happens after that. While the story is obviously culturally based in Japan, it does not change the fact that it is a very realistic approach on employment and social issues. Food for thoughts means good reading materialvalue to me. It is very light hearted but sometimes a more serious tone is introduced which is really good for a change of pace. We are far from a RomCom in high school with a stupid protagonist who's popular will lots of beautiful girls and wants to get the girl.

The art is really outstanding and Yayoi Sou really has a talent for facial expressions, being also skilled at drawing chibi versions of her characters. The colouring is amazing and stands out a lot. Also each character has a defining colour which helps a lot during conversations to know who is talking.

It is very easy to relate to the characters and the protagonist Kaizaki Arata is really the strongest point. In a country like Japan where most people have to follow norms and be conformed, I find interesting how the protagonist has been sidelined by the society he lives in for being slightly different. I am sure everybody has been confronted to a situation where we had to decide whether to blend in or stand out, wanting to be the best and failing... the kind of hardships we face all the time not just in school or at work. For those who forgot about these experiences, ReLIFE is there for you. What Kaizaki Arata goes through for being a high schooler again can make you question yourself. If you don't, everything is going your way or you do not care that much about what will happen to you. Either way ReLIFE would still be an enjoyable read for the interactions between stupid, dense, smart, violent, cute, awkward... all completely different characters.

This review is mostly to show support for the talented Yayoi Sou. ReLIFE is really getting popular in Japan and the fourth tankobon is about to go on sale soon. It made me want to know more about the author's work and I discovered Yowamushi Resound because of it, but it is still relatively unknown outside Japan. I hope people are willing to give this manga a chance as I personally believe it is one of the best out there.

155
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Recommended
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S
Stranger_Hanyo

almost 8 years ago

10

Search up MAL, and you'll find an abundance of romance manga, but I guarantee you, you won't find anything like ReLIFE. It's just the best. The way it handles the aspect of growing up, school life and most importantly depression, ReLIFE is nothing short of a masterpiece. The way ReLIFE tackled real life problems, I have to say, I am trying to change my life after reading this, such a great impact it had on me. [WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD] Story: ReLIFE deals with the protagonist Kaizaki, a depressed working man. One day he meets a guy called Yoake, who hands him a strange looking pill thatwill revert his appearance back to his high school self. Kaizaki takes the pill, joins a high school and tries to change his life. What happens for one year, is his ReLIFE, a chance given to change his way of life for the better. Here he encounters fellow classmates Hishiro, Kariu, Ooga, Onoya and Yoake.

The story progresses with Kaizaki opening up to his newly met friends, developing bonds and trying to shed away his depressed past. How he grows up, falls in love, takes responsible decisions, and becomes a good man, that's what ReLIFE is all about.

Art: ReLIFE is a webcomic, so don't expect your excellent manga art. But for what it's worth, Yayoi Sou has done an amazing job with the art. The designs are not extravagant, the backgrounds are pleasant to look at, and the characters look just normal, which in my opinion is a very much required point for ReLIFE. You will just love it, and my God, Hishiro is just total adorbs. The first time I saw her, I knew what my future wife should look like.

Character: This is probably the best part of ReLIFE. The characters just feel real and most of you can relate to one or the other. As for me, being a depressed youth in his early 20s, I strongly could relate to Kaizaki. The brooding darkness in his life, the way he failed to make friends, it hit right at home for me. The way Kaizaki, slowly but steadily tries to change, the way he breaks barriers and helps others, the way he makes friends and falls in love, it just felt too goddamn real.

As for the other characters, Hishiro is absolutely the best. She, also being a subject of the ReLIFE experiment, is trying to mend her past, and Kaizaki helps her with it. The two of them form the best of bonds and unknowingly it evolves to love. The other characters, like Kariu and Ooga also develop throughout the manga and changes for the best.

The best part is that, in ReLIFE none of the characters are ignored. You can see each of them evolving and having a separate story of their own, unlike most of the other manga out there.

Enjoyment: If there was a score greater than 10 on MAL, I would have given it to ReLIFE. It's absolutely the best. Not a single chapter feels boring, not a single character feels uninteresting and man, it's just the best. I would stay awake every weekend waiting for the new chapter, read it and then go to sleep. It was just so good. Believe me, just don't think much and read it. You'll be bound to love it.

Overall: A solid 10/10. No other manga has been able to make me happy as much as ReLIFE. It had a tremendous positive impact on me and I am trying to change myself for the good after reading this. As a sucker for happy endings, ReLIFE is just perfect. Kaizaki and Hishiro grows up, and almost forgets each other, breaking the hearts of the thousands of readers. Just when I was about to lose all my hopes, the mangaka brilliantly uses a plot point and it I got my happy ending. I am like, immensely happy with it. There's not a single flaw I found with ReLIFE, except the fact that I'd just love an epilogue showing some cute and happy moments that'd heal my soul.

TL;DR: If you don't want to read my long review, here's a short one, GO READ ReLIFE. It's the best, like no manga ever was. Read it and be a happy.

131
Recommended
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-Endir-

almost 8 years ago

9

This is my first review, and I think is gonna be short, but anyway... After the final chapter of the manga, I can say that is one of the few mangas that have catched me until the end. It has a good story, drugs, love, "comedy", and for me, it is an unique experience. Btw if you have finished the anime and then you want to read the manga, I recommend you to start over, it has details that aren't in the anime (and after the anime its when the good story starts). Also, this is the only online manga which I've seen that is in full color,it's a matter of time that you find one in color if you are reading it like any other.

Of course, the enjoyement of this for the reader is gonna be at least good, that's because how the story is going, it's all connected until the end.

If you are bored, or you don't know what to read, try it, you won't regret it!

And that's sincerely it lol

64
Recommended
C
Caimthehero

over 10 years ago

8

The premise of what would you do differently if you went back to high school is practically ingrained in every person's brain. Of course hindsight is 20/20 but this premise begins with a 27 year old taking a pill and becoming a senior in HS again. Don't read if you need the exact science behind it. Pros The characters and story are being developed well and constantly progressing. Handles tension well by keeping unanswered questions while solving others. Funny. The art is good and in color. Cons Details in the picture are sacrificed for color instead. While the plot is constantly progressing it does so at a crawl. The chicken crossedthe road on a flying pig before a major scene with drama and tension was finally hit (The only one so far).

Minor spoiler:

The main character is inept at school but has a graduate degree...How the hell did he attend university in the first place then? Minor plot hole.

56
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Recommended
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N
Nervin

about 10 years ago

7

These days it is abundant to experience pressure on your profession, as well as from your peers. Injustice and the feeling of hopelessness is a common occurrence, consequently inducing stress and possibly even drop-outs to any graduate young fresh man. In the case of Kaizaki, he quits his job and is unable to find a better employer, let alone finding one becomes an impossible task, being branded as a quitter. ReLIFE is a tale of a man who is able to revert to his 17-year-old self thanks to a drug. Kaizaki, struggling with life, encounters a young man named Yoake, who offered him a drug foran experiment to change his appearance back as it was in his adolescence. However, there is a catch to it, its period spans only a year on high school, after anyone related to the subject having their memories erased. And thus begins Kaizaki's new student life in which he explores and learns to regain his confidence and clearing his doubts, in addition to reliving the student life.

This is certainly an intriguing aspect that enhances the whole narrative of the story, in addition to keeping tension in events that occur throughout the manga. It starts off with a well paced introduction to various elements that needs to be considered when reverting, as well as the consequences that it involves. Interactions between different characters are well conveyed, yet are rather simplistic, typical situations as in any school setting, riddled with love and studying problems.

However, as the story continues, it begins focusing more on school life itself, rather than the hardships the main protagonist experiences. This doesn't imply that these are not portrayed, in fact, it subtly introduced, yet in small quantities, which can be a drawback for readers, as the manga gave the impression of tackling human hardships in nowadays society. Comedy is also present in the manga, which are actually hilarious at times, be it due to characters behaviour, or simple play with words.

The cast of characters in ReLIFE are varied, yet very stereotypical: stupid but charismatic protagonist, tsundere girl, emotionless girl, clueless boys you name it. Nevertheless, the characters which made it more interesting as a whole, were certainly the employers who check tabs on Kaizaki, as it adds to a certain intrigue on what the purpose and roles of this characters are, as well as their fates.

Character development is rather lackluster, yet it has certainly some progression as in the case of the main protagonist, and his employers. In addition, some background story on his past is provided, which is a good addition in understanding said character's behaviour and motives.

The art style of ReLIFE is as a whole average, as it trades detail in favor of coloring the manga. Backgrounds are drawn when needed, depending on the atmosphere it is trying to convey to the reader, be it a comedic sketch or facial expression to transmit character's emotions. Character design is however generic, with no real outstanding supporting cast.

Overall ReLIFE was an enjoyable read that proposed an interesting theme, yet didn't tackle the theme as much as it should have, as its main focus switched to describe typical school life events, which can be dull when the premise is so much more interesting. This however remains to be seen. It must be said that even as a typical school manga it managed to display these very well, in a believing manner, as it was not overdramatized or exaggerated. Recommended to anyone who has an interest in slice of life manga with a school setting, with an interesting premise.

Thank you for reading.

49
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Recommended
Preliminary
k
kaheeking

over 10 years ago

9

ReLife Now having reading 101 chapters so far, i love it even more than i began to read it. small summary- you can skip down this review for more practical information. Life didn’t worked out as Arata Kaizaki (27) imagined it would. Being single, unemployed and having no success with his job-hunt. While others have jobs and a relationship, he is having it rough until one night. He came across a mysterios man, whom he never met but that man knew everything about him. His name is Yoake Ryo an employee of Relife Laoratory. Arata being suspicious about all of this because he never met Yoakeand he has never heard of Relife either. Even more suspicious Yoake says Arata is being selected to conduct an experiment for one whole year, in return everything in his expenses in his life will be covered by them, even more they will refer him to a company immediately after the experiment is completed.

All he needs to do is be a high school student for one year .

It includes of the struggles of turning from adult to a normal student.

I won’t spoil anymore of this amazingly funny and lighthearted manga, because it is still running and I don’t want to spoil the laughter you will be having. Enjoy the journey he will venture and care for him throughout the manga.

Reason to read ReLife:

Funny

Lighthearted

Exciting

character development

story line continuous

Also there a rumors that there will be a anime adaption. I really hope so.

kind regards

Kaheeking

47
Preliminary
Recommended
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_Iroha

almost 8 years ago

8

Having followed this manga for around 18 months to 2 years now, I've always loved how fun and charming the show is. It's not a critical masterpiece, nor is it a series to be binged. Honestly, I can see how you'd easily hate it if you ended up binging it. It can be very repetitive as the series draws to an end and ultimately less drama itself happens. I usually caught up every once in a while, let a few months pass, and then catch up again. Needless to say, my review may be a bit biased because of that. It was more of a casualenjoyment for me - only meant to occasionally bring a smile to my face. I never felt the frustration with the pacing everyone else did. I can absolutely tell you, this series is not perfect. The ending is a bit rushed, and the final arcs ARE drawn out quite a lot. Again, I had no issue with it. If you're getting into it now that it's over though and plan on binging, you probably will.

All in all, I can most definitely say that you should probably check out the anime to test the waters with the show. If you dig the first 3 episodes or so, then you will absolutely love the rest. If you don't, it's clearly not for you. Don't even bother following. The series is just more of the same old up until the end. No real unique twists or turns or insane character depth here. Just an admittedly cheesy romance.

I'm glad to say I've been a fan for quite a while now though. This is the first time a manga I've read has come to an end. I'm pretty emotional ngl. Best of luck to the mangaka on whatever he decides to do. o7

43
Recommended
M
MAND4

about 8 years ago

5

ReLIFE... aah, ReLIFE. I remember, a few years back, every morning I'd wake up, prepare a cup of coffee, and read a chapter of ReLIFE before heading off to college. It was a pretty simple, but still satisfying routine of mine, and I kept it until translators caught up with raws. Then, bit by bit, I began losing interest in this manga. Recently, though, a wave of nostalgia hit me, and I decided to pick it back up and see how things are playing out. Oh boy. I enjoyed ReLIFE a decent amount. The art is nice, clean (and being in full color doesn't hurteither), the comedy is pretty decent and I laughed out loud quite a few times. First 40 or so chapters, although remarkably cliche in their premise, were executed well enough that I had a pretty good time reading. But then it kept going... and going... and going... and, well, you get the gist.

That's the story of ReLIFE in a nutshell: it just keeps going. It has no fuel, but it still keeps on going. Story is the greatest downfall of this manga and the main reason for such a low grade. I don't blame it for hitting every high-school romance cliche in the book. For the most part, unlike other manga (at least early on), it didn't drag out conflicts unnecessarily, and it kept a steady, forward momentum. The problems began cropping up when the pace was broken, and when the story started running in circles, which was shortly after it was revealed to us who the Subject NO.1 was. Before that, the focus was primarily on the side characters, and the events were unfolding relatively quickly. Yes, it had its annoying moments, it had moments you've seen in every other story with similar setting, but it wasn't bad.

Then, the story stepped on the brakes so hard it nearly overturned itself. It did something that no manga of its type should ever allow itself to do: it became boring. Only one central conflict remained (well, if we exclude that random arc about the side dude midway which I wholeheartedly recommend you skip - that's how bad it is), and it was clear mangaka had no intention of ending the story just yet. So, to play the music of the story, characters also began running in circles. And it all just turned into a wallowing abomination that doesn't know when to just stop.

However, there's light at the end of the tunnel; as of ch. 200 (the one I'm currently at), the story seems to be wrapping up. I don't see it going past another 20 chapters (and even that's stretching it), but, considering the history of manga, there's a high chance it'll - again - just keep on going. I don't mind it that much, really. I'll inevitably end up reading however many chapters are left simply because I'm already in too deep to bail. However, it does leave a bad taste in my mouth. Nearly 60-70 chapters could have been cut cleanly, or at least rewritten to follow the flow better, and the manga would have been better for it.

Moving on to characters, while not awful as the story, they're not that great either to be honest. And, to be even more honest, they were never that great. Most of the side characters are just your standard insecure high-school kids with high tendency of throwing tantrums, while the supposed 'adults' of the story work their hardest to match them in that department. I swear, if there was a way to measure self-pity in this manga, it'd have broken the charts. The main guy had about 260 monologues that were nothing short of asinine attempts at deeper characterization that only end up being woeful wastes of space. Every one of his 'self-examinations' follows the same pattern, and he always ends up reaching the same conclusion, before abandoning it to open up some space for the next 'self-examination'. Mind you, this dude is supposed to be 27 years old. Meaning, he has a functioning, adult brain. Meaning that 'coming of age crap' doesn't work on him, because he's not 17 as the rest of the cast.

The main love interest is perhaps the highlight of manga. Unlike the side characters, she's not annoying and, unlike the main character, she doesn't waste screen time by constantly spitting woe-is-me liners. She receives the most character development of the bunch, and is practically the only reason the character score is 5 rather than 3, like the story. All the same, she simply isn't interesting enough to hold the manga on her own. Well, at least, she does behave like an actual adult (for the most part), unlike our MC.

The other two adults in the story are mainly there for either exposition or comedic relief. They do get their own bits and pieces of backstory, but it's so basic it's hard to truly care. They're there - for the most part at least - to explain the MC's circumstances, and to 'excuse' his 'woe-is-me' attitude that he hadn't dropped even now.

ReLIFE could have been something really great. However, it turned out to be just another wasted potential. Instead of tackling the generic high-school romance setting through the lens of an adult's eye, it simply forgets that it has adult characters in the story and just rides that high-school romance setting to ground. Its greatest fault is simply that it's too long. No love story - even one with a decent amount of chapters dedicated to side stories - should take 200 chapters to tell, no matter how short or long those chapters may be.

One thing I forgot to mention was also the mishandling of the tone. There were far too many times when the tone abruptly shifted and changed, making it so that I can neither enjoy the comedy nor immerse myself in the ongoing drama.

Couple all that with the fact that MC goes from 'understandable' to 'plain annoying' throughout the 200 chapters, and you've got yourself a pretty average ride. Not bad, but not great either. Just an average way to kill some time and occasionally slip in the bouts of laughter amidst rolling your eyes dry due to nearly everything else.

10
Preliminary
Mixed Feelings
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K
Kazat0

over 5 years ago

10

It all began in 2016 when the anime was released. It is one of the few anime's that I watched weekly, you see I mostly binge shows as I don't like waiting so I never watch anime by their weekly release schedule unless it was something I really like and the rest you can already guess that this anime is really close to my heart. I watched this anime couple of times and I enjoyed it every time. Considering this anime ended on a cliffhanger I thought there would be a second season but alas that never came soon as I expected it would, so the waitbegan.

After 2 years the sequel releases, and unfortunately was a big disappointment because it's not really a sequel but an ova wrapup of the second half of the manga in like 4 episodes. (The first season was the first half of the manga with 13 episodes). As my friends and people described it, the supposed sequel missed the entire point of the manga considering it was made with 4 episodes thus missing out on huge character developments which what this series is all about. With that disappointing outcome, I avoided the sequel in hopes of reading the manga and properly finishing the series I love so much, but I never could pick up the manga due to various personal problems, until now!

With the global pandemic happening now I got a chance to finish this series, and since it has been years since I last saw the first season, I decided to read the manga from scratch. And here starts my review of the manga itself

I came into it with good expectation and I was not disappointed. It fulfilled if not exceeded my expectations. Even if I knew what would happen in the first half of the manga, it still managed to give me emotions that I felt when I first watched the show for the first time.

The story, the art, the characters everything is so well done you will feel immersed with the characters and the world, it will soon start to grow on you very fast. At times I felt I could feel the character's joy or sorrow, I could feel their struggle, their emotions. The comedy was perfectly timed and was not try Harding to make you laugh, it's genuinely funny. The character development, oh my god, the character development is like top tier, all the characters fleshed out , their personality, their story completely blended with the world perfectly, it is this manga's strong point for sure. It all felt real, it all felt natural.

It is truly one of the most well-written mangas out there. With the bonus prologue and epilogue chapters released this year, finishing it truly felt like the journey has come to an end, and has been completed.

In conclusion, it is absolutely a 10/10 must-read. I feel the word has lost meaning nowadays but this truly is a masterpiece.

Thanks for reading my useless and stupid long review if you can even call it that, but this series is really close to me so I just had to write some useless stuff, my only hope is that reading this might make you read the manga, and that is all.

(Sorry if I made any mistakes as English isn't my best language, anyway if any of you have finished the manga before this year, do not miss out on the bonus chapters released this year, they are really important and you might not want to miss them as they show what happens in the future, aight bye)

8
Recommended
H
Hoanghuy22

over 7 years ago

10

Undoubtedly the best back-to-school types of manga I've read so far. The story starts off with our main character at the age of around 30 (27) and is unemployed. At this time of age, people are usually out of their half baby- half adult stage and begin to become acceptance to or against reality. Plot and character wise, The story has a plot that starts up slow but is able to ease the viewers into a suspenseful friendship heavy plot line; in which, the characters not only discover themselves but also what is important around them. Overall, it teachers the target audience (I assume those aroundmy age - highschoolers) to appreciate what youth and young love is left within them.

The 2 main characters, in complete contrast with each other as if to show juxtaposition of different ways of life in school and its pros and cons. Smart, school centered, and with no friends, Chizuru has always been focused in school and that makes her life somewhat miserable. We see that because of this, majority of those who follow her path IRL, lose the ability to socialize normally.

Reliving his life, Arata becomes a carefree man only to discovers and conquer his insecurities and overall becomes a better and more understanding person.

Basically, the plot was great and character development really is something else.

My personal feelings.

As a 17 years old, I feel that this series really speaks to me in a deep level. The reoccurring theme of regret has played a major role in my feelings in the story. Regretting not confessing to that person, regretting not taking the next step, and most of all regretting not enjoying your youth and high school years like everyone else. It has taught me to be able to look further than seeing school as a torture chamber but rather a machine of memory creation. All the friends to make, all the memories to create, and all the things to learn both socially and educationally. And for those older, it is a good way to reminiscence those school years you've left behind. Good memories.

5
Recommended
I
IAintAllBad

over 7 years ago

8

I opened my MAL list to update it, when I've seen it: "ReLife 213/237" "Huh? It used to be a "?" instead of a number meaning it was still ongoing...Does that mean that ReLife is...completed?" Yes, it was. It really was. I ran so fast, opened my reading tablet and checked its status from my manga app and I found the last few chapters and almost cried reading them. This was such a ride from beginning to end. I got introduced to ReLife through the anime, and I don't know what made me pick up the manga since I don't usually do that and especially an ongoing manga sinceI tend to stay away from those. However, something in ReLife captured me and I couldn't put it down that night. I binge read it to its latest update, and each time a notification of an update popped up it made my day a little better.

You're a neet and have a hard time adapting to society, you meet someone who promises you a great job if you agree to an experiment: relive one year of high school. Would you accept this offer, if the stakes are high including memories of loved ones? This question is the base concept of the manga. We follow our character while he explores life a second time around, and he verifies the saying that goes "You can't read a book twice because it changes the second time."

Which brings us to the characters, and I think they're the strongest point of the manga. They were developed very well, whether they were main or side ones. They make you sympathize with them, get happy or heartbroken when they do. They felt like real people and not merely characters (but maybe that's because I've read this in the course of a few months what's with the updates and basically felt that I know them). Nonetheless, they were likable and endearing.

Overall, it's a read I didn't regret the least and would highly recommend it for a light ride but also packed with emotion right where you need it!

6
Recommended
R
Risy

over 7 years ago

10

This is my first review, so I don't have any experience in this. I just decided to tell the reason why I gave the manga 10/10. There are many subjective ratings, that's why I waited a month after finishing it (and read/watched other stories), but I can't help it, this story really got me. I can't say anything bad about the art, but anyway I always get used to the manga I read. I think I liked every characters. Everyone has his own personality, which may change slowly during the story, everyone is different. I really enjoyed the whole manga, it wasmostly funny, but it also had a seriousness and touching scenes.

Story (9/10): So, I write more about the story. Sometimes it was predictable, but I never found it boring. Writing a completely new story is kinda impossible, and I think it's even harder in this genre. For me this story was unique enough, but... you know... it can be better and more unpredictable. I'm always focusing mostly on the story.

I don't want to spoil anything, but I write a bit about the ending later (I won't actually write spoiler, but still... I place it to the end).

One last thing what made me give a 10 to the manga is because it can change the life of some people...

Just a bit about myself to understad my feelings a bit more (you can skip...):

I'm 22, male. Until 4-5 years ago I was antisocial mostly because I lacked self-confidence, and I also never understood the people around me. I was a game addict with pretty high grades in school. I also started to watch anime. Luckily I found some people in the school who also liked games and animes. I started to change slowly made friends, thanks to those people, but also thanks to the animes I watched. I also started to read manga, and now I'm over 100 anime/manga stories.

My personality is still changing and this manga also helped me in my life (I admit it also made me cry in joy or how to say...). I can only recommend it to other people, maybe they will also feel the same.

And the little "spoiler" I was speaking about, if you hate any spoilers then avoid reading it:

I could predict the ending after a bit more than half of the manga, but I don't know any ending which could be better than this. It's like I hoped for this, for the only satisfying ending I could imagine.

4
Recommended
Y
Yadava98

over 5 years ago

10

I will start my review with a semiquote of Tower of God: "What do you desire? Romance? Friendship? How to deal with the struggle at work? Or something that surpass all others? Whatever you desire... that is here, in ReLIFE!"After I read this manga I found myself asking me a question. How it was possible to find such a masterpiece? It has all that I love the most. The (re)life of Kaizaki Arata gave us a full experience of what life is and how difficult is sometimes to deal with everything. This manga goes from romance to friendship and also show us that it's not easy to deal with the difficulties of life. Every character has his past and they have deal with their own failures and problems.

This manga showed me that we shouldn't judge people at first sight, we shouldn't criticize others because we don't know what they are experiencing, we shouldn't take it easy when it comes to deal with others, we should try to understand how they feel, what they want and why they are behaving like that.

It showed the heaviness of harassment, how it can change someone's life, both in work and at school, how can hurt others and how can mark someone forever.

It also showed the beauty of youth, how important is to go out with your friends and enjoy this time while you can still be without thoughts, because grown up life isn't gonna be easy and you should enjoy every single moment of high school.

It showed the importance of love, how is difficult to confess your feelings and how is hard to love someone knowing that one day everything can finish.

Every character taught me something that I will bring in my heart forever.

So please, enjoy this work and read it all! It's spectacular!

4
Recommended
a
akirakishitani

over 7 years ago

10

There are only 226 chapters. The art is really beautiful with colors. There are not many pages but the pacing is very good. Relife is an amazing webtoon. It has one of the most powerful conversations. The concept in this manga is wonderful. While shounen manga mostly target teenagers, this one adds grown up characters into the mix. Unlike other manga, this one is pretty concise. It may have spanned over 3 years of serialization but the amount of detours it took has been reasonably less. The last few chapters are a roller coaster ride of all kinds of emotions. The ending admittedly has atwist to it's extremely predictable climax, it was still a great read. There is a good balance between the plot and characters in all the arcs. In shounen manga it is natural to see dialogue focusing on friendship and some morals essentially meant to be fed to young readers in the hopes of molding them into better individuals. Relife on the other hand focuses predominantly on the hard truths of reality that grownups suffer through their journey into adulthood while also emphasizing on the importance of friendship and happiness. It drives us to evaluate ourselves introspectively. It is nowhere so heavy but some view points are worth pondering over.

Kaizaki arata is one of the best adult characters. He is for the major part essayed as an adorable guy with a streak of innocence to him. In many panels his design is that of a chibi with two pink blush patches on his cheeks. He is not someone anyone takes seriously but his sense of right and wrong are on the mark. The aura he emanates is stronger as an adult seeing as he struggles to transition into his role of a high schooler. At other times he behaves more like a teenage girl playing along with the cheerfully devious Onoya. His inability to pass tests aside, his one year in the relife program consisted of setting up couples and solving teenage girl's friendship issues. It is interesting to see his relationship developing with young ppl as he tries to figure out his place in the small bunch. He is way more mature at solving disputes and guiding the kids and funnily no one suspects a thing. While readers are smart enough to immediately suspect Hishiro, poor kaizaki does not figure that out at all. The guy has been designed only to give support without much going on in the head. His romance with Hishiro is sweet at best as he comes to terms with the situation at hand. He is very realistic. The way his eyes glaze over as he idolizes youth is the highlight. Also the number of times he has to remind himself that he is an adult and the other person is a brat is cute. He is my new favorite.

Relife program:

This manga has an amazing concept. For adult readers it is an intriguing subject as all of us would love to have a shot at life for a second time. But in our cases we would appreciate a chance to set things right. Because a year lost is an opportunity cost. It's a thought provoking story where neets are rehabilitated through a process where they can spend a year being high school students with all expenses paid and are guaranteed employment upon successful completion of the program. Shady organizations can apparently glam up things with companies regarding a one year gap of prospective recruits that is wiped off the face of time. In the end the memories are altered a lot unless it's the main characters who with the power of plot armor conveniently escape any such harsh move to get their happy ending. Not that they can be blamed, readers these days are pretty sensitive, authors are hard pressed to satisfy them. The program makes less sense. The emphasis on sending subjects to high school is illogical as ppl could lose their way during college as well. Besides both the subjects were capable individuals and they were not mess ups. Kaizaki is a helpful person and the guilt of not standing up for the weak adversely affected him to the point of giving up his excessively stuffy job which in all fairness was the root cause of his troubles. Hishiro also had only her poor communication that stood in the way of her already successful career. These superficial defects did not warrant for a relife at high school. College or mock company would have been more apt as this story had more potential with adults for all characters. With 200 odd chapters and one year of program duration very little is accomplished. The judging for both the maturity level and yardstick for success of the program are incomprehensible. To be honest, the number of challenges and its degree of difficulty are also bare minimum. The potential that the concept brought to the story is not fully utilized either. Where a lot of things could have happened, plot dragged and the ending was rushed. Not much is known about the organization or where they get their funds from or even how they profit from these experiments.

Hishiro.

As soon as she was introduced many would have suspected of her being part of the experiment. It's that obvious. For a high schooler she is too stiff and no adult would be that point blank. Since it's possible that ppl with pigheadedness could exist, she is still unbelievably clueless. There are times when she is so annoying but she reflects on herself from time to time. If she was capable then why did she fail the first time? Does she really need kaizaki to realize to finish her mission? It's to be noted, someone with her kind of personality does a 180 when kaizaki arrives. One can clearly see that the manga is kaizaki dominated. In the beginning she comes of as bossy and she gradually gets better at communication. There has been considerable improvement in her personality.

Kariu, ogha and others:

These are the kids who are forced to affect and get affected by the experiment with none the wiser of what is happening. Kaizaki and Hishiro unwittingly impact huge changes in their lives by guiding kariu and ogha with their relationship troubles which could affect the natural balance but memory wiping can conveniently erase the existence of the subjects to a mere dot on the minds of the teenagers. Since we have 222 chapters of teenage angst, there is no conceivable character development of these ppl. They are very accepting of anything thrown at them. At the same time you don't feel like you want anything more from them either. As far a friend making is concerned, arata and chizuru succesfully form a small group of trustworthy ppl who are pretty meddlesome, stalking included.

Onoya and Yoake;

The support division of Kanto region is hilarious. Their character design and personality are in sync with kaizaki and Hishiro. Those two are very supportive and their younger versions are adorable. Since the adult characters are deliberately portrayed are clumsy and cute to cover up for their lack teenage angst, some of many of their conversations are full of serious life lessons. It's relatable most of the time. Have to admit, they can effortlessly switch between serious to comic at the drop of a hat. I can't help shipping Onoya and Yoake. It is one of the better ship compared to oghaXkariu or chizuruXarata. I love how both Onoya and Yoake lurk in the shadow gently nudging the subjects to make their own choice and changing them from within. Though they do shake up things a bit and involve a bit more than necessary, the point is Crystal clear: no one will give you the answer.you have to find it on your own, Classic.

Everything is predictable as expected of a shoujo manga. Repetition of panels has become popular to fill up space. Flashbacks of scenes and conversations keep turning up at exciting junctures. One of the downside to manga is that we as readers have a reasonably good memory and sadly these flashbacks are forcefully chiseled onto our minds.. I was not thrilled with the climax. What followed was rushed a lot and I hoped for a different kind of ending

I may be in over my head gushing over this webtoon but for an adult who has been reading lots of Young adult stories, a webtoon which showcases adult characters is something worth praising.

5
Recommended
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-Lupa-

over 6 years ago

10

I'm not sure what I expected out of this manga, but it definitely wasn't something as introspective, compelling, and well-written as this. I very rarely rate anything a 10, but I felt like this manga definitely merited that score. -Story: The concept itself wasn't too original. There are a good many other manga/anime where the characters "turn back time" to have fun or fix past mistakes. However, the execution of that storyline was very well done in ReLIFE. The pacing was great and the story was nicely fleshed out. You do have to suspend disbelief for how the whole "relife" process happens in order toreally enjoy the story. If you start to think too much about how it happens, especially how the memory loss is supposed to happen afterwards, you'll find yourself thinking "wait....what?" If that sort of unrealistic plot device is something that bothers you, then you may not enjoy this manga nearly as much as I did. That being said, it didn't bother me because this story isn't really about the mechanics of the ReLIFE process, it is about character growth and relationships. And, that is where is manga really excelled....

-Characters: So many well-developed characters. The story starts out from a male perspective, but by the middle it is equally split between the male and female perspective. Not only are the main characters well-written, but the supporting characters are also fully fleshed out. With the story set in high school, I wasn't really sure what the tone would be like, and how it would compare to other school life manga. While there was definitely a strong comedic aspect to the story, and it did put the characters in a lot of the standard high school scenarios (cultural festival, exams, ferris wheel, etc), the focus was the regrets, restrospection, and growth of the older characters. The MCs are 28/29, and as someone similar in age, I found them to be very relatable. The issues and regrets that they experienced inspired a lot of introspection in myself as well while I was reading. The characters and their struggles made me feel very emotionally attached to them, and a large part of the story was very bittersweet. I felt that the growth of the characters happened at a very realistic pace, and was the most enjoyable part of the story.

-Art: The art was enjoyable - if you have read other webtoons, it will feel very familiar. Reading a webtoon, to me, often feels very similar to looking at stills from an anime. If you haven't, it may take a little while to adjust to the long strip format. That being said, I've personally come to prefer that format over time, because it frees up the artist to be more creative in how the scenes are laid out (and I've been spoiled by the full color aspect). If you like this manga, I highly recommend that you search out other webtoons to read - there are a lot of really high quality ones out there, and MAL omits most of them from its database, unfortunately. My only complaint about the art is how the author portrays the difference between the characters in their teenage vs adult forms - to me, their appearance (especially in the face) was too similar.

5
Recommended
k
kridiey2

about 3 years ago

10

Relife is the one romcom that you wish for to have all the emotions that you want to use to hurt yourself with, but delivered to you subtally. relife is one of the best mangas iv ever seen and the review below would be a feel reasons why first: the setting okok the setting, is unique, many anime and manga series have put much effort and time into creating a setting for their story since it affects the whole story line and how the characters would grow and be delivered to the audience, and for ReLife's its perfect. the story have a constant reminder of howtime will slowly pass while packageing all the heart felt moments with all the characters in, the 1 year pact settings made all teh character's decisions all the more impactful as the main character kazaki and main heroine hishiro develops and goes thru a full life crisis, bringing me to the discussion of

characters:

the main cast is definatly this series's strong point, the story is about kazaki and hishiro's ReLife expriment, going back to highschool for only one year, leaving right after graduation, no more memories would be left for their friends after the experiment, so why make any? Thats what they thought for the first half of the story, and this is where the support division comes in, i wont get any deeper into the anaylsis of the characters as it may ruin your experience of this manga, but its quiting intesting and inspiring to see the two characters adapt into the highschool life and change their view on the every so betraying society.

world:

there isn't much to say about the world, just the normal society that we live in, nothing more and nothing less. simple, but not so simple, there story starts with intoducing kazaki as a "neet", someone with no job even though hes nearing his thirties. exploring both the views and idealsitic thoughts of both types of age.

the manga teaches us many things, how to be more positve, forward, face problems, and courage, yes courage, though explaining on paper might not make much sense on how a story could give someone courage but this one sure can, though the hardships of these character we learn, through the much change in their attitude in life we adapt. this story gives dreams that tiny bit of spark that you need to start running towards it in the dark room you trapped yourself in.

for me, this will be a story to remember of fondly. Dont be sad that it ended, be proud that it happend, and sure enough, im defitatly going to revisit this story soon, in times of joy, in times of struggle, and in times when i just thought. "huh" why not. just like memories play a key role in the story, so will my memories of this story play a part of my life that i probably wont forget for a very long time

art: 7/10 nothing speicial tbh

story/setting: 10/10

characters: 9/10

0
Preliminary
Recommended
Preliminary
L
Landnage

almost 3 years ago

9

ReLife is a heartwarming and insightful anime that explores the theme of second chances. The premise of the show, in which a 27-year-old man is given the opportunity to return to his high school days and start over, is a unique and compelling one. The main character, Arata Kaizaki, is relatable and easy to root for. His struggles with adult life and corporate bullying are all too familiar, and his desire to turn his life around is something that many of us can relate to. The supporting cast of characters is also well-developed and adds depth to the story. Ryou Yoake, the employee of ReLife ResearchInstitute, is a mysterious but ultimately kind and caring figure who serves as a mentor to Arata. The other high school students that Arata interacts with are diverse and interesting, each with their own struggles and stories to tell.

Overall, ReLife is a well-written and thought-provoking anime that touches on themes of adulthood, responsibility, and the importance of following your dreams. It's a must-watch for anyone looking for a feel-good and meaningful viewing experience.

3
Recommended
C
Chuma97

about 5 years ago

10

When people see the premise of ReLIFE, the first impression that comes to mind is a funny comedy about the shock of generations, but it goes much deeper. ReLIFE is about maturity, about facing life and making the most of the happy moments close to those we love, some may be disappointed to see that the problems of other students end up taking a lot of the protagonist's place in the story, but this is because in a way the protagonist is in the same situation as a spectator with the difference that he has the power to intervene in situations, but still, the work showsa succession of mistakes that we make when we are young and when we observe this situation kaizaki is able to understand and accept the defects while helping young people not to make the same mistakes as him.

Kariu Renna is a very important character in the story, but her energetic and aggressive participation displeases some readers, what these people need to understand is that Kariu is a 17 year old girl with hormones flowing, so it is obvious that she makes grotesque mistakes and being annoying, after all she is young and is learning more about the world and Kaizaki is there just to help her not get lost, when Kariu matures, Kaizaki matures with her and this is repeated with the other students each one in a unique and special way, the development of the final phase of the story is the most striking part, it is clear how the pace of the story is much slower, comfortable and sometimes sad, because we know that the work is ending, that the ReLIFE is ending and by getting in tune with the protagonist's feelings, we feel good and comforted at the end of the work, with a sense of fulfillment that a beautiful and engaging journey has come to an end.

4
Recommended
C
CraigieG

almost 8 years ago

10

So, I'll say this is that I haven't really done reviews much. Mostly because I enjoy a series or manga and move on. But for some reason this manga just tugged on my heart a few times more then other manga. It's a laugh, enjoying, tearful, and romantic. The struggles of the characters as well the progression of how they go through their daily life when in high school. Was good and enjoying. The emotions the main character went through while he was going through the ReLife experiment was funny as hell. Just small things made me laugh and think to myself. "I would do thatas well if I had this same experience." When it comes to the story, it's a pleasant series based around high school. (Oh my another series like that!? It's not like we have hundreds of manga based on/around high school.) Ya ya. But anyways, it's refreshing in a way. It's strange really, I can't really describe it much other then tell you to read it.

The art is pleasant to the eye. The characters within the entire manga is funny, each one having the perfect personality to them in my opinion, others could say otherwise but let them.

Through and through, I enjoyed this series greatly and I'm kinda sad that it ended. If I had a chance to talk to the one writing/drawing ReLife, I would simply request if they make a side series or a second chapter of after the ReLife Experiment or even continue onwards with the series. I don't know.. just feel like I want more. :P

Rating for this, being my favorite manga and most likely be my favorite for a long time. A solid 10/10.

4
Recommended