If you were given a chance to go back to high school and make some changes, would you do it?
ReLIFE is about Kaizaki Arata, 27 years old and unemployed. While his friends are busy talking about their work and workplace, Kaizaki pretended to be employed when he is having problem in looking for a job. To make things worse, his mother decided to stop sending him money so that he will learn to earn his money on his own.
While on his way home, he was greeted by a stranger (Yoake Ryo) who seemed to know everything about him. He represents ReLIFE Laboratory and told Kaizaki that he was selected as a test subject for ReLIFE. This experiment will last for one year and in exchange, they offer him to pay for all his living expenses during that time and after the program, they will help him get a real job. Sounds too good to be true, eh?
So, what is the experiment all about that they would offer all of this? In ReLIFE’s manga version, Ryo gave the pills to Kaizaki to take for him to look like a teenager. The pills they are developing is for someone to look very young and Kaizaki is to test the pills for a year. Also, in the manga version, Ryo stalked Kaizaki to his apartment to see if he would really take the pill.
Back in the anime version, Ryo only showed the pill to Kaizaki and the next scene he is only woke up the next day and found out that he became young again! He received a call and saw that Ryo is waiting outside his apartment holding a box. Ryo brought the school’s brochure to Kaizaki for him to see the school he will be attending. Although Kaizaki is reluctant (who else wouldn’t be?), Ryo told him that this is his chance to change his life and succeed and no longer pretend to his friends that he has a stable job.
Kaizaki decided to sign the contract and go with that, he’s got nothing to lose anyway, right?
When he went to the classroom, he felt like he doesn’t belong there but he was surprised to see Ryo there and heard that he was studying there a year before, too. The class started by their young teacher, Kokoro, and the introductions started. After the introductions, Kaizaki felt very confident in finishing the year easily, but he was so wrong. They were given a test on that first day of school and he forgot to bring his pencil case. When his teacher checked his bag (he though she was checking if he’s going to cheat), she found a pack of cigarettes. He forgot that he now looks like a high school student and they are not allowed to smoke so the teacher told him to go to the staff room after school. Good thing that his seat mate, Kariu, lent him a pencil and an eraser for the exam.
Although it is the first day of school, Kaizaki didn’t realize that being a high school student is not easy as he thinks just because he went to graduate school. When he talked to his teacher, he found that she was 25 years old and told her that it’s very impressive to be just 25 but already have a stable job (comparing himself to her).
Ryo waited for him outside the school and revealed to him that he’s there because it is his job as a handler to observe and report Kaizaki’s year. He also explained to him that in order to get the full high school experience, he should hang out with the real students because this program that he offered him is for them to rehabilitate NEET (or Not in Employment, Employment or Training).
