Story: Like I said, the show isn't driven by story. The premise of each and every episode is to further develop a character(s). Overall, it's well done and it isn't boring to follow, which is best case scenario for a show like this. Rating: 7/10
Characters: This is where the show shines, as it must to be a show worth watching. The main character (Kaizaki Arata) is introduced as someone who is supposedly a deadbeat who can't get a job, and is basically worthless to society. However, in the same episode we get to see an interview for a job where he answers the questions asked just fine. The only reason he can't get a job is because he quit his first job after only three months. He's also immediately shown as a social person, who is clearly not a shut in. Thus the story develops, building a strong cast of supporting/main characters to develop his own progress into moving past his darker history. The characters introduced are all extremely well developed at the cost of completely ignoring the entire student body that wasn't deemed to be important. I'd rate this category a 9/10.
Art and Sound: I believe this category to be purely subjective. I loved the art as it mixed between a regular style and a more silly style of animation. My rating would be an 8/10 for both.
Enjoyment: I don't usually talk about this category as it is also subjective but I have a few comments on it for this show. The premise of the show is quite interesting and it immediately caught my eye. The interesting characters are what kept my attention for the 3 hour binge session to watch the entirety of the show. Relife does an amazing job of including just enough tiny little twists and turns to keep you thinking about what comes next. Obviously there isn't any kind of real suspense like in an action show, but it does just enough that you want to press that next button.
Final Thoughts: If you like this genre, or if you liked Erased (Sorry, the comparison is just too easy), I believe this show is a must try. If, however, you dislike a show with lots of dialogue and little action, I would recommend not even trying this show. Additionally, if you are going to give this show a try, watch at least 2 episodes. The pilot was good to set up the show but had the show not been as hyped up as it is , I might have dropped it. The first episode was strange and I was not impressed with the characters until they cleared some things up in the following episodes.
That's my take on Relife. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
