Haibara's Teenage New Game+ – Episode 1

Content Warning: Vomiting

What’s it about? Natsuki Haibara’s high school years were less than stellar, leaving him filled with regret. That is until he wakes up back in his freshman year with all the knowledge he gained in college. Now, he’ll get a second chance to move up in teen society, but life isn’t as easy as simply pressing play and watching it all happen. It’ll take a lot of effort before Natsuki can seize the day and get back those halcyon days of youth!

Back in 2021, I did weekly reviews of the anime series Remake Our Life! for ANN. In many ways, it had the same foundational premise: a guy gets a second chance to go back in time and make the life he actually wanted versus the initial life path that was decided through action and inaction. Safe to say that after spending months in this genre, I’m pretty familiar with it, even if I don’t frequently revisit this type of empowerment fantasy.

And while I always have hope, I must admit: this premiere wasn’t my thing. But before we get to the why of my dislike, let’s break down what happens to see exactly what I have to nitpick about.

Natsuki sits alone in his former high school life, isolate from his classmates.

We start off with Natsuki Haibara kind of negging his girlfriend—or so we think. Actually, he’s watching a film and reminiscing on how starkly different his life is from the protagonist. Instead of getting to groundhog day his way through a romance, Natsuki is at the end of his collegiate journey, scruffy, single, and solitary. But he still has just enough hope to send a prayer to the heavens so he can go back to that holy grail of youth: his high school years, so he can paint his grey existence rainbow. (But not in that way: this anime is soundly heterosexual.)

What ensues is a montage of Natsuki working hard to improve himself so that his high school re-debut can be the existence he’s always wanted, and it all leads up to his first day in school as he forges new friendships from the start instead of living a life shrouded in loneliness.

Natsuki decides to change his body and mindset before he goes to high school in his second chance.

I’m not opposed to this type of story: to getting to go back in time and do what you never got to do. But I am opposed to men who suck, and I’m going to be real: Natsuki sucks, even just from the glimpses we get at the beginning of his story pre-timeline reset. But when we actually get to go back and see him get his wish come true?

Also, side note: I’m kind of sick of the men who suck being depicted as “tragically” fat? Like…being fat is neutral, so please stop making it an indicator that this character failed at life. Something something please stop giving fat people tragic stories and ass personalities: we’re worth a lot more than that. (Plus why couldn’t Natsuki get a do-over where he’s fat? Miss me with this, please and thank you.)

That aside, Natsuki is just kind of A Guy; while not anime’s most vile by far, he’s just kind of typically sexist and just a dude, seeking to get with his teen crush instead of seeing just how far he can push himself to be a generally better person. Instead, Natsuki is every black-haired young man who sees his crush and immediately makes it all about getting with a girl who didn’t like him to begin with. I’m sure part of the plot will absolutely be her falling for him in this timeline, but I’m not thrilled about the path.

Natsuki encounters his crush on the first day of school.

This is a very specific power fantasy that I’ll never understand, because I have made peace with the life I’ve lived versus the life I haven’t experienced. I don’t desire to go back in time because I have so much abundance in the now. I can definitely see how a show like Haibara’s Teenage New Game+ is appealing, but I’ll fully admit that this doesn’t work in the way that more emotionally intelligent series have done.

Ultimately, I found myself consistently distracted with this premiere. It’s not bad but it’s also no standout, treading the same footsteps of male second-chance series that I’ve seen before—ones that especially revolve around guys getting the girl as a band-aid for solving their personality issues. I don’t hate this but I also can’t rec it unless you already like this type of narrative. Granted, if this is your thing, you’re probably already watching, so give yourself the thumbs up because I’m afraid I won’t be giving any kind of go-ahead.