Re-Main

RE-MAIN

Company type	Anime television series
Industry	Animation, Entertainment
Founded	July 4, 2021 (2021-07-04)
Founder	MAPPA
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Anime TV series

RE-MAIN (presented in all caps) is an original Japanese anime TV series produced by MAPPA, with Kiyoshi Matsuda as director and Masafumi Nishida as the scriptwriter. It was broadcast from July through October 2021 on the TV Asahi programming block.

Plot

In the winter of his final year in middle school, Minato Kiyomizu, a prominent water polo player, experienced an accident that left him unconscious for 203 days. Upon regaining consciousness, he found that three years of memories had vanished, including his water polo abilities and understanding of the game's rules. Motivated by a clear goal, Minato embarks on a path to reclaim his lost skills and memories by returning to water polo.

Yamanami High School

Once regarded as a water polo prodigy, Minato wagered with fellow athlete Chinu Kawakubo that if he became Japan’s top player, she would date him; if he failed, he owed her money. After losing his memories due to the accident, Chinu presents him with another opportunity: either reclaim his status as Japan’s leading player or pay double the original bet. Minato lives with his family, who operate a small denim shop.

Minato’s junior from middle school who follows him to their high school to witness his return to water polo. Although initially exaggerating his knowledge of Minato’s past skills, Eitarō ultimately becomes a supporter after recognizing Minato’s commitment over innate talent.

The third-year student serving as captain of Yamanami High's water polo club, originally the only member before others joined.

A swift swimmer who quit competitive swimming after his brother Riku Momosaki switched to water polo. He was recruited by Jō and others to join the team.

A team member of mixed heritage and a pastry chef who joined after being inspired by Minato’s story of memory loss and determination.

A reserved member who initially joined due to peer influence but gradually gained confidence through participation in the team.

Production and release

The series was announced on March 4, 2021, with Kiyoshi Matsuda directing and Masafumi Nishida handling the scriptwriting as well as serving as chief director and sound director. Kaori Futō designed the original characters, which were adapted for animation by Shiho Tanaka. The musical score was composed by Kana Utatane. The anime aired from July 4 to October 3, 2021 on TV Asahi's programming block. The opening theme "Forget Me Not" was performed by Enhypen, while the ending theme "Kowareta Sekai no Byōshin wa" was sung by Shugo Nakamura.

Funimation secured streaming rights for the series. In Southeast and South Asia, Medialink licensed it and distributed it through platforms such as Ani-One YouTube channel, iQIYI, and Bilibili. On September 24, 2021, Funimation announced an English dubbed version which premiered the following day. Following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the series was transferred to Crunchyroll's streaming service.

Episode list

}}

Reception

Editors at Anime News Network evaluated the anime’s first episode:<ref name="Preview">Richard Eisenbeis commended its emphasis on Minato's recovery and family support but critiqued the memory loss storyline for wiping out his emotional development. James Beckett praised Masafumi Nishida and MAPPA for crafting a "compelling and thoughtfully-written character drama" without resorting to melodramatic elements, highlighting Yūto Uemura's subtle performance. Nicholas Dupree pointed out inconsistencies in tone between the realistic family drama and comedic sports scenes, noting that balancing these aspects proved challenging for the show. Rebecca Silverman recognized its "unique approach" within sports anime, valuing the supportive family dynamic and recommending it for viewers interested in water polo-themed content.