Is Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read
Quick Answer
Yes, especially if you want a reincarnation romance with a real mystery underneath the second-chance premise. Oriana gets a chance to relive her life and win back the boyfriend who doesn't remember her, but she also has to figure out what killed them both the first time before it happens again. It backs up its award-winning reputation with a hook that's more than just a fresh coat of paint on a familiar genre.
Quick Verdict
“The setup sounds like a hundred other reincarnation romances, but the buried mystery about how Oriana actually died gives it real teeth.”
Best for: Readers who want a reincarnation romance with a genuine mystery driving the plot, not just a fresh start for its own sake.
Not for: Readers who want a straightforward, low-angst romance without a death and a countdown hanging over it.
- Type
- Manga
- Genres
- Romance, Drama, Fantasy
- Status
- Ongoing
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- Eiko Mutsuhana
- Artist
- Gin Shirakawa
- Publisher
- Seven Seas Entertainment
- Platform
- Seven Seas Entertainment
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Manga (shōjo), 105 chapters |
| Run | 2022–present · ongoing |
| Community score | AniList 8.2 |
| Content | Character death (pre-story), mystery/thriller elements |
| Where to read | Seven Seas Entertainment — official |
Overview
Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me adapts Eiko Mutsuhana's light novel Return from Death, with manga art by Gin Shirakawa, and won Best Shojo Manga at Kodansha's 50th annual Manga Awards. Oriana, a 17-year-old student at a magic school, dies suddenly alongside her boyfriend Vincent. She wakes up back in the body of her 7-year-old self with all her memories of their relationship intact, except for one crucial detail: what actually killed them. Years later, when she and Vincent finally cross paths again, he has no memory of her or their past life together at all, and Oriana has to win him back while also racing to figure out what's coming for them before history repeats itself.
What it does well
The genre this belongs to, reincarnation romance built around winning back a partner's affection, lives or dies on whether it gives the reset any real stakes, and this series does. The unsolved mystery of Oriana and Vincent's original deaths isn't dressing, it's an active thread that keeps the story moving even when the romance beats slow down, and it means Oriana's return isn't just a wish-fulfillment redo, it's a race against something she doesn't fully understand yet. That mystery is also what earned the series its Kodansha award, and it shows in how deliberately the manga plants and pays off its clues.
Oriana herself carries a lot of the story's appeal. She isn't a passive character waiting for Vincent to remember his feelings; she's working two problems at once, rebuilding a relationship from scratch and hunting down the cause of a death only she remembers, and that dual motivation keeps her proactive throughout.
Where it falls short
The basic premise, get back the boyfriend who's forgotten you, is well-worn romance territory, and readers who've read a lot in this genre will recognize the shape even if the mystery elements set it apart. As an ongoing adaptation, the manga sometimes has to juggle romance pacing against mystery reveals, and that balance can feel uneven from volume to volume. The magic-school setting also gets built out fairly quickly in the early chapters, which may ask new readers to keep up before they're fully oriented.
Verdict
This earns its award-winning reputation by treating its reincarnation hook as a genuine mystery instead of just a romantic reset. If you want a second-chance romance with real stakes attached to the second chance, it delivers.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- The unresolved mystery of what actually killed Oriana and Vincent gives the story a real ticking clock instead of just a generic reincarnation reset.
- Oriana isn't written as passively waiting for Vincent to fall for her again, she's actively working to both rebuild the relationship and solve what killed them.
- The magic school setting is used as more than backdrop, it's tied directly into the mystery around Oriana's death.
- Won Best Shojo Manga at Kodansha's 50th annual Manga Awards, a real industry recognition backing up the buzz around it.
Weaknesses
- The central hook, winning back a partner who doesn't remember you, is a familiar shape that some readers will have seen many times before.
- As an ongoing series adapted from a light novel, the pacing sometimes has to balance romance beats against mystery reveals, and that balance isn't always even.
- Newcomers to the reincarnation-romance genre may find some of the magic-school worldbuilding introduced quickly.
Similar Titles
Another reincarnation story that treats its second-chance premise as more than just a romantic reset button.
A different fantasy hook, but a similar blend of court intrigue and a lead working actively toward a better outcome.
For readers who want more of the same genre's mix of romance, politics, and a heroine rebuilding her circumstances.
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Seas Entertainment | Print & digital volumes | Paid | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this based on a novel?
Yes — it's adapted from the light novel Return from Death: I Kicked the Bucket and Now I'm Back at Square One With a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me, written by Eiko Mutsuhana, with manga art by Gin Shirakawa.
Is the series finished?
No — it's ongoing, with new volumes still being released in English by Seven Seas as of mid-2026.
Is the mystery actually important, or is this mainly a romance?
Both matter. The romance with Vincent is the emotional core, but what killed Oriana and Vincent the first time is a genuine, unresolved mystery that drives a lot of the plot.
