I'm Standing on a Million Lives

Yotsuya Yusuke is a practical, solitary ninth grader who avoids clubs and friendships, living by his own rules. One day he and two female classmates are suddenly transported to an alternate, game-like world where survival depends on completing assigned missions. Each task comes with strict conditions, rewards, and harsh penalties, forcing the group to cooperate despite conflicting goals and personalities. Yotsuya’s lone-wolf instincts clash with the need for teamwork as the students confront monsters, scarce resources, and moral choices. The series follows how they adapt strategy, manage alliances, and reevaluate what being a "hero" means while trying to survive under an unforgiving system.

Released in 2020, the anime was created by Takawo Yoshioka and features voice work from Yuto Uemura, Risa Kubota, Azumi Waki, Makoto Koichi, and Toshiyuki Toyonaga, presented as a televised series aimed at action and fantasy fans.

The show didn’t become a major awards contender, with no high-profile wins or nominations at international ceremonies. It did, however, help raise the profiles of several cast members among anime audiences who follow genre performances.

Within anime communities it built a steady niche following, prompting discussions about its rule-driven plot mechanics and the pragmatic nature of its protagonist. Fans have debated strategy choices, shared scene reactions and memes, and produced episode analyses, which kept the series visible online beyond its initial broadcast run.

Critical and viewer reaction was mixed, reflected in an average rating around 6.5 out of 10. Commentators point to strong action setups and interesting ethical prompts, while noting uneven character development and pacing at times. Major themes include cooperation under pressure, the ethics of game-like decision making, leadership dynamics, and how ordinary students cope when rules determine life and death.