A little while ago, Warner Bros. Japan officially announced an anime film adaptation of All You Need Is Kill, the sci-fi light novel that inspired the 2014 Hollywood film Edge of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. With the announcement, they also released a teaser trailer and visual art piece for fans to take a look at. Check them out down below:
Unlike most Hollywood adaptations, Edge of Tomorrow was widely praised and remains one of Tom Cruise’s most inventive action films outside of Mission Impossible. Despite its not as well showing in the box offices. There has been rumors of a sequel for years, but with Warner Bros. Japan and Studio4°C moving forward with the anime film adaptation, it seems fans might have to wait for awhile before Hollywood commits to a follow-up film.
The animation production is being handled by Studio4°C, the renowned studio that helped to create:
- Berserk: The Golden Age Arc (including its Memorial Edition)
- The Animatrix
- Children of the Sea
The film will be directed by Kenichiro Akimoto, who is well known for his work as CGI director on Children of the Sea and Thirst.
All You Need Is Kill has had a remarkable and interesting trajectory across different types of media:
- 2004 – Light novel published by Shueisha
- 2009 – English release by VIZ Media
- 2014 – Manga adaptation by Ryosuke Takeuchi (Moriarty the Patriot) and Takeshi Obata (Death Note)
- 2014 – Hollywood live-action adaptation (Edge of Tomorrow), directed by Doug Liman, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt
In the novel that was originally written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, All You Need Is Kill follows Keiji Kiriya, a soldier caught in a time loop, forced to relive the same battle against an alien invasion until he masters combat and changes fate. However, unlike the Hollywood adaptation, which followed Keiji’s perspective (renamed Cage in Edge of Tomorrow), the anime film will retell the story from Rita Vrataski’s point of view instead. Vrataski's character is known as the legendary U.S. special forces soldier, “Full Metal Bitch”, Rita’s journey in the film will explore her inner struggles, personal growth, and the loneliness of endless war.
Viz Media publishes the novels in English for readers internationally. They describe the story for the novel as:
When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally--the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?
With a very respected animation studio, a fresh perspective on the story that most fans will not know about, and a solid sci-fi background, All You Need Is Kill has the makings to be one of the most anticipated anime films in the near future and making it a darkhorse that fans did not expect.
Have you read the novel? Have you watched Edge Of Tomorrow? Let us know what you think about the trailer down below! As usual, stay tuned to Sffgazette.com for more Sci-fi and Fantasy news!