By John Corrado
All You Need is Kill is an anime adaptation of Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s graphic novel of the same name, which already provided the basis for Doug Liman’s 2014 time loop action film Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.
Where as Sakurazaka’s book and Liman’s film (also referred to by it’s tagline Live Die Repeat) were told from the perspective of a male hero, this animated version is gender-swapped to focus on supporting character Rita (voiced in Japanese by Ai Mikami). Otherwise, the premise remains basically the same.
Rita is part of a voluntary crew sent to investigate a gigantic alien plant referred to as “Darol,” which has taken root on our planet and begins to hatch violent monsters. But, when Rita is killed in a battle with these creatures, she wakes up in bed again that morning, caught in a time loop that begins again every time she dies. Rita eventually teams up with Keiji (Natsuki Hanae), a fellow soldier who is also conscious of being stuck in the same loop, in hopes of finally breaking free from it.
Basically, All You Need is Kill unfolds like a sci-fi alien attack version of Groundhog Day (or the Happy Death Day films), with the time loop premise allowing the story to constantly repeat itself in new ways that keep it from feeling overly repetitive. The plot does feel somewhat condensed at 85 minutes, and the characters aren’t really developed beyond narrative necessity. But this allows the film to move at a brisk pace, with co-directors Ken’ichirô Akimoto and Yukinori Nakamura delivering a number of vibrant set-pieces.
If Edge of Tomorrow felt like a slightly more complete version of this story, All You Need is Kill is a fast-paced and entertaining retelling, with a visual style that pays tribute to Sakurazaka’s original graphic novel. The stylized animation helps the whole thing come to life, including a number of well-drawn action sequences.
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