Tomorrow's Edge novel transforms into an animated adaptation boasting striking visuals.
In a mind-blowing turn of events, Warner Bros. Japan revealed yesterday the production of an anime film adaptation for the sci-fi light novel, All You Need Is Kill. This novel served as the inspiration for the 2014 blockbuster movie, Edge of Tomorrow, starring the hunky Tom Cruise and the talented Emily Blunt.
Written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, All You Need Is Kill revolves around a soldier named Keiji Kiriya. Keiji is stuck in a time loop, doomed to repeat his days as he refines his combat skills to thwart an alien invasion. The military badass Rita Vrataski, also known as "Full Metal Bitch," joins Keiji in his struggle. In contrast to the Hollywood film, which followed Cruise’s character (Keiji’s romanized name), this anime adaptation aims to share Rita’s story from her perspective. The movie's press release hints at delving into Rita's emotional journey, addressing her challenges with solitude and personal growth.
All You Need Is Kill is being animated by Studio4°C, the brainchild of some of the coolest animated films ever, like Berserk: The Golden Age Arc, The Animatrix, and Children of the Sea. The movie will be under the guidance of director Kenichiro Akimoto, who has a rich history in animation, serving as the CGI director for titles like Children of the Sea and Thirst.
All You Need Is Kill took an intriguing path in the realm of pop culture. Sakurazaka’s story made its debut as a light novel in 2004 under Shueisha, evolved into a manga by Death Note artist Takeshi Obata in 2014, received the Hollywood live-action film treatment in 2014, and is finally becoming an anime in the not-too-distant future. Unlike most book-to-film transitions, the Hollywood film is not usually produced before the book's core fanbase dismisses it for artistic liberties. However, this wasn't quite the case for Edge of Tomorrow (also known as Live Die Repeat).
Although the movie didn’t create a world-shaking box office phenomenon, grossing over $100 million in the U.S and $370 million worldwide, it is regarded as one of Cruise's more badass action movie escapades, distinct from the Mission Impossible franchise. The movie's creators, Cruise, and director Doug Liman are still discussing the potential for a sequel, which is still a possibility 10 years after the film’s release. You can expect Studio4°C's All You Need Is Kill much sooner than Hollywood's potential sequel film. The anime teaser's eye-popping, trippy kaleidoscopic visuals give us a sneak peek at the thrilling ride ahead.
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- The forthcoming anime film adaptation of All You Need Is Kill, initially a sci-fi light novel, could potentially stir up another wave of 'Trailer-Frenzy' in the realm of animation, much like its Hollywood counterpart, Edge of Tomorrow.
- Contrary to the usual pattern, the Hollywood film adaptation of All You Need Is Kill (or Edge of Tomorrow) was produced before the book's core fanbase, offering a departure from expected artistic liberties.
- Keiji Kiriya, the protagonist of All You Need Is Kill, will share the screen with the iconic military badass Rita Vrataski, whose perspective this anime adaptation aims to explore, defying the earlier Hollywood film's focus on the Keiji character.
- As the production house responsible for creating visually stunning animated films like Berserk: The Golden Age Arc and Children of the Sea, Studio4°C is poised to deliver an exhilarating, trippy animation experience with All You Need Is Kill, setting the stage for a possible departure from the anticipated, but yet-to-be-produced Hollywood sequel.
