All You Need Is Kill is a Japanese military science fiction light novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
with illustrations by Yoshitoshi ABe.
The novel was Sakurazaka's breakthrough science-fiction novel, earning wide praise from fellow novelists
including Yasutaka Tsutsui and Chōhei Kanbayashi and was entered in contention for the Seiun
Awards, Japan's counterpart to the Nebula Award.
The book was published in Japanese by Shueisha under their Super Dash Bunko imprint in December
2004, and was later released in English by Viz Media under their Haikasoru imprint.
A manga adaptation, written by Ryōsuke Takeuchi and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, began serialization
in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine in January 2014 and is also published by Viz
Media in its Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.
A graphic novel adaptation was released in North America in May 2014.
A film adaptation from director Doug Liman, starring Tom Cruise titled Edge of Tomorrow
was released on May 30, 2014.
The English-language movie tie-in edition of the novel is also titled "Edge of Tomorrow".
Plot The story is told from the perspective of
Keiji Kiriya, a new recruit in the United Defense Force which fights against the mysterious
'Mimics' which have laid siege to Earth.
Keiji is killed on his first sortie, but through some inexplicable phenomenon wakes up having
returned to the day before the battle.
This continues and he finds himself caught in a time loop as his death and resurrection
repeats time and time again.
Keiji's skill as a soldier grows as he passes through each time loop in a desperate attempt
to change his fate.
Characters Keiji Kiriya
A new recruit in the United Defense Force.
He finds himself caught in a time loop where he wakes up one day in the past after having
been killed on the battlefield.
Through the training and battles he experiences in these loops he comes into his own as a
soldier.
In the Edge of Tomorrow film, his counterpart is an American named William Cage, played
by Tom Cruise.
Rita Vrataski A U.S. special forces soldier.
Highly decorated and peerless in battle, she is seen as a hero by the entire world and
known as the "Full Metal Bitch" to other soldiers.
Her name is a false identity she used to join the UDF at a young age after her parents were
killed by Mimics.
Like Keiji, she has also been through a loop of her own, from which she gained her experience
and reputation, and comes to assist Keiji after learning of his loops.
In Edge of Tomorrow, she is played by Emily Blunt.
Shasta Raylle Rita's mechanic, a bespectacled Native American
woman who collects Gashapon.
She is a developer of a large battleaxe used by Rita, and later by Keiji.
Bartolome Ferrell Keiji's platoon sergeant.
An overly fitness-conscious man of Brazilian and Japanese descent who takes care of his
subordinates.
In Edge of Tomorrow, he is played by Bill Paxton.
Rachel Kisaragi A well-endowed canteen lady, known to have
good rapport among the soldiers for her good cooking and looks.
Media Novel
The original novel, written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and illustrated by Yoshitoshi ABe, was first
published by Shueisha under its Super Dash Bunko imprint in December 2004.
Haikasoru released an English-language translation trade paperback of the novel as "All You Need
Is Kill".
Viz Media re-released the novel in North America under the title Edge of Tomorrow on April
29, 2014.
Manga and graphic novel A manga adaptation of All You Need Is Kill
with illustrations by Takeshi Obata, storyboards by Ryōsuke Takeuchi, and character designs
by Yoshitoshi ABe began serialization in Japanese in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump and English
in Weekly Shonen Jump in January 2014.
An American graphic novel adaptation of the novel, written by Nick Mamatas and illustrated
by Lee Ferguson, was released on Viz Media's Haikasoru imprint on May 5, 2014.
Film
Edge of Tomorrow is a 2014 American science fiction film based on the novel.
The film, directed by Doug Liman and produced by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow, stars
Tom Cruise as William Cage and Emily Blunt as Rita Vrataski.
The film was released in theaters on May 30, 2014 in the United Kingdom, June 6, 2014 in
North America, and July 4, 2014 in Japan.
References
Sources This article incorporates information from
the equivalent article on the Japanese Wikipedia.
External links Official site on Shueisha
English website All You Need Is Kill at Anime News Network's
Encyclopedia