Fans of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s acclaimed light novel, ‘All You Need Is Kill,’ have cause for excitement as the anime film adaptation has unveiled a spectacular new main trailer and a striking visual. This highly anticipated movie, which recently had its U.S. premiere at New York Comic Con, is now slated for a January 9, 2026 release across ten Japanese theaters.
Before its wide release, the film is making rounds at prestigious international events, having been selected for the Animation is Film Festival, Bucheon International Animation Film Festival, Leeds International Film Festival, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, San Sebastian Fantasy Film Festival, and Scotland Loves Animation Festival. While a global release date is still pending confirmation, its presence at these festivals hints at a broad international appeal.
Adding star power to the project, Japanese actress Ai Mikami takes on her first voice acting role as the female lead, Rita. Mikami is recognized for her recent portrayal of Yukina in the live-action ‘Yu Yu Hakusho’ series and her lead role in the ‘Undead Lovers’ film. The male lead, Keiji, is voiced by Natsuki Hanae, a prolific voice actor renowned for iconic characters like Tanjiro Kamado in ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ and Okarun in ‘DAN DA DAN.’
The ‘All You Need Is Kill’ narrative has a rich history across various mediums. The original light novel first appeared in Japan in December 2004, followed by an English release from Viz Media in July 2009. Its popularity led to a manga adaptation in 2014 by Ryosuke Takeuchi, known for ‘Moriarty the Patriot,’ and Takeshi Obata of ‘Death Note’ fame. In the same year, Hollywood produced a live-action film titled ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, which brought the story to an even wider audience.
This anime film is brought to life by STUDIO 4°C, with direction from Kenichiro Akimoto, who previously served as a unit director for ‘Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko.’ The plot, as originally described by Viz Media for the novel, thrusts protagonist Keiji Kiriya into a war against alien invaders known as Mimics. Equipped with battle armor called a Jacket, Keiji dies on the battlefield only to be inexplicably reborn each morning, reliving the same fatal day. On his 158th iteration, a cryptic message from the enigmatic female soldier, the ‘Full Metal Bitch,’ offers a glimmer of hope. Could she be the key to his escape from this deadly loop, or merely another step towards his final demise?