All You Need is Kill (Graphic Novel) Review: A Different Kind of Experience

The movie “Edge of Tomorrow” has caused some buzz with its inventive story idea: make the main lead a soldier who dies in battle and he’s forced to relive that day multiple times. Basically a sci-fi version of “Groundhog Day” only this time he keeps count how many times he died.

This movie is actually based off of a Japanese novel called “All You Need is Kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. The movie isn’t the only adaptation, though. There’s been a manga and in the US a graphic novel by Nick Mamatas with art by Lee Ferguson. The graphic novel version feels like it’s missing many things from the book.

Keiji Kiriya is having the worst case of déjà vu. He’s a soldier in the United Defense Force fighting against aliens called “Mimics” and is constantly getting killed. Not that he has multiple lives like a video game character; he’s just stuck in a loop he can’t get out of.

This is an interesting premise with plenty of possibilities. The graphic novel adaptation takes the straightforward approach by trimming down the original novel to its barest form. It is nonstop action no slowdown where there can be character development. Because of that, what could be a deep story is turned into a mindless action movie.

Just because it’s mindless, doesn’t mean it’s not fun. There is fun to be had here. The battles are well done and the way the characters react, though minimal, does have some impact on the situation.

Ferguson’s art is well drawn for the most part. The character designs do the job of showing that this world with these characters is in the worst crises they have ever been in. The only downside is some of the facial features tend to not have enough emotion or look completely blank. The characters are getting killed and they don’t look like they care. Speaking of dying, you will be confused when a character dies because the art does a poor job of showing how the character dies.

The graphic novel adaptation of Sakurazaka’s novel is a mediocre adaptation that would only make readers wanting more. The story feels minimalist to the point where some of the story was taken out and the art is OK. One thing is for sure, this will most likely make readers want to read the novel to get the full experience.