Space Shrub Spectacle
Directed by Kenichiro Akimoto
Starring Ai Mikami, Natsuki Hanae, Kana Hanazawa
Released January 16th, 2026
Rated R
A year ago, a gigantic alien plant set its roots down on planet Earth, and has lain dormant since then, mystifying scientists and common citizens alike. The colossal, tree-like being towers above cities, casting an imposing shadow on those beneath. The military is studying the plant, christened Darol, concerned about its effects on the planet. For personal reasons, a young woman named Rita (Ai Mikami) volunteers with a unit investigating Darol. Rita is outfitted with a mech suit called a jacket, which affords her protection and enhanced mobility. Her first day on the job does not go well, as the extraterrestrial vegetation launches a surprise attack and kills many people, including Rita. Instead of this being the end of her story, she wakes up at the sound of her alarm clock, restarting the day she died. She goes about her day in much the same fashion as before. Once again it leads to her death, and then her awakening at the sound of her alarm clock, to restart her death day. This process plays out again and again.
Rita’s surprise and confusion about being stuck in a time loop quickly gives way to frustration. She tries to warn the others, but dies anyway. She tries to flee the unit, but dies anyway. She tries to drown herself. She awakens to the sound of her alarm clock anyway. Darol is an interesting villain. A dispassionate, silent colonizer, sending out an army of mobile plants to assimilate other beings and remake the world in its florid image. Eventually, Rita decides to fight back. Writing the number of times she has relived the same day on the back of her hand, Rita makes adjustments to her jacket, tries out different weapons, and takes the fight to the murderous foliage. She is unaware that another volunteer, Keiji (Natsuki Hanae) is also stuck in this time loop and has been watching her attempts to fight back against the flowering destruction.
Based upon the 2004 novel of the same name by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, All You Need is Kill was previously adapted into the 2014 live action film Edge of Tomorrow (A.K.A. Live. Die. Repeat.), directed by Doug Liman and starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. That film, like the original novel, followed the character of Keiji with Rita being a supporting character. This version of the story, from Studio 4°C and Warner Bros. Japan, makes Rita the main character. We see the events of the film play out through her point of view, and we gain insight into her personal life through flashbacks. Yūichirō Kido’s screenplay brings a new emotional core to the tale, and features well-defined characters in addition to the humor and action we are accustomed to seeing in time paradox stories such as this. The voice actors are perfectly cast, with Ai Mikami expertly conveying Rita’s depression and Natsuki Hanae embodying Keiji’s anxiety. And I got a kick out of Kana Hanazawa as Shasta Raylle, an excitable scientific researcher.
This is director Kenichiro Akimoto’s feature debut, which is hard to believe after seeing the finished product. All You Need is Kill fires on all cylinders, a confidently realized film full of vibrant colors and impressive sound design. I feel fortunate to have seen this gorgeous movie twice (so far) on the big screen. The visuals are striking, truly a sight to behold, and Yasuhiro Maeda’s rousing score really hit me the second time I saw the film. All You Need is Kill is an epic action movie that never forgets the blooming heart at the center of its story.
