is a 2005 Japanese

tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, War film, war, fantasy, or Horror film, horror media featuring such te ...

horror film directed by

Yūdai Yamaguchi is a Japanese film director who has worked mainly in the comedy and horror genres. He has "made a name for himself by mixing goofy gore with manga-esque escapades and plain utter weirdness". Life and career Yamaguchi was born in 1971 and attend ...

and Jun'ichi Yamamoto based on a film by Yamamoto from 1999. Special effects and makeup effects were by

Yoshihiro Nishimura is a Japanese film director, special effects and makeup effects artist, and a screenwriter who has worked predominantly in the horror genre. Nishimura has been described as "a legendary director and effects artist" and "the Tom Savini of Japan" ...

. It was followed by a sequel, ''Meatball Machine: Kodoku.''

Plot

Yōji is a young lonely factory worker who falls for an equally lonely girl co-worker, Sachiko, but is unable to tell her of his interest. After he is assaulted in a theater by a crossdresser, Yōji finds what looks like an alien insect and hides it in his room. The next night, he comes across Sachiko being sexually attacked by another fellow worker. He attempts to come to her aid but is beaten. Sachiko feels sorry for him and returns with him to his apartment. During this encounter, Sachiko is attacked by the alien object which penetrates her and turns her into a bio-mechanical monster, a NecroBorg. These parasites take over human bodies and use their flesh to create weapons which they use to fight each other. Yōji is also infected and the plot eventually leads to a showdown fight to the death between the two would-be lovers. A side plot concerns a father who is out to kill the NecroBorgs who have also infected his daughter.

Production

''Meatball Machine'' is based on a 1999 film of the same name written, produced and directed by Jun'ichi Yamamoto. The 70 minute theatrical version was released in Japan on May 22, 1999 and starred Toshihisa Watanabe, Akiko Sasaki and Rino Sōma. The special effects, special makeup effects and moldmaking for the NecroBorgs were done by noted effects artist

who would go on to do effects for ''

The Machine Girl is a 2008 Japanese action comedy horror film written and directed by Noboru Iguchi, and starring Minase Yashiro, Asami, Kentarō Shimazu and Honoka. The plot follows an orphaned Japanese schoolgirl whose life is destroyed when her brother is ki ...

'' and ''

Tokyo Gore Police is a 2008 Japanese action splatter film co-written, edited and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and starring Eihi Shiina as Ruka, a vengeful police officer. ''Tokyo Gore Police'' was released to several film festivals in North America. It receiv ...

''. Nishimura would go on to direct the 2017 sequel, ''Meatball Machine Kodoku''.

Cast

*Issei Takahashi as Yōji *Aoba Kawai as Sachiko *Kenichi Kawasaki as Tanaka *Shōichirō Masumoto as Doi *Tōru Tezuka as Tsujimoto *

Ayano Yamamoto is a Japanese actress, Voice acting in Japan, voice actress and Japanese idol, idol. She is affiliated with the agency Amuleto. She is known for her involvement in Nitroplus' franchise Super Sonico. Career Yamamoto began her career as an idol in ...

as Michino

Release

The movie was released theatrically in Japan on September 23, 2006. The DVD was released in Japan on February 7, 2007. The USA version of the DVD with English subtitles came out June 5, 2007. The DVD releases also contain the original 1999 version of ''Meatball Machine'' edited down to a 13-minute short, a making-of featurette and another short ''Reject or Death'' which expands on the side plot of the scientist father and his daughter.

Reception

Some reviews called the film a mediocre rip-off of

Shinya Tsukamoto is a Japanese people, Japanese filmmaker, film producer, screenwriter, Film editing, editor, Film director, director, cinematographer, art director, production designer and actor. With a considerable cult following both domestically and abroad ...

's classic '' Tetsuo: The Iron Man'' but the Severed Cinema reviewer calls ''Meatball Machine'' the superior of the two movies, "a super-gory hodgepodge tongue-in-cheek ultraviolent video game monster mash misfit movie with ... charm and silly sweetness". Critics and viewers found obvious parallels between the film and ''Tetsuo: The Iron Man''. Another reviewer, however, labels it "a resume reel" and "a difficult movie to defend" although the Dreamin' Demon review says it is "one of the more entertaining B-Movies I have watched in a while." A further review praises the special effects and makeup effects but not the movie. Two of the reviewers mention that the film's plot of doomed lovers who cannot connect can be taken as a metaphor for the difficulties and dangers inherent in expressing feelings and how emotional issues can be transformed into something monstrous.

Notes

External links

* {{Yūdai Yamaguchi 2005 horror films 2005 science fiction films 2005 films Films directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi Japanese horror films Japanese science fiction horror films 2000s science fiction horror films Japanese splatter films Japanese action horror films Japanese science fiction action films 2005 science fiction action films 2000s monster movies Films about extraterrestrial life 2000s exploitation films 2000s Japanese films