Yoshie (Aya Kiguchi) is the put upon younger sister of geisha Kikue (Hitomi Hasebe) and she accompanies her sibling to a job for rich young industrialist Hikaru (Takumi Saitô), who runs Kageno Steel Manufacturing. The company is a front for his sinister plans to control the world via a bomb he is making and his robot geisha army. The duo is kidnapped and transformed, but Yoshie finds herself thriving in the training and bypassing her sister's shadow. Soon she is the top assassin RoboGeisha, who kills Hikaru's enemies with ease. Of course, she has a change of heart when her latest target - a group of old folks searching for their kidnapped family members - tells her of Hikaru's sinister plans. I think I can only handle one of these deliberately campy, cute girl Japanese action pictures once every 5 years. This plays like a Troma film, but with a no nudity. It is pretty much a non-stop marathon of oddity. Director Noboru Iguchi previously did THE MACHINE GIRL (2008) and this carries on the tradition of showing wild, never-seen-before gags. You get bizarre stuff like breast milk that melts faces, a robot castle, chest guns, knee guns, shoulder guns, and AssSwords (exactly what you think it is). Unfortunately, if you saw the long trailer, it showed you pretty much all of these things.
21 Reviews
Iguchi's latest is another bizarre, campy, psychotronic hodge·podge...
jmaruyama11 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Iguchi Noboru's latest "Robo Geisha" is yet another addition to his bizarre, low-budget psychotronic films that while entertaining are a bit too off-the-wall, campy and juvenile to really appeal to audiences outside of the midnight film festival crowds or bad movie aficionado.
The film's premise seems almost like a bad joke - two sisters Natsuki Yoshie (cute Kiguchi Aya) and Natsuki Kikuei (Hasabe Hitomi) are recruited from the ranks of Kyoto Maiko (Geisha in training) to join a radical, Right-wing Japanese "Freemason-like" Secret Society called "Tengun" (a mash-up of "Tengu/Japanese Yokai Birds of Prey" and "Gundan/Army") to help rid Japan of its corrupt and weak politicians and bring in a "new order" headed by insane business tycoon Kageno Taro (Shigaki Taro) and his sadistic son Hikaru (the handsome Takumi Saito). They are forced to train as soldiers in Kageno's all-girl Geisha army and to aid them in their mad plans.
While Yoshie suffers under the cruel training rituals, Kikuei excels in them and even willingly allows herself to be altered with weapons that she can use on her victims. Yoshie is also forced to undergo similar bionic surgeries and receive enhancements but with the aid of an eccentric group of victims who have had their family members abducted/killed by the Tengun organization, uses her new-found powers to stop the Kageno family as "Robo Geisha".
It is no surprise that this film's main allure is the outrageous costume and SFX work of reigning Japanese special effects wizard Nishimura Yoshihiro, whose unique and inventive work highlights such films like "Kataude Machine Girl", "Tokyo Zankoku Keisatsu", "Kyuketsu Shojou Tai Shojou Franken" and "Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle" among others. Nishimura is indeed a genius at creating truly bizarre, wacky and sometimes hilarious visual gags, gross-out splatter effects and costumes. He is like the Japanese Tom Savini in his masterful work.
While "Robo Geisha" certainly seems like a throwback to the Troma films of the 80's or Toei's "V-Cinema" films of the 90s, it also seems to want to be like the early works of Tim Burton (Beetle Juice) and Sam Raimi (Darkman, Evil Dead Trilogy), especially in terms of style.
While clearly partly influenced by Paul Verhoeven's 1987 cult masterpiece "RoboCop", "Robo Geisha" seems more in common with Troma's silly 1991 superhero parody "Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D." which also had its protagonist gain amazing powers with a decidedly "Japanese" influence.
"Robo Geisha" seems especially made to appeal to foreign audiences who are hungry for offbeat and non-traditional Japanese films like Miike Takashi's "Koroshiya Ichi" or Matsumoto Hitoshi's "Dai Nihon-Jin". Iguchi seems to lampoon every Japanese contrivance, stereotype and cultural reference with a knowing "wink and smile" (Yakuza, the Corporate Kaibatsu, Geisha, Ninja, Samurai, Sailor uniforms, kaiju, Tokusatsu etc.)
While Iguchi's rebel, non-conformist, punk aspects of the film are to be commended, "Robo Geisha" seems more like silly late-night TV, adult Tokusatsu entertainment than a movie. A silly one joke gimmick (and not a very good one) that you would see on "SNL" or more appropriately a Japanese comedy/variety show.
Iguchi has clever ideas and a biting sense of parody and humor and when complimented by Nishimura Yoshihiro's amazing costume work makes for a potent and powerful collaboration but I just wish that they would temper that with better stories which are not only fun to watch but also take it out of the realm of cheap, direct-to-DVD, juvenile lampoon. Edgar Wright, Miike Takashi and Ruben Fleischer have shown us that it can be done now it's up to Iguchi and Nishimura to step it up and show us what they can really do.
The film's premise seems almost like a bad joke - two sisters Natsuki Yoshie (cute Kiguchi Aya) and Natsuki Kikuei (Hasabe Hitomi) are recruited from the ranks of Kyoto Maiko (Geisha in training) to join a radical, Right-wing Japanese "Freemason-like" Secret Society called "Tengun" (a mash-up of "Tengu/Japanese Yokai Birds of Prey" and "Gundan/Army") to help rid Japan of its corrupt and weak politicians and bring in a "new order" headed by insane business tycoon Kageno Taro (Shigaki Taro) and his sadistic son Hikaru (the handsome Takumi Saito). They are forced to train as soldiers in Kageno's all-girl Geisha army and to aid them in their mad plans.
While Yoshie suffers under the cruel training rituals, Kikuei excels in them and even willingly allows herself to be altered with weapons that she can use on her victims. Yoshie is also forced to undergo similar bionic surgeries and receive enhancements but with the aid of an eccentric group of victims who have had their family members abducted/killed by the Tengun organization, uses her new-found powers to stop the Kageno family as "Robo Geisha".
It is no surprise that this film's main allure is the outrageous costume and SFX work of reigning Japanese special effects wizard Nishimura Yoshihiro, whose unique and inventive work highlights such films like "Kataude Machine Girl", "Tokyo Zankoku Keisatsu", "Kyuketsu Shojou Tai Shojou Franken" and "Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle" among others. Nishimura is indeed a genius at creating truly bizarre, wacky and sometimes hilarious visual gags, gross-out splatter effects and costumes. He is like the Japanese Tom Savini in his masterful work.
While "Robo Geisha" certainly seems like a throwback to the Troma films of the 80's or Toei's "V-Cinema" films of the 90s, it also seems to want to be like the early works of Tim Burton (Beetle Juice) and Sam Raimi (Darkman, Evil Dead Trilogy), especially in terms of style.
While clearly partly influenced by Paul Verhoeven's 1987 cult masterpiece "RoboCop", "Robo Geisha" seems more in common with Troma's silly 1991 superhero parody "Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D." which also had its protagonist gain amazing powers with a decidedly "Japanese" influence.
"Robo Geisha" seems especially made to appeal to foreign audiences who are hungry for offbeat and non-traditional Japanese films like Miike Takashi's "Koroshiya Ichi" or Matsumoto Hitoshi's "Dai Nihon-Jin". Iguchi seems to lampoon every Japanese contrivance, stereotype and cultural reference with a knowing "wink and smile" (Yakuza, the Corporate Kaibatsu, Geisha, Ninja, Samurai, Sailor uniforms, kaiju, Tokusatsu etc.)
While Iguchi's rebel, non-conformist, punk aspects of the film are to be commended, "Robo Geisha" seems more like silly late-night TV, adult Tokusatsu entertainment than a movie. A silly one joke gimmick (and not a very good one) that you would see on "SNL" or more appropriately a Japanese comedy/variety show.
Iguchi has clever ideas and a biting sense of parody and humor and when complimented by Nishimura Yoshihiro's amazing costume work makes for a potent and powerful collaboration but I just wish that they would temper that with better stories which are not only fun to watch but also take it out of the realm of cheap, direct-to-DVD, juvenile lampoon. Edgar Wright, Miike Takashi and Ruben Fleischer have shown us that it can be done now it's up to Iguchi and Nishimura to step it up and show us what they can really do.
Excessive, cartoonish action from Noboru 'Machine Girl' Iguchi.
BA_Harrison2 January 2015
Shy beauty Yoshie Kasuga (Aya Kiguchi) lives in the shadow of her older sister, renowned Geisha Kikue (Hitomi Hasebe), who undeservedly treats her sibling with disdain. While Kikue is entertaining businessman Hikaru Kageno (Takumi Saitô), a pair of Tengu spirits attack, forcing Yoshie to display her impressive fighting skills. Pleased with the young woman's performance against the Tengu, Hikaru, a megalomaniac intent on ruling the world, abducts Yoshie and forces her become one of his Geisha assassins; he also operates on Kikue, giving her machine-gun tits. On seeing her sister's awesome weaponry, Yoshie opts for an upgrade, getting herself equipped with Wig Napalm and armpit swords, and soon becomes a top assassin.
When Yoshie is sent to kill a group of people who are searching for their missing relatives—the other Geisha assassins in Hikaru's army—her conscience kicks in and she refuses her orders. Displeased, Hikaru has her blown up. Luckily for Yoshie, one of Hikaru's ex-employees is on hand to piece her back together, giving her a few extra modifications in the process, after which she seeks out Hikaru, who promptly transforms his headquarters into a giant castle robot and heads for Mount Fuji where he intends to detonate a massive nuclear bomb.
RoboGeisha is another massive helping of bonkers action from Noboru Iguchi, the director who gave us the amazingly entertaining splatter-fest Machine Girl. But where that movie delivered an excess of impressive practical gore FX along with the insanity, this one opts for much more cartoonish violence, most of which is achieved via rather cheap looking CGI, making it a bit of a disappointment for those expecting more of the same. Poorly rendered digital blood is never an acceptable substitute for genuine splatter.
Thankfully, the film's relentlessly silly plot, OTT visuals, and hot Japanese babes ensure that the film is consistently entertaining, regardless of the gore. With such unique sights as a psycho nurse being sprayed with acidic breast-milk, Yoshie turning into a tank, ass shuriken, a man blinded by shrimp, and office buildings that bleed, boredom is definitely not an option, and there's always a little more fun to be had from trying to guess what Hollywood movie soundtracks are being referenced (I heard music that sounded suspiciously like the themes from RoboCop, James Bond and possibly even Rocky).
When Yoshie is sent to kill a group of people who are searching for their missing relatives—the other Geisha assassins in Hikaru's army—her conscience kicks in and she refuses her orders. Displeased, Hikaru has her blown up. Luckily for Yoshie, one of Hikaru's ex-employees is on hand to piece her back together, giving her a few extra modifications in the process, after which she seeks out Hikaru, who promptly transforms his headquarters into a giant castle robot and heads for Mount Fuji where he intends to detonate a massive nuclear bomb.
RoboGeisha is another massive helping of bonkers action from Noboru Iguchi, the director who gave us the amazingly entertaining splatter-fest Machine Girl. But where that movie delivered an excess of impressive practical gore FX along with the insanity, this one opts for much more cartoonish violence, most of which is achieved via rather cheap looking CGI, making it a bit of a disappointment for those expecting more of the same. Poorly rendered digital blood is never an acceptable substitute for genuine splatter.
Thankfully, the film's relentlessly silly plot, OTT visuals, and hot Japanese babes ensure that the film is consistently entertaining, regardless of the gore. With such unique sights as a psycho nurse being sprayed with acidic breast-milk, Yoshie turning into a tank, ass shuriken, a man blinded by shrimp, and office buildings that bleed, boredom is definitely not an option, and there's always a little more fun to be had from trying to guess what Hollywood movie soundtracks are being referenced (I heard music that sounded suspiciously like the themes from RoboCop, James Bond and possibly even Rocky).
Even genre fans will probably be disappointed with this one.
lewiskendell21 January 2011
"Who am I? Am I a robot? A geisha? Even I don't know the answer...either now or in the past."
This movie is insane. Even compared to similar Japanese movies, it's still in a class by itself. I understand that one wouldn't expect a movie called RoboGeisha to be a thoughtful, artsy mood-piece, but, wow. "Perversely imaginative" is a good descriptive phrase that comes to mind.
That weirdness doesn't deliver a good flick, though. A lot of those campy, ridiculous Japanese movies are a blast to watch, but Robo-Geisha is basically a constant stream of randomness and gore, with little real entertainment factor. You'll go WTF and chuckle at some of the oddities that are thrown at you (like the giant castle/robot doing "the robot"), but a lot of things that are intended to be awesome or campy, instead come off as just dumb. Beyond the appeal of seeing what absurdity will show up on screen next, there's not a lot to recommend about this one. Watch Machine Girl instead.
This movie is insane. Even compared to similar Japanese movies, it's still in a class by itself. I understand that one wouldn't expect a movie called RoboGeisha to be a thoughtful, artsy mood-piece, but, wow. "Perversely imaginative" is a good descriptive phrase that comes to mind.
That weirdness doesn't deliver a good flick, though. A lot of those campy, ridiculous Japanese movies are a blast to watch, but Robo-Geisha is basically a constant stream of randomness and gore, with little real entertainment factor. You'll go WTF and chuckle at some of the oddities that are thrown at you (like the giant castle/robot doing "the robot"), but a lot of things that are intended to be awesome or campy, instead come off as just dumb. Beyond the appeal of seeing what absurdity will show up on screen next, there's not a lot to recommend about this one. Watch Machine Girl instead.
Robotic Geishas? Sure, why not...
paul_haakonsen15 February 2016
The first thing that comes to mind when sitting down and watching "Robo-Geisha" is probably: only in Japan! At least that is what rang true for me. This particular genre of movies is something that usually only rears its head from the bowels of Japan.
And it takes a certain kind of mindset to be able to fully appreciate these particular types of movies. I enjoy them for the campy, cheesy over-the-top entertainment that they are. Don't put too much into them, because they are not really meant to be taken seriously.
The story is about two sisters, one being a Geisha and the other living in the shadow of her Geisha sister. When they are both recruited by the Kageno steel company, a rivalry develops between the sisters in order to prove to be the better Geisha warrior/assassin. The Geisha women are trained to be deadly killers and are enhanced with robotic parts. But there is a sinister secret stirring beneath the surface of the Kageno company.
Yes, it is bizarre and odd, but still fun and entertaining for the campy movie that it is. Sure, this is somewhat of an acquired taste, and as such the movie will not prove appealing to every viewer. Mind you that this is not Shakespearian thespian acting in the least bit. You know what you get here, and "Robo-Geisha" delivers exactly on that account.
The acting in "Robo-Geisha" is as to be expected for a movie such as this. Personally, then I found it to actually be adequate acting for the genre. So that was a good thing.
However, the overall movie experience is a mediocre one. The movie fails to really impress in comparison to many others of this particular odd genre. And as such, then the movie failed to rise above the mediocre waterline. I am rating "Robo-Geisha" a mere five out of ten stars.
There are far better choices to pick from if you enjoy this particular genre of Japanese movies.
And it takes a certain kind of mindset to be able to fully appreciate these particular types of movies. I enjoy them for the campy, cheesy over-the-top entertainment that they are. Don't put too much into them, because they are not really meant to be taken seriously.
The story is about two sisters, one being a Geisha and the other living in the shadow of her Geisha sister. When they are both recruited by the Kageno steel company, a rivalry develops between the sisters in order to prove to be the better Geisha warrior/assassin. The Geisha women are trained to be deadly killers and are enhanced with robotic parts. But there is a sinister secret stirring beneath the surface of the Kageno company.
Yes, it is bizarre and odd, but still fun and entertaining for the campy movie that it is. Sure, this is somewhat of an acquired taste, and as such the movie will not prove appealing to every viewer. Mind you that this is not Shakespearian thespian acting in the least bit. You know what you get here, and "Robo-Geisha" delivers exactly on that account.
The acting in "Robo-Geisha" is as to be expected for a movie such as this. Personally, then I found it to actually be adequate acting for the genre. So that was a good thing.
However, the overall movie experience is a mediocre one. The movie fails to really impress in comparison to many others of this particular odd genre. And as such, then the movie failed to rise above the mediocre waterline. I am rating "Robo-Geisha" a mere five out of ten stars.
There are far better choices to pick from if you enjoy this particular genre of Japanese movies.
One of the biggest cinematic disappointments of my life
Viva_Chiba31 May 2011
In 2008, Noburu Iguchi delivered one of the greatest gore-flicks of the century....The Machine Girl, when i heard that Noburu Iguchi was involved in the direction of Robo-geisha, i was excited, finally i could see something cool and gory like The Machine Girl....again !
The trailer looked spectacular and weird, there was no doubt: Robo-geisha would be epic like The Machine Girl, unfortunately, the actual movie is a whole different story.
Unfortunately, there is not much gore and most of it is CGI (and in one scene, someone gets shot and the "blood" looks like a bunch of red dots added with a computer), as the story progress, the movie gets boring than ever.
The movie also features the worst use of repeated stock-footage (in the "Geisha-truck" scene), it's even worse than Godzilla Vs Megalon ! The
only thing good about this movie ? Asami (the red-headed chick from The Machine Girl), returns as one of the girls with the Tengu mask (the big nosed mask).
The trailer looked spectacular and weird, there was no doubt: Robo-geisha would be epic like The Machine Girl, unfortunately, the actual movie is a whole different story.
Unfortunately, there is not much gore and most of it is CGI (and in one scene, someone gets shot and the "blood" looks like a bunch of red dots added with a computer), as the story progress, the movie gets boring than ever.
The movie also features the worst use of repeated stock-footage (in the "Geisha-truck" scene), it's even worse than Godzilla Vs Megalon ! The
only thing good about this movie ? Asami (the red-headed chick from The Machine Girl), returns as one of the girls with the Tengu mask (the big nosed mask).
Ah, geisha. Beautiful. Alluring. Mysterious. Robotic
mccormick-kenny26 October 2009
Ah, geisha. Beautiful. Alluring. Mysterious. Robotic. Yoshie is the archetypal younger sister, overshadowed in all ways by her elder sibling. Sis is confident. Yoshie is not. Sis is climbing through the ranks of a local geisha house. Yoshie scrubs the walls and performs menial tasks. Sis is in love with the young head of a local steel outfit. Yoshie ... wait a minute ... Yoshie is the one that he actually prefers! This is a recipe for conflict ... The latest effort from the crew behind cult titles Machine Girl, Sukeban Boy, Tokyo Gore Police and Vampire Girl Versus Frankenstein Girl, you pretty much have to know going in exactly what you're going to get with RoboGeisha - a violent, unrepentantly silly b-film loaded with wildly over the top set pieces hatched from the fevered mind of perpetual adolescent Iguchi. A self- professed ass-man Iguchi was asked by producers to tone the violence down a touch for this one and so he did before compensating more than amply for the reduced amount of blood by inserting a wide variety of weapons into his female stars' posteriors. Simultaneously a parody of bad melodrama and an explosion of cult excess, RoboGeisha takes a (very) basic sisters-competing-for-affection storyline and lifts it out of the standard domestic setting and replaces it with extreme body modification and a clan of geisha-assassins. The girls glare and stomp their feet at each other, then they go and replace their breasts with machine guns. Just when you think Iguchi and Nishimura must have run out of bizarre scenarios and weapons after producing so many of these films they come up with something truly bizarre. Bizarre like bleeding buildings, castle robots, throwing stars and katana's bursting from women's asses.
Still more strangeness from Japan
JoeB13119 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
You know, I'm willing to concede, there is something about Japanese movies that maybe I'm not getting. But this one is strange.
Essentially an evil corporation is kidnapping girls and training them to be assassins dressed as Geishas or maybe robot assassins dressed as Geishas or something. What we have are a bunch of over the top action scenes with women sprouting weapons for all sorts of body parts where you wouldn't expect there to be a weapon.
I think this is supposed to be a comedy.
The girls are kind of hot and the action scenes are kind of interesting, although when the castle turns into a giant robot and starts smashing building, I'm not sure why the building start spurting blood.
Essentially an evil corporation is kidnapping girls and training them to be assassins dressed as Geishas or maybe robot assassins dressed as Geishas or something. What we have are a bunch of over the top action scenes with women sprouting weapons for all sorts of body parts where you wouldn't expect there to be a weapon.
I think this is supposed to be a comedy.
The girls are kind of hot and the action scenes are kind of interesting, although when the castle turns into a giant robot and starts smashing building, I'm not sure why the building start spurting blood.
Fun movie
mmushrm24 February 2011
To enjoy this you have to take it for what it is, a movie made for fun with a low budget and no pretensions to be anything other then a campy B movie.
If you enjoyed the 70s-80s Japanese monster and robot movies with the rubber costumes you will enjoy this. I don't think the producers intended this movie to be taken seriously. It had robot geishas with swords from their bums, automatic weapons from their head gears, breast gatling guns and acid squirter's, giant robot castles, gun toting grannies etc.
Story wise its not bad either; mad scientist intending to blow up japan creates killer geishas with the top geishas turn into killer robot geishas. There isn't a lot of gore....unless you count the buildings that gushes blood when the robot smashes them. I think they must have had fun writing this movie.
Good movie. I liked it.
If you enjoyed the 70s-80s Japanese monster and robot movies with the rubber costumes you will enjoy this. I don't think the producers intended this movie to be taken seriously. It had robot geishas with swords from their bums, automatic weapons from their head gears, breast gatling guns and acid squirter's, giant robot castles, gun toting grannies etc.
Story wise its not bad either; mad scientist intending to blow up japan creates killer geishas with the top geishas turn into killer robot geishas. There isn't a lot of gore....unless you count the buildings that gushes blood when the robot smashes them. I think they must have had fun writing this movie.
Good movie. I liked it.
Quirky for quirky's sake.
oneguyrambling27 December 2011
Sigh, another Japanese film about half robot / half human assassins that shoot throwing stars from their various body parts and have sword fights in school uniforms. That must be the third one this week! I'm for any excuse that gets hot young nubile chicks in school uniforms killing people in over the top ridiculous ways; but this all seems so calculated and forced.
Quirky for quirky's sake if you will.
There was a scene in True Lies where Arnold Schwarzenegger's character had to translate the demands of terrorists to Jamie Lee Curtis's character. He started with the 'We'll rain down fire upon a new city each day' and as the soapbox preaching grew a little 'samey' he mumbled 'we're tough, we're badasses, blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhh'.
Robogeisha's speech would go 'We Japanese can be a crazy filmmaking breed, get ready for young chicks doing outlandish stuff with unique and wacky plot developments you'll never see coming! We're quirky, we're zany, blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhh.' What they truly meant would be: 'You know, the usual crackpot Japanese style that was momentarily popular overseas when it was new, but damn are we milking it for all it's worth with increasingly lazy and uninspired look at us techniques'.
Final Rating – 4.5 / 10. If the title is enough reason to watch then by all means check this out. Just know that by me saying this is no 'Big Tits Zombie' isn't necessarily a compliment to BTZ.
Quirky for quirky's sake if you will.
There was a scene in True Lies where Arnold Schwarzenegger's character had to translate the demands of terrorists to Jamie Lee Curtis's character. He started with the 'We'll rain down fire upon a new city each day' and as the soapbox preaching grew a little 'samey' he mumbled 'we're tough, we're badasses, blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhh'.
Robogeisha's speech would go 'We Japanese can be a crazy filmmaking breed, get ready for young chicks doing outlandish stuff with unique and wacky plot developments you'll never see coming! We're quirky, we're zany, blah, blah, blah, blah, blahhh.' What they truly meant would be: 'You know, the usual crackpot Japanese style that was momentarily popular overseas when it was new, but damn are we milking it for all it's worth with increasingly lazy and uninspired look at us techniques'.
Final Rating – 4.5 / 10. If the title is enough reason to watch then by all means check this out. Just know that by me saying this is no 'Big Tits Zombie' isn't necessarily a compliment to BTZ.
the trailer barely shows it all!
Quinoa198418 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Robo-geisha's trailer had me in stitches, because it doesn't show anything about what the 'plot' of the movie is. It's all just images, a voice saying things that will be in the movie, like, say, Fried Shrimp. And indeed there is Fried Shrimp in the movie, and it's used for rather violent effect. But everything in Noboru Iguchi's film is completely tasteless, nearly every second. I have to wonder if the scenes that are actually meant to be taken seriously- such as those moments where see the bond between Yoshie and her sister- are meant to be funny as well. While I wasn't laughing out loud for every moment of the madness, there was enough to make it a crowd-pleaser. What kind of crowd depends on where you're seeing it or what circumstances.
Oh this is a silly, sick little flick. If you've seen The Machine Girl, or anything by that group of new Japanese directors who have their previous experience in special effects, you know where their minds are at (the other one, Nishimura, made Tokyo Gore Police and he's collaborating with Noboru on Mutant Girls Squad, which sounds just peachy). Nothing is really too outrageous or stupid, and Noboru goes for it. I loved seeing how he would try and top himself within a scene, hell, within a shot. Watch in that first opening scene, where the Robogeisha first shows herself, and how far it goes: the level of humor in the businessman's reaction to the buzzsaw in her mouth, and the reaction one gets from seeing the "other" being inside of the Robogeisha! And just when you think the film is going for something with the two "Twins" with the penis-mask-faces, wait till you see their swords coming out of their asses (and they're embarrassed by them!)
The surprises are what make the film as entertaining as it really is. While Noboru deserves some points for getting some genuinely good direction in some scenes... some being the operative word, he's mostly a director for the exploitation-picture sect. This is a world where girls can turn into tanks (no, that's not a misprint), buildings bleed CGI blood, and old men in wheelchairs have secret guns hidden in their kneecaps. Need I go on? You know who you are if you go for this kind of stuff; I imagine going in cold on Robo-geisha would be a sobering experience. How would one feel seeing, for the first time, an absurdist take on world domination by a corporation that gets girls who are tired of their over-dominated existence at home, and become killing machines (literally in most cases) to help assist this world domination/destruction with the crudest comedy this side of Takashi Miike meets Tom & Jerry?
I suppose it would feel... hopefully awesome, if one is in the right frame of mind. It's not a movie for the faint-hearted (some of the gore is bug-f*** crazy, even if it is, sadly sometimes, CGI), and safe to say it won't win any Oscars. But it's got hot Japanese girls kicking ass and playing everything for laughs with cute-straight faces. Oh, and did I mention there's a Robo-Castle? Yeah, kind of weird, especially as it does a robot dance on Mount Fiji.
Oh this is a silly, sick little flick. If you've seen The Machine Girl, or anything by that group of new Japanese directors who have their previous experience in special effects, you know where their minds are at (the other one, Nishimura, made Tokyo Gore Police and he's collaborating with Noboru on Mutant Girls Squad, which sounds just peachy). Nothing is really too outrageous or stupid, and Noboru goes for it. I loved seeing how he would try and top himself within a scene, hell, within a shot. Watch in that first opening scene, where the Robogeisha first shows herself, and how far it goes: the level of humor in the businessman's reaction to the buzzsaw in her mouth, and the reaction one gets from seeing the "other" being inside of the Robogeisha! And just when you think the film is going for something with the two "Twins" with the penis-mask-faces, wait till you see their swords coming out of their asses (and they're embarrassed by them!)
The surprises are what make the film as entertaining as it really is. While Noboru deserves some points for getting some genuinely good direction in some scenes... some being the operative word, he's mostly a director for the exploitation-picture sect. This is a world where girls can turn into tanks (no, that's not a misprint), buildings bleed CGI blood, and old men in wheelchairs have secret guns hidden in their kneecaps. Need I go on? You know who you are if you go for this kind of stuff; I imagine going in cold on Robo-geisha would be a sobering experience. How would one feel seeing, for the first time, an absurdist take on world domination by a corporation that gets girls who are tired of their over-dominated existence at home, and become killing machines (literally in most cases) to help assist this world domination/destruction with the crudest comedy this side of Takashi Miike meets Tom & Jerry?
I suppose it would feel... hopefully awesome, if one is in the right frame of mind. It's not a movie for the faint-hearted (some of the gore is bug-f*** crazy, even if it is, sadly sometimes, CGI), and safe to say it won't win any Oscars. But it's got hot Japanese girls kicking ass and playing everything for laughs with cute-straight faces. Oh, and did I mention there's a Robo-Castle? Yeah, kind of weird, especially as it does a robot dance on Mount Fiji.
Robo-Geisha
vibbles2112 June 2011
I picked up Robo-Geisha not knowing what it was, I love B movie so i decided to give it a try. I must say, this movie was a thrill to watch!
The plot is simple. It narrated by a Robo-Geisha named Yoshie. Yoshie tells the story on how she became a Robo-Geisha and why she became a robo-geisha / what they were used for. Bam! There you go the plot!
If you enjoy obviously fake special effect, incredible stupid weapons, and all that jazz. You'd enjoy this movie, however, there some negatives. Some of the things they say are stupid and a bit confusing. The ending was OK, i just had a couple question left unanswered. Other then that i liked it.
If you liked it go check out "Machine Girl" it's from the same people who made this movie!
The plot is simple. It narrated by a Robo-Geisha named Yoshie. Yoshie tells the story on how she became a Robo-Geisha and why she became a robo-geisha / what they were used for. Bam! There you go the plot!
If you enjoy obviously fake special effect, incredible stupid weapons, and all that jazz. You'd enjoy this movie, however, there some negatives. Some of the things they say are stupid and a bit confusing. The ending was OK, i just had a couple question left unanswered. Other then that i liked it.
If you liked it go check out "Machine Girl" it's from the same people who made this movie!
A serious disappointment from a director of whom I am slowly becoming an appreciator
TooKakkoiiforYou_32112 April 2021
The crazyness is a token from this guy, so I can't give my approval just for that. Why the hell he thought that a talkative rendition of a soap-opera The Bold and the Beautiful style was a good idea in this kind of movies, in which the relationships between the characters even when they're well written generally don't involve that kind of crap, I will never understand. I guess the increase of budget from Machine Girl to this had to result in something...bad. I'll happily re-watch the latter and Mutant Girls Squad over this anytime.
Pretty insance
hellholehorror19 November 2023
The picture quality is amble, it looks very digital. Shot in a reminiscent way to Crank (2006) and this is effective in hiding a smaller budget and creating excitement. The sound design was a little odd but effective and dynamic which pleased me. This is just taking a simple idea to the maximum insanity. Occasionally the pace slowed down and became a little boring but mostly pressed forward with crazy visuals, mad situations and breast-guns. Just my kind of film. Fast pace and lots of insanity. Also blood everywhere. This is a production of the time, where nonsensical over-the-top insanity was popular.
Trailer says it all really
sinister_prog9 October 2009
Noboru Iguchi's films have a reputation. You know people are going to die in them, but you are never entirely sure who will be next. Or what the weapon will be. Or from what orifice the weapon protrudes from. Robogeisha carries on this fine tradition, but as a teensy-weensy spoiler, there's more use of CGI blood this time around. I guess it saves on the cleaning bills.
So two sisters, one a geisha, the other the attendant, get invited to perform at a dinner for the big bad guy, and end up being recruited into his army of highly-trained female killers masquerading as more geisha. Oh and there's a few cybernetic upgrades on the way as well.
I can't really say much more to this movie that you can't already tell from the trailer. So I'll just say that I, and practically everyone else in a tiny cinema in the backstreets of Shibuya, was in fits of giggles throughout this movie as we were regularly surprised at what Iguchi's imagination would throw at us. Think of Wacky Racers with cast-iron Shimadas, comedy instead of splatter and only a slight feeling of disappointment when some of the set pieces are cut too short then there's still laughs to be had. Anyone for fried shrimp?
So two sisters, one a geisha, the other the attendant, get invited to perform at a dinner for the big bad guy, and end up being recruited into his army of highly-trained female killers masquerading as more geisha. Oh and there's a few cybernetic upgrades on the way as well.
I can't really say much more to this movie that you can't already tell from the trailer. So I'll just say that I, and practically everyone else in a tiny cinema in the backstreets of Shibuya, was in fits of giggles throughout this movie as we were regularly surprised at what Iguchi's imagination would throw at us. Think of Wacky Racers with cast-iron Shimadas, comedy instead of splatter and only a slight feeling of disappointment when some of the set pieces are cut too short then there's still laughs to be had. Anyone for fried shrimp?
Robogeisha - Review by Mahan
Mahan1819 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Two sisters are recruited into a faction of robotic geisha assassins. How much more do I need to say? If you understand the concept of 'so bad that it's awesome' and celebrate it, WATCH THIS MOVIE! I cannot emphasize this enough.
Now, don't get me wrong: There are a LOT of flaws with this movie. But it shouldn't matter. If you see the above outline of the 'story', if you can call it that, and think "That is a movie I want to see.", why would you watch it for actual cinematic value? Rather, watch for the action of a fight between a half-human half-robot tank and a giant tower robot, the hilarity of a duel using katanas sticking out of girl's arses and the sheer insanity of death by corrosive breast milk (This is, personally, my favourite part, but you are free to have your own).
And as an added bonus for anyone watching it on DVD (which would be most of you), there is a short film called 'Geisha Cop' which, if you are capable of processing it, is even more bat-s**t insane than RoboGeisha. It contains just as much gore, action, robotics and comedy as the full title, but it is highly concentrated. So, sit back, relax, let your brain take a long-needed holiday, and enjoy RoboGeisha.
Now, don't get me wrong: There are a LOT of flaws with this movie. But it shouldn't matter. If you see the above outline of the 'story', if you can call it that, and think "That is a movie I want to see.", why would you watch it for actual cinematic value? Rather, watch for the action of a fight between a half-human half-robot tank and a giant tower robot, the hilarity of a duel using katanas sticking out of girl's arses and the sheer insanity of death by corrosive breast milk (This is, personally, my favourite part, but you are free to have your own).
And as an added bonus for anyone watching it on DVD (which would be most of you), there is a short film called 'Geisha Cop' which, if you are capable of processing it, is even more bat-s**t insane than RoboGeisha. It contains just as much gore, action, robotics and comedy as the full title, but it is highly concentrated. So, sit back, relax, let your brain take a long-needed holiday, and enjoy RoboGeisha.
Lovely, sexy geisha girls . They shoot deadly shuriken stars out of their butts !
eugenehug15 October 2011
They shoot deadly shuriken stars out of their butts ! What else can one say ? Watch this movie if you think that is as good as it gets. I cannot say much more than that. You get treated to the most excellent movie ever where They shoot deadly shuriken stars out of their butts ! Come on, that is a reason to make a movie. just seeing the deadly stars shooting out of cute Japanese babes cute behinds. Any and ALL movies that feature shooting stars, shooting friggin stars out of their bottoms. man, I'm in love. I am now going to make a hundred movies where beautiful killers all shoot deadly shuriken stars out of their butts ! Did I say that they shoot deadly shuriken stars out of their butts ? How many movies have you seen where they shoot deadly shuriken stars out of their butts ? ..OK enough said.
Yes the movie has other plot points like a story which has the love and struggle between two sisters. the most important thing for me was, well you know.
Yes the movie has other plot points like a story which has the love and struggle between two sisters. the most important thing for me was, well you know.
Cult Classic in Waiting
snarko-216 May 2011
Let me start I AM FEMALE: usually boys only like this type of flick, but if you're that chick (as I am), HOLY FUN FUN FUN!!!
What I signed up for, and GOT:
Awesome (and incredibly, um, "inventive") fighting, chicks who kick butt, lame Godzilla-type monsters you laugh at (the rubber-suit), good tension between woman relationships, and--I hate this watching some Japanese--no rape scenes. One scene kinda off a bit and hit a nerve, but not as bad as most. Most things a feminist (I am) would scream at are them making fun of their own culture, and a total HOOT!
And pink good pick: US would have done black... LA-aaaME!!!
If you're into this style of flick (it's a flick, not film: get over it), it's everything you want, nothing you don't!!! I sat with jaw dropped clear to ground on edge of seat for most the flick--I couldn't guess what was next, and it kept breaking my expectation for the ABSOLUTE ABSURD...
"I have one too!" Nearly missed this fabulous scene, laughing SO hard!
It's a Japanese future "Dead Alive": a worthy cult classic nomination. Why doesn't the Academy Awards do that category?
I work in progressive politics: the portrayal of the elders who fight for their children couldn't make me laugh harder. It's all teasing fun; it's all too true, thus genuinely FUNNY.
Two points off some scenes could have been better, and the near-rape. I hate that stuff.
What I signed up for, and GOT:
Awesome (and incredibly, um, "inventive") fighting, chicks who kick butt, lame Godzilla-type monsters you laugh at (the rubber-suit), good tension between woman relationships, and--I hate this watching some Japanese--no rape scenes. One scene kinda off a bit and hit a nerve, but not as bad as most. Most things a feminist (I am) would scream at are them making fun of their own culture, and a total HOOT!
And pink good pick: US would have done black... LA-aaaME!!!
If you're into this style of flick (it's a flick, not film: get over it), it's everything you want, nothing you don't!!! I sat with jaw dropped clear to ground on edge of seat for most the flick--I couldn't guess what was next, and it kept breaking my expectation for the ABSOLUTE ABSURD...
"I have one too!" Nearly missed this fabulous scene, laughing SO hard!
It's a Japanese future "Dead Alive": a worthy cult classic nomination. Why doesn't the Academy Awards do that category?
I work in progressive politics: the portrayal of the elders who fight for their children couldn't make me laugh harder. It's all teasing fun; it's all too true, thus genuinely FUNNY.
Two points off some scenes could have been better, and the near-rape. I hate that stuff.
RoboGeisha
KylieRempel7 May 2013
Now this is what the Sushi Typhoon company is all about.
Ass swords, robogeisha, chicks with dick masks strapped to their boobs. Tanks, amusing one liners and a giant robot battle.
There's pretty girls scantily clad - kicking ass and taking no names. In this sort of movie, you don't need to worry about things like names.
Does our protagonist wish to join the goblin squad and become a body mod'd assassin? Or will she take a stand against corruption and fight the injustice.
And yes ass-swords the embarrassment required to wield them is all part and parcel of this movie's inherent charm and unsophistication.
Do you go to the movies to be entertained with bizarre feats or special effects and nonsensical plot lines? If so watch this movie.
Ass swords, robogeisha, chicks with dick masks strapped to their boobs. Tanks, amusing one liners and a giant robot battle.
There's pretty girls scantily clad - kicking ass and taking no names. In this sort of movie, you don't need to worry about things like names.
Does our protagonist wish to join the goblin squad and become a body mod'd assassin? Or will she take a stand against corruption and fight the injustice.
And yes ass-swords the embarrassment required to wield them is all part and parcel of this movie's inherent charm and unsophistication.
Do you go to the movies to be entertained with bizarre feats or special effects and nonsensical plot lines? If so watch this movie.
A kaleidoscopically kooky, deliriously dismembering, Cyber-Sexy Sci-fi bloodbath!
Weirdling_Wolf25 September 2023
I genuinely marvel at the unbound creativity of Iguchi's zestfully eccentric, majestically mutable, freakishly fabulous, deliciously demented, skull-splittingly sensational'RoboGeisha'! This gloriously gonzo, gore-giddy chunkblower features some insanely inventive mecha-Geisha perpetrated carnage by VFX genius, Tsuyoshi Kazuno! Some of Kazuno's more outlandishly designed, gloriously gaudy prosthetics are truly wondrous to behold! Bullet-paced,plasma packed, and with nary a static moment, 'RoboGeisha' remains a surrealistic, hyperbolically violent, monstrously fun exercise in unexpurgated, logic-defying escapist lunacy! I've never quite understood why someone would favour a tired old slasher over something infinitely more vivid like, Noboru Iguchi's almost absurdly hyperactive, kaleidoscopically kooky, deliriously dismembering, Cyber-Sexy Sci-fi bloodbath 'RoboGeisha'.
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