Just above is the first official photo out of FilMart for Nikkatsu’s latest world sales acquisition, Rise Of The Machine Girls. This one has nostalgia written all over it if you’re like me living in America and were once enraptured by the all-consuming line-up of gonzo Japanese sci-fi action and gore titles fresh from Media Blasters and its niche shingles – It’s the label that got me started on collecting DVDs in the early 2000s before the company dissolved in 2012, and yeah, I miss it.
In the new version, Ami and her sister Yoshie are scraping by doing fight shows when Yoshie is captured by female killing machines during a surprise attack on a black market organ-trafficking ring. Going to her sister’s rescue, Ami has her left arm severed but attaches a machine gun to the stump and charges into the enemy’s lair – only to find Yoshie has been transformed into a human cyborg programmed to kill her.
Yuki Kobayashi (Death Row Family) sits in as director for this latest feat, essentially remaking Noboru Iguchi’s 2008 film which stars actresses Himena Tsukimiya and Kanon Hanakage. Also joining in is cult action star favorite Tak Sakaguchi whose own stake at Media Blasters’ Tokyo Shock label arose with hits like Versus, Alive and Death Trance prior to Yuji Shimomura’s Re:Born, Takahiro Ishihara’s Red Blade, the upcoming releases of Crazy Musashi, and a co-starring gig in Shinsuke Sato’s Kingdom.
Yoshinori Chiba, who produced Iguchi’s 2008 original, will be back on board for this one alongside another Media Blasters vet, Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police), who was recently on hand at Yubari to introduce filmmaker Bueno’s warmly recieved Garage Hero tokusatsu indie, Strega. (Screendaily)