Customer Reviews

Maid-Droid

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Once upon a time...

People believed in magic to explain the things they could not understand, and magic offered the possibility to gain control of our lives . Thus, in fairy tales, protagonists undergo certain trials or tests to be found worthy of some wish/need, and a magical spell is spoken to make the wish come true.

Today...

Technology is our magic, and passwords are our magic spells. But people still must prove themselves worthy of the things we most wish for: love, good sex, companionship, and happiness.

A man, now old, has had a robot maid since he was young, and she has served him selflessly. Unfortunately, she is an early model; later models have upgrade kits that allow their owners to act out their fantasies and have sex with their droids. This early model maid wishes she could be more like a real woman so she could please her young owner sexually. But he does not care if she can't, he loves her. Years later, she is an outdated model; replacement parts are difficult to find and her batteries no longer recharge. The man has kept her anyway, because of his love for her. She sits in a corner, lifeless, yet he is content to carry on conversations with her in his head.

This movie is a clever updating of the Pinocchio fairy tale, replacing magic with technology; and if you look closely, almost all the plot elements are there:

In the original story, being a human boy was the wish and honesty the test. In Maid-Droid, true love is the wish and knowing the difference between sex and love is the test.

In the original Pinocchio, there was a dark side to being a human boy and he was in danger of being swallowed up by it. Likewise, in Maid-Droid there is a dark side to love and sex: the police are looking for a droid that may be preying on women. The built-in faithfulness of droids may have been combined with aggression programming and warped into unwanted sexual attacks by a chimerical droid assembly.

If that weren't enough to draw the parallels, one character has had his personality transferred to a mechanical puppet after his death, so that mentally he may continue to live.

Along the way there are some very good science fiction elements (including Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics in full frontal display) and some very witty observations on male and female relationships and sexuality.

Essentially, this is a Japanese Pink Film-style techno update of the Pinocchio tale, like the Spielberg/Kubrick film "AI" was. Some viewers will find that moments of (too) precious tenderness are offset, jarringly, with scenes of crass (and pretty funny) soft-core sex. But you'll see this helps to drive the point home that good sex is love's reward. Not the other way round.

I give this movie 4 stars because someone needs to make this movie again with more polished production values and more sophisticated screenwriting; and when they do it will be a great film. Others might give it 3.

I recommend this movie, its fun, titillating, sexy, sincere, and clever, even with its flaws.

For me, this movie talks about lonely "Otaku," which literally means maniac, but is the equivalent of fan-boy, geek, or comic book nerd.

This movie follows Ueno, this nice, but lonely guy, an Otaku. Ueno's parents bought him a sexy maid driod when he was a kid. He always had a crush on her, and after high school, he falls in love with her, and ends up spending his whole life with her.

There are a bunch of sub-stories, like a cute police chief who is trying to find a rogue robot, and a couple of mean Otaku, who contrast with the nice lonely Ueno.

It's live action, with a pretty limited budget, so the maid droids are real people with some cheesy robot sound effects sometimes when they move. Reminded me of what I love about 70's and 80's American sci-fi.

I liked this movie a lot. Good, solid science fiction. Good story. Entertaining movie. Good ending. Sexy. I couldn't find anything negative about it besides that it's way too sensual for youngsters.

On a side note, I usually really don't like Pinocchio-style books or movies, but I could stand the Pinocchio references in this one. Maybe because there weren't that many. I also usually don't like movies that talk about Asimov's three rules of robots, but I liked this movie.

I've often wondered whether Japanese "pink" movies have ever been critically acclaimed much like regular movies? Pink movies are a very different animal, most people see them as an excuse to shoot women in the nude and to film simulated sex scenes but if you pay attention, it may well be the types of erotica that George Romero may shoot because of their powerful social commentaries. Well, I have to tell you that Sachiko Hanai has won several film awards in Japan and this 2009, well, director Naoyuki Tom Matsu's (who directed "Stacy") "MAID DROID" has achieved a near grand slam win by winning a lot of major awards in the Pink Grand Prix Awards that includes best picture and best director. I did like "Maid Droid"; it is an odd blend of sci-fi, a love story, horror and a fairy tale. Oh, ex-JAV-actress Akiho Yoshizawa stars as the lead together with AV-actress Anri Suzuki; do I have your attention yet?

In an unknown future, Ueno (who grows up as Masayoshi Nagami) is a young man who was raised by his parents' prototype cyborg maid named Maria (Akiho Yoshizawa). Ueno and Maria lived a quiet life that was fulfilling for both. Maria is loyal, faithful and committed, the only thing she lacks is the ability to have sex. When Ueno tries to upgrade her with some (ahem) erotic features, Maria's ran dry leaving an aging Ueno to fend for himself. But he remains true to Maria as he keeps her unmoving body even though it is no longer functional.

Meanwhile, in the urban areas of Japan, there is a machine serial rapist that is at large; Detective Yuri Akagi (Anri Suzuki) is on the case and is determined to find the automated sexual predator. She finds a warped puppet called Mr. X who knows the secret of the serial rapist; time may be running out for both Yuri and the oddball pair of Ueno and Maria...

Can a machine have a soul? We've all seen movies that go into this premise. Spielberg's "A.I." and Oshii's "Ghost in the Shell" are prime examples. Well, Tomomatsu aims to take this premise in a rather sexy level as Akiho Yoshizawa is primed and ready to portray a robot maid. The film starts off with Uneo taking care of a powerless robot, we see their history as master and maid, friends and finally, Ueno begins to love his robot maid because of her faithfulness and kindness for him. The question is does Maria do this because of her programming or did she really learn to develop true feelings? If you are familiar with the story of Pinocchio, the piece of wood that had the extra pieces chipped away to reveal the real boy then you'll be at home with "Maid Droid".

Aside from its light-hearted tone the film also has a strong commentary about human relationships. In this Japan, this country has become almost sexless; the rich and good-looking men and women only hang out with each other leaving the ordinary people to find their own ways to amuse themselves. Women have "Dog Bots" (get it? Men are dogs) while men have their android sex partners. Men prefer the more submissive, loyal and loving cyborgs even though they are expensive. Why? In this Japan women cheat a lot; robots are more loyal to men. Women on the other hand, have different fantasies according to the film; they prefer to be with men who cheat, lie and just likes sex. I was rather impressed as to how the director was just gutsy in making his commentary. I really don't know what is going on in Japan currently, but clearly the film's screenplay is aimed at those who have no luck with women and women who have no luck with men. It is a little unnerving as to how it the film made such a strong statement.

The sex scenes in the film were actually a little toned down than the ones I've seen. Viewers do get to see Akiho Yoshizawa and Anri Suzuki in the nude a lot but they weren't as lewd as other pink movies (sorry, no full frontal nudity). Other Jav-actresses such as Yoko Satomi and Mari Yamaguchi make appearances just to add more `skin'. The scenes of sexual assault seemed a little toned down, but it was rather freaky (but oh so campy) to see the machine rapist in the film's last act. (like "Jaws" you don't see the whole thing until near the end). There are some sex scenes but I didn't find them offensive at all; but in fact they were a little funny.

"Maid Droid" is a pink movie with a heart as it pays more attention to its story than just use it as an excuse to display nudity and sex. While I did like it, folks who are looking for a spicier "pink" movie may be a little disappointed; it is also a little short clocking in at a mere 74 minutes. In a way, it makes for a good `date movie' but make sure you Girlfriend is very open-minded to see the film's heart.

Recommended! To fans of Japanese cinema [3 ½ Stars]

This was surprisingly good. Combines elements of sci-fi, humor, poingnancy as it weaves three parallel but interwoven stories, each with it's own message. Borders on being explicite a couple of times, but taken as a whole is enjoyable. If you like Japanese cinema, or just pretty women, you will enjoy this movie.

First let me just say that I adore this movie in so many ways. Instantly I like it, cause it has NO listing on [...]. The Japanese have been putting out some of craziest and coolest releases over the last 10 years. And this film, Maid-Droid is a perfect example of such.

Clocking in at just over 60 minutes, Maid-Droid is a Japanese homage to Spielberg values. The film is the story of a man, and his robot. Spielberg fans are you sitting up in your chairs? The film is told in flashback sequences. It begins with Ueno in his late 70's all alone in his Japanese city house. His maid-droid Maria's power supply is dead. He goes about his day, lonely, and his story starts as he thinks back to when he was a teenager, and his parents gave him Maria, a prototype Maid-Droid to him as a gift. Ueno's parents die in a car crash. He inherits their fortune, and decides to just let Maria take care of him. Over the years, he falls in love with his droid Maria. He very much wants to have sex with her, but because she is a prototype, her features are not current, like other Maid-Droids on the market, and she has no sexual capabilities. Trying to find a solution, nothing can fix this issue. Ueno, brings home a actual real life women, and they try to have sex, but he is displeased and unable, cause he's in love with Maria.

With no solution available. Maria offers Ueno the option to "trade her in" and replace her body with a newer model, transferring her memory circuits into a new unit. She loves him, and wants him sexually as well. Ueno decides not to allow this, as he would lose the Maria that he's fallen in love with. Yep, Maid-Droid goes from a sad hearted love story, to a soft core porno. And it all happens in the bath baby. The Japanese are weirdo's about how they bathe. They sit on stool buck nekkid and hose them-selves off. Kinda cool but weird. So since Maria is to serve Ueno, she washes him in the bath daily. And one day, on Maria's own will and decision, she decides that if they can't have sex, then there is another way she thinks will please him. And she blows him. And for the next 5 minutes, in a poor shot choice by the director, you see the back of a head in close up, with the sounds of a Japanese women in pig-tails sucking down a Slurpie.

Continuing through flashback, they have a wonderful life together. They of course, can't have children, but they are deeply in love. Eventually time catches up with Ueno, and as he ages, Maria the Maid-Droid doesn't. Until, Ueno reaches the age of 70, and Maria's power supply runs out. As Maria was a proto-type, her power supply was rare, and many years ago discontinued. Ueno has lost the lost of his life, and is forced to live alone until his death, as the broken Maria rests in the stairwell. Ueno prays and begs for mercy for his Maria to return to him. And, seconds before the credit's roll, the camera zooms in slowly on the face of Maria, and a single tear drips down her face. Did Ueno's wish come true?

Pinocchio anyone? I've left out some other aspects of the plot that are really amazing and interesting, like the "Rape Machine" loose on the streets of Toyko. And also, the 10 minute off point section where a customer spends time "testing" a sexy blonde Japanese droid doggy style, as the salesman explains the "tightening options" and the "orgasm options." You'll have to see this film, to believe it. As art imitates life, there have been numerous news reports and articles written about Japanese culture, that explain that if people in Japan don't start to pro-create, they will die out in two lifetimes. Japanese women are reporting that Japanese men are not satisfactory. And with standards changing, Japanese women are becoming more and more independent. I guess you can kinda see where this movie is coming from. Maid-Droid is an amazing film.

Easily considered trash cinema, I found it to actually be a beautiful science fiction love story, Japanese style, with a bizzare sex twist. Akiho Yoshizawa is perfect as Maria. She's simply beautiful, and it's not difficult to understand how a man could fall in love with THIS robot. Director Naoyuki Tomomatsu has been bringing us really fun films for the last decade, including the amazing, Eat The Schoolgirls, and the HD video schoolgirl comedy zombie flix - Stacy: Attack Of The Schoolgirl Zombies. Check all of these out immediately.

Leave it to the Japanese to create such an (apparently) blockbuster with a budget next to zero. It is only 80 mins long and in my view doesn't meet expectations. The idea of a puppet coming to life is not new. It's difficult for a human actor to emulate a robot, and the main female character doesn't do a very convincing job. They all get too touchy and feely and one doesn't have, despite much background noise like whirring and zapping, the presence of a machine here. The substory in a way is much more interesting and realistic, also more erotic. The Japanese Police Commissioner is OOOOHHHHHH. That part redeemed this underfunded and haphazard exercise a little bit.

A great Japanese alternative movie. Just sit back don't be serious just enjoy a good story with fun visual effects which are so basic they're cool remembering, its a love story on a different plane maybe we all could learn from the lesson here.

I loved the movie it was awesome also the arrival was fast thank you i'll shop more at amazon once again thank you

This movie is dirty good. It is wrong for all the right reasons. It will turn you on, confuse you, teach you and amuse you. It has a real story line, but its more of a story line from an adult anime or manga, but it applys this story to real live people. The main story is about a man's love for his life long maid-roid Maria. She is not programmed for the exact purposes he wants and her batteries won't last forever (or will they). There is a side story going on at the same time, that you'll just have to see to believe. If you are curious, I say go for it.

Peor película que haya comprado en Amazon. carente de guión y sin sentido. Queda por mucho en el intento de ser una película de ciencia ficción o en el peor de pornografía.