Japan's anisakis parasite pens give zombie horror fans nightmares

A bizarre souvenir from Japan has sent chills down the spines of horror fans worldwide, with eerie pens containing living parasites suspended in a clear liquid.

Transparent pens house anisakis parasites for unsettling writing experience

Japanese company Tada Suisan has been producing the unsettling ballpoint pens, each filled with anisakis, a type of parasitic worm that can cause food poisoning in humans. While the pens look like something straight out of a Resident Evil game, they're a real product available for purchase at a fishmonger's shop in Kochi Prefecture.

The inspiration for the pens came from a social media post by an acquaintance who extracted the parasites from their own stomach and placed them in ballpoint pens. Company president Takuhiro Tada tried making one for fun, but the reaction was so massive that he decided to sell them.

As the pens went viral, Tada explained that the number of pens made each week depends on the local fish catch, with some weeks seeing only 20 pens produced, while others could yield none at all.

Resident Evil fans have been comparing the pens to an