A ballpoint pen has gone viral online—but not because of its design or functionality. This unusual version contains live parasites sealed inside the transparent casing.
First created in Japan in 2021, the pen recently resurfaced on social media and quickly spread due to its bizarre concept. Produced by Tada Suisan, it features Anisakis—a type of parasite commonly found in fish that can cause food poisoning if ingested.
The idea traces back to a creator who originally preserved these parasites inside a pen, which later caught the attention of the company. Instead of replicating the original method, Tada Suisan extracts the parasites directly from fish, making each pen unique and limiting how many can be produced.
Because the parasites depend on what is found in daily catches, production varies—sometimes dozens of pens are made, while other times none are available for days. After gaining widespread attention online, the company began selling them more broadly, turning a strange concept into a real, viral product.