Uni Hello Kitty Style Fit Multi Pen - Holder & Refill

It seems that every year, Uni Mitsubishi would release a limited collection and this time, it's Hello Kitty! Given that the Japanese yen is going weak at the moment, there is not a better time to make some impulse purchase!

I ended up with two of these Uni Style Fit multi-pens (each takes 5 refills) holders and 7 refills (should have gone with 10 since the limited edition one are actually 50 cents cheaper). From the packaging, these cases are made in China (not Japan, as listed by Stationery Art) and intended for Japanese market only (yet it still made it to Singapore and Hong Kong). 

 The two models I picked are Pink Hearts (an impulse buy that I ended up liking more) and Dot Ribbon (reminds me of a childhood picture as I had a similar overall and a matching cat). The prints adheres very well and the finish is hard (not scratch-prone at all) and displays some very fine metallic glimmer. Anyway, the cases themselves are very solid and well worth the $2.6 price tag.

 The grip section of the pens is clear so it let you see the color of the refill. It's somewhat thick but still comfortable enough to hold. The limited edition refill (Japan-made and $ 0.99 each), which are only available in 7 shades (Red, Orange, Lime Green, Sky Blue, Blue, Black and Pink) are adorned with the Hello Kitty heads (both in the refill and outer packaging) which is super adorable (and admittedly a bit too much when used with the busy print on the holders)!

As for the refills, all of them are stiff (tip) and smooth (the rolling action), some shades are a little drier than the other. I experience no skipping or pooling. The two stand out shades are the red (which has a nice cherry tinge to it) and orange (bright, bold and juicy). As for the 0.5mm mechanical pencil...I still haven't found out how to advance it mid-writing. Am I suppose to take the grip out then push the spring?

Verdict: Grab them while you can!

Lastly, here is a little meme-y shout out for Stationery Art (In Chinese we would call that "The Conscience of the Industry"  业界良心),  who has lowered prices on new Japanese products.

Say hello to 25-dollar Pilot Prera (unfortunately, all sold out at the moment)  and $1.95 on Pilot Petit...

Uni-Ball Style Fit Slim Ink Gel Pen 0.38 mm - Lime Green

Back in summer of 2012, Uni (Mitsubishi) released a collaboration collection with one of the daughter brands of Japanese cosmetic giant Shiseido, Majolica Majorca (frequently abbreviated as MJ). Being a lover for the MJ visual and a cheapskate (MJ isn't too affordable being a drugstore brand), I reckoned it was the perfect opportunity to get a dose of the princess cuteness - In the form of stationery.

There are quite a few options (including some multi-pens)and I just went with the Style Fit Slim Ink Gel Pen in lime green, with a 0.38mm point. Well, it's green (the color that never goes wrong for me) and it matches something that I already have and love...

 It's not hard to tell that the apple green is designed to match MJ Puff de Cheek in Cherry Macaron (released in the same collection but not as limited edition, but an addition to their permanent line up), with the same color theme and the green/white stripes.

At the end of the slim pen barrel, there is that golden emblem of MJ. Overall the print stays on rather well (not easily scratched away) but there have been wear around the seam of the pen, as I have been tossing it in my messy bag for the past few months.

The Style Fit Slim has a streamed line grip section that shows the width of the point, it's can be twisted and removed while you replace the refill . The overall construction of the pen is solid but given it's slim built and light weight, it's rather uncomfortable to hold after just a short period of writing.

As for the pen/refill itself, I have nothing to complain: It writes smoothly, evenly/consistently and the ink is neither too dry or wet. The lime green ink  is bright, happy and totally legible (although the color is a little too generic among different Japanese pen brands) and the fine width is perfect for adding footnote, making cram-it-all note cards and filling small planner.   

Overall: Not that great of a daily writer (I use fountain pen anyway) but I do like it.

FYI: The pen was purchased from Jetpens and the blush was purchased from Adambeauty (I had happy shopping experiences from both places).