Choosing well · EDITORIAL GUIDE
uniball ZENTO 3-Color Pen: New Flow and Standard Model Colors Launch in Japan, With Specs, Prices and Import Tips
Mitsubishi Pencil released four new barrel colors for its uniball ZENTO 3-color water-based ballpoint pen in Japan on October 22, 2026. The premium Flow model gets two colors plus a new knurled metal grip with a lower center of gravity, while the budget Standard model gets two brighter bicolor finishes. Both use the same refill, so the choice comes down to grip material and weight, not ink. Prices are ¥2,530 (about $16) and ¥825 (about $5), and these are Japan-market releases.
What was released
Mitsubishi Pencil, the Tokyo maker behind the uni and uniball brands, announced the new colors on October 8, 2026. It is not part of the Mitsubishi group of companies. A 3-color pen holds three refills in one body, a format Japanese students and office workers rely on for color-coding notes and planners. Both models write in black, red and blue and come in 0.38mm and 0.5mm tips. Each new barrel color is tied to one tip size, so picking a color also picks the tip. Mitsubishi Pencil notes that the date the pens actually reach store shelves varies by shop.
uniball ZENTO Flow model specs
Product name: uniball ZENTO Flow Model 3-Color Ballpoint Pen
Product code: UBE3-ZFK-38/05
Ink colors: Black, red, blue
Tip sizes: 0.38mm, 0.5mm
Barrel colors: Silver (0.38mm), Black (0.5mm)
Price: ¥2,530 including tax (manufacturer's reference price as checked on 2026-10-22; ¥2,300 before tax), about $16 at ¥158/$, as of 2026-10-21
Refill: UBR-ZML-38/05, ¥143 including tax (¥130 before tax), about $0.90 at ¥158/$, as of 2026-10-21
Release date: October 22, 2026 (Thursday)
What's new on the Flow model: a knurled, heavier metal grip
The metal grip is now knurled: a fine crosshatch texture is cut into the surface, which generally makes it less slippery. Mitsubishi Pencil says this gives a different feel and texture from the model's original lineup. The grip is also heavier, which moves the pen's center of gravity toward the tip. The announcement gives no weight figures, so how much heavier it is than earlier Flow pens is not yet known. The Silver version pairs an off-white barrel with silver metal parts. The Black version uses black for both the barrel and the metal parts.
uniball ZENTO Standard model specs
Product name: uniball ZENTO Standard Model 3-Color Ballpoint Pen
Product code: UBE3-ZSC-38/05
Ink colors: Black, red, blue
Tip sizes: 0.38mm, 0.5mm
Barrel colors: B Lotus Pink (0.38mm), B Marine Blue (0.5mm)
Price: ¥825 including tax (manufacturer's reference price as checked on 2026-10-22; ¥750 before tax), about $5 at ¥158/$, as of 2026-10-21
Refill: UBR-ZML-38/05, ¥143 including tax (¥130 before tax), about $0.90 at ¥158/$, as of 2026-10-21
Release date: October 22, 2026 (Thursday)
What's new on the Standard model: brighter bicolor finishes
The Standard lineup has leaned toward muted colors, and these two add clearer, more saturated shades. The grip is rubber, and the grip and barrel are different colors. Mitsubishi Pencil describes it as a design for expressing more individuality. No change to the grip's construction is mentioned, so the update appears limited to color.
Same refill, three times the price: what the extra money buys
Both models take the UBR-ZML-38/05 refill, so the ¥1,705 gap (about $11) pays for the metal grip and exterior, not the ink. Any difference in feel on paper should come from grip material, weight and balance.
Japanese tip sizes and prices, explained
Japanese pen makers routinely offer tips finer than common Western defaults, and 0.38mm is a popular choice for small handwriting and the tight grids of Japanese planners, known as techo. The 0.5mm tip gives a bolder line for notebooks and memos. Japanese prices are usually quoted with the 10% consumption tax included. A reference price is the maker's suggested price, and actual shop prices can differ.
How to buy uniball ZENTO from outside Japan
These colors are made for the Japanese market, and we have found no confirmation that they are sold elsewhere. Readers abroad generally have two routes: Japanese online stationery shops that ship internationally, or proxy buying and forwarding services that purchase in Japan and send the item on. Shipping, fees and any import duties add to the Japanese price. New colors often sell out shortly after launch, so stock may be thin at first. Check the product code and tip size in any listing, because each color comes in only one tip. If you are buying from overseas, consider ordering spare UBR-ZML-38/05 refills at the same time, since we have not confirmed that they are easy to find outside Japan.
Editor's take: is it worth importing?
For collectors who already import Japanese pens, the Flow model is the one to consider: the knurled, lower-balanced grip is a real hardware change, not just a new color. Whether the extra weight steadies your writing is our guess, not something we have tested, but it is what the design aims for. Choose the 0.38mm Silver for dense planner pages, or the 0.5mm Black for color-coded notes. The Standard model is an easy add-on to a larger order if you want to try a Japanese 3-color pen or prefer a rubber grip, but at about $5 it is hard to justify alone once shipping is added. Either way, decide on tip size first: there is no 0.5mm Pink or 0.5mm Silver in this release.