My KOKUYO Mistral (only metal) collection, adjacent to some Artline Shachihata MPs. Note the one on the far left is not a MP, but instead a BP. It telescopes like the Artline, where full extension deploys the refill, and body contraction retracts it.
Sadly, I’m missing a few… namely the PS-4 with naked engraved grid and PS-3 with black etched lines. And I don’t have any of the plastic bodied ¥1000 or ¥700 models (just don’t care for their appearance). I did manage to get the PS-100 and PS-102 in duplicates with boxes, though.
My favorite? Probably the PS-100, simply for the clean, understated look and great mechanism. But the PS-102 is a close second. It’s “blingy” but there’s something kind of magical about how it glistens and works so smoothly.
I do not know anything about years of production, even when the Mistral was first released. Today, KOKUYO is a multi-domain international corporation whose focus is predominantly large office products such as furniture. From 1914 to 1961, it was known as “Kuroda Kokkodo” company. In 1961, it officially changed to Kokuyo Co, Ltd. And then later in 2011, Kokuyo acquired a majority ownership in Camlin Ltd. located in India, which is a stationery and writing instrument manufacturer. However, it appears Camlin produces paints, inks, papers, brushes, and such, but not mechanical pencils. So I believe all pencils have been made by Kokuyo Co. Ltd. Japan.
The “Cross Century” Mistral appears to have been a revival of the older discontinued Mistral, and was likely produced in the early 2000’s, then discontinued not that long ago (maybe 5~10 years?).
I don’t own one of these, but from what I’ve seen (video reviews), it appears to be well made and for $10~15 was a pretty serious bargain.
Curiously, the rOtring “Side Knock” (I take exception… should be “Body Knock”, but “Side” was probably chosen for marketing reasons), looks so much like the last model KOKUYO Mistral that I suspect rOtring outsourced the production to KOKUYO.
Given how the rOtring Side Knock is well made, I suspect so is the last Mistral. Still, it’s a bit on the thin side. There’s something more satisfying about the wider grip of vintage Mistral models.