It seems Mitsubishi Uni is on a roll with another halo product that’s flying off the shelves in Japan. The Zento series of hybrid ink rollerball pens was launched in Jan this year and the high end ‘Signature Model’ quickly gain popularity for its excellent design, materials, finishing and usability.
Out of the box, you get the Metallic Black equipped with a 0.5mm refill and a Silver with 0.38mm. These are capped designs with a magnetic lock, ala the Kuru Toga Dive.
The matching slotted metal clip is affixed to a small circular pillar with ‘uni’ molded into it. This is a common design accent across the Zento product range. However the rest of the models sport a colored wire clip that is more akin to previous Uniball One models.
The Signature Model features substantial metal construction: to the best of my discernment, the entire cap is aluminum; the grip section feels more weighty, perhaps some plated brass, while the tail end feels light and is probably aluminum again.
The outsides of the grip section and tail end have an unknown composite molded over it. The matte finish feels naturally grippy but I have no information if it is a coating or if it’s some kind of hard rubber-silicone. There is no ‘give’; it doesn’t squish. If I had to compare, I’d say it feels similar to the Tombow Zoom 505 grip.
Here’s a peek inside the Silver model. The matte metallic finish on the cap and mid-section feel exquisite – exactly how I’d hoped the KT Dive would’ve been made.
Lastly, a quick side by side with my only Dive, a Dense Green model. I did a ‘what if’ edit on X to see how Uni could make matching models for the Dive series. At this time the MSRP of 3300 yen makes it a premium priced product, but there are plenty of Japanese fans posting emptied out display units everywhere. A definite hit for Uni.
In the meantime, I think the Zento will make an excellent pairing with the CDT Kerry and the limited all-black Kerry.
