Compiled from 5 sources; we haven't tested these products ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Zebra Mildliner is the best Japanese highlighter for most people: a double-ended pen with a 4.0 mm chisel and a 1.0–1.4 mm bullet in 40 muted colors. Pick the uni Propus Window to see where you stop, the Zebra Mojini Line for gel pen notes, the Pilot FriXion Light to erase, and the KOKUYO ANY LINER for thin paper.
On this page11 sections
One pick per job; the four capped pens are drawn to scale at 1 mm = 2.6 px, the Mildliner uncapped and in proportion.
uni Propus Window double-ended highlighter (PUS-102T)uni
Japan
Not stated*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Zebra Justfit Mojini Line highlighter (WKS22)Zebra
Japan
Not stated*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Pilot FriXion Light erasable highlighter (SFL-10SL)Pilot
Japan
Not stated*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
KOKUYO Campus ANY LINER twin highlighter (WPM1)KOKUYO
Japan
Not stated*
Price range: $under $5 per pen
Notes on these facts
Zebra Mildliner double-ended highlighter (WKT7): Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation. Made in Japan or Mexico (varies by pack): Hamster (Canada) lists Japan for the 5-pack MPN 78205, and Japanese-market retailers sell the WKT7 as made in Japan. Nordisco lists Mexico for the US 10-pack, item 78101, and Boston General Store lists a single Mildliner as made in Mexico. Zebra's Japanese product page doesn't state a country of manufacture, so check the pack. Source. Released: Launch year in Japan, per Zebra's company history and press releases (2009 launch, 15th anniversary in 2024).
uni Propus Window double-ended highlighter (PUS-102T): Made by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese Propus Window pages and press releases (read on October 22, 2026), JetPens and Amazon US don't state a country of manufacture. Check the barrel or package. Released: Mitsubishi Pencil's 2011 and 2015 press releases both say the Propus Window went on sale in 2000; the current PUS-102T code may be later.
Zebra Justfit Mojini Line highlighter (WKS22): Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Zebra's Japanese product page and 2018 press release (read in full on October 22, 2026), JetPens and Amazon US don't state a country of manufacture. Check the barrel or package.
Pilot FriXion Light erasable highlighter (SFL-10SL): Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's Japanese catalogue page and the US Amazon listing don't state a country of manufacture. Some US and European retailers list Japan, but we didn't read a reliable page that says so, so check the pack.
KOKUYO Campus ANY LINER twin highlighter (WPM1): Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: KOKUYO's press release, JetPens and the Amazon.com listing we read on October 22, 2026 don't state a country of manufacture. Released: Japanese launch date in KOKUYO's press release of September 9, 2026; JetPens shows customer reviews from July 2026, so US stock may have arrived earlier.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
Four of the five cost ¥132 (about US$0.80) a pen in Japan; the KOKUYO Campus ANY LINER is ¥100 (about US$0.60) before tax.
Zebra says the Mildliner passed 400 million pens shipped by February 2025, and the range reached 40 colors on January 20, 2025.
The uni Propus Window's 4.0 mm chisel has a clear window cut into it, and its other end writes 0.6 mm, per Mitsubishi Pencil.
Pilot says FriXion Light ink turns clear above 60 °C (140 °F); its US pastel 5-pack had 20,847 Amazon ratings on October 22, 2026.
Zebra says it tried more than 450 inks over about 3 years before the Mojini Line, made not to smear gel ink, went on sale on August 10, 2018.
What is the best Japanese highlighter?
For most people, the Zebra Mildliner: two tips, muted colors and the biggest following of any Japanese highlighter. The other four each fix one problem: seeing where you stop, smearing gel ink, mistakes and thin paper. It’s #1 because it has the most colors of the five (40) and a bullet tip that doubles as a pen, and Zebra says it shipped more than 400 million by February 2025.
Best overall:Zebra Mildliner. Why it’s here: the most colors here (40, muted), with a 4.0 mm chisel plus a 1.0–1.4 mm bullet that doubles as a writing pen.
Precise stops:uni Propus Window. Why it’s here: the only see-through tip: a clear window in the 4.0 mm chisel shows the text under it, and the other end is a 0.6 mm fine liner.
Over gel ink:Zebra Justfit Mojini Line. Why it’s here: the only pick Zebra designed not to smear water-based gel pen writing, with a soft nylon 3.5–4 mm tip.
Erasable:Pilot FriXion Light. Why it’s here: the only erasable pick: its thermo-sensitive ink clears when you rub it with the rubber end.
Thin paper:KOKUYO Campus ANY LINER. Why it’s here: the only pick whose ink KOKUYO says shows through thin paper less, new in September 2026 and the lowest Japan price here, ¥100 (about US$0.60) before tax.
How did we choose these picks?
We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ Japanese spec pages and claims, JetPens listings, US availability and price band. All five are in our $ band, so we chose the highlighter whose maker publishes a clear fix for each common problem.
How do the five highlighters compare?
All five are water-based Japanese pens in our $ band; they differ in tips and in what the ink is designed to do.
Mildliner
Propus Window
Mojini Line
FriXion Light
ANY LINER
Pick
Best overall
Precise stops
Over gel ink
Erasable
Thin paper
Tips
4.0 mm chisel + 1.0–1.4 mm bullet
4.0 mm windowed chisel + 0.6 mm
3.5–4 mm soft nylon
3.3 mm chisel
4 mm + fine, or 4 mm + 2 mm
Ink
Pigment, muted
Water-based
Dye, binds gel ink
Thermo-sensitive
Hollow micro-particles
Colors
40
Standard plus 5 soft
5
Fluorescent, pastel, natural
15
Length
141.5 mm (5.6 in)
138 mm (5.4 in) capped
135.1 mm (5.3 in)
139.4 mm (5.5 in)
135 mm (5.3 in) capped
Japan price
¥132 (about US$0.80)
¥132 (about US$0.80)
¥132 (about US$0.80)
¥132 (about US$0.80)
¥100 (about US$0.60) before tax
Band
$
$
$
$
$
Specs are from the makers’ Japanese sites; the Propus and ANY LINER lengths are from JetPens.
Most chisels draw about 4 mm; the FriXion Light is a little narrower.
Why are Mildliners so popular?
Their soft, greyed colors suit journals and color-coded notes, and the second tip doubles as a writing pen. Zebra launched the Mildliner in 2009, grew the range to 35 colors in 2022 and to 40 in January 2025.
Japanese and Canadian retailers list Japan as the origin, while several US 10-pack listings say Mexico. For how Mildliners do on thin pages, see our highlighters that don’t bleed.
Which highlighter works over gel pen notes?
The Zebra Justfit Mojini Line, which Zebra designed so gel ink doesn’t smear under it. Zebra says the ink carries a positively charged ingredient that holds the negatively charged pigment in water-based gel ink in place.
Zebra says it took about three years and more than 450 trial inks. JetPens names it the top choice in its highlighter guide.
Can you erase a Japanese highlighter?
Yes, the Pilot FriXion Light: rub the line with its rubber end and friction heat clears the ink at 60 °C (140 °F). Erased marks can come back at about −10 °C (14 °F), so don’t leave the book in a freezing car.
Pilot’s six Natural colors aren’t fluorescent, so Pilot calls them line markers. If you also want an erasable pen, see the FriXion Clicker.
What makes the Propus Window and the ANY LINER different?
The Propus Window lets you see through the tip; the ANY LINER changes the ink. Mitsubishi Pencil launched the Propus Window in 2000, and its Q-Dry version, out in 2015, dries in under a third of the time of uni’s earlier ink, per the maker.
KOKUYO launched the Campus ANY LINER on September 16, 2026, in neon, soft and smoky colors. Its hollow micro-particles, KOKUYO says, keep ink near the surface so it shows through less on thin paper.
Where are they made?
Zebra Mildliners are made in Japan or Mexico depending on the pack; the other makers don’t state a country. Pilot, Mitsubishi Pencil and KOKUYO list materials and sizes but not origin, so check the barrel.
All five brands are Japanese: Zebra, Mitsubishi Pencil (uni), Pilot and KOKUYO are based in Tokyo or Osaka.
Frequently asked questions
Which Japanese highlighter doesn't smear gel pen?
The Zebra Justfit Mojini Line. Zebra added a positively charged ingredient that binds the negatively charged pigment in water-based gel ink, so it stays put under the highlight.
Are Mildliners highlighters or markers?
Both, in a way: each Mildliner has a 4.0 mm chisel for highlighting and a 1.0–1.4 mm bullet for underlining and writing, filled with muted water-based pigment ink.
Can you erase a highlighter?
Yes, the Pilot FriXion Light. Rubbing with its rubber end heats the ink past 60 °C (140 °F), when it turns clear; erased marks can return near −10 °C (14 °F).
Which highlighter is best for thin paper?
The KOKUYO Campus ANY LINER, launched in Japan on September 16, 2026, whose ink KOKUYO says uses hollow micro-particles to show through less. For Bible pages, see our guide to highlighters that don't bleed.
What is the window in a Propus Window highlighter for?
It lets you see the text through the tip as you highlight, so you can stop exactly at the end of a word. The window is cut into the 4.0 mm chisel.
Can you buy these Japanese highlighters in the US?
The Mildliner and FriXion Light are sold widely in US stores and on Amazon. The Propus Window, Mojini Line and ANY LINER are easiest to find at Japanese stationery shops such as JetPens.
Are Japanese highlighters refillable?
Not these five: Zebra says the Mildliner isn't refillable, and the others are sold as single-use pens. Their Japanese list price is ¥100 (about US$0.60) to ¥132 (about US$0.80) a pen.
Zebra Mildliner double-ended highlighter
uni Propus Window double-ended highlighter
Zebra Justfit Mojini Line highlighter
Pilot FriXion Light erasable highlighter
KOKUYO Campus ANY LINER twin highlighter