Best Markers & Pens for Manga: Copic, Multiliner, G Nibs

Eight manga pens and markers standing on one baseline: Copic Sketch, Multiliner Plus, Multiliner, ZIG Mangaka, Pigma Micron, Pentel Pocket Brush, Copic Gasenfude and Ohuhu Honolulu — Drawn to scale where a length is published · 1 mm = 1.0 px · others in proportion

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Copic Sketch alcohol markerCopic	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per pen
Copic Multiliner Plus refillable finelinerCopic	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per pen
Copic Multiliner pigment finelinerCopic	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen
Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist Mangaka (Flexible Fine and fineliners)Kuretake	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen
Sakura Pigma MicronSakura	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen (GFKP3)Pentel	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per pen
Copic Gasenfude brush penCopic	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per pen
Ohuhu Honolulu alcohol markersOhuhu	United States	China^*	Price range: $under $5 per pen

Notes on these facts

Copic Sketch alcohol marker: Made by Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas. Country of manufacture not stated: Copic's own pages don't state a country for the Sketch. Search snippets of Muziker and Faire listings for single Sketch markers say made in Japan, while Digitec lists Japan and Vietnam for a 6-marker set; we couldn't open the Muziker or Faire pages, so check the pack. Source. Released: Copic Japan's history page: the Sketch went on sale in 1993 with 144 colors; the original Copic (now Copic Classic) launched in 1987.
Copic Multiliner Plus refillable fineliner: Made by Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas. Country of manufacture not stated: Copic's Japanese and English product pages, its July 2026 press release and the US store listings we read on October 23, 2026 don't state a country of manufacture. The older Multiliner is listed as made in Japan by a German retailer, but we don't carry that over to a new pen. Released: Pre-sold at Bungu Joshi Haku Tokyo in June 2026 and in Copic's Tools stores from July 11, 2026; general sale in Japan began July 17, 2026 (Too Marker Products press release). Copic's US store listed sets from October 7, 2026.
Copic Multiliner pigment fineliner: Made by Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas. Made in Japan: Modulor, a Berlin art-supply retailer, lists 'Made in Japan' for the Copic Multiliner 10-color set and says the multiliners are manufactured in Japan (read October 22, 2026). Copic's own pages don't state a country. Source.
Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist Mangaka (Flexible Fine and fineliners): Made by Kuretake Co., Ltd. (Japan). Made in Japan: Kuretake's Japanese order site lists 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 (Japan) for the Mangaka Flexible Fine and Medium and for the Mangaka 01; Amazon US's listings also give Japan. Source.
Sakura Pigma Micron: Made by Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America. Made in Japan: Unsharpen gives Japan as the country of origin (read October 20, 2026). Sakura's Japanese product page for the Pigma 01 doesn't state a country. Digitec and Galaxus (Switzerland), cited earlier for Japan, blocked our access on that date. Source. Released: Sakura's Japanese Pigma page says it developed Pigma, the first water-based pigment marker, in 1982; Wikipedia agrees. We found no separate Sakura date for the Micron name.
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen (GFKP3): Made by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand. Made in Japan: Pentel of America's 2023–2024 product guide and 2022 catalog give the origin of the Pocket Brush Pen (GFKP3) and its FP10 refills as Japan. Officeworks also lists Japan for the GFKP3BPA. Pentel's Japanese product page doesn't state it. Source.
Copic Gasenfude brush pen: Made by Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas. Country of manufacture not stated: Copic's Japanese and US Gasenfude pages and Amazon US's listing don't state a country of manufacture. A Swiss retailer's listing (Galaxus) gives China, which we couldn't confirm with Copic, so check the package.
Ohuhu Honolulu alcohol markers: Made by Ohuhu Inc. (Newark, California); sold in the EU by Thousandshores Deutschland GmbH, Hamburg. Made in China: Digitec (Switzerland) lists China as the country of origin for the Honolulu 48-color and 320-color sets. Ohuhu's own site doesn't state where the markers are made. Ohuhu's imprint page names Ohuhu Inc. in Newark, California, as its US company. Source.
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

The Copic Sketch comes in 358 colors with a brush and chisel nib, 150 mm long; each refill takes about 1.8 ml and one bottle refills a marker about 7 times, per Copic Japan.
Copic stops shipping the disposable Multiliner in Japan at the end of October 2026; the Multiliner Plus, launched July 2026, is refillable with replaceable nibs in 10 black widths.
Kuretake's ZIG Cartoonist Mangaka Flexible Fine is 140 mm and 10 g with a POM tip, ¥220 (about US$1.40) with tax; its fineliners run 003 to 08.
Sakura's Pigma Micron comes in ten sizes from 003 (0.15 mm) to 12 (0.70 mm); Copic, Kuretake and Sakura all say their pigment inks won't dissolve under alcohol markers.
The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen has nylon bristles and FP10 cartridges, 136 mm; Copic's Gasenfude brush pen uses the same pigment ink as the Multiliner.

What are the best markers and pens for manga?

On published specs, the best markers and pens for manga are the Copic Sketch for alcohol coloring, the Copic Multiliner Plus for a refillable marker-proof fineliner, the Kuretake ZIG Mangaka for inking with a flexible tip, and the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen for bristle lines. Manga needs two kits: black pigment ink for lines that won’t move, and alcohol markers for color that lays flat over them. The Copic Sketch leads because its 358 colors refill and its nibs replace, so the set lasts.

Best alcohol marker: Copic Sketch. Why it’s here: 358 refillable colors with replaceable brush and chisel nibs, so it outlasts a budget set.
Best fineliner: Copic Multiliner Plus. Why it’s here: refillable, in 10 black widths from 0.03 mm to brush, with nib wear 70% lower than the old Multiliner and ink that resists alcohol, per Copic.
Still sold outside Japan: Copic Multiliner. Why it’s here: the pen the Plus replaces, in 7 black widths, with ink Copic says resists water and alcohol.
Best inking pen: Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist Mangaka. Why it’s here: the only pick with a Flexible Fine POM tip for line weight, plus 003 to 08 fineliners, in pigment ink under $5.
Best archival fineliner: Sakura Pigma Micron. Why it’s here: archival pigment ink in ten sizes from 0.15 to 0.70 mm, under $5, if you don’t need refills.
Best brush pen: Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. Why it’s here: real nylon bristles for brush lines that respond to pressure, refilled with FP10 cartridges.
Marker-proof brush: Copic Gasenfude. Why it’s here: nylon bristles like the Pocket Brush Pen, but with the Multiliner’s alcohol-resistant pigment ink.
Budget alcohol marker: Ohuhu Honolulu. Why it’s here: 344 colors with brush and chisel tips and refill bottles, close to Copic’s range for a set that’s affordable today.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ specs and ink claims (Copic Japan, Kuretake, Sakura, Pentel), retailer listings, US availability and price band. We chose pigment inks that makers say resist water or alcohol for lines, then alcohol markers for color.

How do the manga pens compare?

Fineliners and the Mangaka cost under $5; the Copic Sketch, Multiliner Plus and brush pens sit in the $$ band. Figures are the makers’ or their retailers’.

Pen	Job	Tip	Sizes or colors	Length	Refillable	Band
Copic Sketch	Color	Brush and chisel	358 colors	150 mm	Ink and nibs	$$ ($5–20)
Copic Multiliner Plus	Lines	Pigment fineliner	0.03–4.0 mm and brush	Not published	Cartridges and nibs	$$
Copic Multiliner	Lines	Pigment fineliner	0.03–1.0 mm	139 mm	No	$ (under $5)
Kuretake ZIG Mangaka	Lines	POM flexible tip; fineliners	Flexible Fine; 003–08	140 mm, 10 g	No	$
Sakura Pigma Micron	Lines	Pigment fineliner	003–12 (0.15–0.70 mm)	135 mm, 9 g	No	$
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen	Brush lines, fills	Nylon bristles	Black	136 mm	FP10 cartridges	$$
Copic Gasenfude	Brush lines	Nylon bristles, 9 mm	Black	Not published	No	$$
Ohuhu Honolulu	Color	Brush and 1–6 mm chisel	344 colors	Not published	Ink and tips	$ a marker

Why pigment ink for inking?

Because alcohol markers dissolve dye ink and lift it into the color, while dried pigment ink stays where it was drawn. Copic says the Multiliner’s ink resists both water and alcohol, Kuretake says dried Mangaka ink won’t bleed when alcohol markers go over it, and Sakura’s Pigma line, launched in 1982, is archival pigment. Let lines dry fully before coloring, longer on coated paper.

The same rule covers brush pens: the Gasenfude shares the Multiliner’s ink, and the Pocket Brush’s black cartridges are pigment. Dye-based brush pens such as the Tombow Fudenosuke are fine for lettering but will bleed under markers.

Copic Sketch or Ohuhu for color?

Copic for a tool that lasts, Ohuhu for a set that’s affordable today. The Sketch’s oval body holds a brush and a chisel, Copic Japan says a refill takes about 1.8 ml and one bottle refills a marker about seven times, and both nibs replace. With 358 colors it’s the widest alcohol range and the manga industry’s default since 1993.

Ohuhu’s Honolulu copies the format, with 344 colors, sets up to 320 markers, 16 ml refill bottles and spare brush tips, and its 48-color set was Amazon’s top-ranked drawing marker set when we checked. For the water-based side of coloring, see our pens for coloring roundup.

Which fineliner sizes do you need?

A 0.3 or 0.5 mm for outlines, a 0.1 or 0.05 mm for hatching, and a brush or Flexible Fine for weight. Copic’s black Multiliner comes in 0.03, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0 mm; the Plus adds 2.0 and 4.0 mm and a brush. Sakura’s Micron sizes run 003 to 12, and the Mangaka 003 to 08. For the dip-nib route that most published manga still uses, start with our dip pens for beginners guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which markers do professional manga artists use?

Copic Sketch is the standard alcohol marker for manga coloring, with 358 refillable colors and a brush nib that Copic added in 1993 for comics. For black-and-white work, most inking is done with dip nibs, fineliners and brush pens rather than markers.

What pens are used for inking manga?

Dip pens with G and Maru nibs for the classic look, pigment fineliners like the Copic Multiliner, Pigma Micron and ZIG Mangaka for clean lines, and brush pens like the Pentel Pocket Brush for thick-and-thin. Our dip pens for beginners guide covers the nibs.

Will Copic markers smear my ink lines?

Not if the lines are pigment ink that has dried. Copic says the Multiliner's ink resists water and alcohol, Kuretake says dried Mangaka ink won't bleed under alcohol markers, and Sakura's Pigma ink is archival pigment. Dye-based pens and fresh ink will bleed.

Copic Sketch or Ohuhu Honolulu for manga coloring?

Copic for refills, 358 colors and nib replacements that keep one marker going for years; Ohuhu for a 48-color set at a fraction of the price, with 344 colors, 16 ml refill bottles and spare tips. Both are alcohol markers with a brush end.

What is replacing the Copic Multiliner?

The Copic Multiliner Plus, launched in July 2026. Copic Japan stops shipping the disposable Multiliner in Japan at the end of October 2026; the Plus takes ink cartridges and replacement nibs, and Copic says its nib wears 70% less.

Which fineliner size is best for manga?

A 0.3 mm or 0.5 mm for main lines and a 0.1 mm or 0.05 mm for hatching and detail. Copic's Multiliner runs 0.03 to 1.0 mm, the Pigma Micron 0.15 to 0.70 mm, and the ZIG Mangaka 003 to 08, about 0.18 to 0.65 mm.

Is a brush pen good for manga?

Yes, for varied line weight and black fills. The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen has real nylon bristles and swaps FP10 cartridges; the Copic Gasenfude uses the Multiliner's marker-proof pigment ink. A felt-tip brush like the Mangaka Flexible Fine is easier to control.

Sources (9)

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