Est. 2026 · Price: FreeEditor-at-large: The Hedgehog

Stationery Times

Brand: Pentel

Pentel MATTEHOP: Matte Opaque Gel Pen in 21 Colors

Compiled from 6 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Pentel MATTEHOP is a 1.0 mm capped gel pen whose pigment ink dries matte and opaque, like paint, so it shows on black paper, photos and washi tape. Pentel Japan lists 21 colors in three 7-color sets, and the pen won the grand prize of Japan's Stationery Shop Awards 2024. It isn't refillable.

On this page10 sections
A capped orange Pentel MATTEHOP gel pen drawn in proportion, with an inset of orange and white lines on black paper
Drawn in proportion, because Pentel publishes no length; the orange is a representative tint. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Product facts

Product
Pentel MATTEHOP matte gel pen, 1.0 mm (K110)
Brand
Pentel
Brand origin
Japan
Made in
Not stated*
Released
2023*
Price range
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
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No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
  • Made by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand. Country of manufacture not stated: Pentel Japan's product page and February 2025 release, Pentel of America's listings and Yoseka's page don't state where it is made, and we found no retailer page that does. Price: example listing. Released: Pentel's February 2025 release says MATTEHOP was launched in 2023 but gives no exact date.
  • How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
  • 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

  • Pentel Japan lists one tip size, 1.0 mm, in 21 colors at ¥275 (about US$1.70) each with tax.
  • The colors come in three 7-color sets (Original, Sweet and Dream), plus a 14-color set and a 21-color Complete set in a tin.
  • Pentel launched it in 2023 and added the seven Dream colors on February 20, 2025.
  • Pentel says it won the grand prize of the Stationery Shop Awards 2024 from about 1,600 nominated products.
  • Pentel of America sells it as the Pentel Arts Hybrid MATTEHOP Gel Roller in 4- and 8-packs and the 21-color tin, in our $ band per pen (under $5).

What is the Pentel MATTEHOP?

It is a 1.0 mm capped gel pen whose ink dries flat and opaque, more like paint than a glossy gel line. Pentel Japan says it is “as rich and vivid as paint” and pitches it for decoration: lettering and drawings that look like stickers on the page.

Pentel’s page says MATTEHOP uses many, larger pigment particles than an ordinary pigment ballpoint, which gives the matte line. Because it covers what is underneath, Pentel says it shows on dark paper, photos, washi tape and even candy boxes.

What colors does MATTEHOP come in?

Twenty-one, grouped by Pentel into three 7-color sets. The Original set holds bright primaries, Sweet adds softer shades such as Coral Pink and Ivory White, and Dream adds what Pentel calls pastel and dark in-between colors.

The 21 MATTEHOP colors by set: Original (red to black), Sweet (pink to brown, including Ivory White) and Dream (Light Pink to Gray), with set codes
The three 7-color sets and their codes, as Pentel Japan lists them; colors are named, not drawn. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Pentel’s release says the seven Dream colors went on sale on February 20, 2025, bringing the line from 14 to 21. Yoseka sells all 21 singly; it spells one “Turquoise” where Pentel writes Turquoise Blue.

How much does MATTEHOP cost in Japan?

Pentel Japan lists each pen at ¥275 (about US$1.70) with tax. The sets on the same page:

Set Code Pentel Japan price
Original, Sweet or Dream 7 colors K110-V7STA, -V7STB, -V7STC ¥1,925 (about US$12)
Original + Sweet, 14 colors K110-V14ST ¥3,850 (about US$24)
Complete, 21 colors in a tin K110-V21ST ¥6,820 (about US$43)

Those are higher than in Pentel’s February 2025 release, which gave ¥220 (about US$1.40) per pen and ¥5,500 (about US$35) for the Complete set. Pentel says the 7-color cases look like snack packaging and the 21-color tin like a cookie tin, both meant to be decorated.

Did MATTEHOP win an award?

Yes: Pentel says it won the grand prize of the Stationery Shop Awards 2024, chosen from about 1,600 nominated products. Those awards are judged by staff from 13 well-known Japanese stationery shops, who pick new products from the past year they would buy with their own money.

Pentel of America’s listings call it the “Grand Prize Winner at the 2024 Japanese Stationery Awards”, which we take to be the same prize. Pentel credits the dense color and the hiding power, which it says is especially high among pigment pens.

Can you buy MATTEHOP in the US?

Yes, from Pentel of America itself, unlike many Japan-first Pentel pens. Its store sells it as the Pentel Arts Hybrid MATTEHOP Gel Roller in a 4-pack of black, red, blue and green, an 8-pack, and the 21-color set in a metal box.

On October 29, 2026 Pentel of America listed the 8-pack at US$21.56 and the 21-color tin at US$59.99, marked down from US$62.79. Yoseka sold single pens at US$2.50, in our $ band (under $5) per pen.

How does it compare with other opaque pens?

It is a capped, use-up gel pen with a 1.0 mm tip, between a white gel pen and a paint marker. A uni POSCA PC-5M is a valve paint marker with a broader tip; MATTEHOP writes like an ordinary pen.

For white-only highlights on dark paper, see our best white gel pens. For a clear-barrel Pentel gel pen for everyday notes, see the EnerGel Infree; Pentel’s maker, renamed ASTRUM in 2026, is covered in our Pentel history.

Where is MATTEHOP made?

Not stated. Pentel Japan, Pentel of America and Yoseka don’t give a country of manufacture, and we found no retailer listing that does. We couldn’t read JetPens or Amazon, which block our tools.

Frequently asked questions

Does MATTEHOP work on black paper?

Pentel says yes: the ink hides what is under it and stays bright on dark paper. Its own samples show it on colored paper, photos and masking tape.

Can you refill a MATTEHOP?

No. Pentel Japan's FAQ says MATTEHOP is a use-up pen and no refills are sold.

Is MATTEHOP a gel pen or a rollerball?

Pentel Japan calls it a gel ink ballpoint; Pentel of America sells it as the Pentel Arts Hybrid MATTEHOP Gel Roller. Both names describe the same 1.0 mm K110 pen.

What are the 2025 MATTEHOP colors?

Light Pink, Pale Orange, Turquoise Blue, Navy Blue, Dark Green, Light Violet and Gray, sold together as the Dream set from February 20, 2025.

Is MATTEHOP the same as a white gel pen?

It includes one, Ivory White, but it is a full 21-color line. All its inks are opaque, so every color shows on dark paper, not just the white.

Why is MATTEHOP matte?

Pentel says it uses more, and larger, pigment particles than a typical pigment ballpoint, which leaves a non-glossy line. Pentel of America also mentions micro hollow resin beads in the ink.

How much is the 21-color MATTEHOP set?

Pentel Japan lists the Complete set at ¥6,820 (about US$43) with tax, which is in our $$$ band ($20–75) as a set.

Sources (6)

  1. Pentel Japan (Japanese): MATTEHOP product page (concept, matte pigment ink, 1.0 mm, 21 colors and K110 codes, ¥275 each, set prices, use-up pen FAQ; read October 29, 2026)
  2. Pentel (Japanese), via Koubo/PR TIMES: MATTEHOP adds seven Dream colors, February 20, 2025 (2023 launch, Stationery Shop Awards 2024 grand prize, ¥220 each at the time)
  3. Pentel of America: Pentel Arts Hybrid MATTEHOP Gel Roller, 1.0 mm, 8-pack (K110VBP8M; micro hollow resin beads; 2024 award note; read October 29, 2026)
  4. Pentel of America: Pentel MATTEHOP Color Gel Pen Set, 1.0 mm, 21 colors with metal box (K110-V21ST; read October 29, 2026)
  5. Pentel of America: Pentel Arts Hybrid MATTEHOP Gel Roller, 1.0 mm, 4-pack black, red, blue, green (read October 29, 2026)
  6. Yoseka Stationery: Pentel MATTEHOP Gel Pen 1.0 mm (21 colors, US$2.50 each; read October 29, 2026)

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