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

Stationery Times

Brand: Pentel

Pentel Milky Brush: Pastel Brush Pen, 8 Colors

Compiled from 2 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Pentel Milky Brush is a pastel brush marker with a soft, brush-type tip and water-based pigment ink. Pentel Japan lists eight colors, seven pastels plus white, at ¥660 (about US$4.20) each, and an eight-color set at ¥5,280 (about US$33). Pentel says the ink shows on dark paper and layers over itself.

On this page11 sections
Eight Pentel Milky Brush pens in pastel tints with brush tips, drawn in proportion, and a pink stroke on dark paper
The eight Milky Brush colors, drawn in proportion; the tints are representative, not measured. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Product facts

Product
Pentel Milky Brush (XGFH)
Brand
Pentel
Brand origin
Japan
Made in
Not stated*
Good for
Price range
$$$5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Ink colors

Pastel Mint Green

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Notes on these facts
  • Made by Pentel Co., Ltd. (Japan). Country of manufacture not stated: Pentel Japan's product page gives colors, ink, prices and JAN codes but no country of manufacture, and Yoseka's page doesn't give one either. Source. Price: example listing.
  • Colors: names per Pentel Japan, checked November 1, 2026. Ink color names as Pentel Japan lists them, romanized; we have no color chips, so no swatches are shown. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
  • 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 8 single colors: pastel mint green, orange, yellow, green, pink, blue, violet and white.
  • Each pen is ¥660 (about US$4.20) with tax in Japan, and the eight-color set GFH-P8ST is ¥5,280 (about US$33).
  • Pentel says the pigment ink shows clearly on dark paper and can be layered over itself.
  • The pen is a clicker: Yoseka says to shake it and pump the clicker to start the ink, and Pentel's FAQ says thin ink means the ink hasn't been pumped enough.
  • Pentel describes it as the Hybrid Milky pastel ballpoint, a Heisei-era hit, turned into a brush pen.

What is the Pentel Milky Brush?

It is a clicker brush marker that writes in pastel colors, including on black paper. Pentel Japan’s concept line says it lets you paint and layer pastel color with a brush pen. Pentel describes it as the pastel ballpoint “Hybrid Milky”, a big hit in the Heisei era (1989–2019), reborn as a brush pen.

Yoseka sells it as the Milky Brush Marker and says it works for calligraphy, holiday and birthday cards, and artwork. We read both pages on November 1, 2026.

Pentel Milky Brush specs

Spec Value
Maker Pentel, Japan
Series Milky Brush, codes XGFH-PD to XGFH-PW
Tip Brush-type tip, supple and well shaped (Pentel Japan)
Ink Water-based pigment (Pentel Japan)
Mechanism Clicker pumps ink to the tip (Yoseka)
Colors 8: 7 pastels and white
Japanese list price ¥660 (about US$4.20) per pen; ¥5,280 (about US$33) for 8
Price band $$ ($5–20); Yoseka listed it at US$6 on November 1, 2026

Pentel gives no length, weight or tip width for this pen, so we draw it in proportion and don’t state a size.

What colors does the Milky Brush come in?

Eight: pastel mint green, orange, yellow, green, pink, blue and violet, plus white. Pentel Japan lists a code and JAN for each: XGFH-PD is mint green, PF orange, PG yellow, PK green, PP pink, PS blue, PV violet and PW white. JAN numbers start with 4902506.

The eight-color set, GFH-P8ST, has the same colors. We have no color chips, so we show names only. See the strokes below for the idea.

Eight pastel brush strokes on dark paper in the Milky Brush colors
Our sketch of pastel strokes on dark paper; the tints are representative, not Pentel's inks. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Why does the Milky Brush work on dark paper?

Pentel says the pigment ink has strong covering power. Its page says the color shows clearly on dark paper and that Milky Brush strokes layer over each other. Pentel also describes the tip as supple but well shaped, so you can draw fine detail or fill wide areas.

We haven’t tested it, so we can’t say how it handles glossy card or marker paper.

How do you start the ink flowing?

Shake the pen and pump the clicker. Yoseka says this expels the ink and adjusts the flow; Pentel’s FAQ says thin ink usually means not enough has been pumped out.

Do the first pumps on a test sheet: Pentel warns the ink can drip when you start. Our Pentel Dual Metallic Brush guide covers another Pentel brush marker.

How does it compare with other Pentel brush pens?

It is a pastel pigment brush marker with a clicker, rather than a refillable nylon brush. Pentel’s Fude brush pen uses ink cartridges and black dye ink, and its Arts Color Brush is a refillable dye-ink brush with 24 dye colors. Our best brush pens roundup compares more brush pens.

Who is the Milky Brush for?

People who letter or decorate on dark or colored paper. Pentel states a supple brush tip and pastel colors that show on dark paper.

  • Calligraphy and lettering: brush-type tip in 8 colors, from fine detail to wide areas (Pentel Japan).

Skip it if you want a refillable pen: we found no refill listed.

Where is it made, and what does it cost?

Pentel doesn’t say. Neither Pentel Japan’s page nor Yoseka’s names a country, so we list it as not stated.

Pentel Japan lists ¥660 (about US$4.20) with tax, and ¥5,280 (about US$33) for eight. Yoseka’s US listing was US$6 per pen on November 1, 2026, in our $$ band.

Frequently asked questions

What ink does the Pentel Milky Brush use?

Pentel Japan lists a water-based pigment ink, which it says has strong covering power so colors layer over each other.

Does the Milky Brush work on black paper?

Yes, that is the point: Pentel says the pastel ink shows clearly on dark paper as well as on white.

Why is my Milky Brush ink pale?

Pentel's FAQ says the ink is thin when it hasn't been pumped out enough. Yoseka's advice is to shake the pen and pump the clicker.

Is the Milky Brush a refillable pen?

We couldn't find a refill on Pentel Japan's page or Yoseka's, so we treat it as non-refillable.

Is the Milky Brush the same as the Milky ballpoint?

It borrows the pastel idea. Pentel says the brush pen is the Hybrid Milky, a Heisei-era pastel ballpoint hit, made into a brush pen.

Do you test it on scrap paper first?

Yes. Pentel's FAQ warns that ink may drip when you start, so try the first strokes on a test sheet.

How many colors does the Milky Brush have?

Eight in Pentel Japan's list, and the same eight at Yoseka: seven pastels and white.

Sources (2)

  1. Pentel Japan: Milky Brush product page (concept, pigment ink, supple brush tip, eight colors with XGFH codes and JAN numbers, ¥660 and ¥5,280 set, FAQ; read November 1, 2026)
  2. Yoseka Stationery: Pentel Milky Brush Marker (eight colors, shake and pump the clicker, calligraphy and cards, listed October 29, 2022; read November 1, 2026)

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