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

Stationery Times

Brand: Pilot

Pilot Fude-Makase: Hard-Tip Color Brush Pen

Compiled from 4 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Pilot Fude-Makase (SVFM-20EF) is a cheap capped brush pen with a hard, extra-fine tip that Pilot designed so beginners can write the stops, flicks and sweeps of brush lettering. It holds water-based dye ink in 8 colors, measures 140 mm and 8.8 g, launched in Japan on July 15, 2013 and lists at ¥220 (about US$1.40).

On this page10 sections
Pilot Fude-Makase in green drawn to scale at 140 mm, cream barrel and cap with a green clip and cap end, with an inset of the hard brush tip
The Fude-Makase at Pilot's 140 mm, drawn at 1 mm = 5 px. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Product facts

Product
Pilot Fude-Makase extra-fine color brush pen (SVFM-20EF-B), black
Brand
Pilot
Brand origin
Japan
Made in
Not stated*
Material
Resin barrel and cap, hard felt brush tip, water-based dye ink (Pilot)
Released
July 2013
Price range
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Rate it
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
  • Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's catalog page and 2013 release don't state a country of manufacture, and Yoseka doesn't either. A search snippet for a Hunter Paper Co. listing said made in Japan, but we couldn't open that page on October 29, 2026. Price: example listing.
  • 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

  • Pilot's catalog lists the SVFM-20EF at 140 mm long, 11.4 mm across at the widest and 8.8 g.
  • It comes in 8 water-based dye inks: black, red, orange, blue, blue black, green, pink and sepia.
  • Pilot launched it on July 15, 2013 at ¥210 (about US$1.30) including tax; it lists at ¥220 (about US$1.40) today.
  • Pilot says its own hard tip combines firmness and flexibility, so the extra-fine point doesn't fray.
  • The clip matches the ink color, and Pilot chose a cream body and cap to suggest a Japanese mood.

What is the Pilot Fude-Makase?

It is Pilot’s color brush pen with a hard, extra-fine tip, made so people who struggle with a brush can still write brush-style letters. Pilot’s 2013 release calls it an entry-level brush pen that lets you add the stops, flicks and sweeps (tome, hane, harai) of Japanese brush writing.

It also works like a color sign pen. Pilot pitches it for illustrations, e-tegami picture letters and greeting cards, which is why it comes in 8 inks rather than black only.

Pilot Fude-Makase specs

Every figure here is from Pilot’s own catalog and release. The price is Pilot’s tax-included list price.

Spec Pilot Fude-Makase (SVFM-20EF)
Tip Hard extra-fine brush tip
Feed Cap type, direct-fill (ink straight from the barrel)
Ink Water-based dye
Colors Black, red, orange, blue, blue black, green, pink, sepia
Size 140 mm long (5.5 in), 11.4 mm (0.45 in) at the widest
Weight 8.8 g
Material Resin barrel and cap
Launched July 15, 2013
Japanese list price ¥220 (about US$1.40)
Pilot Fude-Makase 140 mm and 8.8 g next to the Pentel Pulaman at 142 mm and 11 g and the Zebra Mildliner Brush at 148 mm and 10.5 g
Three low-cost Japanese pens to scale, from the makers' Japanese pages. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

How does the hard tip write?

It stays firm like a felt pen but bends enough to make thick and thin strokes. Pilot says its own newly developed hard tip combines firmness and flexibility, so the point doesn’t fray even though it is extra fine.

That is the trade-off with a soft brush: less dramatic contrast, more control. Pilot’s catalog sums it up as a pen that makes neat brush letters easy.

What colors does it come in?

Eight: black, red, orange, blue, blue black, green, pink and sepia. Pilot gives each pen a clip in the same color as its ink.

The barrel and cap are cream, which Pilot says it chose for a Japanese (wa) feel. Yoseka sells all 8 in the US.

Each color has its own model code, a suffix on SVFM-20EF; the codes and JAN barcodes below are from Pilot’s catalog lineup and Yoseka’s listing, useful when ordering from a Japanese shop.

Color Model JAN
Black SVFM-20EF-B 4902505463150
Red SVFM-20EF-R 4902505463167
Orange SVFM-20EF-O 4902505463174
Blue SVFM-20EF-L 4902505463181
Blue black SVFM-20EF-BB 4902505463198
Green SVFM-20EF-G 4902505463204
Pink SVFM-20EF-P 4902505463211
Sepia SVFM-20EF-SP 4902505463228

How does it compare with other brush pens?

It is a firm, low-cost brush pen, and a light one. Pilot gives 140 mm and 8.8 g, lighter than the Pentel Pulaman at 11 g and the Zebra Mildliner Brush at 10.5 g, per their makers.

Fude-Makase Tombow Fudenosuke (hard) Pentel Touch Sign Pen
Tip Hard extra-fine Hard Flexible fiber
Ink Water-based dye Water-based pigment Dye
Colors 8 See its guide 30 plus 6 fluorescent (Japan)

For pigment ink in black, see the Tombow Fudenosuke. For a bendier fiber tip in many colors, see the Pentel Touch Sign Pen.

Why did Pilot make it?

To widen the market for brush lettering beyond people who can already use a brush. Pilot’s 2013 release says it wanted to reach potential users who would like to write beautiful brush letters.

It also says Pilot had an eye on calligraphy (shosha) lessons in Japanese junior high schools in future. The name, Pilot says, means leaving it to the brush so the letters come out as you want.

Where is it made, and what does it cost in the US?

Pilot doesn’t say where it is made, and no page we could open states it. A search result for one shop said Japan, but we couldn’t load that page.

On October 29, 2026, Yoseka listed it at US$3.30 in all 8 colors, a $ price. We couldn’t read JetPens or Amazon, which block our tools.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Fude-Makase a hard or soft brush pen?

Hard. Pilot calls the tip a hard tip with just enough firmness, and files it as an extra-fine, hard-writing brush pen.

Is Fude-Makase ink waterproof?

Pilot lists water-based dye ink and makes no waterproof claim. A Swedish shop says it isn't waterproof and may fade in sunlight; we haven't tested it yet.

What does Fude-Makase mean?

Pilot says the name means leaving it to the brush, so you can write letters the way you want; Yoseka translates it as a brush you trust.

Can you refill the Fude-Makase?

Pilot doesn't list a refill or cartridge for it, and the ink feeds straight from the barrel. Treat it as a disposable pen.

Is the Fude-Makase good for beginners?

That is who Pilot made it for: people who find brushes hard. It says the hard tip makes stops, flicks and sweeps and thick-thin contrast easy.

Can you use the Fude-Makase for drawing?

Yes. Pilot says it works like a color sign pen for illustrations, picture letters and colorful greeting cards.

Sources (4)

  1. Pilot Japan web catalog (Japanese): SVFM-20EF-B Fude-Makase extra-fine (¥220 with tax, JAN 4902505463150, cap type, direct-fill, water-based dye, resin, φ11.4 × 140 mm, 8.8 g, 8 colors; read October 29, 2026)
  2. Pilot Japan press release (Japanese): color brush pen Fude-Makase on sale July 15, 2013 (¥210, hard tip, 8 colors, cream body, clip in ink color)
  3. Yoseka Stationery: Pilot Fude-Makase Brush Pen (8 colors, 5.5 in, water-based dye ink, SVFM-20EF stock codes; read October 29, 2026)
  4. Tidformera: Pilot Brush pen Fude-Makase, Black (water-based dye ink, not waterproof, may fade in sunlight)

Plain-text version for AI agents: pilot-fude-makase.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.