Pilot Juice: Pigment Gel Pen, 4 Sizes & 48+ Colors

Pilot Juice 0.5 mm retractable gel pen in Classic Blue drawn to scale, 143 mm long and 10.3 mm wide: retro ivory body with a blue clip; inset: the 0.5 mm tip, 0.31 mm line — The Juice 05 in Classic Blue, 143 mm long (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).

Product facts

Product: Pilot Juice retractable gel pen (Japan LJU-10EF 0.5 mm; also 0.38, 0.7 and 1.0 mm)
Brand: Pilot
Brand origin: Japan
Made in: Not stated^*
Material: Recycled resin body and sleeve, rubber
Released: November 2012^*
Price range: $under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)

Notes on these facts

Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan). Country of manufacture not stated: Pilot's Japanese web catalog and press releases for the Juice don't state a country of manufacture, and the US importer listings we read don't either. Check the packaging. Price: example listing. Released: Pilot's February 13, 2024 press release says the Juice launched in November 2012 in Japan.
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 Japan lists the Juice 05 (LJU-10EF) at 143 mm (5.6 in) long, 10.3 mm across and 9.9 g, with a 0.31 mm line in black.
Pilot launched the Juice in November 2012; its tips are 0.38, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm.
Classic and kusumi (muted) colors brought the range to 48 colors on March 7, 2024; six ash colors followed on September 16, 2026.
The Japanese list price is ¥132 (about US$0.80) a pen; black, red and blue take LP2RF-8EF refills.
Pilot's catalog says the pastel, metallic and kusumi colors also write on black paper.

What is the Pilot Juice?

The Juice is Pilot’s colorful retractable gel pen with water-based pigment ink, launched in Japan in November 2012. Pilot says the ink is loaded with a moisturizing ingredient for a smooth start and dark, vivid lines that resist bleeding, and that students are its main users.

It’s a cheap, everyday pen in Japan, where it lists at ¥132 (about US$0.80). In the US it arrives through importers, and it shows up in English-language roundups of the best Japanese pens.

Pilot Juice specs

Spec	Juice 05 (LJU-10EF-B, black)
Ink	Water-based pigment gel
Tip sizes in the range	0.38, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mm
Line width	0.31 mm (0.5 mm, black)
Mechanism	Retractable (click)
Length	143 mm (5.6 in)
Widest diameter	10.3 mm
Weight	9.9 g
Materials	Recycled resin body and sleeve, rubber
Refill	LP2RF-8EF (black, red, blue only)
Japanese list price	¥132 (about US$0.80)
JAN (black)	4902505450679

All figures come from Pilot’s Japanese web catalog. Pilot notes the black, red and blue versions use recycled polypropylene for the barrel, recycled polycarbonate for the sleeve and clip and recycled ABS for the knob.

What tip sizes does the Juice come in?

Four: 0.38 mm (ultra fine), 0.5 mm (extra fine), 0.7 mm (fine) and 1.0 mm (bold). Pilot’s Japanese size names run finer than English ones, so its “extra fine” 0.5 mm writes a 0.31 mm line in black.

The four Pilot Juice ball sizes drawn to scale at 120 times: 0.38, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm; the black 0.5 mm writes a 0.31 mm line — Juice ball sizes to scale; the 0.5 mm is the size most colors come in.

Use the 0.38 for small planner boxes, the 0.5 for notes and the 0.7 or 1.0 for headings and cards. The newer color series are all 0.5 mm.

How many colors does the Pilot Juice have?

Pilot said the Juice reached 48 colors on March 7, 2024, and it added six ash colors on September 16, 2026.

Series	Added	Notes
Standard, pastel, metallic	2012 on; metallic in 2013	Pastel and metallic write on dark paper
Classic (6)	March 7, 2024	Retro ivory body, clip in the ink color
Kusumi, muted (6)	March 7, 2024	Milky translucent body; write on dark paper
Ash (6)	September 16, 2026	Greyish body; knob and clip in the ink color; set of 6 ¥792 (about US$5.00)

Pilot says the classic and kusumi colors were first limited editions before becoming standard. Its catalog also lists ten 0.5 mm colors, including brown, yellow, pink and gray, to be discontinued when stock runs out.

Is the Pilot Juice refillable?

Only in part: Pilot lists LP2RF-8EF refills for the 0.5 mm Juice in black, red and blue, and none for the other colors. If you want a pen you can keep refilling, buy one of those three colors; treat the rest as single-use.

Pilot also sells the 0.5 mm in color sets, including a pastel 6-color set and 6- and 12-color sets (LJU60EF-6C, LJU120EF-12C), which are the easiest way to try the range from an importer.

How does the Juice compare with the Juice Up and Juice+?

The Juice is the original, with a cone tip and the widest choice of sizes and colors; the Juice Up and Juice+ use Pilot’s finer Synergy Tip.

Pen	Launched in Japan	Tip	Sizes	Length
Juice	November 2012	Cone	0.38–1.0 mm	143 mm (0.5 mm)
Juice Up	August 2016	Synergy Tip	0.3–0.5 mm	142.8 mm (0.4 mm)
Juice+	December 24, 2025	Synergy Tip	0.4 mm	142 mm

Pilot lists the Juice+ at ¥165 (about US$1.00), against ¥132 (about US$0.80) for the Juice. Choose the Juice for color range and bold sizes, the Juice Up for fine writing. For a US-retail gel pen, see the Pilot G2 or our best gel pens.

Where is the Pilot Juice made?

Neither Pilot’s Japanese pages nor the US importer listings we read say where the Juice is made. Pilot Corporation is based in Tokyo. Check the packaging for the country of origin.

Frequently asked questions

What sizes does the Pilot Juice come in?

Four: 0.38 mm (ultra fine), 0.5 mm (extra fine), 0.7 mm (fine) and 1.0 mm (bold), per Pilot's 2024 press release. Most colors, including the classic, kusumi and ash series, are 0.5 mm.

How many colors does the Pilot Juice have?

Pilot said the classic and kusumi colors brought the Juice to 48 colors in March 2024. It added six ash colors on September 16, 2026, and is phasing ten 0.5 mm colors out as stock runs out.

Is Pilot Juice ink waterproof?

Pilot says the pigment ink is water-resistant ("mizu ni mo tsuyoi"), not waterproof. We haven't tested it.

Can Pilot Juice write on black paper?

The pastel, metallic and kusumi colors can, according to Pilot Japan, and so can some photos. The other colors can't.

Is the Pilot Juice refillable?

Pilot lists LP2RF-8EF refills for the 0.5 mm in black, red and blue only. Other colors aren't refillable.

What's the difference between Pilot Juice, Juice Up and Juice+?

The Juice (2012) uses a standard cone tip and comes in four sizes and many colors. The Juice Up (2016) and Juice+ (December 2025) use Pilot's finer Synergy Tip; the Juice+ is a 0.4 mm student pen.

Where can you buy the Pilot Juice in the US?

From importers such as JetPens, Simple Paper and Yoseka Stationery. We didn't find a Pilot US listing for it.

How big is the Pilot Juice?

Pilot lists the 0.5 mm Juice at 143 mm (5.6 in) long and 10.3 mm across at the widest, weighing 9.9 g.

Sources (10)

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