Compiled from 12 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Sakura Ballsign iD Single is a retractable gel pen with water-based pigment ink in six shades of black, from Pure Black to Pencil Black, in 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm. It is 145 mm long and 13 g, with a metal clip and brass tip, and won a 2026 Japan Stationery Award design prize.
On this page12 sections
The Ballsign iD Single at 145 mm, drawn at 1 mm = 5 px; barrel color shown in steel grays.
Product facts
Product
Sakura Ballsign iD Single gel pen, 0.3 mm, Pure Black (GBR403)
ABS barrel and end cap, brass tip, steel clip (Sakura Japan)
Released
October 2025*
Price range
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Ink colors
Pure Black
Special editions
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Notes on these facts
Made by Sakura Color Products Corporation (Osaka); sold in the US by Sakura of America. Country of manufacture not stated: Sakura Japan's product page and its two 2026 press releases give size, weight, materials and JAN but no country of manufacture. Released: Bic Camera lists the maker's release as late October 2025; Sakura's own pages we read don't date the launch.
Colors: names per Sakura Japan, checked October 24, 2026. Six standard blacks per Sakura Japan's product page and color chart: pure black plus blue-, green-, brown-, purple- and gray-tinted blacks (each in 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm, each in a barrel tinted to match); English names follow Sakura's katakana. 漆黒 (jet black) is a limited model with a white body and a deeper black ink, per Sakura Japan. Tints were sampled from the ink swatches on Sakura's Ballsign iD special page and, for jet black, from its product photo. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
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
RX Japan gave the Ballsign iD Single one of three design-category prizes at the 35th Japan Stationery Award, announced June 9, 2026.
Sakura Japan lists it at 145 mm (5.7 in) long, 13 mm at its widest and 13 g, with ABS barrel, brass tip and steel clip.
It comes in 6 black inks and 3 tip sizes; the 0.3 mm uses a needle tip.
Sakura Japan lists it at ¥440 (about US$2.80) each, and a limited white-bodied Jet Black version at ¥495 (about US$3.10) from late October 2026.
On October 26, 2026 Yoseka Stationery listed the Single in all 3 sizes; on October 23 JetPens and Amazon US sold only the original Ballsign iD.
What is the Sakura Ballsign iD Single?
It’s a retractable, single-color gel pen from Sakura whose point is choosing your own black: it comes in six tinted black inks. Sakura says the name comes from “identity”, picking the black that suits you.
It is the premium member of Sakura’s Ballsign iD line. Sakura calls the ink a water-based pigment gel ink, and the pen adds a metal clip, a brass tip and a grained barrel to the original Ballsign iD’s design.
What award did the Ballsign iD Single win?
A design-category excellence prize (優秀賞) at the 35th Japan Stationery Award, one of 12 winners named by RX Japan on June 9, 2026. RX Japan’s winners page praises the glossy metal clip, the wood-grain texture on the barrel and the hexagon-and-round body.
Pure Black, Night Black, Forest Black, Mocha Black, Mysterious Black and Pencil Black. Sakura Japan describes each as near black with a hint of color, and suggests a use for each.
Ink
Tint (Sakura)
Sakura’s suggested use
Pure Black
Black
Formal writing
Night Black
Blue-black
Smart, business notes
Forest Black
Green-black
Refined, polite notes
Mocha Black
Brown-black
Casual writing
Mysterious Black
Purple-black
Writing with personality
Pencil Black
Gray-black
Understated notes
Sakura’s examples include using different blacks for schedule, work and private to-dos in one planner. We haven’t yet compared how distinct the six look on paper.
Ballsign iD Single specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Sakura Color Products (Osaka)
Model
GBR403 (0.3 mm), GBR404 (0.4 mm), 0.5 mm also sold
Mechanism
Retractable (knock)
Ink
Water-based pigment gel, 6 blacks
Tip
0.3 mm needle, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm; brass
Length · width
145 mm (5.7 in) · 13 mm (0.5 in)
Weight
13 g (0.46 oz)
Materials
ABS barrel and end cap, brass tip, steel clip
JAN (0.3 mm Pure Black)
4901881256813
Japan price
¥440 (about US$2.80); 6-color set ¥2,640 (about US$17)
Refill
Ballsign knock refill N (R-GBR03 for 0.3 mm)
Price band
$ (under $5)
Specs are from Sakura Japan’s product page; the 0.4 mm code is from Bic Camera’s listing.
The Single matches the original iD's length but is wider and heavier.
How is it different from the original Ballsign iD?
The Single is a dressier version of the same idea: same 145 mm length and six-black concept, but with metal parts and a textured barrel. Sakura Japan lists the original Ballsign iD (GBR204) at 10 g with an ABS front section and a stainless clip, against 13 g for the Single with a brass tip and a steel clip.
Sakura says the metal tip lowers the center of gravity and narrows in steps, so you can see the line as you write. The Single also adds a 0.3 mm needle tip, which the original lacks.
What refills does it take?
The Ballsign knock-type refill N, sold for each ink and tip size. Sakura Japan lists the 0.3 mm Pure Black refill (R-GBR03) at 112 mm (4.4 in) and ¥132 (about US$0.80).
JetPens sells R-GBN refills for the original Ballsign iD; Sakura’s pages we read don’t say whether those fit the Single, so match the code on the package.
Is there a limited edition?
Yes: a white-bodied model with a new Jet Black (漆黒) ink, from late October 2026, in 0.5 mm only. Sakura says the ink is denser than its usual black. It costs ¥495 (about US$3.10) alone or ¥2,695 (about US$17) in a six-color set.
Can you buy it in the US?
Yes, from a US importer, though not from Sakura of America. On October 26, 2026, Yoseka Stationery in Brooklyn listed the Single in 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm with matching refills; on October 23, JetPens listed only the original Ballsign iD, and Amazon US the original iD and the iD Plus.
Sakura of America’s product list doesn’t include any Ballsign, which is why it’s in our Japan-only pens roundup. In the US, a near-black alternative is the Blue Black ink of the Zebra Sarasa Clip, or the original Ballsign iD from JetPens.
Where is the Ballsign iD Single made?
Sakura doesn’t say. Its Japanese product page and press releases give sizes, materials and codes but no country of manufacture. Sakura Color Products is a Japanese company based in Osaka.
Frequently asked questions
What are the six black inks in the Ballsign iD Single?
Pure Black, Night Black (blue-black), Forest Black (green-black), Mocha Black (brown-black), Mysterious Black (purple-black) and Pencil Black (gray-black), per Sakura Japan.
Is the Ballsign iD Single different from the Ballsign iD?
Yes. The Single (GBR403 for 0.3 mm) has a new metal clip, a brass tip, a grained barrel and weighs 13 g; the original Ballsign iD (GBR204) has a plastic (ABS) front and weighs 10 g. Both are 145 mm long.
What refill does the Ballsign iD Single use?
Sakura Japan links it to the Ballsign knock-type refill N, for example R-GBR03 for 0.3 mm Pure Black, at ¥132 (about US$0.80). It is 112 mm long.
Is Ballsign iD ink waterproof?
Sakura calls it a water-based pigment gel ink. Pigment inks usually resist water better than dye inks, but Sakura doesn't make a waterproof claim on the pages we read, and we haven't tested it.
Can I buy the Ballsign iD Single in the US?
Yes, from importers. On October 26, 2026, Yoseka Stationery in Brooklyn listed the Single in 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mm with refills. JetPens and Amazon US sold only the original Ballsign iD when we checked on October 23, and Sakura of America doesn't list any Ballsign.
Which Ballsign iD Single tip size should I get?
The 0.3 mm needle tip suits small planners and notes in margins; 0.5 mm gives a bolder line that shows the ink's tint more. The 0.4 mm sits between.
Is the Ballsign iD Single made in Japan?
Sakura doesn't say on the pages we read. Sakura is a Japanese company based in Osaka; check the package for the country of manufacture.
