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

Stationery Times

Brand: Sun-Star

Sun-Star dot e pen: The Square Marker for Pixel Art

Compiled from 3 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Sun-Star dot e pen is a two-ended pen: a 0.5 mm fineliner at one end and a square marker at the other that stamps a solid square dot when pressed straight down. A Japanese review measures the square at 3 mm. It comes in 16 colors and is made for pixel art and grid notebooks.

On this page11 sections
A heart made of red 3 mm squares beside a Sun-Star dot e pen
A heart of 3 mm squares at 1 mm = 12 px with the pen drawn by eye; no length is published. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

Product facts

Product
Sun-Star dot e pen square marker and 0.5 mm fineliner
Brand
Sun-Star
Brand origin
Japan
Made in
Not stated*
Material
Water-based ink; square body and cap with an inner round cap (Getnavi, Yoseka)
Price range
$under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Ink colors

Gray

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Notes on these facts
  • Made by Sun-Star Stationery Co., Ltd. (Japan). Country of manufacture not stated: Gizmodo Japan, Getnavi and Yoseka don't give a country of manufacture, and we couldn't read a Sun-Star page. Price: example listing.
  • Colors: names per Yoseka Stationery, checked October 31, 2026. Sixteen ink color names as Yoseka lists them; 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

  • A Japanese review (Getnavi) lists a 3 mm square marker and a 0.5 mm fineliner, in 16 colors at ¥200 (about US$1.30) before tax; Gizmodo Japan lists ¥220 (about US$1.40) each.
  • Sun-Star sold two four-pen sets at ¥880 (about US$5.60) each, one of warm colors and one of cool colors, per Gizmodo Japan.
  • Yoseka calls the marker tip 2 mm, not 3 mm; we found no Sun-Star page to settle it.
  • A double cap keeps the ink from drying, but Getnavi found it tight and said ink can reach your hand if you force it.
  • Yoseka listed it on November 6, 2025 in our $ band, with all 16 colors in stock on October 31, 2026.

What is the Sun-Star dot e pen?

It is a twin-ended pen with a square marker tip you press down like a stamp, and a fine pen on the other end. Sun-Star Stationery of Japan makes it, and Gizmodo Japan introduced it in December 2022 as the pen that lets anyone draw pixel art by pressing.

Getnavi says earlier stamp-style markers, from Tombow and Kuretake, made round dots, so a square dot is rare. Sun-Star is better known for pencil cases, like the UFO flat pouch.

dot e pen specs

Spec Value
Maker Sun-Star Stationery (Japan)
Marker end Square tip, 3 mm (Getnavi) or 2 mm (Yoseka)
Pen end 0.5 mm fineliner (Getnavi, Yoseka)
Ink Water-based (Yoseka)
Colors 16
Body Square barrel and cap, inner round cap (Getnavi)
Price ¥220 (about US$1.40) each with tax per Gizmodo Japan; $ band at Yoseka
Two squares to scale, 3 mm and 2 mm, beside a 0.5 mm line, showing the conflict over the dot e pen marker size
The two sizes sources give for the marker tip, drawn at 1 mm = 30 px. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.

How big is the square dot?

Getnavi says 3 mm; Yoseka says 2 mm; we couldn’t read Sun-Star’s own page to decide. Getnavi describes a 3 mm square marker core that leaves a 3 mm square dot, and a 3 mm line when dragged.

Because Getnavi measured against 3 mm grid paper, we lean toward 3 mm, but the difference matters if you plan a picture. Check the dot on your own grid before you start. A 3 mm dot also fits a paperback’s line spacing, as Getnavi notes.

How do you stamp a clean square?

Press straight down with even pressure, a little firmer than a tap. Getnavi found that a light pat leaves an uneven dot, and that pressing the whole face flat gives a crisp square.

Stack dots to build a picture. Getnavi suggests copying a cross-stitch chart, since each stitch maps to one dot, and plotting positions with grid coordinates. Check each chart site’s terms of use first.

What colors and sets are there?

Sixteen colors, including three fluorescents, sold singly or in two four-pen sets. Yoseka lists gray, black, brown, beige, fluorescent yellow, fluorescent green, green, mint, light blue, blue, violet, fluorescent pink, pink, red, orange and yellow.

Gizmodo Japan reports set A in warm colors and set B in cool colors, ¥880 (about US$5.60) each with tax. Getnavi wished for a pale orange for skin tones, so portraits take mixing colors.

Is it only for pixel art?

No: Yoseka also pitches it for filling grid cells and ticking off to-do lists. Getnavi adds that the 3 mm width is just right for underlining a paperback, so the marker end doubles as a small highlighter, and three fluorescent colors help here.

The 0.5 mm end handles ordinary notes. If you use the marker on planner pages, test it on a spare corner first, because we don’t know whether the ink shows through thin paper. For roundups of highlighters see our best highlighters that don’t bleed.

Does the cap dry out or smear?

The inner cap protects the ink, but it makes the cap tight. Getnavi found a square cap warps more easily than a round one, so Sun-Star put a round cap inside it to keep air out.

The price is a stiff fit. Getnavi warns that yanking the cap off can put ink on your hand. Open it slowly, and store the pen with the cap fully seated.

Where is it made, and what does it cost?

We couldn’t find a country of manufacture on Gizmodo Japan, Getnavi or Yoseka. Check the pack.

Yoseka listed each pen in our $ band (under $5) on October 31, 2026, with all colors in stock. Gizmodo Japan lists ¥220 (about US$1.40) with tax, and Getnavi ¥200 (about US$1.30) before tax. For other grid-friendly tools see our dot grid vs lined vs grid guide and best fineliners. Sun-Star’s Ninipie puts a 0.5 mm needle pen and a highlighter on one tip.

Frequently asked questions

How big is the dot the dot e pen stamps?

Getnavi measures a 3 mm square. Yoseka says the marker tip is 2 mm, so the two sources disagree.

What colors does the dot e pen come in?

Sixteen, per Gizmodo Japan, Getnavi and Yoseka, including three fluorescent colors.

Does the dot e pen draw lines as well?

Yes. The other end is a 0.5 mm fineliner, and Getnavi says the marker also draws a 3 mm line.

What paper suits the dot e pen?

Getnavi used 3 mm grid paper, which makes a pixel picture easy to plan. A 5 mm grid notebook also works for check marks.

Is the dot e pen ink waterproof?

We couldn't confirm it. Yoseka says the ink is water-based, and we found no waterproof claim from Sun-Star.

Is the dot e pen cap hard to open?

Getnavi found the cap tight because of its inner round cap, and warned that forcing it can get ink on your hand.

How much do dot e pens cost in Japan?

Gizmodo Japan lists ¥220 (about US$1.40) each with tax, and ¥880 (about US$5.60) for a four-pen set.

Sources (3)

  1. Gizmodo Japan (Japanese): sunstar dot e pen, December 5, 2022 (16 colors, ¥220 (about US$1.40) each, two four-pen sets at ¥880 (about US$5.60), promo video November 28, 2022; read October 31, 2026)
  2. Getnavi (Japanese): dot e pen review (square body and cap, 3 mm square marker, 0.5 mm fineliner, 16 colors, ¥200 (about US$1.30) before tax, double cap; read October 31, 2026)
  3. Yoseka Stationery: Sun-Star dot e pen Square Marker (0.5 mm needle tip, 2 mm marker tip, water-based ink, 16 colors, listed November 6, 2025; read October 31, 2026)

Plain-text version for AI agents: sun-star-dot-e-pen.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.