Zebra Mildliner: Mild Colors, Twin Tips & Ink
The Zebra Mildliner is a double-ended highlighter with a 4.0 mm chisel tip and a 1.0–1.4 mm bullet tip, filled with water-based pigment ink in muted 'mild' colors. Zebra of Tokyo launched it in Japan in 2009 and says the range reached 40 colors in 2025. It isn't refillable; origin is Japan or, for some US packs, Mexico.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Zebra Mildliner double-ended highlighter (WKT7; US packs sold as Mildliner Double-Ended Creative Highlighter)
- Brand
- Zebra
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Japan or Mexico (varies by pack)*
- Material
- Plastic barrel, felt chisel and bullet tips, water-based pigment ink
- Released
- 2009*
- Price range
- $under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation. Made in Japan or Mexico (varies by pack): Hamster (Canada) lists Japan for the 5-pack MPN 78205, and Japanese-market retailers sell the WKT7 as made in Japan. Nordisco lists Mexico for the US 10-pack, item 78101, and Boston General Store lists a single Mildliner as made in Mexico. Zebra's Japanese product page doesn't state a country of manufacture, so check the pack. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Launch year in Japan, per Zebra's company history and press releases (2009 launch, 15th anniversary in 2024).
- 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; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Two tips on one pen: a 4.0 mm chisel for highlighting and a 1.0–1.4 mm bullet for underlining and writing, per Zebra Japan.
- Zebra Japan lists the pen at 141.5 mm (5.6 in) long, 11.5 mm across and 10.1 g, for ¥132 (about US$0.80) including tax.
- Zebra launched the Mildliner in 2009 and says the series passed 400 million pens shipped by February 2025.
- The range grew to 35 colors in March 2022 and 40 colors with five new shades on January 20, 2025.
- Japanese and Canadian retailers list Japan as the origin; several US listings for the 10-pack (item 78101) say Mexico.
What is the Zebra Mildliner?
The Zebra Mildliner is a double-ended highlighter in muted “mild” colors, with a broad chisel tip on one end and a fine bullet tip on the other. Zebra Co., Ltd. of Tokyo makes it; in the US it is sold by Zebra Pen Corporation as the Mildliner Double-Ended Creative Highlighter.
Zebra’s Japanese company history dates the launch to 2009, and the brand marked its 15th anniversary in 2024. Zebra’s Japanese site lists one pen at ¥132 (about US$0.80) including tax. Its June 2025 press release says the series had passed 400 million pens shipped as of February 2025, by Zebra’s own shipment figures.
Zebra Mildliner specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) |
| Model code | WKT7 (Japan); US packs by item number, e.g. 78101 |
| Type | Double-ended highlighter / line marker |
| Tips | 4.0 mm chisel · 1.0–1.4 mm bullet |
| Ink | Water-based pigment |
| Length | 141.5 mm (5.6 in) capped |
| Diameter | 11.5 mm |
| Weight | 10.1 g (0.36 oz), per Zebra Japan |
| JAN (Mild Red) | 4901681401734 |
| Refillable | No |
| Made in | Japan or Mexico, depending on the pack |
Tip sizes, size and weight come from Zebra’s Japanese product page; retailers such as KDM give the same tip sizes. A few US listings give the chisel as 0.5 or 0.6 mm, which conflicts with Zebra’s figure and looks like a listing error.
What does “mild” mean?
“Mild” means softer, grayer versions of highlighter colors instead of bright fluorescent ink. Zebra’s Japanese copy describes them as calmer than conventional fluorescent highlighters, and the muted shades are why many people use Mildliners for color-coding notes, planners and bullet journals rather than only for highlighting.
How many Mildliner colors are there?
Zebra’s Japanese product page lists 40 colors: the range reached 35 in March 2022 and added five on January 20, 2025. Outside Japan, Mildliners are mostly sold in themed sets of 5, plus 10-, 15- and 25-color assortments. JetPens has also sold a limited 40-color set.
Set names and contents differ by country, so the same color can appear in different US and Japanese sets. Check the color names on the pack rather than the set name.
What are the two tips for?
Use the 4.0 mm chisel to highlight a line of text and the 1.0–1.4 mm bullet to underline, box, write headings or draw small icons. The chisel gives a thinner stroke if you turn it on its narrow edge.
| Tip | Width | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Chisel | 4.0 mm | Highlighting printed text, color blocks, headers |
| Bullet | 1.0–1.4 mm | Underlining, handwriting, calendar marks |
If you mainly write with color, the Paper Mate Flair felt tip gives a darker writing line, and a Sakura Pigma Micron is the usual choice for permanent outlines you later highlight. For brush lettering in color, see the Tombow Dual Brush Pen.
To find highlighted pages again, Post-it Flags 680 have a clear end that leaves the marked text readable.
Do Mildliners bleed through paper?
Zebra’s Japanese site says the water-based pigment ink doesn’t show through to the back of the page. That is the maker’s claim. On thin planner paper, such as a Hobonichi Techo’s, try a slow chisel stroke on a back page first.
For gel and Bible highlighters that are sold as no-bleed, see our highlighters that don’t bleed comparison.
To avoid dragging fresh gel or rollerball ink, let it dry before you highlight over it, or highlight first.
Can you refill a Mildliner?
No: the double-ended Mildliner is disposable, and its tips aren’t replaceable. JetPens lists it as not refillable. Zebra Japan’s “Mildliner no Moto” bottled ink (launched May 27, 2024; ¥935 (about US$5.90)) is for dipping a Mildliner tip into a second color to make gradients; Zebra counts 306 combinations. It isn’t sold as a refill.
Where is the Zebra Mildliner made?
It depends on the pack: Japanese and Canadian listings give Japan, while US listings for the 10-pack (item 78101) give Mexico. Hamster in Canada lists Japan for the 5-pack MPN 78205, and Nordisco lists Mexico for item 78101. Zebra’s Japanese product page doesn’t state it, so check the packaging.
How much does a Mildliner cost?
Mildliners fall in our lowest price band, $ (under $5 per pen), in a typical multi-pack. US 5-packs and larger assortments usually work out to well under $5 each; third-party sellers sometimes charge more for imported or limited sets.
Frequently asked questions
What size are the Mildliner tips?
Zebra Japan gives 4 mm for the chisel end and 1.0–1.4 mm for the bullet end. The chisel covers a line of text; the bullet is for underlining, boxes and writing headings.
How many Mildliner colors are there?
Forty, according to Zebra's Japanese product page: the range reached 35 colors in March 2022 and Zebra added five more on January 20, 2025. Sets sold outside Japan usually contain 5, 10, 15 or 25 of them.
Are Mildliners highlighters or markers?
Both. Zebra sells them as line markers for highlighting, but the muted colors and the fine bullet end make them popular for writing, headings and color-coding in planners and journals.
Do Mildliners bleed through paper?
Zebra's Japanese site says the water-based pigment ink doesn't show through to the back of the page. That's the maker's claim; we haven't tested it yet, and on very thin paper some ghosting from the broad chisel end is possible.
Can you refill a Mildliner?
No. JetPens lists the double-ended Mildliner as not refillable, and the tips aren't replaceable. In 2024 Zebra Japan launched a bottled ink, Mildliner no Moto, for dipping a Mildliner tip into another color to make gradients, not for refilling.
Where are Zebra Mildliners made?
It depends on the pack. Japanese and Canadian listings give Japan, while US listings for the 10-pack item 78101 give Mexico. Zebra is a Tokyo company.
What is the difference between the Mildliner and the Mildliner Brush?
The standard Mildliner (WKT7) pairs a chisel tip with a fine bullet tip. The Mildliner Brush (WFT8), launched in Japan on March 18, 2019, pairs a brush tip with a 0.5–0.7 mm extra-fine bullet and comes in 25 colors in Japan.
Sources
- ゼブラ株式会社: ラインマーカー マイルドライナー (Zebra Japan product page, read in full: 40 colors, 4 mm / 1.0–1.4 mm, 11.5 × 141.5 mm, 10.1 g, ¥132, JAN)
- ゼブラ株式会社: 沿革 (Zebra company history: Mildliner launched 2009)
- ゼブラ株式会社: マイルドライナーブラッシュ (Zebra Japan: brush and 0.5–0.7 mm extra-fine tips, 25 colors)
- ゼブラ株式会社: マイルドライナーのもと (Zebra Japan: bottled Mildliner ink for dipping tips, 306 gradients)
- 「マイルドライナー新色」1月20日発売 (Zebra press release, Digital PR Platform: five new colors, 40 in all, January 20, 2025)
- 「マイルドライナー フレグランスシリーズ」6月23日限定発売 (Zebra press release: 2009 launch, 400 million pens shipped as of February 2025)
- ReseMom / PR Times (Japanese): ten new Mildliner colors, March 22, 2022 (35 colors)
- GetNavi (Japanese): five 'chill' Mildliner colors added in 2025
- Oggi (Japanese): Zebra Mildliner Brush on sale March 18, 2019 (15 colors at launch)
- One Suite (Japanese): Mildliner no Moto ink, May 27, 2024
- Zebra Pen (US): Mildliner Double-Ended Highlighter
- Zebra Pen (US): Zebra Pen Corp. celebrating 40 years in the US (founded Tokyo 1897; US company 1982)
- JetPens: Zebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighter, Fine / Bold, Mild Violet (length, weight, not refillable)
- JetPens: Zebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighter, US, 10-color set
- KDM (Japanese): Mildliner fine/bold, Mild Yellow (pigment ink, 4.0 mm and 1.0–1.4 mm)
- Hamster (Canada): Zebra Mildliner double-ended highlighters, MPN 78205 (country of origin Japan)
- Nordisco: Zebra 78101 Mildliner Double Ended Creative Marker, 10-color set (country of origin Mexico)
- Boston General Store: Zebra Mildliner Double-Ended Highlighter (made in Mexico)
- Walmart: Mildliner Zebra listings (5- to 25-packs)