Kaküno

Pilot has just released a new entry-level fountain pen—the Kaküno (カクノ). It aims, as we can see on the promotional leaflet, at the school-student market, like if Japan were Germany or France and children had to learn to write with these tools.

The pen comes in six different colors (orange, red, pink, light green, blue and grey), limited to the cap, and two different nib points: F and M. The nib is very well known as it is the same implemented on the Prera, Cocoon/Metropolitan/Urban and 78G models (at least!). The only difference is the engraving on it—a face to attract all those young users.

The filling system is the obvious, clean, and convenient cartridge-converter (Pilot proprietary).

The cap snaps on the body and does not have any clip. Its hexagonal shape plus a notch prevents it from rolling on the table uncontrollably.

The name Kaküno is related to the verb "to write" in Japanese: kakimasu (書きます). And most likely, the dots on the u are just two eyes on the smiling u --as on the nib-- instead of any reference to a German umlaut.

These are its dimensions:

• Length closed: 130 mm
• Length open: 128 mm
• Length posted: 159 mm
• Diameter: 12.5 mm
• Weight: 11.3 g (dry, no converter)

The official price is JPY 1000, plus taxes. The natural competitors to this pen are the Sailor Clear Candy, and the Platinum Plaisir. The German armada of Lamy ABC, Pelikan Pelikano Jr and Staedtler Learner’s are significantly more expensive in Japan.

My thanks to Mr. Nakai.

Pilot Capless CS-200RW – Platinum Black

Bruno Taut
Yokohama, November 6th, 2013
etiquetas: Pilot, mercado