Maruzen Athena Eternal Blue

[visvamitra]

Posted 03 July 2016 - 12:27

Maruzen is a big brand department store in Japan. They carry their own line of pens and inks named Century and Athena. It seems most of their inks are made by Sailor. I'm not sure how many inks they offer at the moment but I know they have some stunning colors in the line up. It seems follwoing inks were / are offered to customers:

1. Akane (limited edidion, Nihomnashi branch)
2. Eternal Blue
3. hatobanezu
4. Lemon
5. Midori
6. Renga
7. River Blue
8. Sepia (Athena branch)

If anyone is able to complete the list, I would be grateful.

Tinjapan sent me a sample of two of their inks - Eternal Blue and Midori. Thank you Todd

Eternal Blue is an intriguing ink - normally I dislike similar hues but this one offers some nice level of complecity that makes it interesting. It'll never become my first choice but I admit I was hooked for a while. Depending on the nib / paper combo the color may vary quite a lot.The ink behaves well but truth be told I've been using it for three days.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Color Range

Tomoe River, Pilot CH 74, M

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Sport Classic, B

Kokuyo Campus, Pilot CH 74, M

 

[saskia_madding]

I love this ink a lot. thanks for the close-up review.

[gylyf]

I don't usually love this kind of color either, but I've always been intrigued by Eternal Blue, even more so now. Thanks for the review!

[lgsoltek]

Not bad. Kinda like Yama-dori but bluer?

[J85909266]

Looks a bit like Yama-Dori to me, as well.

[ethernautrix]

Oh wow -- I could send you a sample of Hatobanezu.

 

I think I have Athena Sepia... but I might have given the bottle to someone (rather, the ink; I kept the bottle). I'll have to look. If I have it, I could send you a sample of that, too. Definitely the Hatobanezu (which I like A LOT). :-)

[Cyber6]

Vis, you are missing.. the 2016 LE.. Maruzen Fukurou (Owl)... pic below...

 

 

1. Akane (limited edidion, Nihomnashi branch)
2. Eternal Blue
3. hatobanezu
4. Lemon
5. Midori
6. Renga
7. River Blue
8. Sepia (Athena branch)

 

 

[migo984]

Also missing is the Nihombashi edition - Kirin.

[visvamitra]

@Ethernautrix - who am I to decline such an offer?

@Girls - thank you The Owl looks interesting, I must google it.

[fabri00]

I travel to Japan for business every year since long time ago, and Maruzen, that one of the picture, is a dept store I visit every time for pens and inks, also because it is located not far away from Tokyo Station, the main railway station of Tokyo.

 

I have not many but few Athena inks, and also some Kobe Inks.

 

If you want to review them, I can send you sample, together with some other difficult to find inks.

[visvamitra]

That would be more than great

[KaB]

inksplash and paper towel looked oh so promising. Writing samples are disapointing for me. Thx for the review!

[ethernautrix]

Fukurou looks very interesting.

 

Another source for ink samples could be Pen Posse. Visvamitra, if you provide a list of inks you'd like to review, I could send it along - or you could join the SF Bay Pen Posse group on FB and ask directly.

Edited September 23, 2016 by ethernautrix

[amberleadavis]

Thanks, Vis! You are awesome.

[Behike54]

Yum!

As an aside, is there a way to purchase Maruzen Athena Sepia or even a sample from a vendor, or is it Nippon only purchase?

[visvamitra]

In theory Cool_Japan on eBay should be able to get one for you but the price will be steep :/

[Behike54]

In theory Cool_Japan on eBay should be able to get one for you but the price will be steep :/

 

[conib]

I wonder how this compares to usagiya Setouchi marine blue?

[mulrich]

I like the dark side of the color range from the paper towel but the writing comes across much lighter which I don't like as much. Still a nice color.

[OPG4711]

Wow! More unobtainable (or almost unobtainable) gorgeous ink from Japan!