Pilot 100th Anniversary Ink commemorated the Pilot Namiki 100th anniversary in 2018. To celebrate the massive milestone, the company released a series of seven Maki-e fountain pens each representing one of the seven Gods of Good Fortune. Along with the Maki-e pens, Pilot released a set of seven complimentary, limited edition ink colors representing the same seven Gods of Good Fortune. Pilot’s 100th Anniversary inks are created under the Iroshizuku platform using the popular Iroshizuku bottle and packaging without the “Iroshizuku” branding.
The 100th Anniversary Pilot Ebisu ink is a light blue color that represents Ebisu. Traditionally known as the God of plentiful fishing, Ebisu is now considered the God of happiness and prosperity. Pilot 100th Anniversary Ebisu ink is a light blue turquoise color reminiscent of a sparkling sea where fishing is bountiful. The blue color is light and vibrant and is a great ink choice for specific projects, letters, notes, or other ventures requiring a vibrant turquoise ink. The other six Pilot 100th Anniversary colors include yellow, black-green, coral pink, red, green and purple. All seven of the inks in the Pilot 100th Anniversary line represent a different Japanese God of Good Fortune.
Continue reading for a chance to win the bottle of 100th Anniversary Pilot Ebisu ink we used for this review.
100th Anniversary Pilot Ebisu Ink Review
During our review of Pilot 100th Anniversary Ebisu ink, we found the following traits that you may find helpful when choosing your next ink color:
Testing Factors
For our 100th Anniversary Pilot Ebisu ink review, we used a French-made J. Herbin spiral glass dip pen on Rhodia dot pad paper. Please note that different pens and paper may produce different results.
Bottle Sizes
Pilot Ebisu ink comes in the distinctive Iroshizuku ink-well 50 ml. glass bottle, which is one of the best ink display bottles currently on the market. The glass bottle is heavily weighted with a well-designed internal ink well that allows users to gather up the last few drops of ink with their fountain pen. The lid is large and faceted, which makes it pretty easy to open and close.
Cost
Pilot 100th Anniversary Ebisu ink retails for $30.00 in the US but is available for less at Pen Chalet. This is a little more expensive than standard Pilot Iroshizuku inks, but since this is a limited edition ink and one of the first new “Iroshizuku” ink colors released in years, it seems well worth the additional cost.
Dry Time
During Pen Chalet’s Pilot Ebisu ink review, we found a very fast dry time of approximately 4-5 seconds. The fast dry time makes Ebisu an everyday ink option. Pilot Ebisu ink has a nice saturation and wetness, making the dry time even more remarkable.
Bleed Through
We found absolutely no bleeding during our review of Pilot Ebisu ink, even during our cotton swab test.
Feathering
During normal use, we experienced no feathering using the glass dip pen on Rhodia dot pad paper. Even during our water test we saw almost zero additional feathering, which is quite unusual for a non-waterproof ink.
Water Test
We conducted a water test during our review of Pilot Ebisu ink. During this test, we let an ink sample dry for about 3 minutes. Our results were very light color smearing and almost no additional feathering or line distortion. Although Pilot 100th Anniversary Ebisu ink is not waterproof ink, it held up almost as if it were.
Shading
Pilot Ebisu ink seemed to have some nice shading possibilities. From a deep turquoise blue to a lighter dusty shade of light blue, Pilot Ebisu ink will produce some shading depending on penmanship and which writing instrument is used.
Conclusions about Pilot 100th Anniversary Ebisu ink
Pilot Ebisu ink is a fun shade of light blue reminiscent of a sparkling calm sea representing good fortune. All the characteristics of this 100th Anniversary ink are fantastic from its dry time and shading to its Iroshizuku bottle and packaging. The ink is a little more expensive than regular Pilot Iroshizuku ink but will not be around for long as it is a limited edition release. For exceptional good fortune, pick up all seven colors! Happy Writing (and Anniversary) from Japan!
Enter to Win
Enter to win the actual bottle of Pilot Ebisu Ink that Pen Chalet used in this week’s ink review:
