Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Tokyo; President: Junichi Fukushima) is launching a new line of writing pencils featuring trendy colors that appeal to children and make learning fun and an eraser specifically for elementary school students designed with various features to prevent breakage.This release expands the “ippo!” series of school stationery designed to support children as they take their first steps in learning.
“ippo!” Writing Pencils – New Designs
“Mermaid Gradation” and “Fairy Gradation”
The new designs are “ippo! Writing Pencils: Mermaid Gradation” and “ippo! Writing Pencils: Fairy Gradation.” Both are available in 2B grade: a dozen-box (12 pencils) price 792 JPY (720 JPY excluding tax), and a 3-pencil pack price 198 JPY (180 JPY excluding tax). Sales will roll out nationwide starting July 30th at stationery stores, stationery sections, and other retailers. (Stocking decisions are at the discretion of individual stores.)
“Mermaid Gradation” features a design centered on blue gradients evoking the ocean home of a mermaid, accented with pink hues reminiscent of seashells and coral.
“Fairy Gradation” employs a bright color palette—featuring yellow, yellow-green, and pink—inspired by the flowers and foliage of a forest where fairies dwell.
Both designs offer a fantastical aesthetic that feels like wandering into a dream.
“Writing Pencils: Fun”
“Writing Pencils: Fun” are pencils featuring trendy designs and colors that appeal to children. They also meet the requirements of schools that prefer non-character stationery. In addition to new patterns that use dramatic color gradients to evoke a story, the lineup includes sparkling metallic finishes and rainbow-like gradients to add a touch of color to the learning experience.
In addition to the “Fun” series mentioned above, our “Kakikata” (writing practice) pencil lineup includes two other varieties: “Natural,” which highlights the texture of the wood, and “Plain,” featuring simple designs in popular colors. You can choose the pencil that helps children feel positive about their writing.
https://www.tombow.com/products/ippo_kakikata_pencil/
Writing Pencils: Fun
“Mermaid Gradation” and “Fairy Gradation”
・Dozen Box: 2B / Hexagonal barrel / 12 pencils – 792 JPY (720 JPY excluding tax)
・3-Pencil Pack: 2B / Hexagonal barrel / 3 pencils – 198 JPY (180 JPY excluding tax)
“ippo! Break-Resistant Eraser,”
Erase cleanly and write smoothly. Create a study environment that sparks motivation.
The new product is the “ippo! Break-Resistant Eraser.” It comes in two colors: blue and purple. Price is 132 JPY (120 JPY excluding tax). Sales start on July 30th rolling out sequentially at stationery stores, stationery sections, and other retailers nationwide (availability at specific stores is at the discretion of the individual retailer).
This product was developed for smaller hands, based on the “MONO Tough” eraser (132 JPY; 77 JPY for size S) released in 2019—a model designed for students that is approximately eight times more break-resistant and features a design that prevents the eraser from digging into its sleeve. Enables smooth writing with “writing practice” pencils and thorough erasing with a break-resistant eraser, helping to create a study environment that fosters children’s motivation.
Key features are as follows:
(1) Eraser material itself is approximately eight times stronger than the standard “MONO PE” eraser (based on our company’s breakage strength tests). Designed to resist breaking or cracking, even when used by elementary school students who may lack experience in controlling the pressure or technique used for erasing.
(2) Offers excellent erasing performance, achieving an erasure rate of over 90%—a benchmark for high-quality erasing. It effectively removes marks made by soft, dark pencils (such as B or 2B grades).
(3) Features a patented “diagonal-cut sleeve” designed to prevent the eraser from digging into the paper or snapping. The sleeve’s alternating diagonal cuts on the front and back distribute the pressure applied to the eraser, further reducing the risk of breakage or cracking.
(4) Sleeve includes perforations for clean, easy trimming. When the eraser wears down and less of it is exposed, you can simply pinch and tear the sleeve along the perforations; no scissors or knives are required.
(5) Sleeve features a “wavy non-slip grip” surface for easy handling.
■ Do your erasers ever break, chip, or fall apart? (Response %)
| Often | Sometimes | Rarely | Never |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43.3 | 41.3 | 12.8 | 2.5 |
■ Does the paper sleeve of your eraser ever get tattered or fall apart? (Response %)
| Often | Sometimes | Rarely | Never |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54.1 | 33 | 10.7 | 2.3 |
Survey on Stationery Usage Among Elementary School Students
Target Audience: 1,200 parents/guardians of boys and girls in grades 1–6 at public elementary schools who use standard pencils, red pencils, blue pencils, red-blue pencils, colored pencils, and erasers.
Conducted: December 2024
“ippo! Break-Resistant Eraser,”
■ Price：¥132 (¥120 before tax)
■ Release date： July 30th, 2026
■ Colors：blue and purple
■ Size：26mm×11mm×40mm / 15g
■ Plastic eraser; phthalate-free
■ Compliant with the Act on Promoting Green Purchasing; “Green Tombow” certified product (paper sleeve contains 50% or more waste paper pulp and/or forest-certified pulp*
*Mass of paper sleeve
Single item: 132 JPY (120 JPY excluding tax)
Packaged item: 132 JPY (120 JPY excluding tax)
3-pack: 396 JPY (360 JPY excluding tax)
