Sailor 9 - Leiji Matsumoto Limited Edition Fountain Pen

(Image - courtesy asiabeat.com)

A Tribute Pen to Leiji Matsumoto

"The future already exists in your heart and soul.  The dreams of young people are the future itself.  Don't underestimate youth, support it."

- Leiji Matsumoto

Brief Background
Fountain pen companies frequently release tribute pens in honour of someone or something of significance, importance or fame.  I have to admit though, tribute pens are not something that I would normally take an interest in.  I've often found they either: have quirks I find more distracting than functional; look odd due to the theme they are trying to emulate;  seem gimmicky (even tacky);  can be uncomfortable to use; and are accompanied by a hefty price boost.  In other words, they can be more cost for less pen.

Yet the exuberance of children can change all of that in a moment (or in a single gift as the case may be).   Recently my two young sons, who have an avid interest in sketching and animation, convinced my wife to buy me a new special fountain pen for my birthday; a pen they discovered while researching their hobby.  A pen developed in tribute of a Japanese manga artist they described as "genius".  I knew very little of the pen and its background until I received the gift and was then taken on full history lesson of the Leiji Matsumoto story by my young sons, including a few hours watching his work (film, TV, drawing lessons, etc).  And a very interesting story as it turned out to be.  

The pen was produced by Sailor to honour Mr Leiji Matsumoto.  Mr Matsumoto is perhaps best described as a creator - an anime film creator and magna artist.  He is famous, has been for decades, in anime circles both within and outside of Japan.  He is most recently noted for his work on several anime TV series and movies - Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999 and Space Battleship Yamato, if you want to see some of his work on these, click the following link Space Pirate Captain Harlock.  

Mr Matsumoto is an extremely talented artist and creator but he is also a man of great vision who enlightens his work with insightful philosophical values and personal scientific theories.  He is creative, talented and intelligent.  If you want to know a little more about one of Japan's most inspirational manga artists/creators - have a read of this short interview:  Interview with Mr Leiji Matsumoto  Mr Matsumoto is unique, hence the reason for Sailor agreeing to produce a limited edition pen in honour of him.  A truly worthy recipient.  The fountain pen is a limited edition release of 500.

The Package
The pen comes in a simple cardboard presentation box (something I found a little disappointing for a tribute pen, especially for the price, if the pen is designed to be kept by a collector it is a shame the box is not made of sturdier and higher quality material).  The box is interesting though in appearance and comes with Mr Matsumoto's signature on the surface (albeit a manufactured copy) in gold.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

The contents inside the box, though, are far more interesting and worthwhile than the simple cardboard exterior.  Surprisingly, the little blue box contains far more than just a fountain pen.

The little blue box, is like a mini Tardis with its plain, simple exterior belying the mysteries inside.  As Dr Who would say - "its bigger on the inside, that's all".



Anyway, what I'm trying to say is - while the box is small and uninspiring, the mini-me Tardis like box contains some delightful bonuses - in addition to the remarkable Sailor fountain pen.

First of all, there is a small pot of Sailor ink which has a sketch on the lid of Mr Matsumoto's main character from his TV series and film - Captain Harlock.   The sketch (and etching) is tastefully done, a very unique touch.  The ink in the pot is  a dark bluish black ink (again reminiscent of the universe we visualise beyond our world at night).  While the ink is a good match for the pen, its colour and properties also make it a good choice for any other pen.  It is a versatile colour, with good saturation and well behaved properties.  A wonderful ink in an even more wonderful pot, what more could you ask for?

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

Well, the lovely people at Sailor also include a leather pen holder and not just any pen holder.  A black leather holder on a neck cord that is crafted in the shape of a cutlass sheath, similar to the one carried by the main character Captain Harlock.  A clever and creative little touch.  But wait, there's more, there is also a signed card with one of Mr Matsumoto's sketches of another one of his classic characters, a pen cartridge, a pen converter and the usual information booklets.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

All the little bonus items add to the theme, character and intrigue of the Matsumoto tribute pen and somehow also seem to epitomise the clever creativity and intrigue of Mr Matsumoto himself.  A worthwhile addition to any pen collection, not just an anime fan collection.

The Pen
So what is the pen actually like?  Does it write well?  Is it uncomfortable or comfortable to use?  At first glance it appears to be the most uncomfortable looking pen you could design, but its not.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

Mr Matsumoto designed and tested the pen personally.  The design of the pen is based upon his space battleship - from his TV series (and later movie).  Sailor list the details of the pen here: Sailor 9 Pen Webpage . The pen is made with several fins protruding from the side of the  barrel, replicating the shape of his battleship design, and has a beautiful iridescent surface giving it a rich, deep, sparkling bluish black colour - reminiscent of the universe the ship travels through.  It captures and reflects the light beautifully, almost like the stars twinkling in the universe beyond us.  Another clever design touch.  The texture of the pen is also intriguing and hard to explain, it looks slippery but it has a responsive texture to the touch.  It is a pleasure to hold and write with.  The nib of the pen is made of 9 ct gold and has a small skull and crossbones (pirate theme) etched onto the surface.  The skull and crossbones is a typical signature mark of Mr Matsumoto.   Another deft little touch of creativity.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

The pen lid screws on and is made in similar fashion to the body of the pen.  It can be posted with ease and rests snug and tight without risk of damage to the pen.  When posted the pen remains well balanced and comfortable in the writing hand; testament to Mr Matsumoto's design skill.  The pen is an absolute pleasure to view and even more pleasurable to write with.  This surprised me considerably because the pen does not look as if it would be comfortable to hold.  The ridges running down the side and small size of the pen make it seem awkward to hold.  Yet somehow Mr Matsumoto has designed the ridges so that they fit perfectly into the crevices of the hand.  The pen is almost ergonimcally perfect - well weighted and balanced, smooth yet not slippery to hold, responsive and not the least bit tiring to write with.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

In Essence
It looks good.  It writes well.  It just seems to work overall.  Its not something I went looking for, it was a surprise gift, but it is something worth finding (or rather receiving).  If you stumble across one of these pens, take the time to have a closer look at it and write with it, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  Whether you know Mr Matsumoto and his work or not, this is a fountain pen worth owning for its quality of design, craftmanship and artistic interpretation.  Its a little piece of that blue yonder right there in your hand.  When you hold it, its essence may just invoke that elusive spark of writer's inspiration and creativity.  Thank you Mr Matsumoto (the genius), thank you Sailor, and a special thank you to my young sons and their dreams.

"What I want to convey to my readers and my peers around the world is that I want to live in a world where people understand one another and can live with one another."

- Leiji Matsumoto    

 I couldn't agree more Mr Matsumoto, understanding is the key to peace, may the pen lead the way...

Photo by Eclectic Psyche