Pentel Pocket Brush Pen

Yes — the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen uses replaceable ink cartridges, and Pentel also sells refillable ink converters that allow you to use bottled ink of your choice. Many artists prefer bottled ink for a wider range of ink types and colors, though the stock Pentel cartridges provide a reliable, consistent flow.

It is one of the most popular brush pens among manga and comic artists worldwide, prized for its synthetic fiber tip that produces a wide dynamic range from hairline strokes to broad fills. Artists including Jim Lee and many Japanese manga professionals have used it for inking, lettering, and gestural sketching.

The tip is made of synthetic nylon fibers rather than natural animal hair, which gives it greater durability and consistency while still mimicking the feel and responsiveness of a traditional Japanese sumi brush. Over time the tip will wear down with heavy use, but it holds its shape far longer than natural hair under similar pressure.

While a traditional sumi brush uses animal hair (typically goat, wolf, or horse) and requires dipping into an ink stone, the Pocket Brush Pen provides a self-contained, portable alternative with similar line variability and pressure sensitivity. The tradeoff is that the synthetic tip has a slightly firmer feel than the softest natural-hair brushes, and the ink flow is mechanically regulated rather than dependent on the artist's ink-loading technique.