The Marvy Le Pen is one of my favorite non-fountain pens. It’s a smooth writing, slim pen that makes for a great every day carry.
When I want to switch things up from the fountain pens, this is one of the pens I’m most likely to reach for. I’ve never felt much connection to a ball-point pen. Rollerball pens can be lovely, but still lack character on the page. These plastic tipped marker pens, however, feel a bit more expressive. Let’s take a closer look at the Marvy LePen.
The good
- Super slim and lightweight, great for long form writing
- Plastic tip is precise and fun
- Smooth writing experience
- Available in many great colors
- Fast drying ink
- Super affordable
The less good
- The tip can sometimes skip a bit on smooth FP friendly paper
- May be too slim for some preferences
Marvy Le Pen — In the hand
When I first saw the Marvy Le Pen in person, I thought there was no way I’d like such a slim pen. It’s seriously thin. However, it’s also quite long and posts well, too. For whatever reason, I don’t have much issue writing with it. It feels about how I remember a regular #2 pencil feeling back in my school days. It surprised me that I don’t mind that as I have found I generally prefer pens the size of the Preppy or larger.
I don’t mind writing long journal entries with it. It’s small size and light weight makes it controllable and precise as well. It’s worth noting that if you grip pens close to the tip, the Le Pen may not be your favorite. It tapers down to a metal nose holding the plastic tip quite steeply. There isn’t much to grip below the body of the pen.
One of the cool design elements of the Le Pen is that the body is color-matched to the ink color. Mine is in Oriental Blue. While we’re talking design, it is a sleek looking pen. The clip on the cap is a pretty thin metal, but it’s pretty easy to get on and off of shirts and notebooks. However, I would be careful on thicker materials to avoid springing the clip. I could see it being easy to bend in the wrong situation.
Writing with the Marvy Le Pen
Writing with the Marvy Le Pen is where it really stands out from other inexpensive pens. The plastic tip allows for a bit of expression to show through in the writing. Not majorly (they do have a flex version for that), but enough to make it fun. The pen glides across paper quite smoothly, too. It’s kind of the perfect middle ground between a felt tipped pen and a rollerball. Smooth like the roller and inky goodness like the felt.
As for the ink, I really like it. The Oriental Blue color I have is a fairly unique blue. It’s hard to describe, but my attempt is that it’s almost a navy blue and teal crossover. In terms of characteristics, it’s a fast dryer (no smudges from this lefty!), maybe shades a teeny tiny bit, and doesn’t really feather or spread on any of the papers I have tried it on. Overall, it’s an easy pen to enjoy. The simple reliability of a ballpoint, but with a lot more fun.
A great every day pen
Overall, the Marvy Uchida Le Pen is a writing utensil that I highly recommend trying out. Also, you can generally pick one up for a couple of dollars, so even if you’re not as big of a fan as I am, why not? I’d never buy another boring standard “office supply” pen over something like this if given the choice. The characteristics of the plastic tip, sleek design, and great ink make it a whole lot more fun. What’s not to enjoy?
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