KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro Mechanical Pencil Review

Out of all the different feels stationery provides, there is nothing I like more than how a quality mechanical pencil feels in hand when writing. Yes, it’s little weird to kick off a product review like that, but I know I’m not alone in having an outsized love for the tactile aspect of the products we use every day.

I knew the KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro Mechanical Pencil was special when I first picked it up, simply because of how it felt in my hand. We will get into more of the “why” in a minute, but first, who are KAYOU+?

Founded in 2025, KAYOU+ are the Japanese subsidiary of the Chinese company Kayou, who are one of the world’s leading card game and collectibles companies. It’s an interesting offshoot, but if what I’ve seen so far is the result, I’m here for it.

KAYOU+ products began showing up in my feeds last year, and I was immediately intrigued by what they were making. Mechanical pencils seemed to be at the forefront, and they offer a few pens as well. I didn’t rush out to purchase anything at first, but having products on my radar early helps when I come across them in the wild. That’s exactly what happened at Stationery Fest this Summer.

It wasn’t necessarily like finding a needle in a haystack, but coming across the Aimvision Pro at the Hachimojiya tables was a pleasant surprise. I was stopping by their table anyway, but upon seeing this pencil I knew what I was coming away with.

There are three colors of the Aimvision Pro - Meteor Black, Snow White, and Titanium Gold - but there was only one choice for me. White barrels are a favorite of mine, and with everything the Aimvision Pro has going on, I think it looks the best.

Who did it better: Rotring 600, or KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro?

Those goings on? Let’s list them. This is a machined Brass barrel, with a knurled grip. On top of the grip are rubberized ridges for added control. The grip is heavier than the barrel, giving the pencil the forward weighting I want in an engineering-style pencil. There is a rotating lead grade dial with a satisfying click when turned (only in one direction,) a knurled edge on the eraser cap for easy gripping, and a short clip to stay out of the way more than a traditional length clip.

With all of that listed out, the next question is does all of it work together? For the most part, yes.

What I’ve found interesting so far is the “short clip that stays out of the way” is just as in the way as any other clip on any other mechanical pencil. When writing in pencil - with the exception of the uniball Kuru Toga (and still even then if I’m being honest,) - you rotate the barrel in your hand to find the sharp edge of the graphite. Pencil clips are always in the way because of that, and with this one, the leading edge hits my hand. I think the clip is a cool design element and thought it wouldn’t be any different than any other pencil clip. It’s no better, and might be worse.

The other concern I have are the rubber strips on the grip section, and how they will handle usage and time. I enjoy its current state, but I’ll have to check in over the months and years to come.

Any small annoyances you can find in a product like the Aimvision Pro are exacerbated when you tie in the cost. This is one of the most expensive mechanical pencils I’ve bought at around $60. I say “around” because I bought it in person from Hachimonjiya at Stationery Fest and I was thinking it was marked at $58. Looking at the pencil on Hachimojiya’s website (based in Japan,) it is listed at $68. In the US, Yoseka has it listed for $80. Regardless of my memory, or where you acquire it, it is a pricy one.

And I still really like it.

It goes back to what I mentioned up top: the Aimvision Pro just feels good. It is a rock in the hand, and firm when writing. That’s what I’m looking for in any engineering style mechanical pencil. And despite some minor concern with the clip and grip, I think it is Top 10 material in my personal rankings. That’s something I can look into soon, and see what changes need to be made.

Until then, the KAYOU+ Aimvision Pro will be within arms reach or in use for the foreseeable future.

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Pilot AIRSTEP Mechanical Pencil Review

The Pilot AIRSTEP was launched in 2025 as feature-rich, low-cost option to their already busy mechanical pencil lineup. On top of that, it got its own character to help push the product, with AIRSTEPPY taking a leading role on the barrel, and on the packaging. And, AIRSTEPPY even has its own online game you can play, named AIRSTEP RUN!

We spent several podcast episodes discussing this unique character, designed to soften our graphite filled hearts. But one question remained about the AIRSTEP: is it any good?

I’ve spent some time with it recently, and my answer is the ever-helpful “it depends.” That’s truly the case with the AIRSTEP, because it is not for me, but it might be for you.

AIRSTEPPY hanging out near the clip and eraser. The eraser cap does have a notch you need to line up with the clip to snap back in place.

On the Pro side of the ledger, I love the barrel shape and construction. It is a plastic barrel with a rubberized grip section, and is comfortable to hold and write with. The plastic clip is solid - and also doubles as a knock - and I like the capped eraser design, as opposed to an exposed eraser. It all fits in well with the build.

I also like the nose cone with a couple of short step downs. The aesthetic is nice, and, as a bonus, the lead pipe is fully retractable when using the clip click mechanism to return it to the inside of the cone when you are done writing.

Pipe, retracted.

That’s a solid list of likes, but one dislike overwrites all of that. Unfortunately for me, that dislike - the tip press to advance lead mechanism - goes against how I like to use mechanical pencils.

How it works is this: you use the graphite all the way from a fresh click down to the edge of the pipe, and then you “press” the pipe into the page to extend the lead around one click’s worth, and keep writing. It works, but I don’t want to do that.

I’m very particular with all of the feelings and techniques when writing, and choosing to use this type of lead advancement feature breaks my brain. Do I press down on a blank spot on the page and leave a mark behind? Do I use a scrap sheet of paper laying on my desk? Or, do I do what I ended up doing, which is press down on a mark I already made from the previous sentence?

Am I overthinking this? Absolutely, but it obsessed me. Just give me a traditional click, which, fortunately, the AIRSTEP has with the clip.

Another issue this type of mechanism brings to the page, along with other pencils that use an auto-advance type of mechanism, is that the feel when writing is softer. It’s not drastic, but when compared to the rigid feel of a fixed front end - like with the Pentel Sharp series - I notice it. It’s softer to write with by the tiniest of fractions, and combined with the soft graphite Pilot uses as their default, it’s too soft for me. I imagine others may not notice, or be bothered, by this.

Ketchup packet.

So where does this leave me, and my good buddy AIRSTEPPY? We can be friends, but nothing more. I love the storytelling Pilot has done here, which is why I wanted this pencil in the first place. The character is silly in all the right ways, and Pilot leaned into it with games and stickers and logos. The first limited editions, Ketchup and Mustard, are exactly what I want to see. At $6.50, the price is great, and certainly worth taking a shot if you can work with the mechanism.

Stickers!

For me, I’ll likely file this one away and go back to a more fixed style of pencil. That is unless Pilot releases “Pickle” next, and then all bets are off.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Oh don’t do that little buddy!

Uni Kuru Toga Metal Mechanical Pencil Review

When I review a new color or style of a product that I’ve already reviewed many times, I am looking to answer two things: 1. Has anything about the core feature changed, and 2. Why would I choose this model over any other within the same series of products?

In the case of the Uni Kuru Toga Metal Mechanical Pencil, the mechanism is the core feature, with its auto-rotation lead system, and this model is the premium barrel Metal version, in this case a brilliant Orange.

The best thing I can say about the Kuru Toga mechanism is that it works. When first introduced 18 years ago, I had my doubts. But what Uni built and executed was nothing short of game-changing for the mechanical pencil industry. All these years on it has proven to be a rock-solid technology, establishing itself as one of the best mechanical pencils on the market.

With a known winner on their hands, Uni has since branched out with all shapes and sizes of mechanical pencils with the Kuru Toga mechanism inside. From its basic plastic barrel beginnings, to the behemoth that is the Kuru Toga Dive, Uni leaned in to this product in a big way. And I love them for that.

The Kuru Toga Dive is … something.

While the “best” Kuru Toga is up for debate, I’ve always recommended the Standard or the Roulette for anyone looking to give one a try. The former being the basic plastic barrel entry-level Kuru Toga, and the latter a step up from there with a metal knurled grip and a more classic engineering-style barrel design.

Given those basics, and amongst the wide range of available choices, where does the Metal fit? For starters, its difference lies in the name. The full metal barrel aluminum barrel comes in four anodized colors, with faint grooves throughout the barrel, and more pronounced grooves in the grip section.

The design is stunning, but I find grip section slippery. The micro grooves work against each other in this area because they are too close together, essentially giving the feeling of a smooth metal grip. That can work, but not well with dry fingers. Your mileage may vary, but I want my grip to lock in more than that.

Locking in with the Kuru Toga is important, because to get the full benefit of the mechanism, you don’t want to rotate the pencil in your hands. The pencil does all the work as you write, and you can verify that it is working by the porthole in the barrel that changes from orange to white as you write.

My personal favorite, the Wood model, compared to the Metal.

Lastly, Uni is doing Uni things with the Metal by slapping a Limited Edition tag on this series. They have been reasonably available so far, but do come with a premium $36 price tag. That’s still $10 cheaper than my favorite, the Kuru Toga Wood, but if you want to try the Kuru Toga experience for the first time I would still recommend the $5 Standard or $13 Roulette, both of which give you the full experience at a fraction of the price.

Despite the premium, I do like seeing Uni continue to experiment with this series. Some newer models have an auto-advancing lead system alongside the rotation, and others, like the Metal, have a nib damper that mitigates tip wobble. And the Dive? Well who knows what the Dive is, but I’m glad it exists. Now if they would just make more of them!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!