Mitsubishi Pencil K55602B Uni Palette 2B Pastel Blue 1 Dozen

I compared this Mitsubishi Uni 4B pencil to the Tombow Mono 4B and the Aspara Platinum extra dark.The lead diameter and color was the same for all 3. However, the Mitsubishi was a little darker and the Aspara looked shinier. The Mitsubishi did not have a cap on either end.The darkest lead when writing was the Mitsubishi Uni. Next was the Tombow Mono. The lightest (and hardest) lead was the Aspara Platinum.In terms of writing experience, the Tombow Mono was the smoothest. The Mitsubishi had the feeling of filling in the paper with the graphite. So, a little more friction and filling. The Apsara was smooth and marking lightly.I was worried that 4B might be too soft. All 3 pencils are easy to sharpen.The Tombow Mono was the quickest for filing a square with graphite. The Mitsubishi took a little more effort to fill. The Aspara seems to have the hardest lead. It took the longest to fill.The Mitsubishi smeared a little less than the Tombow. The Aspara smeared the least.The Mitsubishi and Tombow were difficult to erase and left significant ghosting from writing. The graphite smears removed the most cleanly with the Tombow.Based on this assessment, here are my thoughts:Tombow Mono - Best for cursive writing and fill for drawingMitsubishi Uni - Best for writing in manuscript or large writing where bold and deep will look betterAspara Platinum - Best for writing small or drawing in details.Of the three, my least favorite is the Aspara Platinum. For a pencil that lists itself as “Extra Dark” for good handwriting, I don’t find it to be the dark and smooth writing experience that I am looking for. As I like pencils that are both smooth and dark, it was difficult to decide between the Mitsubishi and the Tombow. I do like the fact that the Mitsubishi writes a little darker. If I am writing a chart or populating a table, I will pick up the Mitsubishi. However, I’ve decided that the best one for my purposes overall is the Tombow Mono, as I am mostly using pencils to write notes.

Smooth & dark, 2B leaves a very little ghosting after erasing but a joy to write with!

The uniPalette pencil is the best -- HB hardness, long-lasting, sharpens easily, perfect for serious pencil users!

Any student level uni pencil will outperform some of your favorite professional pencils. Their graphite is smooth and dark/ for this price don’t hesitate. Some of my favorite sketching pencils

These write SOOOOOO nice. I'd love the lavender ones as well. In fact, I'd love a day in a Japanese store full of great pencils like these. They write smooth and dark and are a pleasure to use.

You never go wrong with Japanese made Mitsubishi pencils. They sharpen well and lay down a nice line.

great addition to drawing kit. great colors for keeping them unique for easier picking from the pile

Smooth and dark lead, easy to sharpen.Blackwings in my opinion are overpriced though their eraser is very cool and the graphite ultra black. This Hi Uni and other Mitsubishi, Tombow, and Kitaboshi pencils are excellent quality for less money overall.The Palettes are a tad less waxy/creamy feeling on the paper than a Blackwing, but still with a nicely dark graphite and smooth progress on the paper. The Palettes are also beautifully finished. They are very lightweight- great for students who may have to write a lot- also suitable for quick sketches. Students may find the lack of eraser a minus but separate erasers tend to work better anyway.