ZenPop Japanese Stationery Pack is a subscription box brought to you by ZenMarket filled with unique Japanese stationery and studying goods handpicked by their staff in Japan.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About ZenPop Stationery Pack
The Subscription Box: ZenPop Stationery Pack
The Cost: $29.50 a month with free international shipping. Save with longer commitments.
The Products: 12 or more cute and useful stationery items like pens, notebooks, stickers, and more.
Ships to: Worldwide
Good to know: Past boxes are sometimes still available via their marketplace.
ZenPop Stationery Pack July 2018 Review
The box includes a thank you note with a coupon code to use on their site.
I find ZenPop's info sheet to be really helpful since a lot of the packaging isn't in English. It gives you a rundown of each item, plus I was excited to see that this month's theme is "Japanese Characters"!
Uni POSCA Glitter Pen in Violet - Retail Value $3.50
While this is called a "glitter" pen, I find the ink to be more metallic than anything. I'd also call this more of a paint marker myself and I find it to write really smoothly with the ink flowing evenly for optimal ability. The great thing about this one is that it can write on metal, plastic, or glass and is also waterproof and light resistant! I have a writing sample below with the other utensils.
Shibanban Clip - Retail Value $2.99
Eeeeek! This Shiba Inu clip is so incredibly cute! One of the most popular of dog breeds in Japan, this golden Shiba Inu is named Shibanban and is a popular character on stamps or in the messaging app, Line, as well. You can use this hardy plastic clip to keep paperwork together or save a spot in your journal or planner.
Melon Kuma Puffy Stickers
If you are interested in Japanese culture, chances are you may know how much the country seems to love mascots. Each city has their own, but some are more widely popular than others. This brown bear sporting a melon on his head is Yubari City in Hokkaido's version and looks to be pretty terrifying in real mascot form, but a lot less intimidating in cartoon sticker form. Because they are known for their Yubari Melon, this makes a lot more sense. I can't help but giggle at Melon Kuma eating and expelling various things on this sticker sheet, all the while seemingly shouting about it.
Pompompurin Toast Eraser
Well, geez. I used to really love Pompompurin in my teen years so it's nice to see his familiar beret-wearing face. His likeness is adorably stamped onto an eraser that is made to look like toast, complete with being wrapped in a little plastic baggy and sealed with a twist tie. I couldn't bear to use this eraser, so I will keep it in a drawer to admire when I'm feeling sad.
Cute Panda Sticky Notes
Sticky notes are inevitable in stationery boxes. Some are larger for short notes, and some, like these, are smaller and best used for things like marking a page in a book you're reading or flagging important things. Pandas are probably in my top 5 most beloved animals, so I'm tickled pink to receive these cuties. There are 2 separate stacks of 20, so there's plenty to go around. Need something to cover the camera on your laptop but don't want to go full-sticker? These make a cute temporary privacy shield!
Sumikko Gurashi Washi Tape
Gahhhh. San-X is another of my favorite character designing companies (like Sanrio). The Sumikko Gurashi gang has stolen my heart over the last year but I don't recall ever getting washi tape with them on it. It's tough to even describe the cuteness of what is happening on this tape because I don't quite understand it myself, but it makes me happy and the pale colors are lovely and pleasing.
Rilakkuma Face Memo Pad - Retail Value $1.90
Each item seems to bring more joy! This is turning out to be quite the stationery pack this month! Rilakkuma, aka "Relax Bear" is another favorite character, but I feel like I'll just keep saying that in this review. This little memo pad has two different page designs to make a total of 100 pages you can use to jot down grocery or to do lists a-plenty. The plastic cover is embossed with some glitter accents to make it extra-special.
Gudetama Mini Pen
Another fave! Sheesh! Gudetama is a lazy egg and resonates with myself and a lot of my friends. There are 2 different variations of this dual-ink pen and I received the yellow one (as opposed to the white). There are 2 "arms" at the top of the pen that you depress to reveal either red or black ink to write with. Though it's just a simple ballpoint pen, it's extremely cute and well-designed. Very egg-cited to add this to my collection!
Zebra Hand Fit Mechanical Pencil - Retail Value $5.14
With all of the character cuteness this month, this mechanical pencil seems like a total flop. Sure, it has a clip and a soft rubber grip with a pleasing blue body, but it's tough to stand up against all the cuteness in the box, right? I do love mechanical pencils though, so this is still welcomed.
Gudetama Maruman Croquis Sketchbook - Estimated Retail Value $4.45
I've received this brand of sketchbook in the past and they are always really nicely done! I had no idea they did character collaborations, so it's quite a surprise to see our lazy egg friend grace the cover of the normally minimal brand. The cover is a kraft brown with yellow polka dots and images of Gudetama within the Croquis name on the front. Inside, there are crisp white pages bound together with a spiral binding that makes it easy to get creative.
Here are writing samples of everything from the box in the sketchbook!
BONUS: Pompompurin Handy Bags
The last item is a bonus item that was only included in the subscription, so if you bought it as a one-off, you won't receive it. The pack contains 5 plastic gift bags that are sort of an aqua-blue color and feature Pompompurin drawings in many different forms. These are perfect to give out little goodies to friends or family.
As always, the bottom of the inside of the box gives a big "Thank You".
Verdict: This has to be one of my favorite ZenPop Stationery Packs to date! There are always cute things included, but this month was an overload due to the "Japanese Characters" theme! Almost every item was dripping with cuteness from some of my favorite characters, as well as new ones. The washi tape and mini pen have to be a couple of my faves this time, along with the sketchbook and Shiba Inu clip.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You can still purchase this box for a one-time fee, but subscribe now to receive September as your first recurring box.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $29.50 + free shipping, which means that each of the 11 items in the box has an average cost of $2.68.
Check out all of our ZenPop Stationery Pack reviews and more stationery reviews in the Paper and Stationery Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Do you have a favorite Japanese character from this month's ZenPop Stationery Pack?!
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.