Pentel Mattehop vs Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight: Which Gel Pen Line Should You Buy?

Introduction

Pigment gel pens that stay vibrant on both light and dark paper have become a favorite among journalers and artists, and two lines dominate that niche: the Pentel Mattehop gel pens and the Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight gel pens. They share a lot in common, but small differences in design, shade range, and writing behavior can make one a better fit for you than the other.

This comparison looks at packaging, tip sizes, ink performance, color selection, and pricing to help you decide which line deserves a spot on your desk.

Packaging and Design

The Pentel Mattehop pens come in a solid plastic body, with the barrel color matching the ink inside. A small but genuinely useful detail: the shade name is printed on the cap, so there is no guesswork when picking a color.

The Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight pens take the opposite approach, using a clear plastic body with color-coordinated caps. Instead of shade names, they use a number system, which means you may need to look up the actual shade name online when you want to identify a color.

Both approaches work, but if you value quickly identifying shades at a glance, the Pentel labeling gives it a practical edge.

Tip Sizes and Availability

Tip options differ noticeably between the two lines. The Pentel Mattehop is currently available only in a 1.0 mm size, while the Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight comes in both 0.6 mm and 1.0 mm sizes.

If you prefer finer lines for detailed work or small handwriting, Sakura’s 0.6 mm option is a clear advantage. If a 1.0 mm line width suits your style, both lines can deliver it.

Ink Performance and Paper Behavior

At their core, the inks are nearly identical. Both are pigment-based, water-based, and water resistant, and both show up vibrantly on light and dark paper.

On heavy paper such as 160 GSM stock like Archer and Olive or Notebook Therapy journals, there is no bleed-through or ghosting with either line. On thinner paper, you may experience bleed-through with both, so paper choice matters.

One detail worth knowing about the Pentel Mattehop: the ink looks slightly translucent when first written but becomes more opaque and vibrant as it dries. Also, writing speed matters. If you write too fast with the Pentel pens, they are easily prone to skipping, so a slower pace gives the best results. The Sakura pens do not have this issue and can be written with quickly without skipping.

Color Range and Shade Selection

This is where the biggest real difference lies. The Pentel Mattehop line offers 14 shades, built around standard classic primary and secondary colors.

The Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight line is much broader with 30 shades, spanning fluorescent and pastel shades, jewel tones, and grays. When swatching similar shades side by side, none of the colors matched exactly between the two lines, so the ranges are genuinely complementary rather than interchangeable.

If your work leans toward bold standard colors, Pentel covers the essentials. If you want fluorescent, pastel, muted, or gray tones for art and journaling, Sakura’s range is far more versatile.

Pricing

On average, the Pentel Mattehop pens retail for about $2 each, while the Sakura Moonlight pens go for about $1 each. That makes Sakura the more affordable option per pen, which adds up if you are building a full collection across 30 shades.

Which One Should You Buy?

Both pens write smoothly, and both inks dry down to a matte finish with beautifully vibrant, opaque shades. The main deciding factors come down to writing habit and shade preference.

Choose the Pentel Mattehop if you prefer a standard color range and do not mind writing a little more slowly to avoid skipping. Choose the Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight if you want fluorescent, pastel, gray, or muted tones, need a finer 0.6 mm tip, want to write quickly without skipping, or are watching your budget.

If color range is not a major factor for you, the Sakura Moonlight line is the slightly more affordable and more forgiving option of the two.

Conclusion

Ultimately, these two gel pen lines are very close in performance, with the inks drying to a matte finish in vibrant, opaque shades on light and dark paper. What it boils down to is shade selection: Pentel Mattehop for a classic color range with clearly labeled caps, Sakura Gelly Roll Moonlight for a wider, more adventurous palette at a lower price. Whichever you choose, you are unlikely to be disappointed.