The Deleter Black 4 Manga Ink lives up to its Extra Dark name and was the darkest of the inks tested (though not by much). The Black 1 and Black 2 were also very dark; while Black 1 dried faster, Black 2 was slightly darker and glossier. Black 2 is a more viscous ink that dries to an interesting raised texture when applied thickly with a nib, while Black 1 and 4 are thinner inks that dry a little flatter on the page.

Kaimei Drawing Pen Ink was also incredibly dark, and while it is not water-safe it is Copic-safe. It showed no lifting at all when erased and feels crisp and energetic to draw with. It is, however, slow to dry, so it’s not for those paranoid about smudging.

Dr. Ph. Martin's Black Star Hicarb India Ink is packed with carbon black pigment for a void-like finish with a tiny amount of gloss. We found it to lift slightly when applied with a brush, but lines made with a nib had no problem. While this ink smudges a little under alcohol-based markers, it’s perfectly water-safe. The neck of its bottle can be a little awkward to dip a nib into; put it in a different container, or use the included eyedropper to drip ink onto your nib instead.

The Kuretake Black Manga Ink lifted slightly more than the other darkest inks, but was still one of the darkest, both with a nib and a brush. It shrugs off water, but nib lines smear under Copics.

The Kaimei Drawing Pen Ink had a beautiful glossy finish on the paper we used. It’s reactive to water, but stays crisp under Copics. Note that it will be much less glossy if applied lightly with a brush. Erasing had no effect on the gloss finish.

Like on almost all of our glossy inks, on this ink a white gel pen “railroaded,” creating two thin, parallel lines instead of a solid one.

Deleter Black 2 Manga Ink had a wonderful gloss finish even when applied with a brush. It is also marker-safe, though erasing does dull the gloss finish somewhat. When writing or drawing, this ink has a slightly “sticky” feel to it. Nib lines dry a little raised from the page and can be felt with a fingertip.

In addition to being very dark, the Kuretake Black Manga Ink also had a beautiful gloss shine when it dried. Unlike the previous picks, it resists water and smudges under Copics. It also lifts a little more, though only when applied with a brush. Strangely enough, it didn’t give gel pens any trouble. Thick lines from a nib dry slightly raised.

The Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist Sumi Ink 60 is ultra glossy and resistant to lifting. Unlike the Kuretake Black Manga Ink, the Cartoonist Sumi Ink follows the common glossy ink pattern of being Copic-proof and vulnerable to water. It also writes a little “drier” than the Manga Ink and seemed more suited to fine lines, though it also actually dried a little more slowly. This ink also dries with a slight 3D texture on heavy nib lines.

Speedball Super Black India Ink had a deep black color with a beautiful matte finish, and was completely water- and Copic-proof. It also dried quickly and doesn't budge if erased. We find it to be a nice beginner ink.

Kaimei Black Manga Ink was a beautiful velvety black, highly resistant to water and completely resistant to Copic markers. Erasing has a slight effect on its finish, making it minutely more reflective. Erasing also lifted lightly applied ink. Drawing with this ink feels energetic and bold without sacrificing delicate fine detail, and thick nib lines dry with a faint raised, toothy texture.

Higgins Eternal Ink was slightly gray with a cool undertone, but was completely marker-safe and appeared slightly dappled when applied with a brush. It smears quite a lot under water, but lines stay legible, so you may find it can be used for fun ink wash effects. It lifts very slightly under erasing and, because it’s so reactive to water, it will tint water-based inks (like a white gel pen) a little gray when they’re applied over it. It’s a thin, smooth-writing ink that’s fun to draw with.

Dr. Ph. Martin's Black Star Matte India Ink dries to a flat black that’s about as dark as its Hicarb sibling. It also only lifts with thin application, and it’s resistant to both water-based and alcohol-based markers. One warning: if you heavily layer this ink or overlap lines, you may see a glimmer of shine.

In addition to its waterproof name, the Deleter Black 4 ink is also alcohol-marker-proof. The deep glossy black color is highly resistant to lifting from erasing, and dries fairly quickly. This ink was one of the top overall performers in all tests.

Kuretake ZIG Cartoonist Super Black Ink 60 is just as dark as Deleter Black 4 and totally nonreactive under water and Copics. It lifts only where thinly applied, though erasing also dulls its semi-gloss sheen. We found its dry time is a little faster than Deleter Black 4. While it’s very opaque with a dip pen, if you’re using a brush, it can start applying a little transparently—re-ink frequently if this would bother you. Dip pen lines dry slightly raised.

The J. Herbin Dip Pen India Ink performed admirably, with no smearing at all when water and markers were applied. While it lifted very slightly with vigorous erasing, the incredible deep black color and semi-gloss finish make it a personal favorite. Be sure to fully mix the ink before use—it’s prone to separating, and without mixing will apply dark gray and matte. When properly mixed, thick lines can have a subtle raised texture. We also found that heavy swaths of this ink dried with a slight mottled effect. If you dislike this effect, it can be mitigated with another coat of ink.

Higgins Black Magic Ink was the fastest drying of all of the Inks, and was dry almost immediately. Additionally, it is both water and marker-safe, and resists erasing very well. Unfortunately, it’s also a wet writer prone to feathering on many papers, and might be better described as “dark gray” than “black.”

Tachikawa Jet Black Ink dried in a flash. It’s also super dark and doesn’t budge under water or marker—this ink is the total package! It’s matte unless applied very thickly, and lifted only when very thinly applied. We’re especially fond of its wide-neck bottle, which is easy to dip a nib into and, since it’s made of heavy glass, comparatively difficult to knock over. However, we’ll caution that this bottle doesn’t hold very much ink, making this our most expensive recommendation when ranking price per milliliter. You may find that it’s worth it—this ink certainly feels fun and dynamic to draw with.

The Kuretake Black Manga Ink also dried quickly, with only minimal smearing after ten seconds and none after a minute. It has a deep glossy black finish and is completely waterproof. Brush application lifts noticeably after erasing, and nib application can be smudged by Copics.

The J. Herbin Dip Pen Authentic Ink is an Iron Gall ink, made with traditional methods that use iron shavings and plant galls. Because of its acidic nature is not an archival ink. When applied, the J. Herbin Authentic Ink creates a beautiful dappled effect along with interesting ghosting. It is a must-have for historical recreations and an amazing ink to work with. Be sure to use high-quality paper, as it likes to wick through fibers and bleed through the page.