Butterfly Jun Mizutani

Composite/carbon 33 reviews

Blade description:

The Butterfly Jun Mizutani blade stands out as an exceptional choice for advanced table tennis players seeking a blend of speed, control, and spin. Composed of five plies—two layers of innovative ZL carbon and three layers of high-quality wood (limba and kiri)—this blade provides a unique playing experience characterized by its powerful catapult effect and excellent feel. Weighing approximately 88 grams with a thickness of 5.65 mm, it falls into the medium weight category, which many players appreciate for its balance and maneuverability.

The Jun Mizutani blade exhibits moderate stiffness and hardness, with ratings of 6 and 6.7 respectively, allowing for a certain level of flexibility that enhances its playability. This balance results in a longer dwell time, enabling players to generate impressive amounts of spin during loops and serves. Flexible enough for advanced looping, the blade also excels in blocking and direct shots, making it highly versatile across various playing styles. While its speed is rated at a notable 99, players have found it to be just shy of overly fast, providing a delightful control that assists in executing precise shots.

For those considering alternatives, blades like the Timo Boll ZLC or the Harimoto innerforce ZLC may come to mind, yet players often find the Jun Mizutani offers a softer touch and more finesse with their loops. As a result, this blade is highly recommended for two-winged loopers who appreciate a mix of power and control—a true masterpiece for anyone serious about their game.

Recent Reviews

#1 — October 2022

I’m reviewing this blade as a former Harimoto Innerforce ZLC user. This blade is said to be the middle ground among the five ZLC Brothers. It’s a bit faster than the Harimoto ZLC, but slower than the FZD and ZJK ZLC. Since I’ve never used the regular Innerforce ZLC, it’s not included in this comparison.

I paired it with an Hxer grip on the forehand (FH) and a RHYZEN 48 on the backhand (BH). It’s a decent setup, but I don’t think many people will enjoy it. I didn’t like it very much, so I gave it to a training buddy. I may adjust the phrasing slightly for clarity.

#2 — December 2020

I’m using Tenergy 80 for forehand and backhand with this blade, and it’s awesome. It offers full control; the speed and spin are good enough to win points. Looping is very consistent, strong, and powerful.

Update: I’ve since changed the rubbers for FH and BH to Xiom Vega Pro for FH and Rakza 7 for BH, and it’s amazing. Humblebear was right; it’s the perfect combo for me. After a week, it feels like a beast!

#3 — November 2019

My blade weighs 88g at a thickness of 5.65mm. Similar to the second edition Mizutani ZLC, it plays almost identically, except for a slight increase in speed. This blade is ideal for offensive play, providing excellent feel and control while still being fast enough to end points efficiently.

Despite its OFF speed rating, it borders on OFF+. A unique characteristic of this blade is its soft feel, with a lot of dwell time for a carbon blade attributed to the elastic zylon composition added by Butterfly. This allows for immense spin generation and a pleasing arc. The blade momentarily grips the ball, enabling precise placement and super spinny loops and underspin flicks.

While I also own the Super ZLC version, I prefer this blade as it feels more controllable on defense. It retains a similar playing style but is slower, slightly softer, and offers more control. Its speed is notable but not excessive, surpassing the Freitas ALC yet falling just short of the TB T5000 and MJ SZLC.

While the FL handle is smaller than I prefer, like the ZJK, the softer limba top veneer, as opposed to the koto used in the ZJK, makes this my current favorite blade.

To summarize my review: Speed=9.35; Control=9.5; Spin=9.5; Feel=9.5 (ideal, dwelly, precise, cushy); Flick=easy+; Flex=6.5; Hardness=4; Balance=good; FL grip=smaller; Dwell=exc; Smash, flat hit, block, and Drive=exc; Loop=exc; throw=avg; Serve=exc; Sweetspot=huge; touch shot=good; push=good+; Sound=loud pop; Overall=9.7.