Midori MD Note (Ruled, A5 Size)

I purchased this notebook in August 2020 to see if Midori paper could hold a candle to my long-standing favorite "high performance" writing paper, Tomoe River.  After two months with it, has it lived up to the challenge?  Find out below. 

Basic Info

• 88 Sheets / 176 Pages
• $12 / notebook (as of time of writing)
• Other formats: blank, grid, dot grid
• Includes 1 cloth ribbon (forest green)
• The "center line" of each page is bolded, dividing each page in half

Pros

• (Relatively) Cheap
• Good selection of formats
• The bolded center line is a unique feature
• The paper exhibits virtually no bleed-through and little feathering
• Ghosting is present, but was never intrusive or distracting for me

Cons

• To be frank, I just didn't enjoy the paper that much. 
• While it performs well in some ways, it seems to be coated (or is a much higher GSM than I'm used to).  As a result, the paper tends to exacerbate issues with badly-performing pens, low-flow pens, and pens with especially thick ink.   

Conclusion

I only have one major complaint with this notebook.  Unfortunately, that complaint is with the main function of the notebook: its paper.  The notebook works "well enough" for what it is, and it pairs well with other pen types (especially felt-tip pens).  With that said, the fact that I have access to a stockpile of Tomoe River notebooks means this product just can't compete.  Ultimately, despite the Midori's best efforts, Tomoe River still reigns supreme as my "fountain pen friendly" paper of choice.