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I normally use the Yasaka Alnado (Chinese penhold), and I demoed a friend's.
It's light and easy to flip around, and I think it also
suits long pips well.

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It pairs really well with short pips.
It's an easy blade to hit with, and it doesn't feel like a 7-ply at all in terms of usability.
The downside is that it's a bit heavy. Mine weighs 85g, so putting inverted rubber on both sides would be tough, I think.
That said, whatever inverted rubber you put on it grips well, so if you use a lighter rubber on the other side, it might just work out...

The grip is thinner than average, so opinions will probably be divided on it.
The blade face is average-sized and easy to switch directions with.
I'd recommend it for players who like to shake up their opponent with short shots rather than fight it out with topspin drives.

If I remember correctly, this used to sell for 5,800 yen.
At that old price it was an easy blade to recommend to beginners as a classic short-pips option, but...

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My first impression was that it's small and light.
The grip is on the thin side and the blade is small too, so it's light and easy to swing all the way through (mine weighed 75g).

Personally, what I liked was the feel of the hinoki wood.
Performance-wise, the speed and spin are neither great nor bad — pretty average.

It probably depends on the rubber you pair it with, but on the forehand my shots sometimes went flat and sailed straight with no arc.
The backhand, on the other hand, matched the rubber really well, control was great, and shots landed cleanly one after another.

Even though it's cheap, the quality is good, and since it uses rare hinoki wood, I'd say it's great value for money.

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It doesn't really have standout traits like extra bounce or flex that adds spin.

What stands out is the feel. It's clear, and only a little of the shock reaches your hand.
There's nothing unusual about it like you'd get from a special-material blade, which gives it a reassuring feel.
The wood is solid, so it doesn't get easily pushed back even by powerful shots.

Compared to other Chinese-style blades, this one is more compact, and the balance point doesn't shift too far toward the tip, making it easy to swing through.

It's hard to say this blade has any one specific weapon on its own, but it's very easy to get used to, and it's a good blade that lets the rubber's characteristics come through clearly.

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It's a really easy-to-use blade! It's easy to keep stable, and serves were easy to put out too!

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With flat hits you can get decent speed fairly easily, but on topspin drives the ball leaves the rubber a bit quickly, making it hard to grip the ball and drive it through with power.
If you prioritize spin and the short game, I'd recommend a tacky rubber; if you want to push forward with speed, a speed-oriented tension rubber like the V01 series is recommended.
Going spin-heavy made every technique feel half-baked and hard to handle.
It's a well-balanced blade, but I think you can bring out your own style through the rubber you choose.
If you like to spin the ball on short shots, V01 or a softer rubber suits you; if you're mainly a drive player who prioritizes spin, a tacky rubber fits well.
Personally, I'd recommend Hurricane 3.50 the most.
The short game stops dead where you want it, topspin drives have a high arc with plenty of spin, and blocks, counters, and short shots are all easy to pull off.
One thing though: the top ply of this blade is hinoki, so when you peel off the rubber, always do it slowly. Otherwise the wood is thin enough that it can peel away with it — especially if you're using OX rubber.

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