Tips on Avoiding Bootlegs
Everyone wants cheap Sailormoon goods, but most of the time the cheap item you're buying ends up being an illegal bootleg of some sort. A bootleg is an illegal reproduction of an item, such as a CD, DVD, or even a book. Most people don't know they are purchasing bootlegs, but it is very common. When you purchase a bootleg item, you are giving your money to crooks and not the original creators of the anime. These companies make millions in reproducing these items and sell them at a low cost to entice consumers to buy the illegal copy. Unfortunately it is hard to tell if the item you are looking to buy is a bootleg or not. This is especially true when you go to a comic store because most stores carry the illegal copies. This guide will help you to identify these bootlegs and teach you how to avoid them.
1. First of all, check the price. If the CD usually goes for $50 and you found it for like $10 it's most likely a bootleg. It's rare to find a CD much less than the original purchase price. The same is true for the DVD’s. The Japanese DVD’s can go for around $60-$70, whereas the bootlegs can go for $20-$30. Look on eBay for these types of deals, but be careful; you get what you pay for.
2. If it's a CD, look at the serial code on the item. If it starts with something like "SMX-XXX, GA-XXX, GAME-XXX or GGG-XXX," it's going to be a Son May bootleg. Look for CD's that start with "COC, COD, FMCC, AA, AnG, etc..." When it comes to media items, check the quality of the pictures being used. Are they fuzzy? Are the images inconsistent with the season they are featuring? Are there different types of animes in the booklet? If you can say yes to any of these questions, you are dealing with an illegal copy. Some bootlegs can look really good, so make sure you look out for that serial code.
3. For DVD's, don't forget to check the languages. If it's a true product, it will only be in Japanese (if it was made in Japan). If you see an English/Chinese/Korean version, then it is not genuine. There are English adaptations of the anime ADV and DiC released but they would be in English or Japanese with English subtitles. Any other variation would be considered fake. While you're checking the language, make sure you check the region the DVD was made in. There are different regions for each part of the world. Region 1 is US and Region 2 is Japan. If your DVD says "All Regions" "Region Free" or anything like it, then you own an illegal copy. “Region Free” DVD's are usually poor in picture and sound quality. They may seem cheap, but they are definitely not worth your money.
4. Where are you buying your item from? Are you buying it from an authorized dealer like Amazon.co.jp or YesAsia.com? Or are you buying your item from eBay or any other auction website. If you're buying your item from places like Amazon, then don't worry; they are selling the real deal. However, if you buy your item from sites like eBay you are more likely to buy an illegal copy on accident. If you buy your goods from a comic store, don't feel shy to ask the clerk for genuine goods. Most employees know which ones are real and which ones are bootlegs. (They do understand the importance of having genuine items.) If you end up buying one, don't feel bad; just make sure you don't do it again. Basically the more bootlegs you buy, the more you're hurting the anime creators (Naoko Takeuichi) and the more you're helping and encouraging the bootleggers to create more crap. As always make sure you shop safe! Happy Hunting!