The GSJ Bootleg Guide

[gsj_mods]

BEFORE YOU COMMENT - PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE GUIDE CAREFULLY!!!
Disclaimer: this guide does not say that all region 0 dvds are bootlegs!

It is against GSJ rules to sell bootlegs (illegal anime/manga/Japanese related goods). Sometimes, when you're new to the fandom, its difficult to spot them.

So here's a quick guide of things you should look out for.

Comments

[joyfuljewelz]

Dang... wish I'd looked at this sooner. I just bought like 4 bootlegged DVD seasons off of eBay from a Malaysian guy.
Guess I'll have to return them and get refunded.

[gsj_mods]

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply. I seem to have missed this ^^;;

If your trading cards were produced by an official company that has licensed the production of these goods, then it is ok. If your trading cards were not officially licensed, then they are bootlegs and you will need to removed prior to advertising to GSJ.

[pinni137]

May I just add, that a legit licensing company in Taiwan is Muse Communication Co., Ltd.
You can search it up on animenewsnetwork

[gsj_mods]

Thank you for your comment. The above examples are mainly for anime with English dub/sub tracks, but I will add Muse Comm to the anime merchandise section :)

[kanawanuyume]

I was wondering if the posters you can buy outside of concerts in Japan count as bootleg? Technically they are unofficial, but they are not from other countries, etc. so I wasn't sure.

Thanks!

[gsj_mods]

Do you mean from merchandise booths outside concerts?

[kanawanuyume]

Yeah, the ones you come across leaving concerts. Thanks!

[gsj_mods]

I can only speak from experience from concerts in my country. The merchandise booths outside of concerts are set up by the concert organisers therefore they sell official goods only.

[princewicca]

I was wondering whether you could help me with some items I recently got as a gift from a friend of mine:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/899/dsc01356ey.jpg
I've searched these on the myfigurecollection page, but as far as I can tell, they don't say a bootlegged vers. exists.....

And these, although I'd really wonder who'd have time enough to make bootlegs of gashapons XD:
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/2665/dsc01360m.jpg
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/5060/dsc01369we.jpg

Until now, all figures I'd put up for sale are bought at official stores/booths, but as I got these from someone else, who also doesn't know where they're originally from, I just want to be certain :P

[gsj_mods]

Is there any other reason why you would suspect that they may be bootlegs other than that you did not get them from an official store/booth?
As far as I know, for the KKM set, there are two similar versions (official) in existence - the one you have pictured which come in individual boxes and one that comes as a complete set. I have not seen any bootleg direct-copy versions. If they have a metal keyring on top of them, then I might think that they are bootlegs, but as far as I can tell from your picture they aren't.

The Hetalia ones also exist. I've seen someone selling them at GSJ.
http://myfigurecollection.net/item/29574_hetalia_axis_powers_france_mascot_key_chain_part_2
If they look poorly made, then maybe, but again, as far as I can tell from your pictures, they look legit.

[princewicca]

No, not particularly, but I just wanted to be certain, especially since my friend also couldn't remember where exactly he got them from, he did remember he got some of them through yahoo auctions for cheap though....And also because I'm not yet familiar enough to recognize bootlegs :( and I didn't want to get a warning or something like that -_-

But thank you for your help, it also helps me relax a little ^^ (and hopefully won't make me so anxious next time, thinking everything I don't get from official stores might be bootlegs :p)