Bootleg or legitimate?

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:51 pm

I was browsing a few yahoo japan auctions and found some that caught my eye...

Full stripped down Dragon Box sets with the discs in replacement cases. I didn't link to the auctions themselves for obvious reasons, but I snagged the pictures off them.

The "buy-it-nows" are ranging from 41,000-60,000 yen ($350-$500) which seems kind of fishy. Then again, these seem to be the discs alone without their original Dragon Box casing put into replacement cases. Maybe the seller is desperate or something...

Can anyone clarify what these actually are? I hope they're not dvd-shrinked bootleg copies.

It's kind of funny how people in Japan are selling the chinese bootlegs and FUNimation dvds in their own country.

BoxerGloves · Post by **BoxerGloves** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:53 pm

Well, it looks pretty legit to me.

DaemonCorps · Post by **DaemonCorps** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:12 pm

I do agree that one of the only logical explanations is that the seller is getting desperate. But putting the discs in different boxes seems a little fishy also.

My explanation is that the guy liked the original cases and wanted to keep them for himself, but is selling the actual copies of the discs and made copies of those discs for himself to keep. Then again, he could just be a dude who got them for a present and just didn't like them.

NOTE: Would you even be able to take the images from the D-Boxes and put them in DVD sleeves? I was under the impression that the sets were kinda like those Friends DVD sets that don't really have a cover that you could remove since they're technically part of the box.

That offer just seems too good to be legit, if you ask me

...

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:26 pm

DaemonCorps wrote:I do agree that one of the only logical explanations is that the seller is getting desperate. But putting the discs in different boxes seems a little fishy also.

My explanation is that the guy liked the original cases and wanted to keep them for himself, but is selling the actual copies of the discs and made copies of those discs for himself to keep. Then again, he could just be a dude who got them for a present and just didn't like them.

NOTE: Would you even be able to take the images from the D-Boxes and put them in DVD sleeves? I was under the impression that the sets were kinda like those Friends DVD sets that don't really have a cover that you could remove since they're technically part of the box.

That offer just seems too good to be legit, if you ask me ...

I've seen quite a few auctions that are selling the custom Dragon Box-esque cases alone. I guess some fans were really hardcore about making new cases for them.

theoriginalbilis · Post by **theoriginalbilis** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:11 pm

Looks damn sexy. But I decided that I'll forego any R2 DVDs, since FUNi's re-releasing DBZ in boxsets as well (THEY HAVE SUBTITLES!!)

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:20 pm

These auctions are ending soon (like in 1-2 days) and I don't get paid till the end of the month...

Then again, I'm not too sure I want to blow half a grand on DB stuff that might not even be legit.

Steven Perry · Post by **Steven Perry** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:28 pm

Castor Troy wrote:These auctions are ending soon (like in 1-2 days) and I don't get paid till the end of the month...

Then again, I'm not too sure I want to blow half a grand on DB stuff that might not even be legit.

Just to be on the safe side, don't do it.

Deus ex Machina · Post by **Deus ex Machina** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:31 pm

Or better yet, I'll buy the DragonBox myself and let you know if they were legite or not.

BoxerGloves · Post by **BoxerGloves** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:12 pm

Castor Troy wrote:These auctions are ending soon (like in 1-2 days) and I don't get paid till the end of the month...

Then again, I'm not too sure I want to blow half a grand on DB stuff that might not even be legit.

Hold up, since when did the Yahoo Japan auction sellers started offering shipping services outside pf Japan? For every single auction that I've ever checked out over there, none of the sellers offered international shipping. So, even if you do have your money ready, I doubt that you can get anyhting from there. Unless you've got someone in Japan who's willing to be your middleman for the transaction or you're somehow able to convince the seller to ship your items to U.S, I highly doubt that you (or anyone who lives outside of Japan) can get anything from Yahoo Auctions.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:37 pm

Owning the GT and Movies sets, I can say they look rather legit. The seller probably wanted to make it easier on shipping since the bulk of the books and cases would make the package heavier than standard DVD cases.

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:44 pm

BoxerGloves wrote:
Castor Troy wrote:These auctions are ending soon (like in 1-2 days) and I don't get paid till the end of the month...

Then again, I'm not too sure I want to blow half a grand on DB stuff that might not even be legit.
Hold up, since when did the Yahoo Japan auction sellers started offering shipping services outside pf Japan? For every single auction that I've ever checked out over there, none of the sellers offered international shipping. So, even if you do have your money ready, I doubt that you can get anyhting from there. Unless you've got someone in Japan who's willing to be your middleman for the transaction or you're somehow able to convince the seller to ship your items to U.S, I highly doubt that you (or anyone who lives outside of Japan) can get anything from Yahoo Auctions.

I'm considering using Celga.

I emailed them last night and they got back to me pretty fast. I've also heard a lot of good things about them although they tend to charge a lot for shipping fees and you have to wait at least 17 days or so before they ship stuff out to you.

Blitzen · Post by **Blitzen** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:58 pm

Just adding my two cents here, but if you have to ask, then it's probably not worth taking the risk on. Still, it's very convincing, but I'd not deal with it if I were you (some of the attractiveness of the Dragonboxes were that they were in such special packaging. That and seriously, if you add up the approx RRP of all of these discs boxes, you come up with around 40,000 yen. Why would he sell them for a TENTH of their initial worth, even considering Japan's collectors market stance on used copies? It's just a tad bit insane).

Subsequently, someone mentioned hand-made Dragonbox cases? Care to link?

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:13 pm

Why sell them at that price? Because they don't appear to include any of the original packaging or special goodies, that's why.

Blitzen · Post by **Blitzen** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:30 pm

Tsukento wrote:Why sell them at that price? Because they don't appear to include any of the original packaging or special goodies, that's why.

Yes, but as I said, this is a considerably diminished price. Packaging is nice and all, but the actual discs, if legitimate, are still worth something. Infact, moreso than the boxes or packaging themselves.

The Japanese are very capable of bootlegs

Blastero · Post by **Blastero** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:37 pm

Do not buy those. I got ripped off by a similar auction on Yahoo Japan. The person was selling the discs without the cases, in sleeves.

I can tell you right now there is a very, very good chance those are DVD-Rs or something. Those kinds of auctions seem to be terribly, terribly abundant on Yahoo Japan. I wouldn't buy anything without the original box and cases on Yahoo Japan.