AnimeSuki Forums

jc1104 · 2004-07-01, 13:10

Is there such a thing? I've bought some OST's but I don't know if they are bootleg now since I've just read about bootlegs. I did a search on this forum and I haven't found a thread on this so I created one.

Anyways, is there a way to check? Thanks =)

DarkCntry · 2004-07-01, 13:56

Yes, there are bootlegged CDs like there are Anime bootlegs...Basically they are collections of songs or a reproduction of a CD, sold just like anime bootlegs.

It's hard to determine the validity of these Discs as they aren't regionally encoded like DVDs but a good way is to look at the CD itself and the Art that accompanies it, if they vary from the 'official' releases, it's a pretty good sign.

user6177 · 2004-07-01, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkCntry

It's hard to determine the validity of these Discs as they aren't regionally encoded like DVDs but a good way is to look at the CD itself and the Art that accompanies it, if they vary from the 'official' releases, it's a pretty good sign.

EverAnime and SonMay are bootleggers, aren't they?

microlith · 2004-07-01, 14:35

An easy way to tell if a CD is bootleg is by the company name and the price.

Anything sold by Son-May and EverAnime is bootleg. No question. There are a few other companies that sell bootlegs. They're easy to avoid though, simply shop at reputable places and don't buy stuff off eBay unless you can confirm they're legit.

I recommend amazon.co.jp, cdjapan.co.jp for Japanese CD purchases.

Also, if a CD costs less than 2000 yen (about $20 US,) it's either
- used, which is unlikely
- a single, which will only have 3-4 songs on it
- a bootleg

Compilation CDs are good signs of bootlegs. Discs with OP songs from multiple series produced by different companies, or with artists from multiple labels are always bootlegs.

Japanese CDs are very high priced at about 2500-3000yen for a new CD and the prices on new CDs usually doesn't ever drop for 1-2 years after release or longer (since the companies selling the CDs get to decide this.) Used discs can go really cheap (I picked up several albums in Japan for 100-1000yen) but I don't know of any retailers online that sell used discs at those prices.

bubblehead · 2004-07-01, 18:58

Another bootleg CD maker, apparently, is Smile Face International. I didn't realize I was getting a bootleg (because I didn't know about them at the time), but now it's obvious. Too cheap, poor quality printing, funny English, no actual copyright info, known bootlegger, made in Taiwan. Of course, I couldn't check any of this on the internet; the infomation wasn't given.

one way to check is the contact information, if any (it's unlikely any real company would use a yahoo account for instance). Also, the printing quality may be low. Still, it's hard to check online for CDs, so I'd just (as monolith said) avoid buying online unless you know it's legit.

amazon.com has some imports, of course, but don't buy via their auctions or zShops (I got a bootleg CD unintentionally from a zShop once and found out much later). animenation.com has legit imports as well (according to what I've heard, and certainly their prices are high enough). The only place I've bought an import OST since finding out about bootlegs is the Fanime Con dealers room, where they have an anti-bootleg policy. Not all conventions do, apparently, or at any rate, people have reported seeing obvious bootleg DVDs (such as those all-too-common Naruto boxsets) in dealers rooms at conventions. Most major retailers should be okay, though expensive, I should think.

check here for general info on avoiding bootlegs

I also have a funny story to tell. I was looking on eBay, and I saw an item (I believe it was a set of Chobits DVDs) which said it was (I kid you not) a "high quality HK bootleg" with "good sound and subtitle". Did they know what they were saying?!?
...of course, I didn't buy it.

jc1104 · 2004-07-02, 23:28

Thank you all very much =) After I learned about DVD bootlegs, I was in a comic store, anime store, etc, and I noticed a lot of the anime were bootlegs, just by looking at the MPEG-2 and MEPG-2. It's funny how they miss that >.< I think I bought some of my OSTs from animecastle.com, and another place, but I forgot.. when they came, they had taiwan on the back or something.. oh well, already bought it, but I get to know more about how bootlegs work, thanks!

Tsubomi Koneko · 2004-07-03, 01:58

Yeah a lot of online anime stores like AnimeCastle and such sell bootlegs, it sucks but it's just the way it is.

It's very rare to get a legitimate anime CD online unless it's from an actual Japanese company, then you're paying tons for the CD and tons for shipping.

http://jungle-scs.co.jp/en/index.htm

Anime Jungle is a very good place to get legitimate CDs for reletively cheap if you don't mind them being used.

And their being used doesn't mean they aren't in good condition. Every single CD single I have bought from them (which were used) were in perfect condition. I actually e-mailed them the first time I ordered from them to make sure the singles were in fact used instead of brand new!

Their prices are in yen but you can use an exchange rate converter to figure things out pretty easily. And if something is wrong with the CD they have it listed in the info beside the listing such as if the obi is missing, if the lyrics are missing, etc.

http://jungle-scs.co.jp/cgi-bin/cart_e.cgi

More specifically for their search engine. You can either type in the name of something you may want, check what is recently stocked with the last scroll down box or check all their CDs with the format box by scrolling down to the 'CD' option. (They also let you check for CDS singles which are the 3 inch ones, any others will show up in the normal CD section.)

jc1104 · 2004-07-03, 20:11

... oh, i thought animecastle was a legit place to buy animes and cds.. oh well, I just found out that my OST's said EverAnime on them.. sigh =/ Oh well, what bought is bought. And, I was always wondering why there was chinese on the back, when I first got my shipment. I also noticed the taiwan part.. but I disregarded because I never had bootleg information.

DarkCntry · 2004-07-03, 20:50

On the upside of bootlegged music, it's much rarer to get a lower quality than the legit version...unlike bootlegged anime...The only thing that I've noticed that could be lower quality in a lot of the bootlegged CDs is the artwork/insert...sometimes it's no different than the legit release and then you sometimes get lucky and find that it's a better release than the original.

But meh, a bootleg is a bootleg...

JubeiYamazaki · 2004-07-03, 23:11

Speaking of SonMay I bought Macross 7: English Fire!! Fire Bomber American (a bunch of Fire Bomber tracks in english) before I knew they were bootlegs, but I was wondering is there a legit company that even released this CD? I found a few sites that sell the CD, but no word as who published it. (Yes, the CD is decent, even though some voices don't fit the same songs, its still nice.)

Mr_Paper · 2004-07-03, 23:36

@JubeiYamazaki - http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VICL-60146

Released by Victor Entertainment in 1998.

You know... probably the best place to get anime OSTs and single is places like CDJapan. If it's still in print they have it, you can special order and even pre-order discs. They even send out newsletters every week listing upcoming releases.

jc1104 · 2004-07-04, 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_Paper

@JubeiYamazaki - http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VICL-60146

Released by Victor Entertainment in 1998.

You know... probably the best place to get anime OSTs and single is places like CDJapan. If it's still in print they have it, you can special order and even pre-order discs. They even send out newsletters every week listing upcoming releases.

Thanks very much, I like that site a lot =)

llama · 2004-07-13, 11:27

Ever Anime is bootleg???!!! Aw crap...

jc1104 · 2004-07-19, 03:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by llama

Ever Anime is bootleg???!!! Aw crap...

Lol, I know how you feel. I felt the same way after I saw that name and the name behind my CDs >.<

llama · 2004-07-19, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc1104

Lol, I know how you feel. I felt the same way after I saw that name and the name behind my CDs >.<

Good. We can sympathize , my friend. :: pats jc1104 on the shoulder:: We shall curse our bootlegged music together!

(Wow...I seem to be in a really goofy mood today...)

2004-07-01, 13:10	Link #1
jc1104 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Francisco, California Age: 38	Bootleg music? Is there such a thing? I've bought some OST's but I don't know if they are bootleg now since I've just read about bootlegs. I did a search on this forum and I haven't found a thread on this so I created one. Anyways, is there a way to check? Thanks =)

2004-07-01, 13:56	Link #2
DarkCntry Blue Dawn Join Date: Jun 2004 Age: 44	Yes, there are bootlegged CDs like there are Anime bootlegs...Basically they are collections of songs or a reproduction of a CD, sold just like anime bootlegs. It's hard to determine the validity of these Discs as they aren't regionally encoded like DVDs but a good way is to look at the CD itself and the Art that accompanies it, if they vary from the 'official' releases, it's a pretty good sign.

2004-07-01, 14:35	Link #4
microlith Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Folsom, CA Age: 41	An easy way to tell if a CD is bootleg is by the company name and the price. Anything sold by Son-May and EverAnime is bootleg. No question. There are a few other companies that sell bootlegs. They're easy to avoid though, simply shop at reputable places and don't buy stuff off eBay unless you can confirm they're legit. I recommend amazon.co.jp, cdjapan.co.jp for Japanese CD purchases. Also, if a CD costs less than 2000 yen (about $20 US,) it's either - used, which is unlikely - a single, which will only have 3-4 songs on it - a bootleg Compilation CDs are good signs of bootlegs. Discs with OP songs from multiple series produced by different companies, or with artists from multiple labels are always bootlegs. Japanese CDs are very high priced at about 2500-3000yen for a new CD and the prices on new CDs usually doesn't ever drop for 1-2 years after release or longer (since the companies selling the CDs get to decide this.) Used discs can go really cheap (I picked up several albums in Japan for 100-1000yen) but I don't know of any retailers online that sell used discs at those prices.

2004-07-01, 18:58	Link #5
bubblehead Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Age: 36	Another bootleg CD maker, apparently, is Smile Face International. I didn't realize I was getting a bootleg (because I didn't know about them at the time), but now it's obvious. Too cheap, poor quality printing, funny English, no actual copyright info, known bootlegger, made in Taiwan. Of course, I couldn't check any of this on the internet; the infomation wasn't given. one way to check is the contact information, if any (it's unlikely any real company would use a yahoo account for instance). Also, the printing quality may be low. Still, it's hard to check online for CDs, so I'd just (as monolith said) avoid buying online unless you know it's legit. amazon.com has some imports, of course, but don't buy via their auctions or zShops (I got a bootleg CD unintentionally from a zShop once and found out much later). animenation.com has legit imports as well (according to what I've heard, and certainly their prices are high enough). The only place I've bought an import OST since finding out about bootlegs is the Fanime Con dealers room, where they have an anti-bootleg policy. Not all conventions do, apparently, or at any rate, people have reported seeing obvious bootleg DVDs (such as those all-too-common Naruto boxsets) in dealers rooms at conventions. Most major retailers should be okay, though expensive, I should think. check here for general info on avoiding bootlegs I also have a funny story to tell. I was looking on eBay, and I saw an item (I believe it was a set of Chobits DVDs) which said it was (I kid you not) a "high quality HK bootleg" with "good sound and subtitle". Did they know what they were saying?!? ...of course, I didn't buy it.

2004-07-02, 23:28	Link #6
jc1104 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Francisco, California Age: 38	Thank you all very much =) After I learned about DVD bootlegs, I was in a comic store, anime store, etc, and I noticed a lot of the anime were bootlegs, just by looking at the MPEG-2 and MEPG-2. It's funny how they miss that >.< I think I bought some of my OSTs from animecastle.com, and another place, but I forgot.. when they came, they had taiwan on the back or something.. oh well, already bought it, but I get to know more about how bootlegs work, thanks!

2004-07-03, 01:58	Link #7
Tsubomi Koneko Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Age: 40	Yeah a lot of online anime stores like AnimeCastle and such sell bootlegs, it sucks but it's just the way it is. It's very rare to get a legitimate anime CD online unless it's from an actual Japanese company, then you're paying tons for the CD and tons for shipping. http://jungle-scs.co.jp/en/index.htm Anime Jungle is a very good place to get legitimate CDs for reletively cheap if you don't mind them being used. And their being used doesn't mean they aren't in good condition. Every single CD single I have bought from them (which were used) were in perfect condition. I actually e-mailed them the first time I ordered from them to make sure the singles were in fact used instead of brand new! Their prices are in yen but you can use an exchange rate converter to figure things out pretty easily. And if something is wrong with the CD they have it listed in the info beside the listing such as if the obi is missing, if the lyrics are missing, etc. http://jungle-scs.co.jp/cgi-bin/cart_e.cgi More specifically for their search engine. You can either type in the name of something you may want, check what is recently stocked with the last scroll down box or check all their CDs with the format box by scrolling down to the 'CD' option. (They also let you check for CDS singles which are the 3 inch ones, any others will show up in the normal CD section.)

2004-07-03, 20:11	Link #8
jc1104 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Francisco, California Age: 38	... oh, i thought animecastle was a legit place to buy animes and cds.. oh well, I just found out that my OST's said EverAnime on them.. sigh =/ Oh well, what bought is bought. And, I was always wondering why there was chinese on the back, when I first got my shipment. I also noticed the taiwan part.. but I disregarded because I never had bootleg information.

2004-07-03, 20:50	Link #9
DarkCntry Blue Dawn Join Date: Jun 2004 Age: 44	On the upside of bootlegged music, it's much rarer to get a lower quality than the legit version...unlike bootlegged anime...The only thing that I've noticed that could be lower quality in a lot of the bootlegged CDs is the artwork/insert...sometimes it's no different than the legit release and then you sometimes get lucky and find that it's a better release than the original. But meh, a bootleg is a bootleg...

2004-07-03, 23:11	Link #10
JubeiYamazaki Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003	Speaking of SonMay I bought Macross 7: English Fire!! Fire Bomber American (a bunch of Fire Bomber tracks in english) before I knew they were bootlegs, but I was wondering is there a legit company that even released this CD? I found a few sites that sell the CD, but no word as who published it. (Yes, the CD is decent, even though some voices don't fit the same songs, its still nice.)

2004-07-03, 23:36	Link #11
Mr_Paper Hmm... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Looking for his book...	@JubeiYamazaki - http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VICL-60146 Released by Victor Entertainment in 1998. You know... probably the best place to get anime OSTs and single is places like CDJapan. If it's still in print they have it, you can special order and even pre-order discs. They even send out newsletters every week listing upcoming releases.

2004-07-13, 11:27	Link #13
llama Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arizona Age: 38	Ever Anime is bootleg???!!! Aw crap...