Be aware of bootlegs
I've noticed some people still have trouble identifying bootleg Nendoroids, partly because the packaging is mostly the same and there's no official company sticker or stamp on the boxes to immediately tell them apart. This is something Good Smile Company should consider looking into. What's even more depressing is that some dealers and shop keepers who have imported the bootlegs actually think they have the official version and tried selling one to me at the same price as the real one. When I asked if they knew what they were trying to sell was in fact a bootleg, they flat out denied it and said they got it straight from their sources in Japan. So thought I'd start a little comparison with Hatsune Miku. I've looked at both the bootleg and official boxes, and they are practically identical to the common eye.
Again, like I said, there's no official stickers or stamps of approval, so the only way to really tell is by looking at the figures themselves and see if there are any signs of extra plastic wrappings used to protect the figures. The bootleg, being cheap an all ($30 CAD) didn't have the extra plastic wrapping to protect Miku from the plastic casing, while the official version ($55 CAD) did have the extra plastic wrapping. Below is a comparison photo of the bootleg version and the official version. Can you tell which one is which?
(Hint: The bootleg version has the eyes looking forward when she is laughing, and the official version has the eyes looking forward when she is smiling. Left is bootleg, right is official.)
Bootleg is on the left, official one is on the right.
Miku is obviously not happy with her bootleg doppleganger.
Notice the extra plastic wrapping used to protect Miku in her plastic case inside the box. You won't find this wrapping in the bootleg versions because it's just too much effort and money. Also, the plastic is cheaper, and the joints are all loose. Hence bootleg is cheap stuff.
I haven't opened my official Nendoroid Miku yet. Should I? Ah hell, I opened it for the sake of this comparison.
I'm a little annoyed now. These bootleggers are getting too good...it makes me second guess my own Asakura.
Great comparison shots. Really highlights the flaws in the bootleg.
The biggest tell for me with bootleg figures comes down to the plastic used. Notice how the bootleg looks very shiny, especially in the face and hair where the contours grab the light. The legit nendo, by comparison, has a very nice matte appearance to it. The bootleg also has poor skin tone because of the cheaper plastic.
I'm seeing bootlegs all over the place here in my town... -_-
they are pretty common in my country too :(
other than the plastic quality, the skin tone and the face they are almost similar.
you should have posted a pic of the box in which the bootleg comes. maybe the print quality on the boxes would be cheap too with mistakes here and there in spellings.
Well, I already trashed the box, so that was a no-go unfortunately. But as far as I could tell, the boxes had the same print, except the bootleg's box quality was a little subpar.
Its always helpful to have a side by side comparison. Did you buy the bootleg on purpose for this or was it an accident?
Actually, I didn't buy the bootleg on purpose. I bought it thinking it was the real deal, until I got home and before I opened it did I realize I was duped. I brought it back to the store and its owner claimed it was the real deal. It was only $30, and I didn't want to make a scene over a small figure, so I decided to keep it as a reminder to myself to be cautious of figure purchases and to never buy from that store again.
That's a bummer, but at least you're still positive about it and can possibly help someone else from buying a bootleg.
Ah yes. I've seen this around here as well.
The face so strange.
I actually like the bootleg better. It looks more...shiny.
I like them both! ^_^