Shopping.....n/a

9 months agoShinigamiyoko

Went to Marukai Kawaii in the Little Tokyo Los Angeles area yesterday... Lots of Snow Miku plush bootlegs and those infamous Vocaloid nendo petit bootlegs as well. Needless to say, I didn't buy anything.
Tokyo Japanese Outlet also in Little Tokyo had legit nendoroids in boxes, as well as unboxed 'blister pack only' bootlegs.
So the US definitely has its share of these stores as well...

9 months agoitsame00

piratepapillon (9 months ago) #1073341Any store in the local China Town.

In Spadina?

9 months ago (9 months ago)Allnighter

I was at Hong Kong for a few weeks last September. Just exit the subway lines around the Mong Kok area and you'll find a shopping paradise. However, my destination was the CMTA Center where a variety of vendors carry a ton of the latest anime merchandise (non-bootleg).

However, about a few blocks away, there is one street filled with toy stores on both sides. It was the biggest collection of bootlegs I've ever seen in my life. You could fill a few dump trucks with the amount of bootlegs they had. I was also shocked at the variety of bootleg figures and merchandise. Prices were 30% to 50% of the original. While it was fun to see all those fake goods, I had no interest in owning any. Yes, the quality was that bad.

So why are the stores selling those bootlegs you ask? The toy stores were catering to parents and grandparents who wanted cheap toys for their little kids. All the customers I've seen there were family members with their children, not collectors.

At the CMTA Center, I got some Code Geass raffle prizes:

item #75308
item #84208
item #84207
item #87971

Yes, you really have to buy a raffle ticket. All vendors that had the raffle promo refuse to sell the goods directly. I thought they only did that in Japan.

and other loot:

item #69686
item #62142
item #27605
item #44492
item #13930
item #68261
item #68901
item #51163
item #49884
item #72746
item #37822

9 months agoNekoPocky Nya~ ❤

Yoruno (9 months ago) #1073031I once came across a shop at a local market where they sold ONLY bootlegs.

My friend sent me a picture of a Miku figma in New york but it wasn't from the store that had legit items so I once again was wary about wanting to head by the store myself on my next trip to New York.

9 months agopiratepapillon

Any store in the local China Town.

9 months agoAile

there's actually a chain of stores here that sell nothing but bootlegs here in the Philippines.

9 months agoYoruno

I once came across a shop at a local market where they sold ONLY bootlegs.

9 months agoShinigamiyoko

NekoPocky (9 months ago) #1072932Really? Is there a list of where their international branches are?

Kinokuniya's official website is here... (ext link)

Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, U.S.A., U.A.E, Dubai are the listed areas. I'm lucky enough to live in California, which has 4 stores if I remember correctly~

9 months agoMoneyTalks

Here in Argentina almost every store sells mostly bootlegs, it's a shame D:

9 months ago (9 months ago)NekoPocky Nya~ ❤

Shinigamiyoko (9 months ago) #1072913
I'm pretty lucky though, to live within 3-4 hours of 3 different Kinokuniya Bookstores though, so I pick up the occasional figure there~
(Kinokuniya is the largest bookstore chain in Japan with many international branches, so I never worry about bootlegs.)

Really? Is there a list of where their international branches are?