Bootleg FindersHunting bootlegs one figure at a time!

13 days agoSkoll_21

Hi! I need some help from you guys. Is it possible for a One Piece figure not have the Toei sticker but still be authentic? I bought a figure from a European shop and the description said it was official and I paid the price of an authentic figure but the box doesn't come with the sticker. I've asked them why it didn't come with it and they said the sticker is for products on the Japanese/Chinese area. The other parts of the world just have the official distributor sticker.

I've looked up the distributor (Cosmic Group, from Italy) and some people on a forum say they are legit and don't deal with bootlegs. I've also seen somewhere else someone selling a figure and saying that having this distributor's sticker meant it was an authentic item.

The figure I bought is a Chibi Arts Portgas D. Ace (Bandai) and there's only one pic of a bootleg on the database, so it's really hard to compare them. I've also searched for signs of a counterfeit Chibi Arts figure but didn't come up with anything. This is my first figure of this kind so I can't compare the material quality with anything else. The painting looks pretty good for the most part, just some faults here and there, which may be perfectly normal. It also comes with all the parts and instructions (dunno if bootlegs come with these).

I don't think the figure looks bad, I love it but it's just that bootlegs can really look like originals and I don't want to have paid 28€ + shipping to get a fake one, even if it's a really good one.

So, is it really normal for a OP figure distributed in Europe not have a Toei sticker?

15 days agoMuntoe Chibi Hunter

asariel (15 days ago) #1496571<snip>Oh it's not a problem at all, we take bootlegs very seriously around here and I'm happy to help. Unfortunately because they are bootlegs the market value drops significantly...

There are actually a lot of people that look for nendoroid bootleg parts and even scaled figures like that Miku to repaint and customize into their own custom figures. I'm not really sure about the rules on Ebay but I think as long as you mention they are bootlegs or that they are a "Chinese version" then you'll be okay to sell them. I'm not positive about that though so I'll probably need another user's confirmation about it. We also have a user Sales thread here ((mfc link)) where you can post the figures if you want to sell to our community but you must mention that they are bootlegs or else your post will be deleted.

If nobody decides to buy them because they are fake smashing them sounds fun too lol. If you have any questions about the authenticity of any of your daughter's other items feel free to send me a PM (you can do this by clicking on my username and the letters 'PM' will show up at the top left of my profile page right below the word 'Profile') and I'll try my best to help out. Good luck, hopefully your daughter has learned her lesson by now...:p

15 days agoasariel

This is her mother. :)

Thanks for looking all this up! I honestly don't know the first thing about these things, so I'm very thankful for the person that messaged me on ebay to let me know, as well as this board for helping find out more details. There are those of us out there that are selling bootlegs, but sure don't mean to!

The place she got them from is Sweet Kitty in the Seattle area, and according to Yelp, it's a known place for bootlegs galore, so...*sigh*

Is this something that someone out there would want for free, or is it best to just junk them? It's illegal to sell them at this point, I take it. Not sure what the proper protocol here is (I googled around and saw someone smashing bootlegs with a brick...might be fun to do at the very least).

I'll have to look very carefully at the rest of her collection before I put them up for sale...if she doesn't have enough legit stuff to cover the $250, then she's going to start advertising for dog walking jobs or something! Sigh...this just keeps getting more and more "fun"...


Muntoe (15 days ago) #1496550You definitely do..hmm I think all of those items are bootlegs. You can tell the figures are by the unnatural shiny skin (and the nendo parts that don't fit well) and the box on the Miku does not have an official sticker ( like picture #415485). Granted all figures don't have to have the sticker but you can also compare it to bootleg pictures like this one picture #450735. Actually I'm not 100% sure about that Miku and if you bought her from a trusted seller like AmiAmi, HLJ, or Hobby Search or from a shop that deals AAA products you're fine but the other three (two nendos + one plush) are definitely bootlegs.
Edit: I've also linked all of the counterfeit photos of these figures so you can compare.
Madoka: (mfc link)
Snow Miku 2012: (mfc link)
Miku HSP ver.: (mfc link)
With plushes it's harder but there is no record of an official plush like that sold in our database, you can check by this link: (mfc link)
Whether this is the daughter posting or not sucks that bootlegs were stolen haha...kudos for owning up to the consequences though, that's the sign of a good family right there.

15 days ago (15 days ago)Muntoe Chibi Hunter

asariel (15 days ago) #1496527I was told that I might have figures up on ebay that are bootlegs...can someone help me figure out if that's the case? They're up at: (ext link)You definitely do..hmm I think all of those items are bootlegs. You can tell the figures are by the unnatural shiny skin (and the nendo parts that don't fit well) and the box on the Miku does not have an official sticker ( like picture #415485). Granted all figures don't have to have the sticker but you can also compare it to bootleg pictures like this one picture #450735. Actually I'm not 100% sure about that Miku and if you bought her from a trusted seller like AmiAmi, HLJ, or Hobby Search or from a shop that deals AAA products you're fine but the other three (two nendos + one plush) are definitely bootlegs.

Edit: I've also linked all of the counterfeit photos of these figures so you can compare.

Madoka: (mfc link)
Snow Miku 2012: (mfc link)
Miku HSP ver.: (mfc link)

With plushes it's harder but there is no record of an official plush like that sold in our database, you can check by this link: (mfc link)

Whether this is the daughter posting or not sucks that bootlegs were stolen haha...kudos for owning up to the consequences though, that's the sign of a good family right there.

15 days agoasariel

I was told that I might have figures up on ebay that are bootlegs...can someone help me figure out if that's the case? They're up at: (ext link)

1 month agoneko8124

Found a place in Japantown San Francisco California USA that sales massive counterfiet items ill post pictures soon its called Moritaya so said

1 month ago (1 month ago)WindsorSeven

kumalein (1 month ago) #1438737Hey WindsorSeven, nice seeing you (and getting your help) again :D
I suppose so, they are sold out everywhere and price for legit ones on ebay are all above 60usd for each of them ._. well ebay is throat-cutter in general. Those 4 petites rarely pop up, and more so happen to be exactly what I would love to have the most from the series, so I'm very tempted but still would want to be careful xD
Thanks a lot for your input :3 I will try to ask help from my proxy.

Np.
I actually just checked around a bit, and those petites are pretty expensive, I had no idea! I was hoping I could find you a cheaper set, but I guess not. Your proxy will probably be able to help you out more, sorry I couldn't answer your question better ^^;

1 month agokumalein

WindsorSeven (1 month ago) #1438729They don't look like bootlegs, but you could always ask your proxy to ask the seller.
Are those petites really that expensive :o?
Hey WindsorSeven, nice seeing you (and getting your help) again :D
I suppose so, they are sold out everywhere and price for legit ones on ebay are all above 60usd for each of them ._. well ebay is throat-cutter in general. Those 4 petites rarely pop up, and more so happen to be exactly what I would love to have the most from the series, so I'm very tempted but still would want to be careful xD
Thanks a lot for your input :3 I will try to ask help from my proxy.

1 month agoWindsorSeven

kumalein (1 month ago) #1438715Hi, it would be nice if someone can help me determine whether this here is bootleg? (ext link) Normally I can try to detect them myself but I'm a little bugged now due to image quality
At first it seems legit to me and I'm already really tempted to get them as I have been looking for them everywhere for reasonable price, but now I'm worried about the no-box state, and especially after reading in the club that there can be bootleg sellers on Yahoo Japan Auction too ;_;
I would appreciate a lot if someone can leave your opinion on this *bows*
Ah here are the figures pictures on mfc
item #13782 item #20470
item #20471 item #13781

They don't look like bootlegs, but you could always ask your proxy to ask the seller.
Are those petites really that expensive :o?

1 month ago (1 month ago)kumalein

Hi, it would be nice if someone can help me determine whether this here is bootleg? (ext link) Normally I can try to detect them myself but I'm a little bugged now due to image quality
At first it seems legit to me and I'm already really tempted to get them as I have been looking for them everywhere for reasonable price, but now I'm worried about the no-box state, and especially after reading in the club that there can be bootleg sellers on Yahoo Japan Auction too ;_;
I would appreciate a lot if someone can leave your opinion on this *bows*
Ah here are the figures pictures on mfc
item #13782 item #20470
item #20471 item #13781