Bootleg : How to recognise a counterfeit figurine

Every anime fan knows: there's no worse feeling than receiving your new anime figurine and discovering that something's not quite right. The colour is off, the material looks cheap or it looks nothing like the picture. A real feeling of disappointment. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between genuine figurines and counterfeits (bootlegs as they are known). Bootlegs are a growing concern for collectors around the world, as these counterfeits seem to be infiltrating the market more and more. Spotting these counterfeit figurines has become more difficult as counterfeiters step up their game and create more legitimate fake figurines. Here are some tips on how to spot a counterfeit figurine.

What is a bootleg?

In simple terms, a bootleg is a reproduction of a miniature that does not have the appropriate licence or approval. As a general rule, bootlegs are copies (usually of lower quality) of real licensed figures. Manga figurines are certainly among the most frequently reproduced by counterfeiters. This is particularly true of popular figurines on the market, which are the subject of numerous scams, such as Dragon Ball Z figurines, One Piece figurines and Naruto figurines. These figurines are then sold to collectors or sellers under the guise of an authentic figurine.

The box / Packaging

Bootleg manufacturers strive to imitate the real thing as closely as possible. Sometimes, just by looking through the plastic window of the box, it's hard to tell if you're dealing with a fake figurine. Sometimes all you have to do is look at the box around it.

First of all, we recommend that you check online for photos of the authentic figurine box. If the box you see is completely different, check to see if there were previous versions with a different box (very rare). If not, there's a very good chance that it's a bootleg. Here are a few details to look out for on the box

• Badly coloured titles or logos. Miniature counterfeiters don't really know the series that well, not down to the smallest detail. As a result, the figures lack intricate detail, particularly on their logos.

• No barcode. Bootleg manufacturers don't usually put a barcode label on the box of miniatures because they don't need to manage massive amounts of stock. They will usually empty the finished products on certain online platforms. In fact, why should they bother tracking stock labels according to international standards?

• No official licence sticker. Authentic figurines can be identified with a glossy or holographic sticker. This sticker usually has an integrated logo.

• No round transparent tape. The box has a circular transparent tape fastener at the top that allows the box to be taped and helps protect the anime figure from accidental exposure during transport. This is because the round tape prevents the lid from coming off. Most manufacturers of fake anime figures don't use this circular sticker. Instead, they use typical tape.

On the left is a fake box where you can see that details such as the company logo and the wrong game logo are missing, on the right is the real miniature box.

The figurine

The paint job

A crucial detail to observe is the detail of the paint job. Counterfeiters cut costs by painting bootlegs with cheap, low-quality paint. As a result, fake anime figures tend to have spots on their faces and some have unusually thick eyebrows or eye lines.

Look at the small details and see if there are any stains. This will be a great help if the character you're looking to buy is from a popular anime such as Demon Slayer, Naruto, Kingdom or Dr. Stone. You can then compare the official figurine of your anime character with the figurine and see if there are any differences.

On the left a fake figurine, on the right a real figurine

The face

The face is usually a good point to identify the authenticity of your anime figurine. The differences can be hilarious, but they can also be a little more subtle. Be sure to check the details of the eyes, nose and mouth to see if there are any significant differences.

The neutral facial expression is the default face. Check out the official photos from the main distributors and compare the default faces of anime figurines. Manufacturers normally publish close-up photos of the figure, so make sure you use them when checking the authenticity of your figurine. After all, fake anime figures are not subject to strict quality controls. As a result, they end up placing an alternative facial expression as the default veneer.

On the left is a fake figurine with a doughnut in its mouth, on the right a real figurine.

The joints

Bootlegs are terrible when it comes to their joints. Most of the time, this is due to poor quality PVC/plastic or simply the wrong size fittings. Parts often fall off before you've even had time to take your figure out of its packaging or touch it. If the figurine is in the box with one of its arms lying on the floor, it's almost certainly a counterfeit.

The joints of genuine figurines are much stronger and stay in the position you want them to be in. They are also designed to blend into the body of the figurine so that they are not directly visible. Counterfeit anime figurines are just the opposite: they are poorly made and highly visible. They require a lot of force to fit, are slouchy and keep falling over. They usually have large gaps between the parts. They can't hold their position without your help or a little extra glue.

On the left is a fake figurine with spaced joints, on the right a real figurine.

The smell

Unlike the original, bootlegs give off a pungent smell of "cheap plastic". The quality and materials of counterfeit figurines are generally below average at best. For this reason, counterfeits often have a very chemical smell. Genuine figurines, on the other hand, have a subtle smell. If, straight out of the box, you are struck by the strong smell of what can only be described as "cheap plastic" you could have a counterfeit in your hands.

However, bear in mind that if your figure is a little more worn or has been exposed to the sun/heat. The paint can degrade and start to smell, so be sure to check for other warning signs!

The "version

If you see a figure listed as "Chinese version", "Chinese copy", "Hong Kong version", "similar Japanese version" or "unlicensed version", you can be pretty sure they're all bootlegs. The only real 'version' is the one that comes direct from Good Smile Company and Max Factory.

The only time this is NOT the case is if the miniature is officially published with these modifiers in the title. Otherwise, avoid these sellers!

How can I buy cheaper figurines without getting ripped off?

Official merchandise follows the suggested retail prices (SRP) set by manufacturers. Distributors must follow this set of guidelines to standardise prices across all sites worldwide. As a result, prices for figurines from legitimate sources should not deviate too much from official prices. In particular, if the figure is from a brand such as Tsume, Iki, Yoka or Kinetiquettes, prices should be approximately the same as official prices. Don't be fooled, unless it's a scam, you won't get your dragon ball z figure at half price.

There is, however, an interesting alternative: buying second-hand figurines on classified ad sites. Buying your figurine from a private individual will enable you to acquire it at a reduced cost compared with its initial price. That's not to say that you shouldn't be wary of the seller, who could still sell you a faulty figurine.

If you buy online and the photos on the list are not of the figurine itself, check with the seller to see if you can see photos of the figurine! If the seller refuses and there are several warning signs of a counterfeit seller, perhaps reconsider placing an order with them.

Secure your purchases with Obvy

If you want to buy your second-hand figurine on classified ad sites such as ParuVendu, Mango-Occasion, Leboncoin etc, you need to use a secure payment method. Obvy was designed to put an end to scams with a secure payment solution for your transactions on classified ad sites. So you can buy your anime figurine in complete security, and no longer worry about falling victim to counterfeiters. In fact, if you suspect the authenticity of the figurine, or if you realise when you receive the parcel that it is a counterfeit, you can return it and receive a full refund. How convenient!