Is it Ever a GOOD Idea to Buy Bootleg Merchandise?

With the influx of Sailor Moon products hitting the shelves, copycat fakes were destined to make their way onto the market. You can finally find amazing prices for that figure you've been wanting, and it's completely affordable! Are you being fooled? The answer is yes, yes you are. I can say without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that if the price is less than half the regular price of the item, you're buying yourself a Saban Moon; when it arrives at your doorstep a wave of disappointment will quickly set in. I have an article all about how to spot a fake item versus legitimate merchandise, so check it out here if you haven't already. But today I'm asking, is it ever a GOOD idea to buy flea market figures? Keep reading to find out why it might be worth your while to check out some made in China goodies.

Collecting Sailor Moon Video Games for the Super Famicom

I’m a collector of many things, and among my collection is a few Super Famicom (SFC) Sailor Moon games. When I was younger I emulated the games and played them a lot (terrible I know! but they weren’t available in North America). So for nostalgic reasons I began purchasing the physical games, so today I’m posting about my experience buying these games as well as giving some advice on how to pick them up for yourself! I also have a trick involving the region lock on North American & European Super Nintendo games that can be undone so you don’t have to pick up a Japanese console to play these awesome games!

I’ve picked up 3 SFC games through Ebay, and they’re among some of my favourites from the roster of Sailor Moon games available. Above is Sailor Moon SuperS: Fuwa Fuwa Panic, a balloon popping puzzle game that feels like a cross between Bust a Move and Bejeweled. You pop balloons of similar colour and send over unpoppable gray balloons in a sort of backwards tetris. Intermixed with it is the Sailor Scouts who have different special attacks that can help your board or hinder your enemy’s board. The sprites are colourful and the game is a lot of fun to play through, whether solo or against friends. See gameplay of it here. There’s also Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Fuwa Fuwa Panic 2 which is the same thing but much more difficult to play solo. It is also hard to find, and probably expensive to purchase if you do. Check out its gameplay here. Both games are fun so if you see either for a decent price then pick them up! Any puzzle game fan would have tons of fun playing these games.

The Essential Anime Josei List

For those new and old to this genre, it’s hard to find something new to watch or look into when you’ve run out of ideas. This list is to help those who are into josei find something to enjoy by giving a background and quick summary of individual titles. I might deviate a little bit from what is considered josei but it is something that can appeal to those who like the genre as it contains josei elements. So without further ado, let’s get to the list.
Paradise Kiss

This was one of the first animes that introduced me to the josei genre altogether. As a young adult female it’s hard to find entertainment specifically targeted at this demographic so to watch this anime and finally find out about josei helped me explore more titles under this category. Paradise Kiss is a story of love and finding yourself as the main character Yukari breaks out of her shell by exploring the world of fashion and modelling. With an overbearing mother she is liberated through her love interest Johji as well as the world her new friends introduce her to. This scenario seems almost too good to be true as so many of Yukari’s wishes are coming true, but the story isn’t following the fairytale formula that you would expect. It has a serious tone to it that never lets it become anything a shoujo would become. If you like stories about growing up and becoming confident in your own skin with a bit of love mixed in the middle then you will love the series. I always recommend it to friends of mine. The manga is great as well if you prefer that medium. The anime stays true to the manga so you won’t be missing out if you skip the manga.
Honey and Clover

This story does not feature a female protagonist but instead has the shy unsure freshman, Yuta Takemoto at the forefront of the story. This story doesn’t center solely around him alone though, there is a cast of quirky characters that make for funny as well as very serious scenarios. Young women can relate to Ayumi Yamada’s character who struggles with the rejection of  her longtime love interest. That said, I also believe Yuta’s predicament is universal. He struggles to find his muse and purpose as he goes through university. I think anyone entering university struggles with this problem, deciding your future at such a young age is never an easy decision. If that’s not enough then you’re likely to find something relatable in one of the other characters, their personalities are very diverse. The intermixing of soul searching with love stories makes for a nice dynamic that keeps the story flowing and moving forward. It’s the kind of story that could keep going and going but [unfortunately!] it ends at 2 seasons. I’d suggest this to anyone who’s just entering university/college or looking for a slice of life that hits home a little harder than most other animes.

How to Spot Fraudulent Merchandise Online

Ever missed your chance to pre-order that item so you’ve turned to sites like Ebay? You entered the search terms then found unbelievably low prices? You bought the item straight from China, it came 2 months later and looks like it rolled through hell and back? You just bought a fraudulent piece of merchandise, $20 down the toilet and you’re pretty mad because you still need that item. I’m here to give you my personal experiences with fraudulent merchandise as well as some pointers to prevent yourself from getting tricked!
Know the Item You Want to Purchase & Request Photos
It’s very easy to fake a product and make it almost impossible to tell from the product listing. There are however very small details that can reveal a fraud from the real thing.

This figure is a bit of an obvious copy of the original figure. Her corset piece is clearly sticking out when it’s supposed to in. The box also doesn’t contain any plastic sheets protecting the figure or accessories, which you can see in legitimate boxed figures.


 Also on the back of the box you can see tape holding the lid down, it’s cheap clear tape which gives away the low quality packaging that would not  happen if it were a legitimate product. Make sure before you buy anything that they show real photos of the product they’re selling, not stock photos that the company supplies of the legitimate figure. Pictures of the item in box are essential to verify whether it is a real product or fake. Always request it and contact the seller if they only display stock photos.