OngakuSociety

[NIHON BUNKA KENKYUU] BUNKEN 101: Reviews, comments, and insights on Japanese pop culture.

With a lot of new fans looking to start their own Japanese music CD collections, quite a few of them fall prey to unscrupulous sellers who pass off pirated merchandise as original. Sadly, this occurs more often that we'd like to think, and the bigger tragedy is this could have been prevented with a few simple steps. There's nothing as heartbreaking as cleaning out your savings account for some CDs only to find out that you were gypped, so to help reduce the angst and anxiety from buying CDs, here's a couple of tips to help you spot fake or pirated CDs, and score an original.

- Acquaint yourself with the original release. Check with the artist's official website, or online stores like CD JAPAN and YESASIA, to see the CD cover design, album play list, special features, etc. Pirated CDs sometimes contain different cover art or play lists from the original, or don't come with the bonus poster or DVD, so knowing the characteristics of the original CD can help you spot a fake one.

- Buy only from reputable sources. Ask fellow fans if they have purchased anything from a particular seller, and if they've had any complaints with the transaction. Keep an eye out for stories concerning fraud (claiming that something is original even if it's not), bait and switch tactics (displaying an original Japanese CD in the store, but selling fake merchandise to buyers), or mulcting (selling extremely overpriced original goods). Stay away from any sellers with a reputation for doing any of these.

- Ask the seller if you can inspect the merchandise before buying. Looking at the CD itself can tell you a lot of things and answer a lot of questions. Is the cover art similar to the original release? Is the pamphlet a photocopy? Is the play list the same? Does the case feel like quality plastic or the cheap generic kind? Is the obi (small paper fold-out on the outside of the CD) present? If you are having doubts about any of these characteristics, it is safer to assume that the CD you are about to purchase is not an original.

- Read the fine print. Check the obi or the back cover of the CD for dates and press information. Original CDs usually have two dates: the first one is the date of release; the second one is the date the CD will be pulled off store shelves. If the CD has only one of these, it's probably not an original Japan version of the CD, and is possibly made in Taiwan or Hong Kong. Press information, on the other hand, indicates where the CD was manufactured (Japan, HK, Taiwan, etc.), and if it is a first press (also known as a limited first edition), a regular press, or a reissue. Some dealers are known to advertise regular press items as first press in an attempt to drive up the prices, so be wary of that.

- Keep an eye out for garage sales. It may sound funny or ironic, but more original merchandise can be found from fan garage sales than several so-called reputable dealers combined. Garage sales are held from time to time by fellow J-pop fans looking to unload part of their collections, so you are more assured of the high quality of the merchandise since these items already went through their thorough inspection. However, we're not saying you should be any less careful; as always, ask around, check thoroughly, and look before you buy.

- Experience is key. If you're not yet confident with your fake-spotting skills, ask a more experienced friend to help you out. They can show you some of their own tips and tricks for spotting fakes, helping you grow and making your task as a collector easier and more rewarding in the long run.

Collecting CDs is no different from learning to be a wine connoisseur or an antique collector. It takes patience, skill, and quite a bit of cash. So to help ease the pain of an empty bank account, make sure that your next purchase is worth your money. Spot a fake, score a real deal, and put that lying sack of shit seller out of business.

Sunday, 4 September 2005


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