Mudhead

I'm interested in picking up Escaflowne after having really enjoyed Neon Genesis Evangelion and Blue Gender. I looked on Amazon and Deep Discount and the complete series runs at least $149.! Under Amazon used and marketplace choices are a bunch of copies of the complete series on Region 0, 3 DVD sets with japanese dialogue and english subtitles. These only run like $35 to $50.

I can't believe that they'd be bootlegs and be sold on Amazon (and I could be naive!). But I'd certainly rather save $100 and get the Region 0 set over the American release on 8 DVDs. Do any of you anime freaks have any more details on this? I've noticed that several series (Nadesico in particular) have the smaller sized Region 0 option. I wouldn't want to buy it if it wasn't good quality. I like to have an english dub option, but don't value it at $100.

Anyway, any input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

mud...

El-Kabong

Total bootleg - and undoubtably looks like crap. 13 hours of material on 3 discs? It'll look like the moasic effect from Cops! I havent seen the Esca 'set' that bootleggers sell, but I have seen other 26 episode series compressed down to three discs. Across the board, they all suck.

BTW, you can get the set (and limited edition box) from Right Stuf INC for $144 shipped, plus 20% off during their year end sale - and another 10% if you're a Got Anime member.

Jackskeleton

stay away from bootlegs. especially fan subbed bootlegs. they are the worse. you are better off getting them yourself through your own means then lining the pockets of bootleggers.

littlefuzzy

These aren't being sold BY Amazon, they are being sold by individuals/stores in the Amazon Marketplace. People have complained to Amazon in the past, and they have removed the titles from specific sellers, or banned the seller, but the sellers just relist them later on, or another seller comes along with the title, etc.

For anime especially, and often other discs as well, if you see any of these in the description, it is most certainly a bootleg:

Import
All Region/Region 0
Chinese subs/Chinese Dubs
26 episodes on 3-4 discs (26 episode series should be at least 6 discs, if not 7 or 8)
extremely low prices compared to the original set that Amazon has listed, etc.

Half.com and E-Bay have many bootleg anime discs, as well.

If you want to find good deals on anime, try www.dvdpricesearch.com to find the lowest online price, or try some of the anime-specific online stores (mostly not included in dvdpricesearch.) www.rightstuf.com has some great deals in their weekly e-mails, especially if you are a "Got Stuf" member. www.animenation.com is also a good place for specials.

Here is a site that will help you spot some of the common bootleg signs: http://www.digital.anime.org.uk/piratefaq.html#dvd

jayson1017

Thanks

duz

You should order once from Rightstuf just so you can get their catalog, its niiiiice.

Darren Garrison

They COULD look okay on 3 discs, if they were DVD-9s and not DVD-5s. 26 divided by 3 means two discs with 9 episodes, one with 8-- and episodes are about 24 minutes each (meaning around 10.4 hours, not 13). So that's only about 3 1/2 hours per disc-- easily within the realms of looking good on a DVD-9, especially as it seems that animation seems to compress better than live action.

Now, 26 episodes encoded in MPEG4/Divx can look great on a single DVD-5.

Kazuma05

in my experience some of these "imports" looks as good as the original minus the extras..so if your only in it for the anime go ahead and buy the import if not go with the R1.
I myself have "imports" and I also Have R1 not much difference unless you reallly get crappy ones from bad sellers.

my 2 cents

GHackmann

If you want to save some money without getting bootlegs, look on Amazon.com, eBay, or Half.com for individual DVDs. I've never heard of individual volumes being bootlegged, and it's pretty easy to find vendors selling 'em new for around $10 - $12 apiece.

Plus, that way you can sample a couple of DVDs first before buying the rest of the series. IHMO it's a great series, but I wouldn't fork over $100+ on a blind buy.

indycohiba

I have a sealed copy of the Box set that I would sell for $140 shipped.

Yakuza Bengoshi

Personal offers are best made through private email, but especially so when the price you're offering is $13.47 more than the shipped price from a legitimate etailer -- shipped price at bestprices.com is $126.53.

MrBob

I'll get flamed for this, but you post reaks of iggnorance. As someone who has watched the Escaflowne set, and it is almost identical to quality of the R1's. Hell all of the bootleg sets I've watched have been excellent quality. I guess I just know what to look for.

Jackskeleton

When you go with bootlegs, you don't just lose out in quality of picture, but also the quality of subtitles. When it is translated over in most cases (yes there are the exceptions to the rules) the U.S. distributes give it a treatment it deserves in translating it as good as possible.

When you go with those bootlegs you are usually getting the fan subbed titles. If they are anything like what Anime Junkies does.. well then you are getting a shit job translation if you ask me. If I'm going to buy a series I like I want the best possible translation that has been given the treatment it deserves then the shit I downloaded

indycohiba

This is a sealed copy and being sold everyday for more than this price on e-bay. I am glad you found one store which has it for less. Hopefully Mudhead will pick it up for that price. There is nothing wrong with making offers in the threads when someone wants to know how how to obtain a DVD for less. My price is lower than any store other than bestprices.com. And their shipping is $5.99 for this set which makes the price over $130. I just tried to order it to make sure. Please get your facts correct before trying to cast aspersions.

The Lusty Nun

...you Promised me that you would be happy just buying the Neon Genesis and Blue Gender sets. Why must you torment me?!

I, the Lusty Nun (and your saintly wife which has the power over the budget) forbid this purchase!!

Jackskeleton

Have you both read this thread ?



Since you guys are located in O.C/Fullertine, you are awfully close to frank and sons, a collectable weekly dealers show room.. you've guys been?

Yakuza Bengoshi

I have my facts straight. Here's the order page:


Escaflowne Box Set DVD 1 @ $123.55 $123.55
Subtotal $123.55
. Sales Tax $0.00
. Shipping $2.98
. TOTAL $126.53

indycohiba

I just did the same thing and here is what I get:

Escaflowne Box Set DVD 1 @ $123.55 $123.55
Back to cart
Subtotal $123.55
. Sales Tax $0.00
. Shipping $5.99
. TOTAL $129.54

Yakuza Bengoshi

^That's with USPS priority mail. The shipping options are as follows:

US Mail Standard $2.98
US Mail Priority $5.99
UPS Ground $6.99
UPS Two Day $7.99
UPS Next Day $12.99

Clear?

unbeeleebable

http://www.dvdpacific.com/item.asp?ID=31066

$98.20 plus shipping here. They charge per disc so would be $8 shipping but that would be priority.

indycohiba

That's for Neon Genesis, not Escaflowne.

indycohiba

Yea, I would be shipping PM so I still come up with $130. Nonethelees, no need to slam someone for making an offer. Prices can always be negotiated, so what's your point.

El-Kabong

Ignorance? Ah - right. Uh-huh.

No, I havent seen the Esca set - I have no idea what the quality (or lack thereof) may be. I have seen, however DOZENS of other bootleg sets. Problems range from really crapping encoding on bargin basement discs, nearly indecipherable subtitles - a random jibberish generator would often make more sense, to the bootleggers blazenly putting their watermark TV Bug on the show while it runs.

Go ahead and throw your money down the crapper on bootleg sets if you want to. However this is one instance where you get what you pay for.

BizRodian

Yeah, you know bootlegs are getting out of control when you can go to amazon and buy them by accident, thinking they're the offical ones.

Yes, they are bootlegs. Buy them if you want, but I'd rather my money end up going to the offical sources than some organized crime ring and some guy misleading me.

Jackskeleton

I agree with Biz, if you are actually going to take the route of bootlegs, I would much rather you do it yourself. You are posting on this forum so you obviously are showing some basic knowledge of the use of a computer and the internet.. If you can master that you can master getting fan subs. Don't line the pockets of bootleggers.