Japanese animation is undoubtedly growing and becoming more popular in America. For me, interest started in the late 90s when the English version of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon — also known as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon or Sailor Moon — debuted in America. Other popular ongoing Americanized anime series include Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh!. For someone new to the scene, there are a ton of good (or better) series out there, but many stay in manga (graphic novel) form in America and never make it to the American screen in English. Sailor Moon‘s fifth and final season never made it to America in English — it was only released in Japan.
Now, situations like that pose a problem for fans like me: where can I find a copy of something that was never released in America? There are official versions, of course, but after a bit of research, one will find that official versions of Japanese animation tend to run on the higher end of the price spectrum.
There are ways to go around the high prices. Perhaps you have a friend that has a friend that can make you a nice copy of his series for free. But what if everyone you know hates anime? Get new friends! Just kidding. The obvious answer is to search online. That is one reason the internet exists: convenience.
However, I am sure there are many people in search of cheaper anime resources that are afraid of falling into online scams or paying too much for terrible quality bootlegged anime. One might think that an import is an import — false! Just as there are different countries in Asia, there are different imported versions. Hopefully this guide on looking for imported versions of your favorite anime will save you from the disappointment I have experiences, so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
Where do I look?
The easiest search method is “Googling” what you want. On Google, you can either search for the title of the series you are looking for or search more generally for stores that sell anime at a cheap price. If you Google for an exact title match, add “DVD” to the end of the title (e.g., “Sailor Moon DVD”), and Google will also give you product search results at the top of the page, which list out the places online you can find that specific item and its price. This is good for quickly comparing prices, but if you do not want to be ripped off, you will have to spend more time reading and browsing. To search for stores, just enter phrases like “discount anime” or “import anime.”
The problem with these “discount import anime” type online stores is that sometimes you will come across a website that looks so amateur or sloppily put together, ordering from the website makes you feel iffy. Then stop. If you feel hesitant about ordering from a particular online store or seller, don’t order. You can choose from other places. Look for familiar logos on sites like these, such as the “PayPal verified” or “VeriSign Secured” logos, not just major credit card icons.
Personally, the first two places I go to search for anime are eBay and Amazon.com. However, you still have to read and shop carefully. Amazon.com is more pricey mainly because official versions of anime are sold on Amazon, but you will find the ocassional imported version on sale. But just because an item is being sold on Amazon.com does not make it legit; eBay usually is a good spot to browse, but be sure to trust your instinct here, too. Again if you feel that the seller is not trustworthy enough in his or her product description, then don’t buy from them. Remember, scams can exist on eBay, too.
How to tell bad imports from good imports (and avoiding shady sellers)
My first and foremost golden rule of buying imported anime: look at the available subtitles and languages.
Many anime-lovers prefer watching English subtitles with the original Japanese voices. The main reason for this is because dubbed version usually alter the original dialogue. The second reason is because the American voices tend to be overdramatic and kill the joy of watching the anime (unless it is a major anime movie that hired famous actors, such as Hayao Miyazaki’s works, Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle, which were bought by Disney to release into America). However, if you do prefer watching dubbed versions so you don’t have to read all the time, beware that some anime is not at all available with dubs (e.g., Sailor Stars, Sailor Moon’s final season).
So why did I say be careful about languages and subtitles? This is one method of determining good from bad imports. Unless you are fluent in Japanese or Chinese (usually Mandarin dialect), when the description of an imported set says that Chinese subtitles are an option, look for another imported version of the anime you are looking for before considering that particular import. There are some versions with Chinese subtitles that are okay, but it is better to not take your chances unless there are no other options.
The reason many imported anime with Chinese options is poor quality is because when the anime is translated, the original Japanese dialogue is translated into Chinese first, and then translated into English based on the translated Chinese dialogue. This method of translation seriously alters the original dialogue and the anime is presented to you with poor grammar. Oftentimes, there will be several misspelled words in the subtitles, poor grammatical structure, and sometimes whole lines of dialogue go untranslated (meaning an absence of subtitles even when characters are speaking).
Secondly, do not buy home-made copies. That is just wrong. Even if the seller’s description says the quality is 10 out of 10, why would you want a home-made copy? You could probably find a friend, acquaintance, co-worker, or friend of a friend to do that for you. Sure, it might be cheaper, but do you really trust the quality? The seller is trying to sell his or her project, so he or she is going to do what it takes to promote his product and get your money.
If you browse around on eBay, you will find a huge variety of anime sellers. With the “subtitle rule” aside, be sure to carefully read a product’s description, its current location (where it is shipping from), and the seller’s feedback percentage (if it is a lower percentage that you would like it to be, check his or her profile and see why buyers gave a negative feedback remark, then use your own judgment).
A product’s description is crucial. Does it give detailed information? Does it include what regions the DVDs will play on (free-regioned* or region 0 DVDs are okay if all other factors are okay)? Are there pictures of the product? Are there countless typos and grammatical errors in the description? And so on…
If the description is not clear or not very detailed (and doesn’t tell you most everything want you want to know), you might want to think twice about buying from that particular seller — how will you know you are getting what you really want? Next, if there are a lot of typos (don’t just hold the seller accountable for one silly typo) and grammatical errors, that makes you think twice about whether or not the seller really knows what he’s talking about. Typos and bad grammar usually occur when the seller is shipping from a country in Asia (e.g. Hong Kong, Malaysia, etc.).
Where the product ships from is also important because of shipping costs, among other factors. On eBay, while the item may be up for $3.99 or some unbelievably low price and the shipping cost is noted as “See Description,” the cost to ship from other countries (Asia in particular) is expensive. While you might think you’re getting a ridiculously good deal on the item, the shipping might cost ten times more. Read everything carefully!
When you find an item that is being shipped directly from, say Hong Kong, the description may not say that Chinese is a subtitle/language option, but when you get it, it is an option. This is one reason I tend to keep deals within the States.
But a lot of import anime comes from Asia, that is why it’s “import anime”
True. It is imported anime because it it manufactured somewhere in Asia and reproduced at a good rate so it sells cheaper. However, when manufactured carelessly, the quality of the anime is reduced. That is why having pictures featured about the product you want to buy might be convenient, especially if the seller includes screenshots and not just general pictures of the main anime character.
I try to keep most deals within the States, because the sellers usually include a good description of their version of imported anime, unless it is home-made or the seller is a wholesale seller of imported anime and buys directly from Asia and does not care much about product descriptions and quality.
Some online stores, such as “discountanimedvd.com” are reliable, but may sell at a more expensive price than what you might be able to find floating around somewhere on eBay.
*What is a free-regioned or region free DVD?
This type of DVD should work on all DVD players, but not guaranteed. Certain DVDs are manufactured so that only certain parts of the world can sell and view it, or that certain types of DVD players can play it. For example, Region 1 DVDs are acceptable in all of California and the rest of the United States (why descriptions often separate these two places, I don’t know) and Region 3 DVDs are primarily made for SE Asia. So you should be fine if your DVDs are said to be Region 1 if you live in the U.S. Free regioned DVDs are also known as Region 0 DVDs, and oftentimes imported/bootlegged DVDs will be free-regioned or region 0. However, check your DVD player (your best bet is to go into your manual).
Some DVD players won’t play region 0 discs. It will suck big time if you purchase a region 0 anime DVD, receive it in the mail, and then find out you can’t even view it. My brother gave me a copy of Stephen Chow’s movie, Shaolin Soccer, and it wouldn’t play on DVD players upstairs, and when I put it into my computer I found out it was a region 3 DVD, but for some reason the DVD player in my room was able to read it. Unpredictable! Sometimes you’ll get lucky, sometimes you won’t. Beware. Your best bet is to stick to region 1 and 0 DVDs (offical versions of anime will tend to be in region 1, rather than imported anime).
Bottom line:
Use your common sense and your gut instinct. Look for detailed descriptions and only buy imported anime with Chinese options as a last resort or you know the seller and are satisfied with his or her product quality. But always ask your friends if they have a copy, first.
