I'm new to collecting vinyl...so new, I don't even have a collection to speak of, yet. I've always been a big fan of tokusatsu, and I'd like to start adding some vinyl.

I've been looking on eBay (ugh) for some, and there was one piece in particular I liked the look of, but then I noticed that even though it appears to be NIB...the color is off in one place. There's a bit of metallic pink/purple missing, when I compare it to pics of others from board members' collections.

So the question is, are minor differences like that common, or at least within the realm of possibility? Or did someone take a blank, paint it, add a bag and a header card and accessory to fake a NIB piece for some extra $$$? I admit the latter case seems unlikely - would someone go to that much trouble for what would be a price increase of less than a hundo (my guess)?

And if there were cheap bootlegs of this particular piece out there, wouldn't there be plenty of chatter about it, or is this one of those things that everyone knows, but nobody talks about?

Is there a "bestiary" of known boots out there, anywhere? Would something like that be useful, or are they not much of a problem in this hobby?

Should this Fresh Meat just relax?

EDIT: LOVE the filter. You know what I mean.

Let me jump in here and say first of all, welcome (or wilkommen, whichever you prefer )

I believe I know the piece you are speaking of, and you can PM me if you want to discuss it further. I will just say that it is always excellent to do your research first, which in this case you clearly have. In this case, I have noted the difference, but it is uncommon, and merely a painting oversight I would guess. In other toys though, particularly older or smaller runs of handpainted sofubi, paint variations are extremely common and even expected. From the smaller market makers - a lot of which this board focuses on - no two pieces will ever be the same. So no, I don't think it is a bootleg, it is 100% legit and was sold (previously) but a reputable agent. It is not worth any more or any less, just depends on whether you like the omission of the extra paint.

Toys like this tend not to be bootlegged or copied, as the prices are generally reasonable and they are [somewhat] easily available. The ones you need to worry about are the really high-end of the market, and even then, outright copies are rare, and frowned upon highly. When they are discovered, usually they are exposed quickly. If you need some more advice, shoot away.

You have to be somewhat careful with the use of 'bootlegs' as this generally refers to unlicensed toys. In that case, they are abundant, and many collectors (myself among them) love these 'knockoff' versions for their quirkiness. This generally applies to vintage figures though. Newer, unlicensed 'copies' that you might find from China or Taiwan are a different story.

Thanks, or danke, whichever you prefer.
I'm sure we're talking about the same thing. I'm not in love with the price, either...
Anyway, I just needed to ask. Makes sense - there comes a point where the cost to produce a forgery meets or exceeds that of the original.

Also, thanks - You're right about me needing to be careful about the use of the word "bootleg." I said it because it was convenient, without thinking about its popular use here. I'll be more careful.

The only true bootleg toys I'm aware of that people here care about are Kaws and some Bounty Hunter pieces. You may want to be more careful with those if they don't have boxes or bags.

As for the bag issue, well yeah, I guess re-bagging happens. No way to know. Some toys have come to me damaged in their bags straight from the manufacturer so... But really... Why keep a toy in its bag? What a waste!

Ha! Yes! I balk at paying for MIB when I KNOW (know thyself!) I'm just going to rip open that bag and pose the HELL out of that sucker...