is it pirated (counterfeit)???

[yamagatacamille]

so... i stopped by at a local record shop in historic chinatown in vancouver which primarily sells international music. i happen to spot all 3 RMX albums from AYU, most likely to be the overseas version. all 3 were selling @ 23.99CAD (18USD) each. now, what im wondering is that (i hope im not making a biased opinion) since the record shop is in chinatown is it the real deal or would i be ripped off by CDRs??? i obviously cant open to see if it is, but by looking at the cover and such, here are the telltale signs which can throw me off:

~something like this
though it has japanese text there, the one i saw has chinese characters ONLY !(no kana or anything!)

> i guess thats all i remember...but i dont wanna waste my money on something that could just be done in 1/2 hour. should i avoid or should i just buy it off yesasia??? thx. cheers

[Super Ichiban]

$18 USD sounds just about right for Overseas version. I have a few Overseas version of Avex CDs and they have a lot of Chinese text and no Japanese next. Since it was in Chinatown it's very likely to be Overseas version.

for me its all good as long as it plays and its not soem guy trying to sound leik ayu :blink

but yeah if its in chinatown its overseas

[Squally]

Some oversea's version's cd spine have all kanji. Here's a picture of the oversea's cd spine of ABallads.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...2/aballads.jpg

[jerms]

..that a ballads spine looks awefully fishy to me..

$18 USD sounds just about right for Overseas version

..yeah..if you get it online. local stores that sell REAL overseas OR japan version, are way overpriced..i' m not positive, and i seem to be the only one..but i think its a fake..but hey.maybe not..as long as it doesnt ahve any extra label icons on it..and i'm with samham- as long as it plays, i'm happy.

The OBI on my A Ballads album looked like that, and mine was from YesAsia.

The Overseas versions usually have Chinese on the wrapping and chinese lyrics included with the japanese book.

The one you're describing seems like it would be overseas, because $18 sounds about right, and usually pirated cds have completey different pictures... sometimes they're pictures you've never seen before.

[jerms]

hmmmmmmmmm..in taht case..i predict its real

[PickleCookies]

Originally posted by ayu[HANABI]
so... i stopped by at a local record shop in historic chinatown in vancouver which primarily sells international music. i happen to spot all 3 RMX albums from AYU, most likely to be the overseas version. all 3 were selling @ 23.99CAD (18USD) each. now, what im wondering is that (i hope im not making a biased opinion) since the record shop is in chinatown is it the real deal or would i be ripped off by CDRs??? i obviously cant open to see if it is, but by looking at the cover and such, here are the telltale signs which can throw me off:

~something like this
though it has japanese text there, the one i saw has chinese characters ONLY !(no kana or anything!)

> i guess thats all i remember...but i dont wanna waste my money on something that could just be done in 1/2 hour. should i avoid or should i just buy it off yesasia??? thx. cheers

Look at the picture, I've seen that of cd scans. It's real. Also, I can see 'Avex Trax' in small print.

[Darkevil]

I think it's safe to buy. Some of my Ayu's CD also include chinese words inside it. I think it is because these CD are from Hongkong or Taiwan.

[ruixiong89]

yup, but do double check all of them again. You should really compare the printing and the packaging. But the overseas version I've seen are not littered with Kanji so I think you might want to look for a more reliable dealer so that at least you are assured that it's not a fake?

[Ayame]

Originally posted by ruixiong89
yup, but do double check all of them again. You should really compare the printing and the packaging. But the overseas version I've seen are not littered with Kanji so I think you might want to look for a more reliable dealer so that at least you are assured that it's not a fake?

Not all overseas versions are the same. If it's a Chinese overseas version, naturally since it was from Chinatown, it probably has Chinese on it so Chinese people can read it. The overseas versions that you get from YesAsia.com and whatnot are more "plain" overseas versions with regular Japanese but no obi, etc. Usually if you buy CDs in Chinatown, given that the store doesn't look too shady, the CDs are likely to be real copies. All the ones I've bought in Chinatowns are just the real overseas editions.

[Shiso]

My! I envy so much! I would like to find a shop that sells original (or any!) ayu cds in Poland... but it's IMPOSSIBLE!

[isaac hiew]

Sometimes THERE ARE fakes printed out by those dirty Taiwanese pirates who wanna make their CDs look high class, look carefully at the RMX album again, if it's 100% in Chinese characters, packages differently than Japanese version (The oversea version packs JUST LIKE the japanese ver. but it just had some Chinese words, like stickers stuck on the CD.... normally it's brief introductions), then it's fake.

Therefore to sum up, ask yourself these questions:

1. Is it packaged differently than Japanese version?

(Is it looks differently, the chinese sticker thing is OK)

2. Is it CCCD? (Of course, those know-alls won't care whether it's CCCD or not)

Normally Oversea versions should be cheaper than Japanese version, since Japanese version is directly imported from Japan, and it's subjected to higher taxations..... urgh I hate customs.

[Seiferz]

Mine one is same like this ~ So i think it s original Cd ~

[mimika]

if u really wanna make sure, dun go to china town, instead go to chinese shoppin mall in like richomnd etc (u in vancouver rite?)...i think itz safer there