Identifying bootleg Aegis Figma

[krimpov]

I'm currently putting on sale a fairly large part of my collection (shameless plug... booooh!), so I searched eBay for Aeris Figmas to see how much they were going for. Bootleg after bootleg ("Chinese version", as they call it), I suddenly had a flash : I don't remember where I bought mine. I was quite sure I bought it from a reliable Japanese store such as Hobbylink Japan or AmiAmi, but I couldn't find any record of the transaction.

It doesn't look fake to me. I've seen pictures of fakes : funky, cheap articulation and parts that don't fit. Obviously crappy figures. Mine has none of these and doesn't seem cheaply made; if it's a bootleg it might just be the best bootleg Figma ever. If I had to guess, I'd say it's the real thing, but this made me doubt :

forums.sgcafe.com/anime-merchandise/109379-figma-aegis-vs-fake-figma-aegis.html

You can see some pics of my Figma Aeris here :

imgur.com/a/PLsuD#0

He talks about a Silver Plastic Lining across the packaging of the real Figma. I'm absolutely clueless there. No idea what he means by that.

Then, he shows pics of the back of both boxes. This is where the sh!t hits the fan. Mine looks like the one he says is fake. The layout is the same, with none of the red box, green web address and QR code.

But then, when I open the box, the cardboard is naked like his genuine box. Not white like the bootleg.

Moving on to the tray, it gets weird again. He says that the real Figma only has protective plastic on the rocket punch, while on his fake the Aegis figure is also lying on a sheet of plastic. Mine is just like his "fake", with plastic under the punch and the figure.

Looking at the bag containing the extra hands and the stand, we do yet another 180° turn. Mine isn't thin and completely clear like the fake. Judging by the pics and what he says, it's real.

From then on, everything checks as a genuine product. Unlike his bootleg, my base isn't yellowish at all and the stand fits just fine into both the base and the figure's back. The box doesn't seem the be of poor quality (and I have 20/20 eyesight, thank you). The elbows rotate and bend in all directions. The shoulders hunch back and forth as well as up and down. The Rocket Punch fits perfectly, isn't difficult to put in place but fits perfectly and won't fall off even if posed downward; same with the extra hands.

So, is it possible that mine is the real thing, but just a different production run or made for a different market? Like an official Asian / Chinese version, which would explain the packaging differences.

It wouldn't bother me that much if it turned out to be a fake. It looks great to me. The problem is, as I said, I was planning on selling it and I just don't want to pass a bootleg as a genuine product (unknowingly, of course. Actually, I'm not sure I'd feel at ease knowingly reselling a bootleg, even if I openly said it was a fake and priced it as such. I'd rather just destroy it. In the case of this Aegis, however, it would just give me an excuse to keep it. ;D

[mechaleleng 2.0]

Okay i got curious so i checked mine. This is actually my first time reading a bootleg Aegis.^^

I definitely bought from Amaimi so im pretty much sure i got a genuine figure.

The one thing i noticed from the original box that lacks from the fake one is the Atlust sticker.

Also everything indicated from the links points that mine is "original".

Looking at your Aegis... It doesnt look bootleg to me. But im no expert, just comparing my Aegis to yours^^
If it Helps, Aegis Figma was released TWICE ( re released when Figma Metis wa announced)
so maybe there was a different set of production/Different box info at the back.


But your Aegis looks really clean/no paint smudge nor weak joints/ackward pose to say that its a bootleg.

[Chosen One]

This is alarming!

However my Aegis purchased from HobbySearch does not have that the plastic lining at the back. None of my Figmas do.
And all Figma's have wrapping around the figure to prevent the paint from smudging off the tray.

I think you have the real one.

Though the guy with the comparison pics, actually has two fakes!!! IMO

[quinjester]

There were two production runs of Aigis. It's entirely possible that the packaging was not identical between the two.

All Figmas I've ever purchased had plastic wrapping at the back of the figure, as well as several wraps on the body at rub points such as the neck and waist. The claim that plastic wrapping denotes a bootleg is faulty.

The rest of the faults with the stand, wrapping material, et al are likely accurate, but stuff like the box printing may also be a matter of differences between 1st and 2nd productions.

[Chosen One]

Feb 10, 2012 13:01:23 GMT -5 quinjester said:

All Figmas I've ever purchased had plastic wrapping at the back of the figure, as well as several wraps on the body at rub points such as the neck and waist. The claim that plastic wrapping denotes a bootleg is faulty.

This is why I rate this guy has two fakes.

[krimpov]

Thanks. That helped a lot. I had vague memories of missing a first run, because I wasn't paying attention to this line at this time, and then catching a pre-order on a restock. Or maybe I did catch the first run... not so sure anymore. It would make more sense for the second run to have a QR code and not the first one than the other way around, since there seems to be one on the box of most (if not all) new Figmas.

There surely are at least two different box layouts. It wouldn't make sense for a bootlegger to go through the trouble of creating a new layout when they're trying to pass it as the real thing. It's not like the common cheap bootleg with funky colors. They want you to think it's a real Figma, otherwise it would have a weird knock-off name like Robonana-Super-Fisting (kinkyyy) or something.

As I said, if it was a fake, it would have to be the best fake ever.

Awww... now I feel like keeping it.

[Chosen One]

You should keep it, it's got memories now.

Anyway, checked all my figmas, and none have that plastic living, and all have plenty of wrapping inside.

[B-]

Box on the right is the supposed real one,you can see where the plastic film starts at her knees it is an overlaying film that makes that area of the box appear greyer.But why would a bootleg go out of its way to have different type images like teh red writing and different smile text?Seems tehy are just 2 versions,and he got unlucky with one as it had poor QC.

[Chosen One]

Maybe... ?

Although there is no plastic film running across any Figma packages. I've got 20 Figmas, and just checked as well with my friend's Aegis. Also no plastic film. What is the point of putting that plastic film?

As well, as the guy of these images claims, the supposedly real Aegis has no plastic wrapping inside, which is not a Figma standard. It's needed to prevent the paint from smudging off the inside of the tray.

There are two reasons for this. Either he has two diverse fakes. Or the one he purchased with a film on the package, and no wrapping, was actually purchased opened, had the wrapping removed, and that film is a custom add on.

Or maybe he got confused when writing out the details of his supposedly real one???

Regardless, Krimpov, you have an original.

[mechaleleng 2.0]

I got confused by the "Silver Plastic Linings", where can i see that? Sorry im just abit confused XD

Also the plastic Film? Is it included/printed on the box art? or was it a separate plastic film itself around the box?

The only plastic film i see included with the box are those of mandarakes second hand sale.

Yeah, i agree with choosen one, your Aegis looks Legit^^

[Chosen One]

Feb 11, 2012 8:17:55 GMT -5 mechaleleng 2.0 said:

I got confused by the "Silver Plastic Linings", where can i see that? Sorry im just abit confused XD

Also the plastic Film? Is it included/printed on the box art? or was it a separate plastic film itself around the box?

The only plastic film i see included with the box are those of mandarakes second hand sale.

I think by silver lining he meant the plastic film on the box???

But yeah, at the rear of the right box in that image, there's a plastic film (tape) going over the action poses and "figma" logo.

And you could be very well right in highlighting that the supposed legit version is indeed a 2nd hand from an online stores like Madarake. And that explains why it doesn't have the wrapping inside.

Is this case now solved? ;D