Okay. I started this because i want to know what the heck are sonmay, alion, ever anime, etc...?

are they:
a) legal?
b) bootleg?
c) pirates?
d) other

Hopefully this thread would clarify what they are...

thanks in advance!!!! :>

sonmay and alion and others alike are bootleg companies, they copy/rip copies and package them to look like the official product, i have been a victim of such companies.
To spot these bootleg products i have a few tricks:

Look up the official companies release serial numbers the bootleg ones will differ from the official ones.
The discs themselves will feature the anime artwork but look closely at the edges, they usually display a personal website/email of the bootlegger.
The prices of bootlegs are so low its too good to be true, use your head think "how come it differs by so much from Amazon.com"

i personally would avoid buying discs from bootleg companies, as i said i fell victim to them once. their "products" have low quality packaging and sometimes the tracks have glitches.

so are you saying that these discs basically stink?

no, they work fine with the DVDs anyway, the visuals etc are like the official product but maybe on closer scrutiny you can tell the difference. The CDs you might notice a few more glitches. im not really an expert on these "products" since once i got duped by one disc i became extra careful not to fall for the same trick twice.

So basically by it on discount and stay away from bad merchandise and your fine ^_^ I think renting is good for me, buty if I ever wnat to buy one i will, however I find the prices here are through the roof, $50.00 is alot for a disc

$50.00?????
*Faints in shock and Falls over*
Thudddddd........
Um, you don'tlive in the U.S. do you?
If so, tell me what state so I can avoid it like a plague. ROFL
I tend to be rather parsimonious and pich pennies til they beg for mercy or just admit that they've been pulled into a wire. lol j/k
rather "bad j/k
In kansas Anime tends to run from $25-30some.
Hmm, rambling now. :bash: Baaad Chonrad
Chonrad
The Eccentric Elf

if i import the DVDs into the UK from the US end up paying double price! think how i cope!

Bah Im in Cananda ^-^ Cananda Nova Scotia to be exact, since Im in the city they over price anything anime.

in the UK they overprice everything!

Come to Singapore and buy the stuff u can find. I heard that the prices here are rather cheap compared to those found esle where

are the products in Singapore dubbed or subtitled in english? problem is any savings i make by buying in Singapore will be offset by the airline fare! ^^'

Heck with sonmay and the others!!!!

yes i would advise against buying products from these companies, but if you really want to i not one to stop you. but i would be really dissappointed!

are they actually legal in taiwan? they are pretty convincing you know...

i dont think the home countries of these companies really look into it, otherwise there wouldnt be so many of these companies. and also Japan cares very little of such piracy problems outside Japan, preferring a more liberal approach to allow ppl to draw doujinshis etc. however i think this is changing, as is evident in recent clampdowns of fansub sites.