Amazon.com Sells Sailor Moon Bootleg as ‘Official Boxset’

The Amazon retail website in the United States has been selling a bootleg version of the Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Sailor Stars television series as the “Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: The Complete Official Boxset.” This US$69.95 (about £35) bootleg version’s packaging is distinguishable from the actual, official Japanese DVDs by its missing copyright notice, all-region logo, lack of real company credits, missing DVD logo trademark, different cover artwork, and different disc specifications. It also lists the “Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Production Committee” as its releaser. (Toei Video released this series on individual DVD discs in Japan, but not in a DVD box set.)

This bootleg version does contain misleading Japanese and English package text, as well as a false Japanese yen price (“Price with tax: Y17,300”) and an altered technical specifications layout copied from legitimate Japanese DVDs. Neither Geneon (formerly Pioneer Entertainment) nor any other company has officially released the Sailor Moon Sailor Stars series in North America, although Geneon did sell the previous series, Sailor Moon SuperS, in individual DVDs and in a DVD thin pack box set.

While the separate Amazon Marketplace is known for harboring third-party sellers of bootlegged material, this particular bootlegged Sailor Moon Sailor Stars version appears on Amazon’s main corporate website. Amazon could not be reached for comment, despite repeated online and telephone requests. ANN will update this article or post a follow-up if Amazon responds.

Click Here to view the listing on Amazon.com.

Source: Anime News Network