Pirate game soundtracks! Check your discs!

[maxlords]

Sorry about the long post, but this is important information! It's been brought to my attention that some people are unaware of the rampant piracy in the import game soundtrack market. Basically, what everyone should know is that the VAST majority of all the game (and anime) soundtracks available online are pirated. 99% of all the game soundtracks on eBay are pirated, and even some of the regular stores sell pirated ones.

What, you may be asking, am I talking about? Well, to sum it up, here's a bit of information I've taken from the links at the bottom of my post. It was far faster to borrow this (thanks to Daryl of www.ffmusic.info) than it was to retype it. The information is public knowledge these days too, but it seems like a lot of people just don't know:


"The two most popular companies that have pirated FF CDs are SonMay (SM) and EverAnime (EA), both of which are in Taiwan. SM has been around for some time. EA seems to have popped up back in late 1999; I remember the first eBay auction I saw of an EA FF CD (got all those acronyms? ^_~). It was of Grand Finale, and I seriously thought it was an original. After that, EA became very widespread.

Now why, you may ask, are Taiwan companies pirating CDs? Here's the situation in a nutshell, most of which is from my own cursory research, so if I've got some details incorrect, please email me, preferably with a link to the Website from which you got your info. I will correct my information once I verify the accuracy of the details you send me.

There is a treaty, called the Berne Convention, between certain countries resulting from a series of conventions that was first held in 1886. It's called the "Berne" Convention because the treaty was first signed in Berne, Germany, in 1886. Successive conventions have updated and revised the treaty, and I believe the latest revision is dated 1979. These conventions hold that a copyrighted work in one member country will be recognized by other member countries. The owner's copyright lasts for his/her lifespan plus 75 years after his/her death. (I believe current U.S. law holds that the copyright lasts for only 50 years after death; I'm not sure if the law was changed.) I believe that at last count, 96 countries had signed the Berne treaty.

Taiwan and China did not sign the Berne Convention and so were not bound by its restrictions. Therefore, in these countries, it was legal to reproduce a person's work (including music, books, software...) without having to go through the legal channels of getting a license, paying royalties to the creator, etc. This is why bootlegging and piracy are rampant in Taiwan and China.

However, so I am told, Taiwan and China joined the World Trade Organization in November 2001, and the WTO has strict rules about intellectual property and copyrights. What does this mean? It means that Taiwan and China are now obligated, under WTO rules, to outlaw piracy and crack down on it.

One thing that must be made clear is that the Berne Convention is, strictly speaking, *not* a part of the WTO. The Berne treaty existed before the WTO (the WTO was established in 1995). However, according to the WTO website, the WTO's rules on intellectual property are stricter than those laid out in the Berne Convention.

This, to me, presents an interesting dilemma. If a country signed the Berne Convention but is not a WTO member, then that country follows rules that are supposedly more lax. Of course, this is a moot point if all the Berne signees are also WTO members (but do you realize how amazingly difficult it is to find on the 'Net who signed the Berne treaty?! It's incredible...).

With all that said...I first encountered bootlegs when I bought the FF6 OSV. I inadvertently bought the SM version. I didn't think much of the issue, because they were the first VGM I owned, and I wasn't even aware that there *was* an issue. (And, as I have discovered, that is how most other people learn about the issue, as well.) Then I came across the original Japan release, and to say the least, I was stunned. I let a friend listen to both releases, and he came back a few weeks later saying that the SM CDs sounded slightly inferior, but that was because he'd played them on a really good sound system. For most of us, who use regular CD players or boomboxes, it probably won't make much of a sound difference.

Got all that? :) The strange thing is that eBay, Amazon, and even sometimes reputable places like gamemusic.com allow the sale of these pirated works. And it's not even remotely in question that they're 100% illegal to sell outside of Taiwan and China, yet still the flow increases of the pirate soundtracks every week! There are also other smaller pirate companies pirating game and anime soundtracks (such as Alion and others) but SonMay and Everanime are the biggest.

Pirate companies:
Sonmay Records
Everanime International Record Company
Alion

As for reputable companies, you know your soundtrack is not a bootleg if it's made (and published) by:
Digicube
Victor
King Records
Falcom
Capcom
Konami
Tokuma
Tokyo Pop (who do domestic releases)
Atlus
Squaresoft
Freetron (Far East) Company

I'll add to that list if anyone knows any others I missed (pirate or reputable), that's just going from my personal collection.

Here are some refereces for the information:
A bit of information here (under the Audio CDs section) and lots about other pirate merchandise: http://www.digital.anime.org.uk/piratefaq.html

Check out the disclaimer here at Robert's Anime (very well known store): http://www.animecornerstore.com/ancdsounhp.html

Also check gametz.com's restricted items list:
http://gametz.com/FAQ.html#restricted

News article that mentions Pioneer making a press released about SM and Everanime soundtracks
http://anime-tourist.com/article.php?sid=471

A bit of info about the Everanime/Sonmay pirates (thanks to Daryl for the above quote!):
http://www.ffmusic.info/comments.html#7


Any thoughts people?

[jaydubnb]

Thanks for the informative post! I always wondered why so many boots seem to stream out of that area.

Oh yeah--When you asked about my Drac CD I had a small panic attack lol

[Carnivol]

Actualy...
Just something to add to the music piracy thing...

I think the game music doesn't follow the normal rules for music I think...

As game music isn't licensed music (in most cases)
so that might explain why there's pirated music on ebay...
+very few mention what company the CDs are from..
I've actualy see people sell CDs with MP3s and even homemade soundtracks (Megaman 7 is a very common one)

[maxlords]

Actualy...
Just something to add to the music piracy thing...

I think the game music doesn't follow the normal rules for music I think...

As game music isn't licensed music (in most cases)
so that might explain why there's pirated music on ebay...
+very few mention what company the CDs are from..
I've actualy see people sell CDs with MP3s and even homemade soundtracks (Megaman 7 is a very common one)

That's not even remotely true. All the music is still copyrighted by either the composers or the companies that made the games. Why would it be unlicensed? That doesn't make any sense. Very few mention where the CDs are from because they KNOW they're selling illegal pirates of the music. I'ts all very illegal, whether eBay allows it or not.

[Carnivol]

Thing is, since it's unlicensed music... I think it follows some other rules when it comes to copying and distributing...

Not sure though...

Only thing I know is that there was some case about this several years ago...
It ended with the piracy winning 'cause the game music wasn't licensed as "real" music... (duh...)

Well, anyway, I'm just typing what I know, feel free to correct me.
But don't start acting rude!

[maxlords]

Thing is, since it's unlicensed music... I think it follows some other rules when it comes to copying and distributing...

Not sure though...

Only thing I know is that there was some case about this several years ago...
It ended with the piracy winning 'cause the game music wasn't licensed as "real" music... (duh...)

Well, anyway, I'm just typing what I know, feel free to correct me.
But don't start acting rude!

Not being rude. Just stating the facts. Game music, and ESPECIALLY game music soundtracks are covered by international copyrights just like any other created work. Nothing makes them subject to different laws just because it's from a game. In fact, the music CDs that are pirated are covered by copyright protection, and the in-game music is ALSO covered by separate protection stemming from the copyright on the source code and original ideas of the game. The music is part of that copyright on the content of the game, and when it's published separately, automatically covered by copyright protections for both music and the game content. The game companies also make sure that their characters, music, and concepts are copyrighted as well.

The ONLY reason this crap makes it out on the market is because of the Taiwan and HK not signing the Berne Convention. However, it's still illegal to sell it outside of Taiwan and HK, whether eBay allows it or not. It's pirated material, pure and simple, just as if you'd ripped the msuic from the ROM and sold it....100% illegal.

Not only is game music "real" music, but it's also made by someone who owns the rights to it. Copying it is theft, and selling those copies is piracy, pure and simple. There are no grey areas in the definitions. Someone else created it, so that person (or company the person works for) owns the rights, not the HK and Taiwan pirates. Read the links that I provided above. They explain why these things can be made in HK and Taiwan. There's still no legal way of selling them Stateside though. It's illegal no matter what.

[Carnivol]

Oh, well...

Anyway, I'd be pretty much pissed off if I figured out I wanted to get the Rockman 1-6 soundtrack or something (or FFVII reunion or whatever soundtrack I'd might end up buying) if I got it and figured out it was a fake...

[sisko]

These types of CD's are actually labelled as "greymarket," and I'm not sure its entirely illegal to sell them in a retail establishment. If it is then about a dozen stores in Phoenix are selling illegal merchandise.

To be honest, I don't even know where to buy original anime soundtracks except for online. I know of one store that sells legit game soundtracks, but their selection is limited to 3 or 4 FF cds.

I never had a problem with buying one of these though. If it was truly illegal, I would have figured that all these stores would have stopped selling them long ago. Plus they are a fraction of a cost (anywhere between 50-75% cheaper!!).

The only downsides are decreased audio quality (hardly detectable without a really good cd player, receiver and ear), poor disc art and less than spectacular jewel cases/inserts


All that aside though...

Anyway, I just saw this on the back of a Ever Anime case...

"All rights of the produeer (note the typo) and of the owner of the work reproduced reserved."
.
Next line:

"Unauthorized copying , hiring lending, public performance and broadcasting of this recording prohibited."

Hypocrisy anyone? :?

Also, if you really want to refrain from buying one of these greymarket cd's, you should know how to distinguish them!

I don't know about Alion, but Sonmay's logo is typically located on the back towards the bottom. It looks like a a big SM with a white line going through the letters.

Ever anime is located in the same place, and has a rainbow gradient logo that says "EVER Anime." Fairly obvious, no? :)

Another greymarket company not mentioned is Archer Records Co., LTD Same spot, but has crossed arrow and 8th note for a logo.

Other legitimate companies not mentioned are:
SMILE
Pony Canyon
and Columbia.

[kobunheatforum]

These types of CD's are actually labelled as "greymarket,"

No they're not. Grey-market refers to selling legal imported software, etc. Because there's a 'grey area.' There's no grey area with Ever Anime CDs. They're illegal.


and I'm not sure its entirely illegal to sell them in a retail establishment.

It is. Entirely.


If it is then about a dozen stores in Phoenix are selling illegal merchandise.

They are. Entirely.


If it was truly illegal

It is.


Plus they are a fraction of a cost (anywhere between 50-75% cheaper!!)

That's because they're illegal.

[kainemaxwell]

Smile Face another bootleg company too?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3245765953&category=13667

[ventrra]

Smile Face another bootleg company too?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3245765953&category=13667
Apparently. It is listed in one in the FAQ in maxlords' first link. (With a pic of their logo, too!)

[Ascending Wordsmith]

Can anyone tell if this CD is from a pirate company?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3051731521&category=27247&rd=1

At the bottom of the CD cover, I see what appears to be GiGa. Can anyone confirm this?

[sisko]

Can anyone tell if this CD is from a pirate company?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3051731521&category=27247&rd=1

At the bottom of the CD cover, I see what appears to be GiGa. Can anyone confirm this?

It looks fake to me. Note the cheap case, generic "manual" and disc color.

[maxlords]

Actually, a lot of the official soundtracks come in those white jewel cases, and it's VERY hard to tell at that angle what the disc looks like. I'd say it's a 50/50 bet either way. Might be a pirate, might not. If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably not, simply cause it's such an obscure soundtrack, and the priates rarely bother with those. Usually they do more mainstream recent stuff, or ones that are selling for big money, like the Castlevania ones.

[sisko]

From what I am aware of, Sega ususally makes their own soundtracks. Isn't it odd that there is no Sega logo to be seen?

It looks like a standard CD-R to me. Several bootleg companies have different colors of CD's, but I have yet to see an official one other than silver.

$25 is a bit high for a bootleg disc, but not a total loss. I wouldn't bid any more though.

[Ascending Wordsmith]

The seller confirmed that Giga was in fact the publisher. Of the pirate companies I've seen listed (SonMay, EverAnime, Alion, Archer Records, or Golden Diamond Music) Giga wasn't listed.

The seller also says he'll send me a pic of the disc. I'll post it here once I get it. To buy a pirated soundtrack is my idea of selling secrets to the Soviets during the Cold War. It just ain't in my best interests!

[maxlords]

From what I am aware of, Sega ususally makes their own soundtracks. Isn't it odd that there is no Sega logo to be seen?

It looks like a standard CD-R to me. Several bootleg companies have different colors of CD's, but I have yet to see an official one other than silver.

$25 is a bit high for a bootleg disc, but not a total loss. I wouldn't bid any more though.


It's not a blank silver disc, I can tell, it's just at a REALLY bad angle. IT has a black strip across the center...which is probably the label on the disc.

As for Sega, well, they didn't make Steam Hearts. It's madea nd published by TGL. It's a 3rd party game, and also released on the Duo...also by TGL.

[Lady Jaye]

Well, guess what? I just learned that the Zelda Wind Waker soundtrack that I bought and honestly thought that it was legit, isn't. It's an Alion CD (the reprod is well done, though. You'd have to have seen the original Japanese release to tell the difference. Actually, looking closely at it, you can see that it's a color copy, not a professionally printed front sleeve, but I originally thought that the subdued colors might be linked to WW's visual style.). And I bought it from a well-established anime rental place in Montreal, not from a Chinatown questionable shop.

BTW, the Alion marking is indicated as such: in the back of the case, at the bottom, it says "Alion International Records Co., Ltd." The logo resembles the kind of logo you'd see from a legit record company (it's a black square with "Alion" written its lower part). Oh, and it does say, "Made in Taiwan". I just found on a reputable website (http://www.cocoebiz.com) the product number for the official Japanese release of the Wind Waker soundtrack: SCDC-00250~00251. The "product number" on the spine of my copy says, ALCA-8160/1.

This is the second time it happens to me in recent times (I realized not too long ago that the copy of Mazinkaiser I bought off a friend was definitely a Taiwan bootleg). I have to admit that it's a lot less obvious with the CD itself.

To tell the truth, I'd rather just download the tracks online than buy Taiwanese bootlegs.

[Ed Oscuro]

To tell the truth, I'd rather just download the tracks online than buy Taiwanese bootlegs.

I hear you there.

Friend of mine thought he'd found a bunch of rare Akumajo Dracula soundtracks the other day (really old stuff, too) and bought $50 worth of Ever Anime bootlegs...grr...and he said he'd buy more anyways! Gotta go saw his fingers off now.

[maxlords]

To tell the truth, I'd rather just download the tracks online than buy Taiwanese bootlegs.

I hear you there.

Friend of mine thought he'd found a bunch of rare Akumajo Dracula soundtracks the other day (really old stuff, too) and bought $50 worth of Ever Anime bootlegs...grr...and he said he'd buy more anyways! Gotta go saw his fingers off now.

Honestly, I'd settle for the bootleg of Dracula New Classics :) I can't find that one ANYWHERE!

[hu6800]

welp............. when we all grow old and die it wont matter much so
here are my thoughts on that.

i can see if they are trying to get too much loot out of you for a pirate game music cd, thats one thing.
But if you were making them for friends or something i dont have problems with that...

I mean technically, if you bought the game, you already bought the music.

[hu6800]

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/hu6800/detail?.dir=/Pictures&.dnm=hudson.jpg

I have this one, and a few more.

[E Nice]

The seller confirmed that Giga was in fact the publisher. Of the pirate companies I've seen listed (SonMay, EverAnime, Alion, Archer Records, or Golden Diamond Music) Giga wasn't listed.

While this is months late, GIGA is a Japanese game company. TGL is a part of GIGA. GIGA has made soundtrack cds but not sure if it ever sold them outright. Don't really know enough about that part. I know they've had some of their game soundtracks released via other cd distribution companies and released other soundtracks as pack-ins with their own products.

[Aussie2B]

I'd strongly recommend downloading some songs and burning your own disc over buying a bootleg. Sure, it's still illegal and hurts the business of the real companies, but it's the lesser of two evils. At least you're not funding the groups that are killing the game music industry, and you're not putting money in the pockets of people who are most likely a part of organized crime. It really doesn't sit well with me the thought that my money could be going to someone selling drugs or murdering people or who knows what... I personally don't download entire albums, though. I want to support the composers I love, so I take the effort to get official copies of the soundtracks I want. Granted, half of the albums I buy are used and thus no longer bring profit to the companies or composer... :/

[maxlords]

Exactly. Most of the Sonmay/Everanime stuff I've gotten is used, so they don't bring any profits in to the pirates. Just avoid buying the stuff sealed from resellers on eBay and the net and you'll be fine. Basically, those of us outside of Japan can't really support out favorite game composers in any noticeable way, considering how unbelievably hard it is to get new game soundtracks when they come out. 99% of ALL my soundtracks were bought used, from friends, or on clearance somewhere. They're almost impossible to find new. I try to get originals as much as possible, but it's VERY difficult. My best recommendation is to try to avoid buying pirates if you can, but ultimately, get the music and enjoy it, and that's as much of a tribute to the composers as any of us can REALLY make.

[Aussie2B]

I know a lot of online stores that sell official albums brand new, but my problem is that I'm not interested in most brand new soundtracks. I'm a fan of mostly older game music.

[maxlords]

Expect to pay a LOT more for the older soundtracks....they're even harder to get! :D

[Professor Hector]

Yahoo! Japan is a great resource for older game soundtracks, if you have someone who can bid for you. Even with the added fees this usually entails, it is not uncommon for you to play less through this method than you would on ebay when it comes to the rarer stuff.

[Aussie2B]

Yup, that's what I do when there are no other options. It's a pain because I usually have to pay $30-$40 more than the bare winning bid, but it's worth it for some albums.

[joshnickerson]

Ugh. I checked both of my Ocarina of Time soundtracks (Hyrule Symphony and Remix) and they are both Everanime pirates. So is one of my Pokemon albums.
Oh well. I bought them years ago, no sense crying over it now. At least they sound good and the packaging is actually good quality.

[dracula]

Exactly. Most of the Sonmay/Everanime stuff I've gotten is used, so they don't bring any profits in to the pirates. Just avoid buying the stuff sealed from resellers on eBay and the net and you'll be fine. Basically, those of us outside of Japan can't really support out favorite game composers in any noticeable way, considering how unbelievably hard it is to get new game soundtracks when they come out. 99% of ALL my soundtracks were bought used, from friends, or on clearance somewhere. They're almost impossible to find new. I try to get originals as much as possible, but it's VERY difficult. My best recommendation is to try to avoid buying pirates if you can, but ultimately, get the music and enjoy it, and that's as much of a tribute to the composers as any of us can REALLY make.

These retailers sell legit products:

www.cocoebiz.com
www.otaku.com
www.gamemusic.com(they still have a handful of taiwanese boots, but mostly are legit business now)
www.cdjapan.co.jp
www.amazon.co.jp
http://jungle-scs.co.jp/en

you can get legit ones on ebay but only if the seller is saying "this is not a bootleg, this is authentic"

and yahoo japan sells only genuine cds, although there are a few fan subs out there(some of them are actually quite good) but they are pretty easy to spot(doujin)

I dont know how vendors like cartoon passion(they are in my town of los angeles) can get away with selling bootlegs over the counter. It would be the same as spending counterfeit money for something, those bootlegs arent worth 10 cents much less 10 dollars.

[Ed Oscuro]

Grr. Recently I wanted to pick up the Biohazard OSTs...I could see the ones on eBay were all Sonmay pirates. Damn them. Just gotta keep looking till one shows up that's expensive LOL

[maxlords]

Ugh...I passed up 3 variant Biohazard soundtracks back in the day when EB was stocking import soundtracks. All legit too and $5 each. *sniff* I didn't know!

[Iron Draggon]

Hey, I have a factory sealed copy of the soundtrack for Kyukyoku Tiger II, published by Pony Canyon Inc., Japan. It appears to be 100% original and legit. Any ideas what it's worth? Anybody wanna make me an offer for it?

[AtariBuff]

just for the records:
Berne (or Bern) is in Switzerland not Germany ;)

[butchass]

i recieved the gitaroo-man soundtrack last week through ebay.

it was a bootleg and the label was mica/miya if you want to add it to the list.

great post by the way! :)

[dracula]

i recieved the gitaroo-man soundtrack last week through ebay.

it was a bootleg and the label was mica/miya if you want to add it to the list.

great post by the way! :)

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=KECH-1190

there is where you can get an authentic gitaroo man soundtrack, they are still in production, so it would be a good idea to get it now before it goes out of print.

[dracula]

I'd strongly recommend downloading some songs and burning your own disc over buying a bootleg. Sure, it's still illegal and hurts the business of the real companies, but it's the lesser of two evils. ... :/

just curious, but if you download and burn an out of print cd, then how are you hurting the industry? It isnt like the cd is still being printed and sold anywhere legally, so how are the original composers losing any money at all?

[kainemaxwell]

Here's a list of bootleg sellers on ebay to watch out for too:
http://www.chudahs-corner.com/reference/bootleggers.html

[sharp]

I think I found another bootleg brand not mentioned, it's SM Records. I have some Virtua Fighter cd's from them, but there is no sign of copyright and the cd's we're released by an other company in Japan.

[dracula]

I think I found another bootleg brand not mentioned, it's SM Records. I have some Virtua Fighter cd's from them, but there is no sign of copyright and the cd's we're released by an other company in Japan.

sm= sonmay. EA=everanime

they are the 2 biggest taiwanese bootleggers. others include alion and archer, there are probably tons more.

[sharp]

sm= sonmay. EA=everanime

they are the 2 biggest taiwanese bootleggers. others include alion and archer, there are probably tons more.

Sorry I didn't read it a bit better. I didn't realise that SM is sonmay. Anyway I knew it were bootlegs when I bought them, but as they were price a euro each I found it a good way to check I liked the cd's and buy the original.

[slip81]

Ugg, I just checked my FFVI OSV and it's from Sonmay, and I got from gamemusic.com I think like 8 years ago.

Man after reading this thread again and going back and recheaking a lot of stuff online it's almost impossible NOT to buy a bootleg, but like other people have said, since it's nearly inevitable, I'll be buying all future soundtracks used, that way if I do get a bootleg without knowing it at least I didn't fund the actual company.

Also besides Yahoo Japan anyone know of any online retailers that sell non pirate SDTRKs?

EDIT: are there any good places to download game music? I know downloading the stuff is wrong, but I have to agree with others in saying that it's better to download it yourself than fuel a pirate. At least if I download a game soundtrack it's for my own personal enjoyment, and not to be resold on ebay for $14.95

[PapaStu]

Checking through some of my game soundtracks...

Nationally all the stuff published thru/under the Microsoft Game Studios is all legit (Sudeki, Halo, Halo w/DVD, Halo 2 Pt.1, Crimson Skies, Project Gotham 2 (3 different soundtracks), NHL Rivals, Advent Rising, Jade Empire among others).

Also stuff released by BanDai Entertainment as well as Gencon/Pioneer (my .Hack Best Collection (Pioneer) and .Hack Legend of the Twilight (BanDai) ) are also legit.

I do have one pirate that I know for sure (i've got more primarily DDR ones, but they arnt with me ATM) is by Smile Face International Records and its for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty Soundtrack 2: The Other Side. No where does it mention Konami and the booklet is a simple one pager. Now my MGS3 soundtrack is all Konami (and is legit), comes with a spine card and looks freaking amazing, especially when compared to my MGS2 soundtrack. Both of these were purchased from a Japanese import store in a Japanese mall.

I've got more which I can hopefully check later (Pop N' Music and some FF ones).

[Aussie2B]

Really, I wouldn't say it's that hard to get only legit albums. I haven't had any problems, and I've bought mine from numerous different sources. There are enough good resources out there to find the info you need on generally any album you could want. Once you know the official publisher, it's just a matter of comparing the two. And if you can't get the info you need from the listing or photo, asking questions never hurts. If I don't get a response at that point, then I just rule out the purchase.

And I don't know what problems gamemusic.com had several years ago, but now they should be okay. Or so I've heard from the hardcore soundtrack collectors; I've yet to buy from them myself. Even with the lower shipping than from buying straight from Japan, the prices tend to be high.

[smork]

I recently bought two anime soundtracks from Music Factory. If they are pirates, they are really good pirates because they are packaged quite nicely. I bought them from a nice anime store in a nice mall in Kuala Lumpur. Anybody heard anything about Music Factory?

They weren't cheap like pirates, but they weren't super expensive either....

[InsaneDavid]

My best recommendation is to try to avoid buying pirates if you can, but ultimately, get the music and enjoy it, and that's as much of a tribute to the composers as any of us can REALLY make.

Well put. If you're buying it for the music then enjoy it. I don't feel bad when buying pirates, if the actual honest release was there I'd buy it instead - but it isn't, sucks to be them then. What I'm saying is along the same lines as why I buy used import games. I would love to support the industry for those titles here, but the publishers don't bring the titles stateside so they don't get my money, a reseller does. (and importing games IS ILLEGAL) Yes one is an honest release (the games) and one is a pirated item (music) but the people that should get the money don't either way, because they don't want to provide me with the product directly.

Back when Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon was huge in the US (1998 or so) Sailormoonstore.com was making a killing selling the SonMay releases. In fact ALL of my Sailormoon CD's are SonMay releases - why? Because that's all that anyone here could get their hands on. Although they're pirated the quality is excellent on all of them - in packaging, case, the booklet, disc artwork, and sound quality. Same thing with all my Macross CD's.

And since the day it went on the market, every damn copy of the Ridge Racer Type 4 soundtrack I come across has been an EverAnime copy. With artwork on the inside from the game, Reiko Nagase on the back of the case, stills from the game on the inside, and Namco right on the front - was this the only release and possibly a legal one?

I'm really not crying over my pirated soundtracks, I knew that when I bought them. But until some of these game companies and publishers set up a North American branch to make these soundtracks available, then I'm going to keep right on purchasing the pirated soundtracks. Why? Because it's how you get the freaking music. Then when the game companies and publishers say "the market in the US isn't large enough to sustan us selling soundtracks there" they can look at the amount of bootleg sales that are taking place here and wise up. Until that day they can cram it.

It's not like I think "if I just buy the pirated version I can save $20" it's "I had to search and dig for years to find JUST this pirated version, that's all I came up with, I'm buying it because that's all there is!"

[Princess-Isabela]

if you are looking for ORIGINAL GAME SOUNDTRACKS - come to me, I'm selling only authentic ones.
I can find whatever you would like to get, but prices may be high - official osts are expensive, but ultimately - worth it!!
good post :)

[Aussie2B]

Yeah, but they're not THAT high. Your prices are overinflated compared to the real market values. You try to squeeze good deals out of the fans on marketplace forums by giving offers so low that they're insulting, and then you try to immediately sell back the same albums to the same communities with a ridiculous price inflation.

It's bad enough to see you constantly hawking your goods at SoundtrackCentral and Chudah's Corner, but now I gotta put up with it here too? :/ You could at least make some attempt to be a real member with posts that actually contribute to discussions, but so far, 99% of your posts are for advertisement purposes. And while you can get away with it in the forums intended for advertising, at the very least, have the decency to not crap up this forum and other discussion forums with that stuff.

I apologize to everyone for getting off-topic and ranting. I just don't want anyone falling sucker to her misleading advertising and ridiculous prices.

[Dimitri]

And since the day it went on the market, every damn copy of the Ridge Racer Type 4 soundtrack I come across has been an EverAnime copy. With artwork on the inside from the game, Reiko Nagase on the back of the case, stills from the game on the inside, and Namco right on the front - was this the only release and possibly a legal one?
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f39339917

Here's a couple photos of a legit copy. Seems there's no back insert (both copies on Yahoo ATM don't have one). My Parappa the Rapper soundtrack is like that, though, so it's not surprising. :)

[lincoln174]

Hey, have just recently joined, and introduced myself on the board.

I also fell into the trap of accidentally buying a pirated CD,, and I purchased a Metal Gear Solid 3 First Bite CD, which, if it was real, would contain a "Special Key Camouflage", however since it was fake, my PS2 couldn't register the CD.

As I have a real copy of another Metal Gear Solid 3 sountrack, which works, and gives me the special camouflage. When I look on the back of the CD there are different layers for the audio, and another layer for the PS2 to register.

Is there anything I can do to get back at the eBay seller, or get a real copy of the CD?

[Aussie2B]

You can always report the seller to eBay, but sadly, eBay tends to do nothing even with sellers who sell thousands of pirated albums.

[InsaneDavid]

Is there anything I can do to get back at the eBay seller, or get a real copy of the CD?

You also have to remember a lot of the time if a seller is selling a handfull of pirate CD's they might not even be aware of it themselves, just reselling stuff they've had for awhile. (let's be honest, eBay is the worldwide garage sale) Don't always point the finger at the seller because "THEY should have known better", as this thread demonstrated many people have purchased pirate soundtrack CD's for years and not even noticed it - and some still not really care that they have pirate copies.



And since the day it went on the market, every damn copy of the Ridge Racer Type 4 soundtrack I come across has been an EverAnime copy. With artwork on the inside from the game, Reiko Nagase on the back of the case, stills from the game on the inside, and Namco right on the front - was this the only release and possibly a legal one?
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f39339917

Here's a couple photos of a legit copy. Seems there's no back insert (both copies on Yahoo ATM don't have one). My Parappa the Rapper soundtrack is like that, though, so it's not surprising. :)

Damn, thank you! The EverAnime release has the back cover of the booklet as the disc image (instead of Reiko Nagase) and the part number is different as well (GM-094 instead of ZMCX-103). The booklet covers are also more orange than yellow. Oh well, I'm not bummed, as I said in a much earlier post I bought what was available. Until there's a real push to sell the soundtracks direct from the publishers in the states I souldn't have to bust my ass looking for originals, the music is what I'm interested as.

[Arthur-Otaku]

You can't sell modded systems or unlicensed games on ebay but you can sell pirate music cds and dvds, funny

[InsaneDavid]

You can't sell modded systems or unlicensed games on ebay but you can sell pirate music cds and dvds, funny

You can sell modded systems, I do it all the time. However you just have to be careful of your wording and make SURE you note that the modifications do not imply piracy in any way.

[Yamazaki]

That's funny now. In Europe the SM and Co problem is quilte well-known. It was around 2001/2002 that people became aware of it.

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

*Sigh* I just discovered that a few of my precious soundtracks are actually bootlegs thanks to this thread...

[Yamazaki]

My sympathies for you buddy.

Unfortunately ebay doesn't give shit about those bootlegs, since they are supposed to be a "grey zone".
And there are sellers with more than 100 auctions every week!

[Mark III]

The cover of my castlevania soundtrack is just a paper sleeve with "MUSIC" written across it with a pen, is that a bad sign?

[Sailorneorune]

Bought a SotN soundtrack from someone on GameTZ; it was the EverAnime bootleg after he said it was legit.

I sent him a polite e-mail informing him that it was not the legitimate Konami release and included a link to the Pirate Anime FAQ on page 1, as well as the legit product's listing on Play-Asia.com.

I left him a "poor" for honesty on the GameTZ feedback system, and he continues to insist that he sent me the legit product.

/sigh
//to be continued

[Drexel923]

Can anyone post links or images to legit Final Fantasy 3/6 soundtracks? I found a bunch on eBay, but I have a feeling that most of them are fake. Thanks.

[VACRMH]

Can anyone post links or images to legit Final Fantasy 3/6 soundtracks? I found a bunch on eBay, but I have a feeling that most of them are fake. Thanks.

Here's some info from Chudah's Clicky (http://chudahs-corner.com/soundtracks/index.php?catalog=PSCN-5001~3)

You may want to just ask the seller what company released the CD, that's what I usually do.

[InsaneDavid]

You may want to just ask the seller what company released the CD, that's what I usually do.

That's the smartest way to go about it, just asking for more information. That way no one is accusing anyone of anything and you'll get a straight answer. Great tip!

[Princess-Isabela]

Yeah, but they're not THAT high. Your prices are overinflated compared to the real market values. You try to squeeze good deals out of the fans on marketplace forums by giving offers so low that they're insulting, and then you try to immediately sell back the same albums to the same communities with a ridiculous price inflation.

It's bad enough to see you constantly hawking your goods at SoundtrackCentral and Chudah's Corner, but now I gotta put up with it here too? :/ You could at least make some attempt to be a real member with posts that actually contribute to discussions, but so far, 99% of your posts are for advertisement purposes. And while you can get away with it in the forums intended for advertising, at the very least, have the decency to not crap up this forum and other discussion forums with that stuff.

I apologize to everyone for getting off-topic and ranting. I just don't want anyone falling sucker to her misleading advertising and ridiculous prices.

you don't have to like prices, that's your right.
but while you complain, I actually have been selling game music for a long time, and people are extremely pleased with my service.
I do offer legit, authentic products from Japan.
I don't remember when I bought something off the soundtrack forums, I'm selling soundtracks imported from Japan so prices are higher.
you're a complete jerk, I'm always helping people identifying legit soundtracks and many comes to me, just so I can help them with various game music problems.
you're the one who doesn't actually do a single thing for the community, so get lost and stop ranting.
better try to kick pirate sellers like custom-specialists(who record cd's and then claim they are the real thing) off of ebay.

[Sidewindera7xo7]

I have a soundtrack from the first kingdom hearts...looks pretty darn legit..can anyone tell me who did the soundtrack...mine is from Alion, but it seriously looks like any legit cd ive ever owned... and my kingdom hearts 2 soundtrack is from miya records... can anyone tell me? im pretty sure the kh 1 is a pirate...considering it doesnt say squaresoft of square enix ANYWHERE on it or in the book..

[Vectorman0]

I have a soundtrack from the first kingdom hearts...looks pretty darn legit..can anyone tell me who did the soundtrack...mine is from Alion, but it seriously looks like any legit cd ive ever owned... and my kingdom hearts 2 soundtrack is from miya records... can anyone tell me? im pretty sure the kh 1 is a pirate...considering it doesnt say squaresoft of square enix ANYWHERE on it or in the book..

They are both bootlegs. These are originals you can compare them to:
http://otaku.com/cgi-bin/itemview.asp?itemid=59944f
http://otaku.com/cgi-bin/itemview.asp?itemid=68246e

[Princess-Isabela]

there is also European Kingdom Hearts OST release which is of course legit, you can even buy it at your local fry's electronics(some of them are still carrying it).

[Aussie2B]

you don't have to like prices, that's your right.
but while you complain, I actually have been selling game music for a long time, and people are extremely pleased with my service.
I do offer legit, authentic products from Japan.
I don't remember when I bought something off the soundtrack forums, I'm selling soundtracks imported from Japan so prices are higher.
you're a complete jerk, I'm always helping people identifying legit soundtracks and many comes to me, just so I can help them with various game music problems.
you're the one who doesn't actually do a single thing for the community, so get lost and stop ranting.
better try to kick pirate sellers like custom-specialists(who record cd's and then claim they are the real thing) off of ebay.

I would get the pirate sellers off of eBay if I could, but eBay doesn't care enough to listen to my complaints or anyone else's.

So instead I try to help my fellow video game music fans by steering them away from those sellers, and that's what I'm doing here too. You can call me a jerk if you want, but I'm not aiming to be nice; I'm trying to warn the people who may not be as well-versed in soundtrack values and rarities as fans on music-focused communities, so I was never specifically looking for a response from you with my prior post.

If people don't want to listen to me, they can check out these topics and decide for themselves:

http://www.altpop.com/stc/forums/viewtopic.php?id=549
http://www.altpop.com/stc/forums/viewtopic.php?id=1483

Everything I claimed is backed up by many other people, and most of those people are also pillars of the soundtrack collecting community. The matter may not be as black and white as someone selling pirates, but clearly there are plenty of people unhappy with your business practices and possessing a view that you're leeching off of the video game music community.

And finally, saying I don't do a single thing for the community is a silly thing to say, especially when you don't even know who the heck I am.

[Princess-Isabela]

if you do want to know, many people of these aforementioned boards apologized personally for their behavior after hearing what kind of service I'm providing.
the problem with you is you don't even know who I am as well and what I do for VGM community, you do seem unpolite because you've never dealt with me and you're backing your arguments off some silly posts which were written by the very same people who admitted were doing the same thing for a period of time - reselling with a profit, there is nothing wrong with that as long you're selling genuine items and let people know what they're getting) .
are you a bootlegger from ebay by any chance?
few people who read your post suggested it.
highly unlikely, but your attitude does seem a little peculiar, that's for sure.

[Aussie2B]

Uh, what? First of all, if you're so concerned with what I say, why does it take you over half a year to reply?

Who on earth would think I'm a bootlegger? What could possibly give anyone that impression?

If you don't like what I think and say, fine; to some people, business is just business. I apply some morals to how I view and conduct business, however, and I think you take advantage of your own fellow collectors. You're in the same group of people that try to convince someone new to collecting older games that a Super Mario Bros. cart is "MEGA R@RE" and worth 20 bucks. Except those sellers tend to get their copies of Super Mario Bros. at thrift stores and what have you. You weasel your items out of the same community that's collecting it. You'll go to fan communities, where people just want to trade and sell their unwanted stuff to other people that would appreciate it, and you try to snap up every reasonable or low-priced soundtrack you can find before anybody else can get to it just so you can throw it up on eBay and set a Buy It Now several times what it's actually worth and wait until a sucker comes along and buys it.

Going back to the Super Mario Bros. analogy, what you do would be like not only selling Super Mario Bros. to a sucker for $20 but ALSO combing the Digital Press Marketplace forum for every cheap copy you can find to supply your selling habits, leaving no fair prices for the fans just looking to collect by buying and selling among each other.

I know the buying to resell game very well, since I do it myself, but I apply some standards to how I practice. I buy my items from thrift stores and pawn shops and what have you, not fan forums, and when I list them for sale, I check completed auctions on eBay to find a fair price based on what people have already been paying.

[Vectorman0]

if you do want to know, many people of these aforementioned boards apologized personally for their behavior after hearing what kind of service I'm providing.
the problem with you is you don't even know who I am as well and what I do for VGM community, you do seem unpolite because you've never dealt with me and you're backing your arguments off some silly posts which were written by the very same people who admitted were doing the same thing for a period of time - reselling with a profit, there is nothing wrong with that as long you're selling genuine items and let people know what they're getting) .
are you a bootlegger from ebay by any chance?
few people who read your post suggested it.
highly unlikely, but your attitude does seem a little peculiar, that's for sure.

Aussie2B a bootlegger? LOL That's the funniest thing I have heard all day. It's too bad it wasn't meant to be a joke.

She is/was just trying to let people know that your prices are often higher than what most would call reasonable. That's doing something for the community.

You got a plug in for your sales, she got one in against them. I don't see a problem, it seems fair to me. She isn't accusing you of being a scammer or anything you are not. Especially considering most would probably agree with her sentiments regarding your prices. I know I do.

That conkers soundtrack for $180? I saw one, yes the same one in the same condition, sell for something like $10 recently.

$80 Mario Tennis CD (http://cgi.ebay.com/Mario-Tennis-64-GAME-SOUNDTRACK-NINTENDO-NEW-CD-RARE_W0QQitemZ120114100463QQihZ002QQcategoryZ307QQ cmdZViewItem)? A bunch are going for $5-$10 (http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r39380526) each on yahoo japan.

$130 Paper Mario OST (http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPER-MARIO-RPG-2-PAPER-GAME-SOUNDTRACK-NINTENDO-N-WII_W0QQitemZ120110781667QQihZ002QQcategoryZ307QQc mdZViewItem)? $30 "Buy-it-now" (http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h48828758) on yahoo japan

$100 Majora's Mask OST (http://cgi.ebay.com/ZELDA-MAJORA-MASK-ORCHESTRA-64-GAME-SOUNDTRACK-NEW-CD_W0QQitemZ120137445778QQihZ002QQcategoryZ307QQcm dZViewItem)? Again, plenty on Yahoo Japan for less: $12 (http://www.rinkya.com/twview.pl?URL=http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h53782225), $15 ($30 BIN) (http://www.rinkya.com/twview.pl?URL=http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r39852103)



Those are pretty exorbitant I would say. And before you even think of mentioning deputy fees and stuff for buying from yahoo japan, know this. Even after all of that, you would still be paying a ton less than your prices.

[Princess-Isabela]

Aussie2B a bootlegger? LOL That's the funniest thing I have heard all day. It's too bad it wasn't meant to be a joke.

She is/was just trying to let people know that your prices are often higher than what most would call reasonable. That's doing something for the community.

You got a plug in for your sales, she got one in against them. I don't see a problem, it seems fair to me. She isn't accusing you of being a scammer or anything you are not. Especially considering most would probably agree with her sentiments regarding your prices. I know I do.

That conkers soundtrack for $180? I saw one, yes the same one in the same condition, sell for something like $10 recently.

$80 Mario Tennis CD (http://cgi.ebay.com/Mario-Tennis-64-GAME-SOUNDTRACK-NINTENDO-NEW-CD-RARE_W0QQitemZ120114100463QQihZ002QQcategoryZ307QQ cmdZViewItem)? A bunch are going for $5-$10 (http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r39380526) each on yahoo japan.

$130 Paper Mario OST (http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPER-MARIO-RPG-2-PAPER-GAME-SOUNDTRACK-NINTENDO-N-WII_W0QQitemZ120110781667QQihZ002QQcategoryZ307QQc mdZViewItem)? $30 "Buy-it-now" (http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h48828758) on yahoo japan

$100 Majora's Mask OST (http://cgi.ebay.com/ZELDA-MAJORA-MASK-ORCHESTRA-64-GAME-SOUNDTRACK-NEW-CD_W0QQitemZ120137445778QQihZ002QQcategoryZ307QQcm dZViewItem)? Again, plenty on Yahoo Japan for less: $12 (http://www.rinkya.com/twview.pl?URL=http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h53782225), $15 ($30 BIN) (http://www.rinkya.com/twview.pl?URL=http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r39852103)



Those are pretty exorbitant I would say. And before you even think of mentioning deputy fees and stuff for buying from yahoo japan, know this. Even after all of that, you would still be paying a ton less than your prices.

@ aussie person - I'm not browsing these forums frequently, only on occasion, so my response was submitted once spotted.
@ vectorman - well you're mentioning ost's that are now on Yahoo Japan, but I bought them when they were expensive and thus naturally I try to get some of invested $ back.
as for Conker OST, can you give me link to auction ended @ $10?
I'm one of the US sellers still providing genuine Game Soundtracks, many others gone out of business because it wasn't worth their time/profitable enough.
Game Soundtracks market is states is very weak compared to Japan.
ebay is flooded with bootlegs(about 5% of them are authentic).
check my other prices on soundtracks/games, they are very fair, we live in states and prices are naturally higher.
what I don't understand that there are some real losers getting hostile like crazy just because they don't like some of the prices.
there are many people who are selling their stuff at very high prices, I do not go on message boards and keep hijacking their sales, so much about immorality.
be polite and state your issues with the sales if you have to, - be mature about it.

[Vectorman0]

@ aussie person - I'm not browsing these forums frequently, only on occasion, so my response was submitted once spotted.
@ vectorman - well you're mentioning ost's that are now on Yahoo Japan, but I bought them when they were expensive and thus naturally I try to get some of invested $ back.
as for Conker OST, can you give me link to auction ended @ $10?
I'm one of the US sellers still providing genuine Game Soundtracks, many others gone out of business because it wasn't worth their time/profitable enough.
Game Soundtracks market is states is very weak compared to Japan.
ebay is flooded with bootlegs(about 5% of them are authentic).
check my other prices on soundtracks/games, they are very fair, we live in states and prices are naturally higher.
what I don't understand that there are some real losers getting hostile like crazy just because they don't like some of the prices.
there are many people who are selling their stuff at very high prices, I do not go on message boards and keep hijacking their sales, so much about immorality.
be polite and state your issues with the sales if you have to, - be mature about it.

The Conker OST changed hands at a game convention I went to. I think it was actually purchased with like 10 game promo shirts for $30, and the soundtrack was thrown in for free. I can get the specifics if you really want. I remember hearing from the seller it was like a $50 soundtrack, but he didn't really care.

Also, my previous post was probably as mature and polite as you could ever hope for on an internet forum, without me holding back what I actually think. It wasn't meant to be mean, just point out that some of your prices are pretty crazy.

[Aussie2B]

there are many people who are selling their stuff at very high prices, I do not go on message boards and keep hijacking their sales, so much about immorality.

All I have to say about that is that this forum isn't for plugging your sales in the first place, so there's no "hijacking" going on. I mean, if you made a "for sale" topic in the Marketplace forum, I'm smart enough to not reply to the thread with "your prices are too high" or such, but this topic and this Import forum exist for sharing information. As far as I'm concerned, it's fair game for discussions of who people should and shouldn't buy from. I'm sure other people's information has helped me in my shopping, so I'm always willing to help steer other game/soundtrack collectors toward good deals and away from what I consider rip-offs.

[Fuyukaze]

wow. talk about a train wreck conversation!

back on topic, so far the only game soundtracks i've got are all legit ones. i'd like more but it's so rare that i even want to hear the music from a game. often times, even if i like something the particular song or background music wont even be on it. the jet set radio has been a favorite of mine though. wish i could have got the one for phantasy star online when it was first released.