As the popularity of anime increases in the U.S., so does the demand for it. For whether you're a parent who is looking for a gift for their child or an avid anime fan, listen up, and you will learn some secrets and tips on buying anime DVD's on eBay.

    First of all, one of the most basic but important facts that everyone should know about anime is that NOT ALL ANIME IS FOR CHILDREN! Just because something is animated dosen't mean that it will be just like Pokemon. On the contrary, anime is made for people of all ages, a lot of it is made for adults and teenagers.

Region Code
    Because anime comes from Japan, there are many countries that have their own version of the anime shows. These DVD's can have different languages as well as different region codes. For those of you who do not know what a region code is, it flags implemented in DVD-Video discs that determine the geographic area where the DVD-Video disc is being sold and where it can be watched. There are a total of 8 region codes as explained below.

Region   Area
0            Informal term meaning "playable in all regions"
1            North America
2            The Middle East, most of Europe, and Japan
3            Southeast Asia
4            Central and South America
5            Africa and India
6            China
7            Reserved for future use.
8            International venues such as aircrafts.

    This means that an American DVD player could not play a DVD from Europ or Japan. However, like most rules there is an exception. There are DVD players that can play any region code as well as DVD's that can play in multiple regions. But be warned, most bootleg anime DVD's are region free.

OVA vs. TV
    If you are shopping for anime, it is always good to know what you are shopping for. Sometimes when you are shopping for anime, you will see the term OVA (Original Video Animation), all this means is that it was released directly to DVD and was not shown on TV. OVA's are not movies; they are a series with episodes and usually run a little bit longer than the standard TV episode and may be less censored. However, shows can have both a TV series and OVA as well as a few movies.

Officially Licensed Product vs. Bootleg
    Bootleg anime DVD's aren't hard to come by on eBay. Sometimes it is easier to find a bootleg DVD than the officially licensed version. But even though there are many bootleg DVD's, there are many tell tale signs to prevent you from purchasing one.

1. First off, most bootleg DVD's are three disk box sets, with the exception of short TV series and movies. Compare the Orphen DVD box set with its bootleg counterpart. While the bootleg version is 3 disks, the officially licensed box set is 6 disks.

Note: The picture to the left is officially licensed and the picture to the right is a bootleg copy.

2. Another clue to the legitimacy of a DVD is if it has the phrase "ENG DUB" in its title. For example, if you were to see "Gungrave TV Series 1-26 eps COMPLETE Eng Dub 3-DVD SET", than most likely it is a bootleg copy.

3. Also, remember to look at the shipping, if it says that they are shipping from Hong Kong, than the is more than a 99% chance that it is bootleg.

4. Most bootleg DVD's are region free. However, Just because a DVD is region free, does not mean that it is bootleg. U.S. Manga Corps' DVD's are usually region free and they are a legitamate company.

5. After all of that, if you are still having trouble determining whether an item is legitimate or not. Always remember that you can do research on a product. It never hurts to visit an anime realtor and check to see if their information matches the sellers. One of the best places to check would be Animenation for information on an anime series.

Box or No Box
    When selecting anime, packaging can make a difference in the price. Most of the time, it is cheaper to buy a box set than the individual DVD's. However, there may be more than one box set or sometimes it may just be cheaper to go with the individual DVD's. If there is more than one box set, then the reasons behind it may be:

1.One box set is an original version and the second is a remastered version. A good example of this is a series called Neon Genesis Evangelion. The picture on the left is the original box set and the picture on the right is the remastered edition. If you are a true fan of the series or are shopping for a true fan, you would want the original box set. The original version is worth more and has 4 languages (English, Spanish, French, and Japanese), while the remastered version only has 2 (English and Japanese).


2. One of the box sets is somthing called a slim pack. These are relatively new, but aren't for hardcore fans of the series. Slim packs have all of the episodes for that season and are usually much cheaper than the regular box set or individual DVD's. Unfortunately, slim packs usualy have no special features and often have lower quality sound (English 2.0 instead of 5.1). If you just want to see the series, then the slim pack is perfect, but if you want to see all that there is to see, you would want the box set or individual DVD's.


3. You see a box set with the phrase "DVD 1 w/Box" or "Starter Set". This is just the first DVD out of the series with the box. This is good in case the whole series isn't out yet or you don't wnat to buy the whole series yet. Plus, most of the time they come with somthing extra like a mouse pad or a pencil board.


The Remastered DVD
    For those of you who hate second editions, then there is another thing that you must watch out for, the remastered DVD. For those of you who don't know, if an anime DVD is labeled remastered, it usually means that it is a second edition. Most of the time these DVD's are easy to spot, because the company gives these DVD's labels like "Signature Series" and such. To spot these you just have to know what to look for.

1. First off, most DVD's are labeled and each company calls them something different. ADV calls its remastered DVD's "Essential Anime Collection", Bandai's remastered DVD's are called "Anime Legends", and Geneon and Pioneer call their remastered versions "Signature Series." The picture below is an example of a remastered anime DVD. It is part of the "Essential Anime Collection" made by ADV.


2. Unfortunately, there are other companies, like U.S. Manga Corps, which don't label their DVD's to let consumers know that they are remastered. Sometimes they will come with stickers on them other times it is just up to luck.

Ratings
    Whether you are buying anime for someone or just want to make sure that you are buying something that is suitable for your needs, the rating system is something that you will want to keep in mind. Unless you are looking at a movie, the rating system for anime is different. Most anime companies follow a certain pattern for rating their DVD's.

1. If the DVD doesn't say what age it is for, than it is suitable for all ages. After that they start at the age range of 13 and up, and then it goes to 16 and up.

2. ADV's rating system is a lettle different. They usually start out at 12 and up, and then move to 15 and up, and finish with 17 and up.

3. If you are buying a slim pack, then the rating system changes to TV ratings. Here you will find shows with ratings like TVPG and TV14. But be warned, some of the shows that are rated TVPG seem like they ought to be rated TV14.

4. Hentai (pornographic anime) is alway 18 and up.

    This concludes the Anime Guide for the Average Joe. All you have to do is just remember these tips, and you should have no problem finding the anime series that suites you specific needs. Happy bidding!