Good Smile Company’s own checklist names five signs of a bootleg: no copyright statement on the product, no maker or brand logo on the box, unusual kanji, ambiguous Japanese, and figures sold without packaging or in bulk. Those come from its Bootleg information support article, last updated on 11 March 2025.
This is Good Smile’s list for Good Smile Company products such as Nendoroid, so treat it as one maker’s advice, not a rule for every figure. Here are the signs in Good Smile’s words, its real examples, and what it says about “Chinese version” labels, licence stickers and too-cheap deals.
Good Smile’s five signs of a bootleg
Good Smile says bootlegs are unlicensed, are “not eligible for customer support service”, and come with no guarantee, including refunds. It also warns that “you may find our or our business partner’s company name on the package, but bootleg are not our products.”
Its checklist, word for word:
- “No copyright statement on the product”
- “No manufacturer’s logo or brand logo on the box, though it is not using a special package design”
- “Kanji characters that are not commonly used in Japanese are used”
- “Japanese expression is ambiguous”
- “Products without packaging, or items sold in bulk”
The Japanese signs are easy to miss. One of Good Smile’s examples is the katakana word for “figure” printed with full-size characters where the correct spelling uses small ones.
Good Smile is also clear that the list has limits: “Not all bootleg will match the characteristics described above, therefore, we cannot guarantee that there is no bootleg without those characteristics.” Passing all five checks does not prove a figure is genuine.
What Good Smile’s real bootleg examples show
Good Smile’s Nendoroid series bootleg page and its figma Joker bootleg page (a Max Factory figure) list these differences.
| Where to look | What Good Smile found on bootlegs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Box | No foil stamping of the product name on the clear window, and a different packaging size | Nendoroid Hatsune Miku: Symphony 5th Anniversary Ver. |
| Barcode | The JAN code, the number under the barcode, differs from the genuine product | figma Joker |
| Base | No copyright statement on the base | Nendoroid Chuya Nakahara, figma Joker |
| Face parts | On the genuine figure the face and neck parts can be separated; the bootleg is built differently | Nendoroid Chuya Nakahara |
| Joints and engraving | Neck joint colour differs, and no numbers engraved on the back of the face parts | figma Joker |
These findings are product-specific, but the habit carries over: compare the box, base and parts with the official product information, not another seller’s photos.
“Chinese version”, licence stickers and too-cheap deals
Good Smile’s older bootleg warning page on its partner site covers the labels you often see in listings. It says that “other than a few select products, we do not sell ‘international versions’ or ‘chinese versions’ of products”, and to “be particularly wary of sites that label figures as ‘Asia Version'”. It also says Good Smile does not sell “bulk” products without a box.
It adds a few more checks:
- Release timing: no product is released before its release date unless it was labelled for early sales at a specific event.
- Does it exist: check the official site that the product is real. Bootlegs often borrow the Nendoroid or figma names, or come in colours that differ from the official ones.
- Photos: some stores use official images and still send a bootleg, and large online stores often have marketplaces for other sellers, so check the seller name.
- Too cheap: “Always be cautious of products that seem too cheap for no particular reason.”
On licence stickers, Good Smile’s main bootleg article says not every product has one. Some have the label printed on the box, some have none, and the design can change between releases or differ by distribution region. A different sticker alone is not proof of a bootleg.
Where bootlegs turn up, and where Good Smile says to buy
Good Smile says it has “received many reports of counterfeit products from customers who have purchased items on flea market apps or from stores other than our official retailers”, and that bootlegs of its products are found on internet auctions, private sales and flea market apps. If you are paying a stranger on a marketplace, the payment habits in our Carousell safety guide apply to figures too.
Its advice is to buy from its online store or partner shops. The Partner Shop Listing is sorted by region and includes a Singapore section, with separate lists for China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.
Note that Good Smile says it shut down the Good Smile Company Online Store after unauthorised access to the site (notice dated 23 October 2026, updated 26 October 2026). It says the store is temporarily closed for maintenance, gives no reopening date, and says separate sites such as Good Smile Company US and Good Smile Company Europe were not affected. It also warns customers not to respond to suspicious emails, calls or SMS claiming to be from the company.
If you think you already have a bootleg
Good Smile can help only once the figure is in your hands: if you are buying online and don’t have the product, “we will not be able to provide assistance.” After that, you can contact Good Smile through the inquiry form linked from its main bootleg article, with:
- photos of the packaging (front, back and side)
- photos of the figure itself
- photos of the copyright line on the back or side of the base
Good Smile says it cannot judge if that information is not enough, so take clear photos.
This checklist is Good Smile’s, written for its own products. For Bandai Spirits, Kotobukiya or any other maker, check that maker’s own official pages, and see our guide to anime figure types for how the main lines differ.
FAQs
How can I tell if an anime figure is a bootleg?
Start with Good Smile Company’s five signs: no copyright statement on the product, no maker or brand logo on the box, unusual kanji, ambiguous Japanese, and figures sold without packaging or in bulk. Good Smile says not every bootleg shows these signs, so also compare the box, base and parts with the official product information before you pay.
Are “China version” or “Asia version” figures fake?
For Good Smile products, treat those labels as a warning sign. Good Smile’s older bootleg page says that, other than a few select products, it does not sell “international versions” or “chinese versions”, and to be particularly wary of sites labelling figures “Asia Version”. A licence sticker that differs by region, though, is not proof of a bootleg on its own.
Why is a Nendoroid so cheap online?
It may be a bootleg. Good Smile’s advice is to “always be cautious of products that seem too cheap for no particular reason.” It also notes that some stores show official images and still send a bootleg. Check the seller name, ask for photos of the box and base, and compare them with the official product information.
Can Good Smile check if my figure is genuine?
Yes, but only after you have the figure. Good Smile says it cannot help if you are buying online and don’t have the product yet. Once you have it, use the inquiry form linked from its bootleg article and send photos of the packaging front, back and side, the figure, and the copyright line on the base.
Where should I buy figures in Singapore?
For Good Smile Company products, Good Smile recommends its own online store or its official partner shops. Its Partner Shop Listing has a Singapore section, so check that list first. Good Smile says that store is temporarily closed after unauthorised access. For other makers, check each maker’s official site for its own store or retailer list.