Well, I've never bought Japanese music CDs before so I was wondering if any Japanese music aficionados could help me out here.

I know the procedure for spotting bootleg game music CDs, but I'm not sure if the same principles apply to JPop CDs (probably yes).

(Although it did take me a good 5 years before I realised one of my game music CDs was a fake...)

Anyway here's what I'm after (among others):

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/5418/j21if.jpg

and I asked the seller to take photos of the obis:

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6743/j3wj.jpg

Catalogue number seems good (AVCD-xxxxx), publisher and barcode good also. I'm not interested in the "Overseas" versions, however different they are (different catalogue # for one).

Should I get photos of the booklets/inserts (if any) or the CD itself in case it may contain visual information to help me identify whether this is a bootleg?

Thanks and cheers.

Oh, and these CDs are obviously not located in China, Hong Kong, etc...

Those are very much the real deal

Excellent.

Yep, all real. And good choice of J-Pop, Hamasaki rocks.

Those are all the Japan imports, not Taiwan.  One thing I have learned about bootlegs is they pretty much always say the country they come from, and they always have their brand name on it.  These are Avex and they were made in Japan.  That's as good as it gets.  Surreal is one of my favorite of her singles.  Make sure to look for Alterna.

If you're interested in Ayumi Hamasaki, I could get some of her singles for you, including most of the ones in that picture (I'm not sure if I can get Surreal). We have a Japanese used-CD shop here that has all of those CDs, I think. Most have no obis, but they're all around $3.99 each.

Thanks for the offer Schala, I guess I would be interested in any that DO have obis (only AVCD xxxxx please).

I'll let you know in a few days which ones I do manage to get my hands on.

Alternatively, if the shop has any Japan-released Utada Hikaru and Garnet Crow stuff with obis, I'll get them instead.

Sorry, I'm a bit anal ^^

My first favourite Ayumi songs were Depend on You and Dearest. Although I don't listen to her songs much nowadays, her rockish album "My Story" was great. Startin' is pretty good too.

Sure, let me know. And I completely understand about being anal. ^_~ I know the shop has some Utada CDs, but I've never checked for Garnet Crow.

Okay, so I ended up getting:

Boys & Girls (AVCD 30049)
AUDIENCE (AVCD 30184)
Free & Easy (AVCD 30364)
Voyage (AVCD 30405)

Let me know if there's any stuff good in teh shop!

I've sent you an email; let me know if anything interests you.