[EVA] Re: [still OFF-TOPIC] SM Bootlegs??

[C. Yuen]

>Anyway, about those Son May CDs, I understand there are imitations. But why
>is it like a big company? Like its selling imitations legally and openly?

Good lord, someone bothered to actually write up a FAQ for SM CDs.
>From what I remember, the company is Taiwanese;  due to the vagarities of
international trade, its perfectly legal (in Taiwan) for them to
manufacture unauthorized copies of Japanese CDs, because the rights aren't
recognized.  There are stores that import them from Taiwan, just like
there's stores that get the real stuff from Japan.  Earlier SM CDs had
cheap books--nowadays they're not too bad (or so I've heard).  I've even
seen compilations that don't exist in Japan, like a Ranma complete vocal
collection (2 vols.).

Some people say SM CDs sound worse than the originals, the person who wrote
the FAQ says the sound quality is comparable.  Since I have never purchased
an SM CD, nor actually heard one myself, I can't really give an opinion.

>After I bought my EOE soundtrack from HMV for S$47, I found the Son May EOE
>selling for $15... ...

HMV?  What's that?  $47 sounds slightly higher than other places I've seen...
(Incidentally, how is the CD?  I'm considering getting it...)

>If you can afford it, please buy the originals. Because if you buy those
>blood-sucking SM imitations, the people behind EVA does not get a cent.

I buy originals just because I want the real package, and not some
knock-off.  But, quite frankly, I think that the quantity of CDs imported
into America is so low that the people who make the things could hardly
care one way or the other (except on principle, I guess).

cyyuen at students.wisc.edu