Sailor Moon sketches - real or fake?

sailorsv13 · Post by **sailorsv13** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:35 pm

This seller posted a few dougas they purchased in a lot from Japan. They admit they are not sure if they are real, which is fine.
Here is one of them:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SAILOR-MOON-DOUGA-C ... 286.c0.m14

I am just curious what you think? I am feeling like they might be fake.

~ Bri ~

Post by **sensei** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:05 pm

I'd need more experience with SM douga to make a call. The pencil used to draw them seems much broader than most douga, which tend to be very fine and faint. The coloring of the highlights and shadows also seems more intense than on most douga. At first it looked to me like a genga, where the pencil lines are broader and colors more intense. But the B6 in the corner indicates that it's supposed to be a douga.

The seller is indicating his/her doubts about authenticity, which leads me to suspect that there are issues. However, I have a bunch of MKR genga that are done in broader pencil in a style quite different from other genga from this series. I later learned that these were done to animate the Playstation video game spinoff from the Rayearth series. Perhaps these also come from a game rather than the TV series?

samiamew · Post by **samiamew** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:52 pm

I saw those, too -- some of the lines look 'wobbly' to me (especially in the curls around her face) -- and I don't believe I've come across 'wobbly' lines in dougas before -- but I could be wrong.

....on a side note => there's a reserve even though they state they're unsure if they're authentic or not

curious to know what they believe to be a 'fair $$' for possible fakes ..........

sailorsv13 · Post by **sailorsv13** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:52 pm

sensei: I'm inclined to agree with you for sure! I think the broad lines and bold colors are too unusual for SM cels. And the sketches just so happen to all be very good shots which is another indication I think if they purchased them in a lot. It would be awesome if these were game shots, but I have never played an SM game so I don't know.

samiamew: I definitely noticed some wobbly lines on the Neptune sketch that is posted! One of my favorite things about real anime sketches is that the lines are always so perfect!

Plus I just noticed that they also posted a sketch of Utena:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Revolutionary-Girl- ... 286.c0.m14

Doesn't look much like a real Utena douga. And I am pretty sure this would be a hanken shot, so would it really be numbered?

Drac of the Sharp Smiles · Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:42 pm

Just looking at the two together -- and remember, I'm far from an expert on either of these shows -- doesn't it strike anyone else as odd how very similar the two are in pencil shades and coloring style, despite being from completely different shows? In my experience, even sketches from the same studio show more differences when from different shows...

Just my two cents.... fake. If you want my honest opinion, the seller knows full well they're fake, possibly even made them themselves, and is saying they "might" be fakes because the phony story about getting them in a lot in Japan will cause some people to talk themselves into thinking they're real.... while still covering the sellers butt when the buyer finds out they're as real as a $3 bill.

Maybe I'm just jaded. ^_~

Many Sharp Smiles,
--Drac

kodoku_na_tabi · Post by **kodoku_na_tabi** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:56 pm

These have been up before.

http://www.anime-beta.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=19219

ginga123 · Post by **ginga123** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:27 pm

i agree, the lines are too intense. makes me think they were photocopied or something.

ginga123 · Post by **ginga123** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:53 pm

wow, this sketch is startinglying familiar:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SAILOR-MOON-DOUGA-C ... 286.c0.m14

I think it may be in one of my TOEI sketch books they sold.... only someone went color-pencil-happy with it?? Possibly??

I normally don't see that much color at all on sketches. Though my Tomoe/M9 sketch set has quite a bit of colored detail, but not like this.

sailorsv13 · Post by **sailorsv13** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:11 pm

0.0 Thanks for posting kodoku_na_tabi. Looks like they are striking again...3 years later. Although I recall the previous sketches they were making were pretty bad. At least these new ones are good enough to be fan pieces and they aren't selling them as legit ones

The one of Mars is pretty nice from a distance.

Although this one...just doesn't look right
http://cgi.ebay.com/SAILOR-MOON-DOUGA-C ... 286.c0.m14

cutiebunny · Post by **cutiebunny** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:26 pm

(snort) Someone went to the trouble to make a bootleg sketch of a cel(and corresponding matching sketch) that I own -

http://cutiebunny.rubberslug.com/galler ... mID=222264

It's not legit because ...I own the complete set. You'll notice that they made an exact copy of my cel in sketch form. The corresponding matching sketch actually has quite a bit more detail than the cel has and includes more of the design.

So....100% absolute fake.

Also..

http://cgi.ebay.com/SAILOR-MOON-DOUGA-C ... 911.c0.m14

Is a fake as well. I know because I own the face/hair portion of this sequence. This particular sequence uses the same face base while the eyes/mouth are on a different layer.

sailorsv13 · Post by **sailorsv13** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:34 pm

I mean...they had three years to study bootlegging sketches since their last attempt and they didn't check to make sure nobody on the net owned the piece already? They at least could try to make fan sketches of cels people don't own. I am sure they could get it right if they practiced hard enough.

cutiebunny · Post by **cutiebunny** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:37 pm

I guess I should feel honored that they feel that I own something that's worthy of being copied. I just can't imagine anyone going to the trouble of making a nice copy only to sell it for $4.99.

I sent an email to the seller that the SM and Utena sketches that they are selling are all bootlegs and that they might want to change their listings.

sailorsv13 · Post by **sailorsv13** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:44 pm

You're right, why not sell it as fanart for more? A lot of collectors on Beta and RS collect fan pieces. They seem to be especially popular with new collectors. Heck if they would make a nice sketch of a cel I haven't seen yet I would buy the fan-made one for fun!

But it is just difficult to buy from a fan artist who cares more about making money than making the art the best that they can, as evidenced by offering them as possibly real, possibly fake. If their heart is in it they should be proud of their art!

ReiTheJelly · Post by **ReiTheJelly** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:43 am

cutiebunny wrote:I sent an email to the seller that the SM and Utena sketches that they are selling are all bootlegs and that they might want to change their listings.

Now comes the real test of honor: see if they do change their listings!

ginga123 · Post by **ginga123** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:22 am

i thought that chibiusa cel looked too familiar

i guess that means that M9 sketch is..... a bootleg of my fancel as well??