Anime nerds, need your help please

[Platypus]

I am looking for a particular anime that my boyfriend is obsessed with but I know virtually nothing about the medium except that there are lots of variables that would result in me most likely choosing the wrong one and I know people are very particular about versions, subtitles, etc.

What I am looking for is the complete Paranoia Agent series. I believe there are 13 total episodes. What I do not get however is how it sells for ~$100 on Amazon but I found tons of other sites online that sell the whole thing for 15 bucks. Are these bootlegs? Is there a reputable site where I can pick this up that isn't ridiculously overpriced? I can obviously google and find results on my own but what I am looking for is someone who knows what is legit and what isn't legit because I'm clueless about anime.

He had a copy that he loaned to someone years ago and would like another one. I believe it was widescreen and he was very insistent that it be in Japanese but with English subtitles, NOT dubbed in English.

If anyone could help me out here that'd be awesome. :awe:

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

It's very likely the 15$ ones are bootlegs from hong kong or some such. If they ripped off the subs from somewhere else they might be decent, but if they did them themselves it's going to be terrible (chinese people translating japanese to english never works out well).

 

[ChaoZ]

Definitely bootleg.

 

[Platypus]

That seems ridiculous that 13 ~20 minute episodes could run as high as 100 bucks. Ugh.

 

[DaveSimmons]

It looks like the legal, US release is out of print, so prices have skyrocketed.

Those $15 versions are either burned copies or bootleg imports with unknown quality for the subtitles. A legal import from Japan would be even more expensive than the US version.

 

[Lonyo]

Looks like it was licensed by Geneon who went under, so either it's now unlicensed, or Funimation have the license.

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/9bESlpiPmz8kbeD9Yd/browse/item/64716/4/0/0
One volume only, volume 3 of a total of 4, for $8.
No idea if you'd be able to find the rest legit somehow.

Amazon has at least some of the other individual DVD volumes, vol 1 is "only" $14 new.

 

[Platypus]

It looks like the legal, US release is out of print, so prices have skyrocketed.

Those $15 versions are either burned copies or bootleg imports with unknown quality for the subtitles. A legal import from Japan would be even more expensive than the US version.

Ah ok, that makes more sense though still presents a problem for me. I do not want to get him a shitty bootleg copy of this as I could just download it and not pay someone to make money off of pirated content. Ah well I guess he'll have to deal with not having it after all.

 

[uhohs]

anime dvds in japan are $50-70 for 2-4 episodes typically.
loljapan.