Datong's DBZ Goku bootleg action figure

Bootleg. Knock off. Two words that are the scourge of the action figure collectors world according to many. Cheap Chinese junk that can brake from the slightest wind blow or just by your breathing. the easiest way of losing money. But for others bootlegs are cheaper way of collecting figures of they favourite heroes which they otherwise can't afford. Are all of the bootlegs really that bad? Are really that good? Who is right? For me the truth is... well 50/50. I have both good and bad experience with bootlegs before I learned how to recognize good from bad, original from knock off.   Truth is that there are really good bootlegs out there and if you are patient and careful while looking for information about them you can find your catch of the day. But you need to be EXTREMELY careful! I'm not a person who thinks that buying bootlegs hurts the industry, because toy companies don't always give a perfect products either, but that's a topic for another day.  I buy bootlegs only if the original is too expensive for me( I have a family to support, after all) and if I am sure that the bootleg is actually good. Which is the case with Datongs DBZ  Goku bootleg.

As a huge DB and DBZ fan I've always wanted a Goku figure so when I saw the Sh figuarts one I cryied like a small child because Japanese imported figures are simply way too expensive to me. The bootleg was the only option. But after a pretty bad experience that I had with a SH figuarts Sailor Mars figure( it happened while I was still inexperienced withe the bootlegs) I just could not bring myself to risk again. Wasted money are wasted money after all. Fortunately, one beautiful day You Tube decided to show me some love and recommended me a review of Datong's Vegeta bootleg. I... was.. simply...amazed! That figure was as good as the original- nice paint applications, good quality of the plastic and great, sturdy and durable joints! After a small research that I did about Datong I've found out that they not only have a knock offs of Goku, Goku as a super saiyan, super saiyan 3 but that they are the best out there! Of course I had to see a review of these guys and all boy were they goooood!!! I was completely sold. Datong, you can take my money now!

Always watch or read a review about a bootleg if there is one, that is. They are hit or miss so you need to be absolutely sure if you want them or not. my next step was to find Datongs bootleg Goku which wasn't an easy task. First rule of recognizing a knock off from original is of course the price. I found the figure in Aliexpress- an Ebay like site BUT only for Chinese stuff. If you buy something from there then you have to know that it will be a knock off but the risk is small due to the buyer protection policy the site has. The seller will not receive the money until you got your shipment and give your feedback. But then it hit me- how can I be sure that this is Datong's figure and another bootleg for which I've heard only bad things? Well Datong have this on the box:

Nice, huh? Also when you check stuff in Aliexpress you can see pictures from buyers of the product. that made me even more confident in the purchase. So be on the look out for the sign on the box. If you don't see it then it's another knock off which you don't need! On to the figure now!

Datongs Goku looks identical to his SH Figuarts counter part in almost every aspect. The quality of the plastic is uncanny for a bootleg, believe you me. It feels nice on touch, unlike the usual crap that the bootlegers use- you know, the one that is likely to give you cancer just by smelling it :D The paint applications are also very good- there are no splodges, no missing painted parts, great shading. The only miss the flesh tone of the elbow joint- it is a bit lighter than the rest of the arm but I'm OK with it, I don't have an OCD :D

Accessories: Goku comes with for more removable faces in addition to the one he comes packed with.
A normal happy face, a smiling one, a scared(or surprised)one, a screaming one(for the Kamehameha) and the confident one with which he comes in the package. Swapping the faces is as easy as pay( mmm, pay).  Just take the piece of hare on Goku's forehead of and then put the face you desire.The knock off passed that test with flying colours, too!

The additional faces are also nicely painted, no scratches, no splodges. The flesh tone is identical with the one on the rest of the body so no worries in that department :D

But of course these faces would be
nothing without the tons of additional
hands which the figure comes with! Just like the original, the bootleg comes with easy to replace set of hands giving you a great variety of poses for our favourite saiyan  ahaha!!!

Let's see now- two fists which Goku comes packed with, two Kamehameha hands, two blasting hands, two hands with open palms, two wolf claw hands and one hand for the instant transmission technique...or for saluting if wish so. Swapping the hands is also no problem for the bootleg- just pop them, the peg is really strong and it wont brake off unlike some other knock offs...or even original figures hmm...

And now for the last and the best accessory- the
Kamehamehaaaaa...uhm, sorry.. ball effect!
It consist of an energy ball and the plastic parts representing the light that comes out of it. Everything is made of clear plastic but here is where Datong couldn't do as good as the original- the plastic isn't as clear as the original but still it has good light blue shading on the tips of the light beams and again it is very sturdy. You won't have any issues by putting the beams inside the corresponding places on the ball. They fit nice and tightly, nothing is loose.

Ok, hands- check; faces-check; Kamehameha-check. Oh, yes! The articulation!  The one thing that almost all bootlegs are famous for are the loose joints that also break just by looking at them. But not here! Datong Goku is as strong as a real super saiyan :D
All of his joint are tight and work perfect!  Goku has butterfly shoulder joint which is great for a fighting character and for pounding bad guys. The arms can go full 360 degrees, they have a bicep swivel, single jointed elbows, wrist swivel and a hinge. The head is also on a ball joint, it can tilt, go up and down a good amount. The neck can also move allowing better posing. The waist has a popping ball joint which meas that you have to pop it up to move it around and it works OK.
At the hips Goku has the dropping down ball joints(pull the leg down so that you can move him even further) and a swivel. The legs can go in and out with a great amount for kicking, double jointed knees which are kinda weird looking but they do the job.

His ankles can turn left and right and they've also got a great pivot. And let's not forget his toe articulation. So in conclusion should you buy this bootleg? Well, if you are a Goku fan but you can't afford the original SH Figuarts, then YES!!! Of course if have the money for the real deal then by all means buy him. Either way you won't regret it :D

The last thing I can do for you if you happen to wander should you by this bootleg or not is to give the link for the reviews that sold me on the idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAdiXlzggM8
And here is the comparison with the original just in case :D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmaDIIy8DMw

Well, that is from me for now! Until next when I'm planing to show you something that I'm absolutely sure you don't have in your collection... unless you 're not from Bulgaria like me... but even then :)
Bye and Kameee- hameee- HAAAAAAAA!!!