I mean, come on. I saw one article shouting about a “30th anniversary real leather jacket” that’s a “collector’s dream.” Yeah, a collector’s dream, and probably a collector’s *nightmare* to their bank account! Only 599 units worldwide? Seriously? What am I, made of money? I just want to cosplay, not take out a second mortgage!
And then there’s the whole “genuine leather” debate. Some of these descriptions are all about the “beautiful genuine leather,” while others are… well, they’re a little vague. I saw one that just said “printed leather motorcycle coat” and had a capsule pill design. Now, I’m not saying it *isn’t* leather, but “printed leather” kinda sounds like pleather to me. A very expensive pleather. Which, honestly, I wouldn’t be *totally* opposed to, if it looked good and didn’t cost the earth. But the point is to be faithful to the original design!
It’s kinda confusing, honestly. You gotta do your research, people! Don’t just jump on the first red jacket you see online.
There are some, like, Luca Designs versions, that seem to be more legit and high-quality. But then you gotta worry about them being pre-owned. Which, hey, fine, maybe you can get a good deal. But what if it smells weird? Or has, like, a random stain? Or is just… too previously loved? I mean, you gotta weigh the pros and cons.
And the details! Some are trying to capture every little detail from the manga, which is awesome. But then others are just… red jackets with a pill design. Which, okay, I get it, the pill is important, but it’s the *whole* vibe, you know? It’s the collar, the fit, the way it sits… it’s *Kaneda!*
