Not everything is screen-used
Many beautiful cels were never photographed for a film. Knowing the categories protects collectors:
- Reproduction cel — a cel hand-painted or printed after the fact from original artwork, made for sale or display.
- Sericel — a cel produced by silk-screen (serigraph) printing, usually as a limited edition.
- Publicity / promotional cel — a cel created for marketing, packaging, or events rather than the production itself.
Sketches
Studios and later publishers also released reproduction sketches and printed genga/douga collections. These are legitimate collectibles but are distinct from the original drawings used in production.
What to look for
- Printed screen dots or perfectly uniform ink indicate a sericel or print rather than a hand-painted production cel.
- Edition numbering, publisher stamps, or "reproduction" markings.
- The absence of production markings (cut numbers, layer codes, matching douga) is a clue that a piece was made for the collector market.