How to Authenticate Anime & Voice Actor Autographs
An anime collector's guide to authenticating voice actor and creator autographs: English and Japanese signatures, convention signings, art boards and figures, and red flags before you buy.
By the MAS Certified authentication team · Updated October 2026
Anime autographs come from voice actors, directors, artists and creators — often at busy conventions, and sometimes in Japanese characters many collectors can't read. That makes knowing who signed, and how they sign, especially important.
English and Japanese signatures
Japanese voice actors and creators often sign in kanji, kana or a stylized signature called a sain. These are unique designs, not just names, and forgeries often get the stroke order or proportions wrong. English dub actors frequently add a character name or quote. Authenticators compare against examples of the same signer and style.
Posters, art boards, figures and more
Anime items are wonderfully varied: posters, shikishi art boards, figures, plush, cels and Blu-ray covers. Each surface handles ink differently. A paint pen on vinyl behaves differently from a marker on a shikishi board, and that behavior is part of the examination.
Convention signings
Most anime autographs come from cons, where lines are long and signatures get quicker. A witnessed MAS certificate from the event removes any doubt. For items without one, photos from the signing and an event badge or receipt help support authenticity.
Anime autograph red flags
- Japanese signatures with shaky or out-of-order strokes
- Character quotes in handwriting that doesn't match the signer
- A rare Japanese guest signature with no event or provenance
- Ink sitting oddly on figures or vinyl surfaces
- Printed or stamped signatures on mass-produced boards
- Prices far below what that signer usually sells for
Questions collectors ask
Can MAS authenticate Japanese signatures?+
Yes. Japanese-language signatures are compared against verified examples of the same signer, just like English signatures.
Are character quotes and sketches authenticated too?+
Yes. Any handwritten addition is part of the autograph and is examined along with the signature.
What's the safest way to collect anime autographs?+
Get items signed at events where MAS is witnessing, or have unwitnessed items reviewed through Instant Verification before you buy or sell.
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Read the complete MAS Guide to Authenticate Autographs
The full step-by-step method, witnessed vs. after-the-fact, and how to verify any COA.