just noticed that the shinwoo phantom and the freehand zero are near clones. List any other yoyos that are close clones (not bootlegs or knock offs).
There’s only so much original design that can occur within the confines of the dimensions of a yoyo. There’s bound to be repeat things and design similarities, of not an accidental near duplication of another model.
An interesting note is that some supposed bootlegs are not bootlegs, and the company claiming bootleg has actually paid licensing fees for designs.
I think the Magic T5, despite being an original design, is very similar to the Firmy.
While not a bootleg at all, the PGM and Dienasty have a lot of similarities to the FHZ. However it doesn’t take looking inside to see these are very different. They just have similar shapes. Considering where the FHZ and DieNasty took their design cues from, it’s not really surprising that there would be similarities.
The Werrd Tre recently took some legal action against a small up and coming yoyo company. The designs were extremely similar. The specs were different, but extremely close. I’m not sure where that ended up.
The Magic YoYo N12 has design similarities to the General Yo Majesty. There’s no mistaking these up close though.
Define the difference between bootleg/knock off and clone. Exactly, you can’t, because American companies are guilty of copying designs too, not just Chinese companies.
EDIT My apologies if that sounds harsh.
Well i mean yoyos that look too similar like like that aoda yoyo that looks exactly like the bone chip and throws like that
Magic Yoyo T6 and YYF Boss are frighteningly similar. I used to own both until I gave away the T6 in a contest. The T6 rims are a tad bit thicker and more squared off. The difference is extremely slight. Otherwise, they looked the same side by side.
A “replica” being an exact reproduction, it’s not that obviously, but if you are looking for something really close…that’s got to make the list.
Half the yoyos in the world look like they have the same/similar shape to me.
YYF Shutter is too similar to a yoyofficer brave.
the yyf hot looks wat to much like the cascade
And the Code 2 is a Rockstar. Same shape doesn’t mean clone, not even close.
Bootlegs and knock offs are the EXACT same shape and sold as that yoyo. Like I saw a brand new YYR Slepnir on a store for $30. It looks very similar but obviously isn’t the same.
But when a Western company rips off another company, no one calls it a rip off, bootleg, or knock off.
Sorry, it just doesn’t make sense to me.
Knock offs are an attempt to look exactly like or close to the real thing, a similar throw is more like "hmm I like how that plays, I’ll incorporate that into my new yoyo.
I see where you’re going with this. Maybe on other forums there is a thread similar to this one, perhaps even a knock off, where they are discussing how Western companies rip off every one else’s designs and no one ever rips off Western designs 
A real knockoff looks exactly like the whatever it’s copying, just worse quality, this is only because they can’t be sued in Asia by Westerners.
CoughAvantGardeCough
I disagree. I own them both. While they are both bell shaped, they still look and play very different. If that’s the case, we’d have to throw in the Lagoutte and Exit 8 too. :-\
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9364410001_a2919850ab_z.jpg
HOTb by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8052/8386047535_1a0c2d4d88_z.jpg
cascadeyyegb by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8086/8364637985_8ef83b3a67_z.jpg
lagoutteb by The TotalArtist, on Flickr
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8364641375_193b330c56_z.jpg
exit8blueb by The TotalArtist, on Flickr