Based on my understanding AL is suppose to have 
the only source of licensed cels available for 
sale to the public. AL obtained their cels from 
the production studio directly. Few of us can 
verify where other shops/dealers obtained their 
VHD cels from. But if they did not obtain them 
directly from the production studio, who supplied 
their VHD cels? One thing is certain, there are 
other VHD cels floating around that were not part 
of the studios' inventoried AL's VHD cels. Those 
cels being sold from shops/dealers other than AL, 
were possibly obtained by people who stole them. 

You raised a point I wasn't aware of. If the 
original sellers to shops were executive(s) from 
within the production company, then I'd certainly 
agree with you, the cels being sold by 
dealers/shops other than AL are not stolen. 

Hmm, you raise another interesting point, it is 
possible AL depends on the very same shops that 
purchased the questionably obtained VHD cels, and 
if true, it stands to reason AL would not cut off 
these important contacts. What would help clarify 
this confusion (howeverly unlikely)would be an 
announcement from AL explaining, how this 
situation originated. 

Nevertheless, if the cels were not sold to 
shops/dealers by executive(s), rather they were 
sold by individual(s) who worked on or at the 
production studio, then I'd still regard them as 
stolen studio property. Yes, it truly does depend 
on how the cels were "obtained" prior to being 
sold to the shops/dealers, regardless if AL 
depends on them.

This is why I previously stated AL has the sole 
license rights to sell the VHD cels, b/c their 
source was from the studio directly; no other 
shop/dealer can make this claim. But if I am 
still factually incorrect hypothetically 
speaking, what would AL need to do or have done, 
to have the exclusive rights to sell them? I 
don't mean this as a challenge I truly wish to 
know, thank you.