In February 2002, fans of one of the best-loved anime/manga franchises of all time will experience an out-of-this-world collectible with the release of the Nadesico: Ruri Hoshino Civilian Resin Statue.

A hit science-fiction comedy in Japan, the anime series (called Kidoseiken Nadeshiko in its native Japanese) has also found a sizeable fan base in the States and beyond, with the recently released English-dubbed DVD and video release, Martian Successor Nadesico: Mind of the Machine Vol. 5, earning five out of five stars from Amazon.com�s customers, and numerous positive reviews from various Internet fan sites. Given the anime series' critical acclaim, and the overwhelming consumer interest in Japanese Pop Culture products, this is one statue that is sure to attain must-have status amongst fans!

The first in a series of collectibles based on the popular film, Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness, this 10"-tall, pre-painted collectible depicts the 16-year-old captain of the Nadesico-B, Ruri Hoshino, in her civilian attire. Imported from Japan, this resin statue comes highly detailed and is ready for display right out of the box. The Nadesico: Ruri Hoshino Civilian Resin Statue is scheduled to arrive in stores on February 28, 2002.

Fans can find this and other great products based on today's most popular anime properties at their local comics shop, or by contacting the Comic Shop Locator Service toll free at 1-888-COMICBOOK (1-888-266- 4226) or online at http://csls.diamondcomics.com.