The Southern Island Fruits Basket action figures (and other Southern Island anime-based products to follow, see 'Southern Island Nabs Fruits Basket') will be distributed by Client Distribution Services, beginning early next year.  CDS is the national book distributor for Tokyopop, which publishes the Fruits Basket manga.

 

The first Southern Island Fruits Basket product will be a Tohru Bust, released exclusively through Borders and Waldenbooks stores in early March 2006.  The first products for general release in all channels will be Kyo and Tohru Action Figures, slated for release in May at a $20 MSRP.  The action figures will be available to book and comic stores through CDS, through Diamond Comic Distributors, and possibly through mass merchants, although no orders have been booked from that channel to date.  One additional Fruits Basket figure is planned for later in 2006. 

 

CDS will also be distributing Southern Island figures based on other properties.  CDS is not new to the toy business; it has been distributing toys to national chains (such as Borders and Waldenbooks) for two years.