McFarlane toys has been a leader in freezing pop culture icons and characters in its detailed plastic molds. Now the same company that brought us action figures of Alice Cooper, the Beatles, the “South Park” gang, Janis Joplin, Edward Scissorhands and Rob Zombie, among others, is coming up with some Japanese anime figures intended to explode with the same burst of popularity the actual animation has enjoyed in recent years. McFarlane started with characters from the film Akira, which brought Japanese anime to mainstream American audiences. The company has also released an action figure called Vash the Stampede from the TV series “Trigun.” The collectible figures are available from various retailers including Spencer Gifts and most toy stores. Prices vary. Check out www.mcfarlane.com to learn more and to browse a complete online catalog.

Norene Cashen pays attention here every other week. E-mail letters@metrotimes.com.