The long-time darling of Russian figure skating, Evgeni Plushenko, may soon find himself with an entirely new set of fans, after saying Thursday that he is set to feature in an anime comic book.
"The comic book about me and my life will be published soon! It's getting very funny!" the four-time Olympic medalist wrote in English on his Instagram page on Thursday.
The image uploaded onto Plushenko's Instagram page features comic drawings of the prolific athlete in 16 different positions, representing his most memorable performances. Plushenko did not say when the comic book, which will be available in Russian, English and Japanese, would be published.
It is not the first time that Plushenko, who announced his retirement in February only to backtrack on his decision a week later, will appear in a foreign-language publication. The 31-year-old athlete has also been featured in an American physics textbook, with his spins and jumps used to showcase the principle of "moment of inertia," a body's tendency to resist angular acceleration.
Plushenko joins a growing list of Russians that have been immortalized in anime comics. Last March, Crimean Prosecutor Natalia Poklonskaya, whose large eyes resemble those of Japanese anime heroines, became a star in the Japanese comic book world, embodying a character affectionately known as "Nyash Myash."
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