Wrestling is a big a part of Mercedes Varnado’s profession, having gained notoriety as Sasha Banks for the WWE earlier than crossing over as Mercedes Moné for the AEW. However her followers might not understand she can also be an enormous Sailor Moon fan. The skilled wrestler, who not too long ago jumped to appearing for The Mandalorian, has a deep appreciation of the traditional magical lady fantasy anime based mostly on Naoko Takeuchi’s 1992 manga. Followers of each wrestling and anime know she donned a Sailor Moon-inspired outfit in the course of the 2022 Royal Rumble. So it’s no shock that she’s brazenly campaigned to play Sailor Jupiter in a live-action adaptation of Sailor Moon, if that ever occurs.
Polygon caught up with Varnado throughout this yr’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards, so naturally we needed to ask: Given her love of the anime, which sailor scout does she suppose would make the most effective skilled wrestler?
“I’d say Sailor Mercury,” Varnado instructed Polygon. “She’s such a badass; she has such angle. I really feel like Usagi would at all times be somewhat late to the ring, she would in all probability slip throughout her matches somewhat bit.”
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Picture: Toei Animation
Launched within the eighth episode of Sailor Moon season 1, Sailor Mercury is the primary Sailor Guardian that Usagi discovers and the primary to affix her trigger preventing the forces of the nefarious Queen Beryl. Mercury’s true id is Ami Mizuno, a shy bookworm with an abnormally excessive I.Q. who is understood for her expertise for arithmetic and computer systems. Although initially timid, Ami goes on to change into the chief strategist of the Sailor Scouts and has a optimistic, resilient angle each time confronted with a problem.
The 1992 Sailor Moon anime would go on to run for a complete of 5 seasons. The sequence’ mixture of tokusatsu-inspired motion and romantic melodrama is credited with revolutionizing the style of Magical Woman anime, with the mixed recognition of the anime’s assorted house releases and movies contributing to the comedian’s standing as one of many best-selling Japanese manga of its time. In 2014, Sailor Moon was later tailored into one other anime sequence referred to as Sailor Moon Crystal, in commemoration of the sequence’ twentieth anniversary. Sailor Moon Crystal is a reboot of the unique anime that extra carefully follows the story of Usagi Tsukino and co. because it was instructed in Naoko Takeuchi’s authentic manga.
Except for the sequence’ recognition, nevertheless, Sailor Moon has had a serious influence on followers (significantly ladies) who grew up watching the anime, and that features Varnado herself. “I nonetheless return and watch Sailor Moon to get my life classes, to get my vitality,” Varnado instructed Polygon. “So she nonetheless evokes me to this present day.”
Sailor Moon is out there to stream on Hulu. Sailor Moon Crystal is out there to stream on Crunchyroll.