Wrestling is an important part of Mercedes Varnado’s career. She rose to prominence as Sasha Banks for the WWE before moving to AEW as Mercedes Moné. But her fans may not know that she is also a giant Sailor Moon Fan. The professional wrestler who recently worked as an actor The Mandalorian, has a deep appreciation for the classic magical girl fantasy anime based on Naoko Takeuchi’s 1992 manga. Fans of wrestling and anime know she wore one Sailor Moon inspired outfit during the 2022 Royal Rumble. So it’s no surprise that she’s openly campaigning to play Sailor Jupiter in a live-action adaptation of Sailor Moon if that ever happens.
Polygon caught up with Varnado during this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards, so of course we had to ask: Which Sailor Scout do you think would make the best professional wrestler given her love of anime?
“I would say Sailor Mercury,” Varnado told Polygon. “She’s such a badass; She has such a good attitude. I feel like Usagi is always a little late to the ring, she would probably slip a little during her matches.”
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Image: Toei Animation
Introduced in the eighth episode of the first season of Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury is the first Sailor Guardian to discover Usagi and the first to join her cause in the fight against the forces of the nefarious Queen Beryl. Mercury’s true identity is Ami Mizuno, a shy bookworm with an unusually high IQ who is known for her talent in mathematics and computers. Although initially shy, Ami becomes the Sailor Scouts’ chief strategist and has a positive, resilient attitude when faced with a challenge.
The 1992 Sailor Moon Anime would run for a total of five seasons. The series’ combination of tokusatsu-inspired action and romantic melodrama is credited with revolutionizing the magical girl anime genre, with the combined popularity of various home releases and films of the anime contributing to the comic’s status as one of Japan’s best-selling Mangas contributed by It’s Time. In 2014, Sailor Moon was later adapted into another anime series titled Sailor Moon Crystalto commemorate the series’ 20th anniversary. Sailor Moon Crystal is a reboot of the original anime that follows the story of Usagi Tsukino and Co. more closely. as told in the original manga by Naoko Takeuchi.
However, aside from the series’ popularity, Sailor Moon has had a huge impact on fans (especially girls) who grew up with the anime, and that includes Varnado himself. “I still go back and watch Sailor Moon to learn my life lessons, to get my energy,” Varnado told Polygon. “So she continues to inspire me to this day.”
Sailor Moon can be streamed on Hulu. Sailor Moon Crystal can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
