Why was Sasha Banks dressed as Sailor Moon at Royal Rumble?
Sasha Banks' costume at the 2022 Royal Rumble premium live event turned heads and generated a lot of discussion. Fans were full of praise for her Sailor Moon-inspired gear, with many calling it the best costume of 2022.
Banks had been sidelined for most of January due to a foot injury. She made a triumphant return to SmackDown on January 28, and entered the Royal Rumble match for a shot at either of the Women's Championships. The Boss drew #1 and lasted a little under ten minutes before being eliminated.
However, even after she left the ring, fans were raving about what she wore to the squared circle that day. If you are wondering why Sasha Banks chose to dress up as Sailor Moon for the Royal Rumble, we have the answer for you right here.
According to Sasha Banks, she was inspired by Sailor Moon growing up and held the legendary shojo heroine in the highest regard. In an interview with ComicBook.com’s Matthew Aguilar, she revealed the story behind her connection with the character and how it has been a part of her life for a very long time.
"My first thing wasn’t Star Wars, it was Sailor Moon. When I was maybe like five years old, I started watching Sailor Moon, and I had no idea of what time was or anything. It always came on at 6:00 AM in the morning, but I would stay up all night just because I would know it would come out sometimes dark, sometimes in the morning, I had no idea.
"But had to stay up and watch my Sailor Moon because I thought I was just like Serena. I was a meatball head, I was clumsy, I was always late for school, and she really taught me how to believe in myself, my own powers, and the powers of the universe and the moon. So still to this day, she is my favorite and I can't believe how much she's played a role in my life."
Sailor Moon tidbits Sasha Banks will know
Sasha Banks will no doubt appreciate artist and writer Naoko Takeuchi, who created Sailor Moon. It premiered in 1991 and was incredibly popular during its time. A rebooted version called Sailor Moon Crystal was released in 2014.
The anime is one of the most iconic shojo properties of all time. Its popularity and legendary status have resulted in many adaptations, with the most recent one releasing as an animated Netflix exclusive in 2021.
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Banks' Sailor Moon cosplay was appreciated by both wrestling fans and anime otaku. The colorful outfit was a welcome surprise at this year's Royal Rumble and was an instant hit with the WWE Universe. The red, white, and blue aesthetic, complete with hair buns and boots, made for a fantastic costume.