Move over Mao Asada, this 16-year-old figure skating superstar is stealing the hearts of Japanese fans.
When you watch figure skating, it might seem all about flashy costumes, extended arms and questionable judging. But real fans will tell you it’s about grace under pressure and practically superhuman physical abilities…and flashy costumes. Does that sound like a particular pretty guardian that we know?
Current female world champion Evgenia Medvedeva hails from Russia, but loves all things Sailor Moon. She’s become a bit of a sensation in Japan as she isn’t shy about showing her love for Japanese anime and manga. At her recent performance in Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture, she performed her free skate in what is unmistakably a Sailor Moon costume.
Medvedeva already has a fair number of titles and gold medals under her belt, and with this season being her first chance to compete at the senior level, she is poised to become a staple atop the podium for years to come. But, we are willing to bet, that this one day in July is going to stick with her until the day she retires, because how often do you get to meet your idol while doing the thing that you love?
Russian figure skater Yevgenia Medvedeva has won the love of the Japanese, speaking at the show Dreams on Ice 2016 in the image of a famous anime character Sailor Moon. Social media literally exploded from compliments to the skater. Evgenia Medvedeva is called the queen of the world of figure skating, and promised that they will only root for her. "World Queen Medvedeva shake her love of Sailor Moon there are other skaters who love Japan.!", - writes a user under the name Yukio.
"I did not know there was such a person ... Just did not like skating, but Medvedeva? Adherence (cult Sailor Moon) and love is visible even to such fastidious fan as I am, for the correctness of her presentation poses " - Twitter user said.
The skater herself does not hide her love for anime character. In his Instagram photo she posted to the creator of Sailor Moon of Naoko Togashi and signed: "Today, I saw a man who makes millions of children happy dreams come true at once."
Evgenia Medvedeva made the song of the anime "The Legend of moonlight." Recall that in April this year to Pravda.Ru wrote skater won the "gold" World Cup held in Boston in the women's figure skating.
Evgenia Medvedeva is the 2016 World and European champion in women’s figure skating. She’s also a huge Sailor Moon fan.
Medvedeva does a full routine to various songs from the 90s anime series, emerging onto the ice in Usagi’s school uniform to the opening theme from Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, doing a graceful costume change to Sailor Moon’s classic transformation theme and devoting much of the program to a series of spectacular jumps and spins to the tune of ‘Miracle Romance.’
Having taken to the ice at the tender age of three, Medvedeva currently holds the world record for the highest ladies’ free program score (150.10), previously held by South Korean Olympic champion Yuna Kim. When she’s not busy being a world-class athlete, Medvedeva also studies Japanese.
The performance brought the skater the opportunity to meet Naoko Takeuchi, creator of the Sailor Moon franchise. Takeuchi also gifted the skater with an autographed illustration of Princess Serenity. Truly, Medvedeva is living her best life.
This was inevitable. Champion figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva previously proved that Sailor Moon cosplay works well with skating. Now, she’s going to star in a figure-skating show that will right wrong and triumph over evil.
Called Sailor Moon Prism On Ice, the show will star Evgenia Medvedeva as Sailor Moon, Satoko Miyahara as Sailor Mercury, Mirai Nagasu as Sailor Mars, Alissa Czisny as Sailor Jupiter, Becky Bereswill as Sailor Venus and Andrew Poje as Tuxedo Mask.
Adaptation of magical girl anime/manga has a VERY international cast.
It’s weird that there’s never been a official Sailor Moon ice skating show, isn’t it? A cast of lanky characters, with penchants for flowing fashions and dramatic poses, set to a sweeping score…all of it sounds like it’d transition effortlessly from anime screen/manga page to ice rink.
And yet, it’s never happened. That’s going to change soon, though, with the Sailor Moon Prism on Ice skate show set to open in Japan.
“Wait,” you might be saying. “I know I’ve seen a professional figure skater dressed as Sailor Moon before.” If so, you’re probably thinking of Evgenia Medvedeva. The Russian skater and two-time world champion is indeed a huge fan of Sailor Moon, and even got to meet series creator Naoko Takeuchi on a trip to Japan a few years back. Medvedeva is about to take her superfandom to the highest possible level, though, since she’s the one who’ll be portraying Sailor Moon in Sailor Moon Prism on Ice.
Medvedva recently made her first in-costume appearance at an event promoting the opening of ticket sales for the show. Officially, she’s credited for the roles of both Sailor Moon and Usagi Tsukino, the heroine’s ordinary-schoolgirl alter ego. That suggests that Sailor Moon Prism on Ice will contain recreations of the series’ iconic transformation scenes when Usagi has to spring into action.
Of course, Sailor Moon is a story about a team of friends who help each other in their fight against evil, so the other Inner Sailor Senshi will be taking to the ice as well. The international core cast will also include Japanese figure skaters Satoko Miyahara and Mirai Nagasu as Sailors Mercury and Mars and Americans Alissa Czisny and Becky Bereswill as Sailors Jupiter and Venus.
The male cast is multi-ethnic as well. The role of Tuxedo Mask/Chiba Mamoru belongs to Canadian Andrew Poje, while villainous Jadeite will be portrayed by Japanese skater Takahito Mura, whose countryman Seiya Hashimoto will skate as Zoisite. Rounding out the quartet of antagonists will be Canadian Dylan Moscovitch as Nephrite and American Jason Brown as Kunzite. No word as to whether original-arc archnemesis Queen Beryl will be part of the plot, but singer Anza is slated for a special (ostensibly non-skating) appearance as Queen Serenity.