By Ferdosa and Tracey

Lately Hollywood has not been shy about taking Japanese material and poorly adapting it for American and Western audiences. It is unfortunate to see such great anime series like Death Note and Ghost in the Shell get turned into soulless corporate cash grabs. Eventually, Hollywood will set their sights on the extremely popular Sailor Moon. Unlike Ghost in the Shell or Death Note, Sailor Moon is one of the few Japanese manga series and anime to cross cultural and national borders. The manga series has sold more than 35 million worldwide, and is one of the highest selling manga series ever. The anime aired across Europe, Latin America and North America.

Before Hollywood tries to tarnish this beloved series, let’s show them what we expect the cast to be. Here’s a hint: They are all Japanese.

For this fancast we will follow the Hollywood formula: move the series to the US. This cast is entirely Japanese, with no exceptions.

Usagi Tsukino, or Serena Tsukino in the English dub, is the main protagonist and leader of the Sailor Soldiers. The Soldier of Love and Justice is a very fitting role for the talented and amazing Hayley Kiyoko. Aside from having Usagi’s golden locks of hair, Kiyoko exudes all of Usagi’s amazing qualities. Usagi is full love, compassion and sympathy. Although young and immature, there is a reason she is the leader. She will fight for what is right, and protect all who matter to her.

Mamoru Chiba, or Darien Shield in the English dub, is an older student who is Sailor Moon’s love interest and partner. He has a tragic past, and a psychic connection with Usagi – the perfect combination to make fangirls go wild. Mokomichi Hayami is a Japanese-Filipino model, actor, and cook. Hayami is capable of showcasing Mamoru’s stoic, mysterious, charming and kind demeanour. He is also very handsome and tall, perfect for Mamoru.

Ami Mizuno, or Amy Anderson in the English dub, is the Soldier of Water and Wisdom. Ami is incredibly intelligent, and is the practical member of the team. Although everyone is smart in their own way, Ami holds the highest IQ which earns her the mantle of being the brains of the bunch. She is shy and reserved, and hides a passion for pop culture and romance. Ami is the cutest of the bunch, and Karen Fukuhara is absolutely perfect for the role. We all know her as Katana, but we fell in love with Fukuhara’s charming and delightful personality. Again, perfect for Ami!

Rei Hino, or Raye Hino in the original English dub, is the Soldier of Fire and Passion. Rei is the opposite of Usagi in many ways. She is serious, focused, and mature. Although she is obedient and self-controlled, she is prone to being a little boy-crazy sometimes and short-tempered. Anna Akana is capable making Rei likeable dispite her bossy and snotty tendencies. She also has a fierce and passionate demeanour which is perfect for the Soldier for Fire and Passion.

Makoto Kino, or Lita Kino in the English dub, is the Soldier of Thunder and Courage. Makoto is the tallest, strongest, and toughest in the group. Although she has a history of fighting, she is a true sweetheart who dreams of marrying young and owning a flower-and-cake shop. Sumaire Matsubara, a Japanese actress and model, is a statuesque woman and the tallest woman in this fancast. She exudes strength and power, and is incredibly sweet.

Minako Aino, or Mina Aino in the English dub, is the Soldier of Love and Beauty. Minako looks nearly identical to Usagi, which often leads to Minako being a decoy when protecting Usagi. She has a very similar personality to Usagi, but she is essentially a calmer, sweeter version of her. She is also a romantic and dreams of a luxurious life. Devon Aoki and Hayley Kiyoko have similar features which would allow audiences to believe that they can be mistaken for one another. Aoki is the perfect choice to play the soldier of love and beauty. She has been in the business for a number of years, and a role like this is tailor made for her.

Haruka Tenoh, or Amara Tenoh in the English dub is the Soldier of Sky and Flight. She is the cool androgynous older student, who is into racing and dressing like a man. Haruka is an open lesbian, although several countries would love for you to forget that. She is more ruthless and willing to do whatever is necessary to win a battle, but will only fight with her lover, Sailor Saturn. Rinko Kikuchi is the only actress suited for Haruka. She already has the androgynous look down, she is fierce, strong, and beautiful.

Michiru Kaioh, or Michelle Kaioh in the English dub, is the soldier of Ocean and Embrace. She is an elegant young woman who comes from a wealthy family and is very accomplished herself. She is Haruka’s lover and is deeply devoted to her mission and fighting alongside her. Rila Fukushima is perfect for the role because she is appears delicate and dainty, but is actually all sorts of badass. Fukushima has unfortunately been type cast as the quiet and stoic assassin type in Hollywood, but a role like this would change things up and we will see a softer and sweeter side to her.

Setsuna Meioh, or Trista Meioh in the English dub, is the Soldier of Spacetime and Change. She is a mysterious woman who is guarding the Space-Time Door from unauthorized travellers. Her responsibilities are quite daunting so she is guarded and very stern. Tao Okamoto is a talented Japanese actress, who is able to convey Setsuna’s complicated feelings. Unlike the other soldiers, she endures the hardest aspects of being responsible and staying vigilant at all times. Setsuana is also a demi-god, and Okamoto has the look and physique for a goddess.

Hotaru Tomoe is the Soldier of Destruction and Silence. She is a sweet and lonely girl. She is the last of the sailor soldiers to be discovered, and she possesses powers associated with death, destruction and rebirth. Such powers take a toll on her, and as a result she is very complicated. She is prone to having seizures and radical personality changes. This makes her very lonely and unpopular at school. Shioli Kutsana is a Japanese actress who has been acting for a number of years now, but is only just getting into the Hollywood space. Kutsana has the look and personality to perfectly convey Hotaru’s tragic and sweet persona.

Chibiusa is the daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Edymion in the 30th century. She joins her future mother in the 20th century and often clashes with her. She has been written as being more mature as her future mother. She strives to be like her mother and wants to be a strong and powerful Sailor Soldier. Chibi is a source of great of comedy as she is a child trying way too hard to be an adult. So it is important to cast a young actress who is incredibly cute, and who is cuter than Mana Ashida?

So that’s it. The perfect fancast for the eventual Sailor Moon Hollywood live-action adaptation. A nice mix of Japanese actors who all deserve a major opportunity like this. There are very few opportunities for Asian actors in this industry. When adapting Asian properties, Hollywood needs to take into consideration that there is a large Asian audience that love these properties and want to be represented.