Anime plays an important part in the lives of millions of people around the world. Netflix just revealed that 50 percent of its global users watch anime. Well, AEW’s belt collector, Mercedes Mone, is among that group. She and Crunchyroll announced an exclusive collaboration that further expands Mone’s brand beyond professional wrestling.
“Pro wrestler and lifelong anime lover Mercedes Mone took control of her story and career,” Crunchyroll released in its promotional email. “Now she’s coming for your closet with this exclusive merch collab with Crunchyroll.”
The collaboration features several different merchandise options with Mone’s likeness transformed into an anime character. Prices range from $13.49 to $179.99 for the reversible kimono jacket. The partnership goes above and beyond, as five percent of all purchases will go to Step Up! A nonprofit that is meant to “empower the next generation of girls through mentorship, access, and community.”
"This collection represents how I envision myself as an anime hero," Mone said in the statement. "Anime has helped me find my inner superpower."
Mercedes Mone continues to show that she’s the biggest name in women’s wrestling
Mercedes Mone continues to make history both in and out of the ring. She heads into AEW All In 2025 to face Toni Storm in an attempt to capture her fifth title. She’s the current RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Champion, EWA Women’s Champion, CMLL World Women’s Champion, and is riding a 400+ day streak as the AEW TBS Champion.
To get there, Mone will have to go through four-time AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm. The Timeless one is on a career-defining run of her own, becoming a vital part of the AEW roster after a run in WWE that almost pushed her out of the business.
In many ways, Storm and Mone share a lot of similarities when it comes to the circumstances that brought them to this moment. Mone walked out of WWE, along with Naomi, when the promotion refused to book them and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship in a way that was fitting to their expectations. That caused WWE to attempt to smear their names, but both women flourished in the face of adversity. Mone has become one of the highest-paid women in the business, and an industry shaker along the way.
Storm was with WWE from 2019 to 2021, and that run was less than spectacular. While she found some success in NXT UK, her time in NXT and on the main roster was abysmal. WWE rarely used her at a time when Storm was considered one of the best young performers in the world. All that changed when she jumped to AEW and quickly went on the type of performance streak that reminded everyone why they should be excited whenever she’s on their television.
Mercedes Mone continues to shake up the wrestling world, both as a performer and a businesswoman behind the scenes. This collaboration with Crunchyroll is a big deal and hopefully opens the door for more partnerships with women’s wrestlers in the future.