Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, we have been gifted with various royal Zoras who instantly steal our hearts—or claim we have no choice but to love them. Imagine one day, a shooting star flies across the sky and lands upon the edge of Zora River. A glimmering beacon leads not to a fallen star as the Hero of the Wild is used to, but instead a Zora curled up and glimmering with scales blessed by the stars. In this portrait, artist Katia Meraki answers a question we didn’t know we needed answered: what if Princess Rosalina of the Cosmos was a Zora?
Princess Rosalina was introduced to the Super Mario Universe in Super Mario Galaxy in 2007 and has long been a favorite among fans. Since her debut, she has been added to the roster of many Mario games and even partnered with her starry friend Luma in Super Smash Bros. She brings with her an air of mystical and mysterious qualities that Katia Meraki has converted to match the design of the creatures of the sea. One could say that the ocean is just as mysterious as the wonders of space, and Katia’s design does not disappoint in displaying the space princess in an underwater adventure.
The soft watercolor palette mirrors both that seen of Rosalina in her own games and of the Zoras across their representation. The style of Zora that Katia chose for Rosalina’s—or should I say Zoralina’s—makeover matches the designs seen in Breath of the Wild. Like Princess Mipha, Zoralina’s head shape mimics that of a dolphin. The light blue scales slide over Zoralina’s face, covering her right eye just like Rosalina’s bangs. Her sparkling blue eyes pierce through like a blinking star high in the night sky and yet hold grace like a princess of elegance and poise.
Zoras are not ones to wear clothing, relying on their natural armor and shimmering jewels to protect them. Katia adorns Zoralina with a headpiece in similar fashion to a crown or tiara. A four-pointed star holds the center matching the same design found within the center of her spear. This space princess doesn’t have Lumas by her side, but she does have small sparkling star patterns in her scales radiating the vibes of the cosmos this Zora fell from.
When Katia Meraki first decided to gift us with a Mushroom Kingdom/Zora crossover, Princess Rosalina was not her first choice of princess. The initial sketches were for Princess Peach, but the design did not resonate with the artist. She tried Rosalina instead. After completing the artwork, Katia still wonders what a Princess Peach or Princess Daisy (or maybe even a Pauline) Zora may look like. Perhaps more designs will be in our future and soon all of the Mushroom Kingdom will be taking over the sea.
