Bear Sailor Moon: cosplay and drag collide at Comicon

17 Mar 2023 - photos courtesy of Bear Sailor Moon

"I always joke around that I'm like drag lite," says Bear Sailor Moon, "Not really a queen but a queen in my own right. Lots of queens, like Baby Bel Bel, have done cosplay that led them to drag. Cosplay and drag are both all about self expression and empowerment. When I'm cosplaying I run on pure audacity and get a huge boost in my self esteem, that can also be said for drag queens. You're creating an illusion when you cosplay that's similar to drag. I think the main difference between the two of them is the amount of makeup," Moon says laughing. "The one thing that I always want to let people know is that there are a lot of similarities between drag and cosplay and I hope to act as a bridge between the two of them."

Bear Sailor Moon is hosting a Lip Sync Extravaganza and a Drag Extravaganza as part of Toronto Comicon 2023. "I started out helping at smaller conventions that happen in the city, like Pretty Heroes, Anime Shogatsu, and Unplugged Expo," says Bear Sailor Moon. "I would host their cosplay competitions and do various panels over the weekend. I started to do a Lip Sync battle and that really solidified my cosplay and my reputation as an all around entertainer. Bigger conventions such as Anime North and Fan Expo started to take note and then brought me into the fold and that's pretty much the whole story. It's great to get your feet wet at smaller conventions, without them I wouldn't be where I am today."  

Nor without the anime character Sailor Moon. "I have been a fan of Sailor Moon since she made her debut on YTV way back in 1995. I started cosplaying as Sailor Moon as a semi kind of joke because I'm such a big guy in such a little skirt. Then it just became a bigger thing. I always wanted a Sailor Moon costume and never thought I would actually be sewing them. The more I cosplay as Bear Sailor Moon the more I relate to Sailor Moon, she always wants the best for other people, she brings joy to people around her, and has a light that gives strength to other people. Through cosplaying as Bear Sailor Moon I realized that those are things that I also do. That's why my cosplay motto is 'Let your Star Seed Shine Bright.'" 

For those of us, myself included, who are unversed, I ask Bear Sailor Moon for a quick overview of the Sailor Moon universe's queer connection. "There's a lot of canon to unpack there," says Bear Sailor Moon. "I'll try and keep it short. Yes there are same sex relations in Sailor Moon as early as season one with Kunzite and Zoisite, but then they changed Zoisite's gender to be female to appease censors in the US. Most famous are Sailor Neptune and Uranus who are a lesbian couple and they are a power couple. As far Sailor Moon being queer, the fandom has concluded that maybe she's bi at best. But yes, queerness runs through the show and even Tuxedo Mask isn't a stranger to it."

Those censors in the US are still at it, with drag being a target of the moment. And the official press release for Toronto Comicon 2023 puts a real emphasis on the family friendly nature of the event. "I find it deeply concerning that there is such an attack on our culture," says Bear Sailor Moon. "I know that it is bleeding into Canada as well and we all need to band together to remind people that love is stronger than hate. Showing up and supporting is necessary, positive vibes only go so far. At Comicon, there is a huge emphasis on making sure the show is rated a hard G. No swearing, nothing risky, a hard G. Albeit the show is at 6pm so most of the families have headed home for the night. The show mostly brings in a teen plus audience and if there is the occasional kid in the audience, we make them feel welcomed. Most parents who bring their children to an event like this know what to expect and to be honest, most of these kids are watching Drag Race at home anyway. I'm not sure what the future holds, but as long as I'm filling up the room with an audience the show will go on. At the end of the day, a huge shout out to the team at Fan Expo headquarters for supporting me."

Bear Sailor Moon also wants to send "a shout out to all my nerdy queens that have been absolute rock stars! Baby Bel Bel, Tynomi Banks, Devin Darlin, Alissa Brink, Carrie Okie Dokie, Xana . . . They have all done such amazing drag at conventions and on a whole other level that I only aspire to." Bear Sailor Moon can't pinpoint the most memorable performance at one of the extravaganzas. "So many core memories! I think the memory that stands out was Fan Expo 2022, I was coming down the escalator and saw a huge line up of people waiting to get into the auditorium. I thought to myself, 'Hmm these people must be here for something that's really important, like a celebrity guest speaker or something.'. I got to the door and asked the attendant who they were lined up for and she said, 'You. This is the line up for your lip sync battle.' I nearly fainted." 

Bear Sailor Moon's memory is also vague on how many extravaganzas they have hosted. "Oh too many to count.  Basically any convention that happens in Toronto, I am there doing something. Besides that I put on shows in the Village every now and then, mainly my Birthday Extravaganza and my Christmas Extravaganza where I try to make sure that I bring in queens and other friends who are performers." There is only one problem with Bear Sailor Moon's home town. "Toronto let me tell you, you gotta compete with the audience in Vancouver. Those shows are fire! I love performing in Toronto, it's my home base and seeing people in the audience you know makes it hit just so much harder. However the Lip Sync battle I did at Flame Con in NYC was out of this world, I replay that one again and again." With a shout of "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" this may be the Comicon where Toronto is fire.