Aug 24, 20215 min read

Sailor Moon Maternity Cosplay

"Queen Serenity" (Sailor Moon) by Anastasia V Sweets | Photography by Eddie B Photos

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Q: First off, congratulations on your new beautiful baby girl! How do you feel now and if you don’t mind, would you attempt to describe how you felt on the day she finally arrived and your experience with postpartum? Also what is her name and could you tell us about her? A: “Being a mother is the greatest and hardest thing in the world but I have never smiled so much of my life . Even though the world is harsh, you have this little girl that all she knows is that you love her and her smiles and babbles vanishes any worries your have in life. Lily is very chill and such a ham . She loves music just like her Daddy. My daughter is named Lily and I symbolize her in my cosplays now by adding some type of lily flower in my work .

The labor was intense and very scary but once I saw her face , the world seemed perfect to me. From my experience as a new mom, I want to build a new platform and advocacy for postpartum depression and anxiety. It is a very common and a real issue after pregnancy that I have no clue why no one talks about the emotional and physical struggles of becoming a new mom. After giving birth, my anxiety was through the roof and I was so terrified when I would left sight of my daughter. I was also trying to heel from all my wounds. Society expects moms to be picture perfect after giving birth but they forget the hormonal changes of pregnancy and the hours of painful labor. Not to mention, the saggy skin and your bones getting back into place. My anxiety has gotten a lot better and I am seeing doctors for my aching bones but I would of not done it without the support for my husband, family, and friends. My advice for new moms and moms in general is that it is okay to be weak and it is okay to ask for help. I know it is hard to not always portray as a super hero but communicating your emotions will help so much.”

Q: “What was your first cosplay and what was your first convention experience like? A: ”Ever since high school (in the early 2000’s), I have always played around with creating costumes based on video game and horror film characters. During this time, cosplay was not even a word in the dictionary. My first convention was Anime Central in 2012. I went after my last day of college and it was a magnificent way to celebrate earning my degree in Art Education. The convention catered to every anime, game , etc. The staff and the atmosphere were very positive and felt like a dream vacation. With seven years of teaching under my belt, it is still an end of the school year celebration and I actually gain teaching resources for my classes. My first cosplay at the convention was Pyramid Head from Silent Hill. The cosplay is very dear to me for many reasons but like myself, I evolve the cosplay based on new skills that I learn over the years. I try to make the cosplay more brutal and look like the cd covers of Cannibal Corpse.”

Q: “Can you tell us about your Sailor Moon maternity dress and a bit about the process of crafting this cosplay?” A: “Sailor Moon was one of my first anime besides Tenchi Muyo and Dragon Ball. I always loved how each character had their own specific personality and over came adversity which would be an anime I would recommend to young girls. During pregnancy and even now, my body and my mind went through so many changes that I finally understand why so many pregnant women and moms are so intimidated to cosplay. I choose Queen Serenity due to she is a majestic and caring queen which personifies a mother. The gems and glitter represents the adventures and the power of a mother. The soft white fabric and the white wings represent the pure love of a mother and child.”

Q: “Were you able to focus on cosplans more or find yourself not as motivated during the pandemic?” A:“Cosplaying has always been a form of therapy for me due to health issues and a way to build confidence. As an art teacher during the pandemic, I wanted to find ways to motivate and entertain my students during these rough times. I brought my cosplays in class and have the students discuss how I made the cosplay but also give me advice and critique my work.”

Q: “It’s been a while since we were able to go to conventions again so how was Anime Magic and what did you cosplay as?”

A: “Anime Magic was amazing. It was small but it has tons of potential to become a large and epic convention. The one aspect that I love about the con was that is was a safe space to celebrate diversity amoungst us nerds. It was actually my first day out as a mom and I felt very much at ease. I can not wait for next year!”

Q: “What was the last cosplay you’ve worked on and why were you inspired to craft or cosplay that character?

A: “Funny story.... While in recovery, I got an email from Anime Magic that I registered for their cosplay contest for my Warrior Espeon. A couple days before the actual con, I couldn’t fit into the cosplay and had to rip it apart. The cosplay still held up with lots of hot glue and glitter glue at the con.”

Q: Your wig looks amazing! Do you have any tips for styling it?” A: “The wigs are usually the first thing I create during cosplay. I purchase a very cheap wig on Ebay and I style it while wearing the wig. I always bring the wig to Michaels’ or Walmart to make sure the paint and accessories match the wig.”

Q: “Can you tell us about your triumphs and/or struggles as an advocate of body positivity in general and as it relates to the cosplay community?” A: “As a plus size cosplayer and someone with thyroid issues, I have always been an advocate of having fun and cherishing diversity in cosplay but also understanding how the art can aid others with “hidden illnesses.” For those of you that want to cosplay reluctant if you don’t fit the body type or appearance in the characters, remember those characters were first a blank piece of paper with no personality and no color. Once those characters were created, we were the ones to bring life and fun to those characters. So... think about how you can bring color and life onto that blank piece of paper.”

Q: “What have been your favorite video game or anime related cosplays that you’ve done thus far and do you have any cosplans in the works?” A: “Since I do cosplay on a dime , I am going to fix my cosplays and most likely add some more sparkle to the costumes . I will also be working on my husband’s Viking Umbreon . I want to make it more historical correct and add more Norse symbolism through out the piece .”

Q: “Well you look beautiful in this and thanks so much for answering our interview questions! Would you like to mention or thank anyone for their support of your passion of being a cosplayer?” A: “I want to personally thank my husband for being my greatest supporter and fan. He helps me get into my cosplay as well as hold my belongings. He is also an amazing drummer . His bands are If I Were The Devil , Boatman’s Toll, Junkers, and Scientist.”