With massive eyes drawn on her face, a brightly colored vinyl bodysuit and eclectic trinkets and toys glued to her wig, drag queen Rock M. Sakura epitomizes the intersection of Japanese pop culture and international queer culture.
As a contender on the 12th season of the American TV series ¡°RuPaul¡¯s Drag Race,¡± Sakura made a splash in queer Japan-loving circles for her overtly manga and anime-inspired drag persona and makeup.
¡°I often say, ¡®I was raised by TV.¡¯ I grew up in the mostly Mexican neighborhood of San Jose, and didn¡¯t have too much connection with Asian American culture,¡± says Sakura, 34, who is of Vietnamese and Filipino descent. ¡°I was also a bit of a black sheep in my family because I am half-Vietnamese. I had a preconceived notion of what being Asian was, and the only connection I had back then was through media.¡±
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