KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — It is impossible not to stare at Ladybeard when he walks up to you, with his heavily-muscled body clad in kawaii — Japanese for “cute” — feminine costumes, complete with twintails crowning his bearded face.

Originally from Australia, Ladybeard started getting attention with his cross-dressing as a pro wrestler in Hong Kong, and then found explosive fame in Japan where he started dabbling with cosplaying — costumed role-playing — and pin-up modelling.

He is now a sought-after Internet sensation, and the heavy metal vocalist has even started a new J-pop metal band called Ladybaby with two teenage girls: Rie Kaneko, 17, and Rei Kuromiya, 14. (If you ask Ladybeard, he would say he is five years old.)

Malaysian fans had the chance to get up close and personal with Ladybeard recently, where he was a special guest of the inaugural Visual Arts Expo (VAX) 2015.

Ladybeard started in Hong Kong and found explosive fame in Japan.

In his own words, during his VAX 2015 stage performance, on Sunday: