Today we’d like to introduce you to Shane Mcneil.
Hi shane , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
my cosplay journey started way before i even knew what cosplay was. growing up, i watched anime on toonami, but i had no idea it was anime. i honestly thought i was just watching another type of cartoon. as i got older, i continued watching it, trading pokémon cards, having yu-gi-oh battles, and doing other things like that with my friends. even then, i still had no idea that there was a whole community of people who enjoyed the same things i did. i think being a person of color played a part in that too. i did not see many people who looked like me in those spaces, so i never really knew that there was a place for me in the anime or cosplay community. i also started learning how to do hair and makeup at a very young age. i was always coloring my hair, trying different makeup looks, and finding new ways to change my appearance. at the time, i was just being creative and doing what i enjoyed. i had no idea how much those skills would help me later on. i did my first cosplay in 2020, and it was raven from teen titans. i was not very consistent with cosplay after that because living in north carolina felt really isolating. i still did not know that conventions were a thing, even though i was actually close to a few of them. when i moved back to baltimore in 2022, i went to an anime rave, and that opened me up to a world i did not even know existed. ever since then, i have been closet cosplaying and slowly becoming more involved in the community. being able to bring my favorite characters to life has been such an amazing experience. cosplay has allowed me to use the hair, makeup, styling, and creative skills that i had been practicing for years without realizing where they would eventually take me. looking back, it is crazy to think that something that started with me watching toonami and thinking it was just another cartoon became such a big part of who i am. i have learned so many new skills through cosplay, and i am still learning, creating, and becoming more confident with every character i bring to life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
it has not always been a smooth road. being a plus sized black cosplayer comes with a lot of backlash and sometimes a lack of support. i have dealt with racism and people making me feel like i should not cosplay certain characters because of my skin color or body type. it is also hard to find canon accurate cosplays that actually come in my size, so i have had to get creative and make different looks work for me. another struggle has been getting too fixed on likes, views, and engagement. sometimes you put so much time into creating a look, doing your hair and makeup, and making content just for it to feel like no one sees it. that can be discouraging and has caused me to experience content burnout at times. i am still learning that it is okay to take breaks and create when i actually feel inspired. i have to remind myself that i started doing this because it was fun and because i loved bringing my favorite characters to life. cosplay is supposed to be something i enjoy, not something that feels like another job.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
outside of cosplay, i am currently finishing school to earn my bachelor’s degree in psychology, with plans to eventually earn my master’s. i currently work in substance use rehabilitation and previously worked in the mental health field. helping people has always been important to me, and i want to continue growing within that work while eventually becoming a therapist. creatively, i have published a few poetry books and currently have other projects and collaborations in the works with different creatives. writing has always been another way for me to express myself and connect with people through real emotions and experiences. with cosplay, i think the effort thats put into my closet cosplays set me apart from other people. i enjoy showing that you do not have to fit a certain body type, skin tone, or standard to bring a character to life and its always nice to know i executed my vision and i put a part of myself into it.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
growing up, i was quiet and mostly kept to myself, but if i felt comfortable enough to let you in, you got to see my big and humorous personality. i have always been very multifaceted and had tons of different hobbies and interests. i enjoyed singing, dancing, performing, and anything that gave me the chance to be creative and express myself. even though i could be shy, i always had a love for entertaining and making people laugh. its nice to grow up and have the full circle moment of never having to be just one thing since people are always evolving.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xsoyshanex/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@xsoyshanex
