Feature Friday: Mermaid Senpai Cosplay
Get excited because I think July is going to be the month where I switch gears to Feature Friday, EVERY FRIDAY! You may notice that I’ve been starting to post more than just Tuesday/Friday. It’s because I’m trying to prepare for the change. Thanks for everyone who has made this possible so far.
For this week’s feature I am featuring my friend Mermaid Senpai. I have only met her in person once briefly, but she is one of the nicest people I have met in the cosplay world. She is so enthusiastic about everything, and very kindhearted. I wish she hadn’t recently moved away. Keep reading to learn more about her.
What is your cosplay name? MermaidSenpai Cosplay
How did you come about your cosplay name? I’ve been obsessed with mermaids my entire life and I’ve always idolized them. When I was choosing my cosplay name I was a little crazy trying to choose one. Like it took a week of lists and planning before I could decide! I knew I wanted to include mermaids but adding the senpai just kind of happened. I think I was overthinking it and when it came to choosing the name just kind of fell into place.
What is your real world name? Hannah Leigh Schonfeld. Although very soon it will be Hannah Leigh Walker!
What do you do when you aren’t cosplaying? When I’m not cosplaying, I’m usually planning more cosplays. But besides that, I love yoga, meditation, and swimming. I’m a horseback rider as well, but I moved away recently from my family home where my horses are so I haven’t been able to ride for a little while now. On the side, I tutor special needs children in reading and science! I’m in the process of finishing up a few classes for college myself, then I plan to enroll right into graduate school. Oh! And I’m planning a wedding with the love of my life! The more I’m typing it, the more I realize how much I really do when I’m not cosplaying.
How old are you? 21. I’ll be 22 on August 17th!
How long have you been cosplaying? I started making my first cosplay in April 2015 and went to my first convention July 2015 so just about one year now!
What made you want to start cosplaying? Well I’ve always been into nerdy stuff, but I never even heard of cosplay till I was watching SourceFed videos with Meg Turney. I saw her Poison Ivy cosplay picture and I completely fell in love.
Why do you continue to cosplay? Cosplay keeps me grounded. I’m disabled (as you’ll read more about below), and when my legs are hurting me and I can barely walk, I feel horrible. I feel so disheartened. But once I found sewing, I realized that even on my bad leg days, my hands still work great and I can create all of these wonderful outfits! It makes me feel useful, successful and so proud!
What is your dream cosplay? A mermaid! (I know, what a surprise, right?) I would do anything to be able to wear a tail. I haven’t yet simply because of how expensive they are. I’m in the process of saving up for a fabric tail and monofin right now! Eventually it would be my DREAM to wear a full silicone tail by FinFolk Productions. It’s far fetched but that is one of my biggest goals and dreams.
You are into Cosplay Amino. Tell me more about it, and what you think of the platform/ why you use the platform? Cosplay Amino is a fantastic app! It’s definitely difficult to use at first but once you get the hang of it, it’s super wonderful! I originally started using it to meet new cosplayers and get my name out there a bit but in the process, I have met SO many amazing people! Some of the people I’ve met on there are people that I consider some of my closest friends. It’s just so nice to have a whole app devoted to cosplay.
Recently, you shared a very personal story about yourself on Instagram. Would you tell us a little bit about that, and how cosplay has helped you overcome this and grow your self confidence? So to start, I can just explain my story as condensed as possible. I was born with bilateral club feet which is a birth deformity that affects both legs. I’ve had 8 major reconstructive surgeries to try and fix the deformity as well as to ease the pain. It can be very painful. I’ve also been in rehabilitative therapy my whole life. One of the only things that makes the pain go away is the water. When I was a little girl, I really believed that my legs were deformed because I was supposed to be a mermaid. It made so much sense to my childhood brain! I believed that there was clearly a mistake, my feet were supposed to be fins! It wasn’t till I found cosplay that my childhood dreams came back to me. Cosplay created this environment where I can be anything I want to be! Even a mermaid. It gives me peace of mind and such happiness. That’s why my cosplay name is MermaidSenpai and why my dream is to wear a mermaid tail one day!
You recently moved from South Carolina to Washington DC. What are some new conventions you are looking forward to attending now that you are in a new area? I’m really excited about Otakon, Baltimore Comic Con, and Katsucon! I’ll still be attending some conventions in the Carolinas as well. I’ll be at NC ComicCon this November as a guest panelist and contest judge and I’m very very excited for that! Eventually I’d love to go to NYCC since it’s only a couple hours from here and NY is where I’m from!
Who is your favorite cosplayer? Definitely AvantGeek. She is 100% my favorite cosplayer of all time. I’m SO lucky to have been able to meet her at SC ComicCon. I completely freaked out when I saw her. I totally ran away and cried like the queen of spaz’s that I am.
What was the biggest thing that was keeping you from jumping into cosplaying when you first started? I was so afraid of the stigma. I was bullied really badly in high school and I was so terrified of being made fun of for cosplaying. It’s nerdy, it’s unusual, and people who have never heard of it just don’t get it. I was worried of being judged. Surprisingly, the exact opposite happened. Not only did the community accept me with open arms and acceptance, but even the people who have no idea what cosplay is love the work I create. The sewing and passion behind it has me feel admired by even non-nerds and it’s such an incredible feeling.
Do you have any advice for people on the fence of jumping into the hobby? Just jump. The hardest part for me was starting and once I did, I never looked back! It was the best decision I’ve made and ever since then I’ve only gained momentum. Buy your first wig or yard of fabric and you’ll never look back.
What is the best advice you have for other current cosplayers? Budget your time and money as best as possible. I cannot stress enough how important this is. Cosplay is amazing but if you aren’t smart about it you will burn yourself out. Pre-con crunch and post-con depression are real and it’s important to take care of yourself so that cosplay stays fun and you stay healthy!
Top 5 resources/tutorials you have found for cosplay help? Besides Youtube, I don’t know what else to say! For the most part I only use Youtube. I feel like youtube has every possible tutorial available and I might be a little obsessed!
Anything else you want to add? If anyone would ever want to contact me to ask me any questions or for advice or just to chat, please feel free! My inbox is always open!
I was really excited to post this today because I feel like she has such a great story. We find strength in ourselves even though we have weaknesses, and that is amazing. Thank you so much for being featured. Leave a comment for myself or Mermaid Senpai below! Don’t forget to subscribe via email or Bloglovin’ to never miss a post!
Mermaid Senpai’s Social Media:
Facebook: MermaidSenpai Cosplay
Twitter: @mermaidsenpai
Instagram: @mermaidsenpaicosplay
Email: MermaidSenpai@gmail.com
Photography Credits:
Poison Ivy credits to Antler Productions
Galadrial credits to Daniel Ryan Fotos
Zatanna credits to The Variant
RWBY credits to Tetsushi