Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaihiem King.
Hi Shaihiem, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story has really been about finding different ways to express the things I’ve always been passionate about. I’ve always loved anime, gaming, pop culture, and the worlds and characters that come with them. Eventually, those interests started becoming more than things I enjoyed watching or playing—they became things I wanted to create around.
A lot of those interests started with my family. I remember playing Pokémon with my aunt and eventually playing Dragon Ball Z games with my dad, my siblings, and my friends. Gaming was something we experienced together, and it became an even bigger part of my life through my uncles, who introduced me to all kinds of different genres. Call of Duty, Devil May Cry, and Mortal Kombat are just a few examples.
Anime grew alongside that. My siblings and I were discovering it together, finding anime websites and getting into different series. Eventually, we found Bleach, and we became completely hooked. I was watching it religiously. That experience opened the door to a much bigger appreciation for anime, characters, storytelling, and Japanese pop culture.
As I got older, all of those interests started connecting with each other. Gaming, anime, movies, characters, music, and the wider world of pop culture all became things that influenced the way I saw and expressed myself.
Eventually, those interests became more than the things I enjoyed watching or playing. They became the things I wanted to create around.
That led me into cosplay and content creation, where I began figuring out how to bring some of my favorite characters and ideas to life in my own way. Cosplay gave me a way to combine creativity, performance, photography, fashion, and fandom all at once.
One of the moments that really stands out to me was when I first posted my Inuyasha cosplay. At the time, I honestly felt like it was incomplete. I could see all the things I still wanted to improve, so I wasn’t expecting the kind of reaction I received. People really loved it, and seeing how much joy it brought people gave me a feeling that was hard to describe.
There was also something deeper behind that cosplay for me. I wanted to bring characters to life while incorporating my locs and my natural hair. I’ve always been aware of the stereotypes surrounding locs and how they’re sometimes portrayed negatively. The idea that I could take these characters I loved and show them through my own identity—where my natural hair could be part of the hero rather than something associated with a villain stereotype—was incredibly exciting to me.
Over time, I realized I didn’t want to limit myself to one form of creativity. I wanted to explore gaming, anime, cosplay, art, streaming, pop culture, and other forms of content while building an identity that could tie all of those interests together.
That’s where Tygee Sensei came from.
“Tygee” is actually my middle name, so that part of the name is directly connected to me. I chose “Sensei” because of my connection to anime and Japanese pop culture, and because I liked the idea of a name that represented someone who is constantly learning while also sharing what they know and love with others.
Together, Tygee Sensei became more than just a username. It became a creative identity.
I describe myself as an “Isekai Shinobi” because I like the idea of moving between different worlds. Gaming, anime, cosplay, pop culture, and other interests can all exist under that identity. I don’t have to choose just one.
My journey hasn’t been a straight line. There have been periods where I’ve stepped away from certain things and periods where I’ve come back with a completely different perspective. I’ve been in and out of cosplay and gaming over the years, and those pauses actually helped me understand what I really wanted to pursue.
Right now, gaming is the main focus of my content. Gaming has always been such a huge part of my life, so it feels natural that it has become the center of what I’m creating. At the same time, cosplay is still something I love and absolutely want to continue.
Honestly, part of me wants to take cosplay to a much higher level before I start again. I have a vision for what I want my cosplay to become, and sometimes I feel like I need to reach that vision before I put anything out.
But I’m learning that sometimes you just have to start again.
One of the biggest things that has kept me going throughout all of this has been the people I’ve been able to reach. I’ve received messages and comments from people telling me that something I created made their day, sometimes when they were going through an incredibly difficult time. I’ve even had people donate and support me because they wanted to see me continue creating.
Those moments meant more to me than numbers ever could. They showed me that what I was creating could actually reach people and make a difference, even if it was just giving someone a reason to smile for a little while.
Now I’m focused on taking everything I’ve learned and continuing to build something bigger. My goal is to create full-time and turn the things I’m passionate about into a sustainable creative career.
I’m still figuring things out, but I think that’s part of what makes the journey exciting. I’m not trying to pretend that I’ve already reached the finish line. I’m building it as I go.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
One of the biggest challenges has been consistency. When you’re passionate about a lot of different creative things, it can be easy to get pulled in several directions at once. I’ve had periods where I was heavily involved in cosplay and gaming and other periods where I stepped away from them. That kind of inconsistency can make you question whether you’re actually moving forward.
I’ve also had to deal with the reality that being creative isn’t always as glamorous as it looks from the outside. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes—figuring out what to create, finding the resources to make it happen, learning new skills, creating content consistently, and trying to build an audience while you’re still figuring out your own direction.
I’ve also had to learn how to deal with my own expectations/perfectionism. Sometimes I have a very specific vision for how I want something to look, and when reality doesn’t immediately match that vision, it can make me hesitate to put the work out.
Cosplay is a good example of that. I want to take my cosplay to another level, and sometimes that makes me feel like I need to have everything perfect before I start again.
But my first Inuyasha cosplay taught me the opposite.
I remember thinking it wasn’t complete, while the people seeing it were simply excited to see the character brought to life. They weren’t looking at all the things I thought were missing. They were enjoying what was actually there.
That taught me that sometimes you have to allow yourself to create while you’re still growing.
Another challenge has been learning not to compare my journey to everyone else’s. Social media makes it incredibly easy to see somebody else’s finished product and forget that you’re only seeing one part of their journey.
I’ve had moments where I’ve wondered if I’m doing enough or whether I should be further along by now. I think that’s something a lot of independent creatives can relate to.
I’ve learned that I don’t necessarily have to choose between the different things I love. Gaming can be my main focus right now while cosplay, anime, and pop culture can continue to be important parts of the bigger picture.
The obstacles haven’t disappeared, but my relationship with them has changed. Instead of seeing every setback as proof that something isn’t working, I try to look at it as part of the process of becoming better at what I do.
And whenever I start questioning whether it’s worth continuing, I think about the people who have reached out to tell me that something I created made their day.
That brings me back to why I started.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I would describe myself as a multidisciplinary creative and content creator. My work lives at the intersection of gaming, anime, cosplay, pop culture, and visual storytelling.
Right now, gaming is the main focus of my content.
Gaming has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest experiences came from playing with my family and friends, and my uncles introduced me to different genres that expanded my appreciation for games. That love for gaming never really went away, and now I’m able to turn that passion into something I can share with other people.
At the same time, cosplay is still a huge part of my creative identity.
I love taking a character that people already know and putting my own spin on how that character is represented. For me, that includes incorporating my locs and my natural hair. I want people to see that you don’t have to change the things that make you who you are in order to step into these worlds.
That’s one of the things that made cosplay so meaningful to me in the first place.
But I’ve grown beyond cosplay.
Today, Tygee Sensei is about creating an entire creative universe around the things I’m passionate about. Gaming, anime, cosplay, streaming, visual projects, pop culture, and the different things that influence me can all exist within that world.
That’s also why I call myself the “Isekai Shinobi.” I like the idea of moving between different worlds. I don’t want to be restricted to one category or one type of content.
What I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily one individual project. It’s the fact that I’ve been able to build an identity around my interests and have people recognize it.
More importantly, I’m proud of the people I’ve been able to reach.
Some of the most meaningful feedback I’ve received hasn’t been about how good a cosplay looked or how entertaining a video was. It’s been people telling me that I made them smile, made their day, or helped them get through something difficult.
I’ve had people donate and support me specifically because they wanted me to keep creating.
That is something I don’t take lightly.
It showed me that creating isn’t just about making something that looks cool. It can actually affect someone else’s day or give them something positive to look forward to.
What I think sets me apart is that I’m not interested in putting myself into just one box.
I don’t want to be known only as a cosplayer, only as a gamer, or only as a content creator. I want all of those things to exist together.
At the end of the day, I’m trying to create things that make people feel something—whether that’s excitement, nostalgia, laughter, inspiration, or simply that feeling of seeing somebody who loves the same things they do.
I’m still developing my style and figuring out exactly what the next evolution of Tygee Sensei looks like, but that’s part of the fun.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The biggest way people can support me is simply by following the journey and engaging with what I create.
Right now, gaming is the main focus of my content, so watching my videos, following my gaming content, sharing it with someone who might enjoy it, leaving a comment, or showing up to a stream all make a difference.
But support has always meant more to me than numbers.
I’ve had people reach out and tell me that something I created made their day, sometimes while they were going through something extremely difficult. I’ve also had people donate specifically because they wanted to support me and encourage me to keep creating.
Those moments mean a lot because they remind me that there are real people on the other side of the screen.
I’m also open to collaborating with other creators, artists, cosplayers, gamers, brands, and people who are interested in anime, gaming, and pop culture who are considerate, intentional and respectful.
I’m especially interested in collaborations where we can actually bring an idea to life rather than simply putting two names together. I like projects where everyone involved gets to contribute something creative and where the final result feels bigger than what either person could have created alone.
I’d love to eventually collaborate on bigger gaming projects, cosplay projects, creative productions, and other ideas that allow me to combine the different sides of what I do.
I’ve also created ways for people to directly support my work because there are real costs involved in creating—cosplays, props, photography, conventions, equipment, and content production all add up.
Ultimately, I want people to feel like they’re part of the journey.
I’m trying to build something that can eventually become a full-time creative career, but I also want to maintain the part of this that made me fall in love with it in the first place: creating things that bring people joy.
If someone wants to work with me, I’m always open to hearing an idea. Whether it’s a gaming project, cosplay collaboration, creative project, brand opportunity, or something completely unexpected, reach out and let’s see if we can bring a world to life!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beacons.ai/tygeesensei
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tygeesensei
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/tygeesensei
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaihiem-king-a24a02300/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tygeesensei
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZyxVQcxABXRZD3CRUzowPQ
- Other: tygeesensei@gmail.com
