[Ellen cosplay] Zenless Zone Zero Ellen: Dual Previews of Summer Beach and Aquarium

Ever since pulling Ellen on day one of the game's launch, I've eagerly anticipated materializing this character who has fought alongside me ever since. Supported by the Zenless Zone Zero Creator Incentive Program, I finally realized my wish of shooting both the Ellen JK and Ellen swimsuit looks for this Ellen cosplay. From costume preparation and prop crafting to scouting locations, the entire process was challenging yet immensely enjoyable.

Let's start with the styling setups. For the JK uniform set, I selected a high-quality white collared shirt paired with a dark pleated skirt, along with custom shark-tooth hairpins and crisscross hair accessories. To capture Ellen's signature languid yet subtly mysterious demeanor, I paired it with black stockings and collegiate-style loafers. Though the dark purple bucket bag prop on my back was heavy, holding it in hand instantly maximized the JK atmosphere. Under the aquarium's deep-blue ambient lighting, that cool student vibe fused with oceanic elements harmonized perfectly with the shark girl aesthetic.

The other look is the Ellen swimsuit previewed here. Compared to the modesty of the JK uniform, the swimsuit style accentuates the vibrant energy of a summer beach. The top features translucent black mesh spliced with white ruffles, paired with a playful black pleated miniskirt. That black shark tail prop was the soul of this shoot—not only solidly crafted, but its internal skeleton allowed flexible curve adjustments. Complemented by the black thigh garter, neck choker, and flat summer slides, the entire silhouette looked exceptionally refreshing and dynamic in the sea breeze.

Scouting shooting locations also took considerable effort. For the Ellen JK set, we chose a local aquarium, where shimmering light and shadow inside the underwater tunnel reflected across my face; combined with the hazy glimmers before the jellyfish tanks, the final photos inherently carried a deep-sea tranquility. To shoot the Ellen swimsuit version, we selected a tropical coastal beach bathed in abundant sunlight. We did our best to avoid harsh overhead midday light, relying on backlighting and rim-side lighting between noon and late afternoon. For the photo wading in the water, to catch a natural looking-back expression, we walked back and forth in the shallow surf multiple times. Having both feet fully immersed in the cool seawater amid ocean breezes made my mood during shooting exceptionally relaxed and joyful.

There were plenty of fun anecdotes during shooting. For instance, the aquarium was crowded, so asking passersby to step aside briefly or quickly finding angles to avoid background tourists tested the seamless synergy between the photographer and me. While shooting the swimsuit on the beach, that shark tail was truly eye-catching, drawing curious glances from passing tourists. Though slightly shy at times, the character itself is so captivating that I quickly immersed myself into Ellen's aura. The coastal wind was strong, frequently blowing my bangs away, requiring constant adjustments to the wig's curve while continuously reapplying sunscreen.

From a professional perspective, I am very satisfied with the lighting control in this Anime-style photoshoot. The aquarium lighting was complex, with cooler white balance shifts, but in post-processing we preserved those cool blue-pink tones, reinforcing the shark's oceanic attributes. For the beach series, we restored the warm texture of sunlight to keep skin tones natural and healthy. The fabric textures—like the sheer top and black pleated skirt—also beautifully rendered their translucency and layered depth under bright sunlight.

This photo collection is not only a faithful recreation of the character, but also integrates my own creative interpretation of each setting as a cosplayer. Zenless Zone Zero is truly wonderful to shoot—not only because the character designs are so recognizable, but also because the diverse blend of retro and modern street fashion offers immense room for secondary creation. Having released previews for both Ellen JK and Ellen swimsuit in this 3.0 teaser, seeing the final photos makes all the prior preparation feel completely worthwhile. I hope this photo set brings a fresh visual experience to everyone who loves Ellen.