[Ellen Joe cosplay] Heavy blade of the Shark girl, sharp fangs and teeth of Zenless Zone Zero

Putting on this black-and-white Maid outfit, paired with the prominent big shark tail and that heavy-duty mechanical giant blade, I instantly entered a hunter's state.

Cosplaying Ellen Joe (Ellen Joe cosplay) this time from Zenless Zone Zero, the costume itself beautifully merges the obedience of a maid with the ferocity of shark elements. The skirt hem in a primary black-and-white color palette features ruffles and lace trims, but the leather straps, metal ring buckles, and attached metal chains at the waist instantly break the purely cute vibe, adding a touch of combat-ready techwear feel. The wig features a black-and-red split highlight, which, paired with red colored contacts, concentrates the visual focus onto the face and echoes the color contrast of the outfit.

This photoshoot was deliberately chosen in an indoor exhibition hall with excellent natural lighting. The high arched steel structure and transparent glass skylights allowed light to spill evenly over the body, avoiding the dullness of overcast shooting. In terms of props, that heavy weapon bearing the "SHARK" graffiti truly carried considerable weight. Its mechanical joints and serrated blade design boast high fidelity; maneuvering this weapon required certain arm strength for support, but precisely because of this substantial weight, striking forward-thrusting poses (like the action pointing the weapon forward) or cross-slashing stances aligned much better with the character's fierce temperament.

Pairing with black stockings (Black stockings cosplay) has always been the soul of such techwear-style Maid outfit designs; together with jagged thigh garters on both sides, it visually shapes the leg lines nicely and keeps the lower half from looking monotonous. During the shoot, I presented various facets of this styling from multiple angles—whether glancing back to showcase the streamlined curve of the shark tail, leaning casually using the weapon as support, or making a heart gesture with both hands, all were attempts to balance the character's cuteness and sharpness as the Shark girl.

Because it was in a public space at an anime convention or exhibition venue, having passing crowds and booth elements in the background actually gave the character an added sense of reality blending into real life. Cradling the weapon while leaning on the railing to look down at the crowd below, or slightly raising a leg to display the layers of the maid skirt, every subtle movement required careful modulation before the camera. After all, for a character with such a gap-moe setting, being too tough looks rigid, while being too soft loses the original wildness of the Shark girl.

In the process of restoring this character, I also tried incorporating some of my own thoughts, such as the weapon grip styles and shifting the focus of my gaze—sometimes sharp, sometimes lazy. Special attention was also needed for the balance of the belt and shoulder straps of this costume, otherwise the center of gravity of the weapon or tail could easily shift while walking. Overall, from hair and makeup to prop preparation, a lot of thought went into adjusting details just to accurately convey the setting of a cyber-urban maid hunter. I hope my portrayal of the Ellen Joe Shark girl in front of the lens allows everyone to feel the unique charm of this character walking on the edge of danger and cuteness.