[Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) Cosplay] Fate/Grand Order: The Reversal Charm of the Dark Holy Maiden

"Servant, Avenger, summoned upon your call... What's with that look on your face?" Jeanne d'Arc (Alter)'s iconic opening line carries pride and a hint of disdain, but she is actually a quite easy-to-handle tsundere. This is also the emotional core I kept trying to capture during this shoot.

To recreate this fallen yet sacred dark knight image, a lot of effort went into the costume details. The shiny black patent leather combined with deep purple fabric patchwork offers both the stiffness of leather and the drape of fabric. Along with the iron chains on the chest and waist, the iconic black horns, and the white wig, the visual contrast is incredibly strong.

For makeup, I used a fair foundation paired with a dark red lip color and light-colored contact lenses. This way, under the blue, purple, and red three-color overhead studio lights, it could nicely highlight a cool yet slightly dangerous temperament. To be honest, keeping that "I love how you want to get rid of me but can't" expression in front of the camera was quite exhausting for my face, but I gave it my all to stay true to the character.

The venue was also specially decorated, set in an indoor studio leaning towards a gothic vintage style. There were deep red velvet chairs adorned with square rivets, and a vintage black iron birdcage was placed beside them. Coupled with the purplish-red rose petals scattered on the floor, the overall tone was dark, mysterious, and slightly magnificent, which perfectly fit Jeanne d'Arc (Alter)'s image as a fallen holy maiden.

The props were also quite heavy. Aside from the flagpole, there was this massive long-handled cross sword featuring a pinkish-purple gem at the guard. When posing while carrying it, I had to not only manage the sense of power but also maintain the character's casual, condescending visual stance. When the flag unfurls in the wind or drapes down, the visual tension essentially comes alive.

However, what left the deepest impression on me was the minor trouble caused by the petals all over the floor. Since the outfit consists of a short skirt and thigh-high socks, sitting or half-kneeling in the pile of petals made it easy to slip due to an unstable center of gravity. For the photographer to capture that natural-looking gaze, I had to shift around in the petals for quite a while, and the props and clothes took quite a beating, haha. But looking at the unedited photos, this slightly messy, ruined aesthetic actually fits the character's vibe much better.

In fact, in Fate/Grand Order, Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) is a character who looks extremely cold on the outside but is actually full of humanity on the inside. Every time she bickers with the Master, that tsundere vibe and gap moe really strike a chord with me. Through this cosplay sharing, I hope to convey these personality traits to everyone through photos. With the enhancement of physical elements like the wig, costume, makeup, and scenery, I wanted to materialize the atmospheric scene of that line, "What's with that look on your face?"

Looking back at the entire shoot, my biggest feeling is that it was painful yet joyful. Although carrying the props was tiring, being able to complete a full cosplay presentation in such a great studio set—watching the texture of those metal chains reflecting under the lights and the contrast between purple and black in the dim light—made everything feel completely worth it. This preparation also gave me a deeper understanding of the character. Those moments of shifting around in the petals and striking cold expressions while carrying the props are the most precious memories of this cosplay experience.