[Amiya Cosplay] Arknights x Hongshan Zoo Collaboration: Summer Outing Record

At 4:00 AM sharp, the phone alarm vibrated in the dark. Without wasting time lounging in bed, I turned on the lights, washed my face, put on a first-aid sheet mask, and then began the most crucial part of today: applying makeup best suited for outdoor lighting. The slogan for early bird queuing for this collaboration was to arrive at 5:00 AM, which for a cosplayer means all preparation work must be completed before dawn breaks. Since I wanted to showcase a refreshing summer event cosplay vibe, I specifically chose a liquid foundation with a matte concealer effect to prevent oily skin and makeup meltdown in the humid and hot environment of Hongshan Zoo's dense vegetation. Eye makeup was the highlight of today; after putting on blue-green colored contacts, I used a reddish-pink palette for blending and topped it with shimmering eyeshadow. This way, under outdoor natural light, it can instantly catch the eye and avoid being washed out by the intense sunlight.

In terms of styling, I chose a straw hat adorned with pink flowers. To keep the hat from looking too plain, I added green round-frame glasses as decoration on both sides. The most special feature was the light blue translucent ribbons hanging from the hat and wig. This lightweight, flowing material perfectly matched the refreshing feel of a summer event cosplay. This hat, paired with long brown hair interwoven with blue strands, presented a unique look somewhere between a 2D character and a real-life summer traveler. To recreate elements from the setting, I also prepared a blue choker and blue-green beaded rings. To be honest, wearing a leather choker in outdoor temperatures close to 30°C didn't feel great—the heat combined with minor friction tested my skin's tolerance, but to ensure the integrity of the outdoor cosplay, these details had to be spot-on.

Around 5:00 AM, a crowd of people with similar goals had already gathered at the main gate of Hongshan Zoo. Some wore sun hats, some carried themed backpacks, and the quiet line occasionally echoed with discussions about props and itineraries. My companions met up on time as well. One of them chose a highly eye-catching red wig paired with a breathable denim jacket and a hoodie, while another wore a cyan sun hat with a matching T-shirt. The diverse styles made the waiting time interesting. In front of the animal standees at the entrance, we raised our hands to give a slightly imperfect but happy "V" sign, then quickly entered, heading straight for the core area of today's Hongshan Zoo collaboration.

My first impression upon walking into the zoo was being surrounded by lush greenery. The venue featured a wealth of photo-op installations, such as a yellow photo frame decorated with various animal-shaped paper cutouts. Holding my pre-prepared blue, white, and pink tricolor fan printed with "RHODES ISLAND" and a matching crossbody bag, I tried to enrich the character's image through these detailed elements. In the display board area, I took a photo with the character standee holding a bug-catching net in the background—the feeling of breaking the fourth wall was truly magical. Then we walked to the large cartoon sculpture area, where a huge black-and-white cartoon animal sculpture sat naively on a tree stump. I squatted next to it and made a "V" sign, feeling the wonderful chemical reaction generated by the clash between this cartoon image and the real zoo environment.

The collaboration dining options in the park gave us an even bigger surprise. My friends and I bought a box of baked pastries featuring cartoon animal shapes. The packaging box was a vibrant green, housing plump baked snacks and a small box of white frosting dip. Although the scorching sun meant these foods had a limited shelf life, sitting down in the rest area after running around, eating the collaboration-limited pastries while exchanging morning photo-op experiences made this post-fatigue coziness particularly precious.

Completely different from traditional indoor studio shoots, doing outdoor cosplay in a real zoo comes with a multitude of challenges. Camera aperture, reflections of the eyeshadow, and the frizziness of the wig in humid air all need constant adjustment. Sometimes, by the time a satisfying photo is taken, your whole body is drenched in sweat. However, I always feel that this raw, wild sense in a real outdoor scene is what touches people the most. Even without a perfect lighting studio, as long as there are animals, plants, and visitors as an authentic backdrop, the photos naturally carry a slice-of-life aura and a sense of story. Unlike conventional conventions where you need to search for light inside closed indoor venues, Hongshan Zoo's natural greenery and tree shade provided many unexpected shooting angles. However, we also encountered issues with harsh light and overly distinct shadows, so we often had to face away from the sun to keep the facial brightness even.

Every time I do a cosplay, I hope to get as close as possible to the original spiritual core and temperament of the character. Although this look leaned toward lightweight and everyday casual, omitting exaggerated armor and complex props, whether it was the blue-green beads on my hand or the blue collar around my neck, it was all to grasp the character's core visual elements. Although the Hongshan trip was accompanied by high temperatures and early mornings, being able to complete this collaboration photo shoot in my own way in this vibrant zoo filled my heart with a sense of achievement. The sweat and rewards of this day are all well worth remembering.