Speaking of summer's cool breeze, I've finally put together this Sagiri cosplay in her Summer sailor uniform. The moment I laid eyes on this white uniform topped with a dark blue collar, images of sea breezes blowing across sandy beaches instantly flooded my mind.
On the afternoon the wig arrived, I couldn't resist trying it on immediately. The hair strands felt remarkably silky, and the small pink bows on both sides of the crown served as the finishing touch. Compared to my previous characters, Sagiri's hair color features a subtle gradient from off-white to soft pink tones, requiring extra time to style the bangs and hair ends so the fluffy volume stays intact in outdoor breeze. For base makeup, to capture Sagiri's translucent personality, I specifically chose a clear liquid foundation paired with light blue contact lenses to radiate a natural, lively feel in front of the lens.
Lighting on the shooting day was fantastic, and the studio's simulated sandy ground felt convincingly granular underfoot. Lying on a woven lounge chair felt deliciously languid and cozy. Of course, what pleased me most was the costume design—the sailor collar with a giant red bow looked tremendously energetic. The lower half paired ruffled shorts with a White thigh-highs outfit aesthetic using white over-the-knee socks, preserving the character's innocent demeanor while visually lengthening the legs. The photographer kept praising how crisp the design looked, so during the shoot, I intentionally experimented with various poses, like holding a transparent ice cream prop or clenching my fists cutely, all to maximize this maiden charm.
Midway through filming, the photographer brought over a massive transparent inflatable swim ring alongside a blue-and-pink toy water gun. My immediate reaction was a sudden burst of summer vibes, so I instantly leaned over to interact with the swim ring or sat on the beach chair aiming the water gun in a playful shooting stance. Though the outfit wasn't heavy, performing larger movements in a summer setting still made me break a light sweat, which unexpectedly heightened the authentic immersion of a summer beach trip. Props like these played a crucial role in endowing the imagery with narrative richness.
In Eromanga Sensei, Sagiri's defining trait for me has always been her introverted yet gap-moe artist disposition. Recreating her summer version allowed me to glimpse a side beyond sitting in front of a tablet painting—one full of everyday warmth. Throughout the finished photo set, her quiet yet subtly playful essence shines through most. Looking at those captured moments through the lens—some quietly holding desserts, others playfully waving hello—even though I might naturally feel shy, putting on this costume made me instinctively want to embody her adorable persona.
In post-processing, we retained the original crisp tones of the images without applying heavy filters, as the combination of white long hair and a blue sailor uniform was already striking enough—overly heavy filters would instead muddy costume color details. This approach, mimicking Japanese natural light aesthetics, preserved Sagiri's soft character essence far better.
From outfit styling and props to set arrangement, this photo series reflects the hard work of the entire planning team and achieved our envisioned results. Thanks to this collaboration, I could showcase Sagiri's summer memories in another special way. I hope everyone feels the refreshing coolness and cuteness conveyed in these photos.