[Yae Miko Cosplay] A Pink Fox's Glance Back, Centuries of Narukami Group Companionship

Shooting Narukami Group today with my close friend as Raiden Shogun—things spanning hundreds of years are indeed worth telling you slowly. As Miko, I always like using this casual, conversational way to recount past experiences bit by bit, and the moments frozen before the camera this time happen to be an epitome of those long years.

As for makeup and styling, a lot of thought went into recreating the long pink hair and signature fox ears. The fabric texture of this costume is wonderful: the splicing of white and cherry blossom pink, paired with waist ties, lets the hem float gently when walking around, while the fluffy pink fox tail on the back is the soul of the entire look. Pursuing a sense of lightness closer to the character, I specially prepared matching accessories—gold and purple elements dotting my ears and hair—which, when standing beside Raiden Shogun, created a soft-versus-strong visual contrast that perfectly fit our mutually supporting relationship.

My partner for this shoot was my close friend, whose Raiden Shogun was super heroic and sharp. That iconic deep blue-violet long braided ponytail and the purple-and-white Narukami Island attire, paired with deep makeup, radiated an intense presence from afar. We intentionally chose an open, brightly lit shopping mall atrium as our location. This bright, modern indoor environment unexpectedly added an everyday, cozy feel to the characters, perfect for capturing relaxed, natural interactive moments. Compared to posing specifically in a studio, I actually prefer this creative approach that constantly collides with the surrounding environment.

On the day of the shoot, I was actually wearing super tall platform high heels, and standing and walking for long periods really strained my feet. To maintain Miko's composed, calm state, I had to constantly adjust my standing pose during breaks to recover. Props were also a bit of a challenge: the long red prop, both in length and weight, required extra caution when posing so as not to accidentally bump into passing pedestrians. However, holding an object with a sense of history truly helped me enter Miko's relaxed and casual state much faster.

We took many photos from different angles this time—from close-up half-body joint shots to back views facing away from the camera. Especially the back view taken on the outdoor steps making a heart gesture: even though we were simply sitting there, there was suddenly a magical feeling that "deities too can stand side-by-side watching the scenery on ordinary days." My partner's Shogun carried a meticulous seriousness in character, while I, as Miko, habituated using jokes to conceal emotions; this complementary sense of motion and stillness, cool and warm, is precisely what attracts me most to Narukami Group.

During the shoot, I often imagined: if they really lived in this era, would they, like us, occasionally slack off, stop by the glass railing of a shopping mall, or share a few tacit words? To me, cosplay isn't just about putting on outfit, wig, and fox ears, but more like an immersive journey of experiencing a character's soul time after time. And being able to partner up with a good friend—one as Miko, one as Shogun—to visually embody "hundreds of years of stories" in front of the lens is truly a joyful thing.

While sorting through the photos, I love the glance-back feeling in Photo 5 best. Although my eyes weren't looking at Shogun, that languid and confident demeanor fits Miko's traits wonderfully. The large backless design of this outfit brings great visual extension when turning around; sunlight striking my shoulder lines captured just the right atmosphere of gentle warmth coexisting with strength. Putting on this attire, I felt as if I truly merged into those long years tinted with cherry blossoms. Though pedestrians came and went in the mall, casting curious glances, it didn't stop us from immersing in our own little world. I hope these photos capture the happy mood of that day—after all, regarding stories of these hundreds of years, we still have plenty of time to share slowly.