[Motoori Kosuzu Cosplay] Touhou Project: The Shopkeeper of Suzunaan is On Duty Today

This set of photos taken at a Chinese garden ACG outdoor location features Motoori Kosuzu from Touhou Project. Since Kosuzu is the shopkeeper of Suzunaan in the lore, I wanted to present a tranquil reading atmosphere amidst scrolls of books and ancient architecture. I made a lot of preparations in advance, including this red-and-white checkered wide-sleeve outerwear, a white apron featuring the word 'KOSUZU', as well as specially paired golden bell hair accessories and round-frame glasses.

Before the actual shoot, I was actually quite worried about whether this mix of slightly vintage Western-style dress and oriental elements would look out of place in a Chinese garden. However, seeing the wooden corridors and pavilions along with the grey brick stone platforms as the background in the raw photos, I instead felt that this clash of dimension walls was very tasteful. Especially when holding that ink-wash scroll and blue-covered book in hand, paired with the shadows of sunlight filtering through the corridor pillars, the character's literary temperament naturally flowed out.

To better recreate the character's traits, I also intentionally put some effort into my poses. Comparing the original illustrations and settings, Kosuzu, as a bookstore owner, should strike a pose that is relaxed yet carries a sense of intellectuality and seriousness. I'm very satisfied with the photo of me sitting on the low wall holding books with both hands; it sits right in the middle of the frame, and the light creates great highlights on the figure. There are also several photos holding scrolls, which, combined with the green plants and pond in the environment, reflect a peaceful and leisurely feeling of reading quietly without bothering about the affairs of the world.

Cosplaying a character from such a classic franchise actually has its core joy in utilizing costumes, props, and camera language to actualize the Gensokyo in players' minds. Although shooting outdoors was quite exhausting, needing to adjust angles multiple times to avoid visitors while also paying attention to the stability of the hairstyle and accessories, with the help of photographer Yunjian glow, the final light, shadow, and composition effects turned out much more natural than I expected.

The venue this time was a Chinese courtyard with a pond and cloister, where the dark green openwork carved railings and blue tile eaves perfectly enhanced Kosuzu's daily sense of being close to life yet possessing a touch of mysterious agility. Small details on the props, such as the embroidery on the skirt hem, the lace on the jacket corners, and those thin red ribbons, all took on a realistic texture under this natural light.

Being able to keep such a book-obsessed young girl character in a real-world scene through photographs is a huge sense of achievement for me. Interacting with the camera while holding the scrolls made me feel as if I had truly traveled into Gensokyo, listening to the wind turn pages by the wooden lattice window. Looking through these photos after the shoot, it feels like every image recorded a true character experience. This afternoon belonging to Kosuzu happens to be the freshest time in the summer garden.