[Natsuki Subaru cosplay] Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Crossplay Attempt

Standing beside an outdoor covered walkway in this dark blue dress for Natsuki Subaru, the wind gently tousled the hair by my temples, perfectly capturing the moment I turned my profile back. The fabric was heavier than expected; the black plush shawl was substantial, and the dark blue satin reflected natural light beautifully, giving off a vintage feel. The position of the wine-red bowtie was adjusted multiple times because the wig was so voluminous that it would easily cover or flatten it if not careful. During the shoot, I kept discussing poses with Natsumi-chan on how to look natural rather than stiff; after all, today's outfit features a high-neck with off-shoulder design where large movements could easily cause accidental exposure, so I was very mindful of hand placement.

I've actually had this costume for a while, but only just found the time to schedule a shoot. The plan is to gradually shoot the other outfits as well; having portrayed other characters before, this was a refreshing change of pace. Originally, I wanted to try Natsumi/Subaru cat, but trying masculine or rugged styling felt disastrous on me, so I didn't dare attempt it lightly. Crossplay suits me much better, as I don't need to deliberately lower my brows or apply overly harsh contouring to alter my facial bone structure. The makeup mainly focused on recreating a slightly cool, distant demeanor, with deeper shadows in the eye makeup to make the gaze look sharper and more focused. The hair took a long time to manage—maintaining consistent curls throughout the strands was tricky—and it took numerous snapshots to get one where the hair flowed just right.

The lighting at the shooting location was fantastic, with stone pillars, arches, and greenery in the background providing a lovely framing for the subject. Post-processing didn't involve excessive skin smoothing; I merely tweaked the shadows to preserve the original saturation under natural light, restoring the true color and folds of the fabric. Half of the long hair was actually my own hair, which took extra time to blend seamlessly with the wig. To convey the character's melancholic and focused mood, I kept my expressions understated without forced smiles. This cool-toned vintage backdrop paired with the dark blue dress produced a very harmonious result.

Next, I'll mainly be preparing updates for my upcoming birthday, continuing my collaboration with Natsumi-chan. Although I cosplayed a different character this time, this long-term outfit shooting project feels genuinely fun. Since I'm not a professional model, I often don't know the best ways to pose, so I simply follow my instincts on set and adjust angles for snapshots. To prevent direct sunlight from overexposing my face, I adjusted my body tilt several times, with the staff patiently helping straighten out the hem and cuffs beside me. The black plush is truly a dust magnet and took quite some effort to clean afterward. I hope to schedule the rest of the outfits next time and experiment with diverse styles—the process of documenting styling and makeup is wonderfully rewarding in itself.