[Momoka Hanyuu cosplay] Arknights: Pink Sweetheart's First Merry-go-round Experience

Taking on this Momoka Hanyuu costume from Arknights took a lot of thought, from outfit preparation to real-location shooting. The core of the overall styling lies in the combination of the red-and-black plaid vest and the black ruffled mini skirt. To recreate the brisk, nimble feel of the original character, I added a golden chain at the waist as an accent, and the crossbody brown studded half-round bag also enriched the overall color layering. Trimming the wig was a key focus; to achieve the effect of playful flipped-out ends on both sides of the short pink hair, I did directional perm styling in advance, and adjusted the angles of the two dark brown bows on top of the head multiple times to ensure they wouldn't appear too flat on camera.

For makeup, pink-toned eyeshadow was chosen, paired with natural contact lenses to enlarge eye contours, while keeping the base makeup lightweight so that the skin's texture could still show through under high-key lighting. The inner white shirt collar and black choker are crucial for elevating refinement; paired with white lace-trimmed stockings and black glossy Mary Jane shoes, the overall styling achieved a very high degree of completion. The shooting venue was chosen at a pure white Merry-go-round; the white carousel horses and carved railings happened to set off the brightness of the red-and-black plaid perfectly, while also making the pink hair stand out even more.

The shooting process really tested core strength, as the horses are curved, requiring constant adjustments to my center of gravity once seated to avoid tilting. In the first shot, I tried sitting sideways, holding the revolving pole with one hand and posing beside my cheek with the other, tilting my head slightly toward the camera to express the lively side of the character. The second shot adjusted to a forward-facing seated posture, with legs dangling naturally, hands making gestures near the pole, and eyes looking straight into the lens. Photographer Mr. C reminded me to mind the angle of my jawline during shooting; to showcase the leg lines, I repeatedly adjusted the position of the skirt hem so the arc of the black ruffles spread naturally, ensuring that the pairing of white lace stockings and black Mary Janes created a sense of visual extension in the frame.

When shooting such characters with anime attributes, it's not just about recreating the costume, but more importantly conveying the character's personality through body language. When facing the lens, I deliberately relaxed my shoulders and neck, using a natural posture to blend into the scene. The Merry-go-round scene itself carries a dreamy, fairy-tale ambiance, so I did my best to immerse myself into that state during the shoot, avoiding stiff movements. In terms of light and shadow coordination, the white environment has strong reflections, so facial illumination required special care to ensure the facial features remained three-dimensional against the bright background.

The overall effect presented by this set of photos met my expectations; the lively color palette paired with the vintage feel of the plaid expressed the character's energetic and slightly playful nature. Although the entire shooting process was physically demanding, the moment I saw the finished photos, I felt all the advance preparations and on-site adjustments were thoroughly worthwhile.