[Nijika Ijichi cosplay] Bocchi the Rock! Joy City check-in: Energetic Drummer girl on site

Attended the offline themed event at Joy City today, darting around the venue in a white shirt and dark pleated skirt. By the end, I collapsed onto the floor, completely losing sensation in my legs. This time, I cosplayed Nijika Ijichi from Bocchi the Rock!. To capture her vibrant, energetic essence, I styled a blonde twin-tail wig with neat bangs and detailed sideburns. I wore the classic school uniform paired with a red ribbon tie, brown leather loafers, and firmly gripped two drumsticks in hand.

The stage setup was thoroughly planned, featuring a black mesh wall, red metal trusses, an eye-catching illuminated sign, and stage spotlights flashing blue on both flanks. What delighted me most was a life-sized character cutout—she also had blonde twintails, a white shirt, a blue pleated skirt, drumsticks raised, frozen in a one-legged jump. To match it, I attempted the exact same pose. Balancing on one leg with both arms raised high truly demands solid core strength and equilibrium. Wearing a short skirt meant constantly minding the pleats and camera angles; after several takes, my arms and legs began aching. Yet against the black-and-white checkered floor and vivid stage lighting, the resulting shots turned out striking.

While preparing for this cosplay, I spent substantial time practicing that one-legged drumming pose. To appear natural yet dynamic on camera, the core must stay tight while keeping the upper body upright and maintaining an energetic smile. That is the charm and challenge of cosplay: it goes far beyond putting on a costume, requiring body language to convey the character's spirit. Many assume photography is merely clicking the shutter, but backstage we repeatedly adjust hemlines, ribbons, and wig curls in the mirror. Today's live house-style lighting—blue overhead lights cascading over the wig and reflecting off the checkered floor—created powerful visual impact. I constantly repositioned to avoid obscuring the cutout while framing with the camera, requiring seamless coordination with the photographer.

Beyond checking in at the venue, today's greatest reward was receiving these two Polaroid shots. They feature both myself and my friend: I held a golden-yellow plushie while my friend held a blue one, framed by outdoor greenery and distant buildings. The vintage Polaroid tone authentically captured the wig's texture and outfit details. Despite a packed schedule starting with hair and makeup in the morning, shooting into the afternoon, and endlessly adjusting the wig and uniform across retakes, the immense exhaustion felt entirely worth it. As a cosplayer, stepping closer to a beloved character in a tangible setting and expressing her warmth and passion through movement is deeply fulfilling.

Walking back while examining the prints, the proportions and color saturation looked wonderful. Despite the dim environment, the flash highlighted skin tones and fabric textures cleanly. The plushies served as charming props, adding liveliness to the shots. Encountering fellow fans who helped carry props and tidy outfits fostered a warm atmosphere. Still, walking all day in leather shoes left my heels throbbing. Collapsing in the lounge and taking off the props and wig, fatigue instantly washed over me. All I want now is to remove my makeup, shower, and rest comfortably in bed.