[Denia Cosplay] The Last Day of Firefly ACG Expo, Even a Rainstorm Can't Stop It

On the last day of the Firefly ACG Expo in Guangzhou, I was out on duty for a casual cosplay shift. The sky was gloomy when I left, and sure enough, it started raining just as I arrived near the venue. Fortunately, the popularity on-site was unaffected, and the indoor area was still bustling with people.

Today I cosplayed Denia from Wuthering Waves; this gear took quite a bit of thought during the early preparation. Because it coincided with the final day, along with the weather warnings, I was actually a bit nervous. Fortunately, I reserved plenty of time in the morning for makeup and hair styling. This time, I chose a long wig with a pink and white primary color scheme, featuring a blue-purple gradient highlight at the ends and bangs to give the overall color more layers. The eye makeup expanded the range of red-pink blending, which, paired with bright blue colored contacts, has a highly exquisite and eye-catching effect in front of the lens.

Speaking of this costume, the most complicated part has to be the chest accessories and chain design. The black choker, the blue sapphire pendant in the middle, and the metal chains connecting the golden rings—I repeatedly adjusted the placement of every single small accessory. To make the sapphire's texture pop out more, I specially did a few angle tests in areas with suitable lighting. That decoration in the front with the black and white bow and metal ring needs to be secured at a specific spot so it won't wobble around when walking. It took several hours of fine-tuning, but the final result is indeed highly accurate. The skirt on the lower body is rich in layers, with a textured white fabric on the outer layer, black ruffles and a dark lining on the inside, and finally paired with black cross-strap chunky-heeled shoes, immediately bringing up the completion rate of the overall look.

Due to the rain, many outdoor photo plans were forced to be canceled or moved indoors. However, the atmosphere inside the exhibition hall was still amazing. Everyone was exchanging freebies and looking for backdrops to take photos together; the unspoken understanding among fellow fans felt very warm. I walked around the venue in this outfit all day, and I must say that although those black shoes look great, wearing them for a long time on an occasion like a Guangzhou Anime Convention where you have to walk a lot is truly tiring for the feet. Plus, it was soaking wet outdoors, so to keep the plush parts of the skirt hem and sleeves from getting damp, I had to lift my skirt from time to time while walking, paying attention to every step.

Although traveling on a rainstorm day is troublesome, it instead added a peculiar atmosphere to this convention. Before heading back in the afternoon, I ducked into the car to shelter from the rain and rest, rapidly snapping a few close-up shots under the soft lighting inside the vehicle. The built-in soft-light effect of the car combined with my meticulously prepared eye makeup gave this set of half-body shots an unexpectedly premium texture. Without needing too many complex backgrounds, the frame was completely sustained just by the layers of the clothing itself and the exquisite accessories. This is exactly why I feel that on the final day, even though the conditions were tough, persevering to finish a character look brings a special sense of achievement.

The rain got heavier and heavier on the way back. Holding the luggage bag filled with my wig and props and looking at the curtain of rain outside the window, recalling every shutter sound, every handshake, and every joint photo at the exhibition today, all the fatigue vanished into thin air. This kind of immersive experience is probably exactly where the unique joy of cosplay lies.