[Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) cosplay] Fate/Grand Order New Year Illustration Comeback Record

I attended Day 2 of BW 2026 this time, finally bringing to life Jeanne d'Arc (Alter)'s New Year illustration that I had long wanted to try. Having gone a full six months without cosplaying, I felt quite uncertain going into this comeback. The outcome unfolded pretty much as expected: fewer than ten people asked for photos with me across the entire exhibition hall, setting a personal historic low. Although it felt a bit disheartening, looking back, it offered a rare and peaceful convention experience.

Let's talk about the costume first. This Gothic style dress from Jeanne d'Arc (Alter)'s New Year art was far more intricate in reality than I had anticipated. The off-the-shoulder cut paired with black-and-pink color-blocked ruffles made walking genuinely inconvenient; with so many tiers in the skirt, moving across the venue required extreme caution for fear of stepping on the inner bright-pink satin lining. The combination of the black lace choker and rose ribbon strap around my neck constricted me so tightly that even looking down at my phone took considerable effort. However, the 2D original illustration in Photo 3 was breathtaking; to faithfully capture that visual, I prepared a silvery-white wig and spent enormous effort styling the iconic ahoge cowlick into that subtle, curving arc from the official art. For makeup, crimson contact lenses and reddish tones were the heart of the look, with heavy contouring applied to sculpt facial features crisply before the camera. While the original illustration shows bare legs in black pumps, I paired the outfit with Black stockings for walking convenience on the convention floor. Once worn, the texture of the Black stockings actually unified the dark Gothic style even more cohesively.

Before heading out, I browsed many convention photos from other cosplayers—everyone seemed so adept at posing. As an admitted novice with poses, my mind went totally blank the moment I stepped onto the floor, leaving me mechanically mimicking the game sprite: reaching one hand forward while lifting the skirt with the other, looking almost like I was doing morning calisthenics. My photographer friend coached me continuously from the side, urging me to project a fiercer glare, but after six months away from cosplaying, my facial expressions were completely out of practice; in the end, I could only maintain a deadpan expression to mask my internal fluster.

Day 2 was quite crowded, yet my Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) did not seem to draw much attention. That might be because the costume colors appeared rather subdued under the convention hall lighting, and I am not particularly proactive at socializing in crowds. Watching others take group photos in lively circles, I stood quietly nearby, wondering if I was simply getting out of touch. Yet seeing the set in Photo 2—with its blue and purple geometric star installations and mood lighting—made me realize that securing a decent photo in such an environment meant the trip was not in vain after all.

This half-year hiatus definitely made me rusty before the lens. Poses that used to come naturally the moment I put on an outfit now required rehearsing in front of a mirror multiple times. Stiff movements and blank expressions are hurdles that must be overcome during a comeback. In truth, the value of a convention does not lie solely in photo counts. Though fewer than ten people stopped by for photos, every single person who did said something encouraging, praising the fidelity or complimenting the outfit. Those simple exchanges were a tremendous source of reassurance. Regardless of how awkward my posing felt, as long as the costume was on and the wig was styled, I felt grounded again as someone who genuinely loves the 2D world and roleplay.

Photo 3 shows the original illustration I referenced; comparing my posture to the artwork clearly reveals my stiffness, but that gives me clear motivation moving forward. Once back, I plan to continue practicing expressions and physical poses in front of the mirror rather than relying strictly on official art stances to mask my shortcomings. Walking the convention floor was genuinely punishing on the feet—wearing Black stockings with black high heels for hours was pure endurance. Yet taking off the gear still left a lingering touch of reluctance.

This BW 2026 stop served as the first milestone in my comeback; though modest in reception, I rediscovered that spark of embodying a 2D character in the 3D world. For the next convention, I hope to be more composed, pose more naturally, and hopefully connect with a few more fellow fans for photos.