[Seiga Kaku Cosplay] The Wicked Hermit from Touhou Project Resting by the Lotus Pond Today

When shooting this set of Seiga Kaku, a line from the post's description kept echoing in my head: 'After parting like floating clouds, ten years have passed like flowing water.' The Touhou Project series has accompanied me for many years, and Seiga Kaku, a Wicked Hermit with a unique persona—mysterious, lazy, and a bit mischievous—has always been a character I really wanted to try and recreate.

For the outfit, light blue and pure white were chosen as the main color scheme. Layered tulle and lace created a strong sense of three-dimensionality. The ties on the chest, along with the pink ribbons and tassels on the arms, added a touch of softness to the ethereal dress. However, such a gorgeous dress was actually quite inconvenient during an outdoor photoshoot. It was easily blown around by the wind or caught dust, taking a lot of time just to fix all the ribbons and lace. Holding the slender prop with ribbons in my hand felt even more fitting for her trickster setting.

Hair and makeup were among the main difficulties this time. The blue-gray wig was styled into her iconic double-loop buns. To make it look dimensional and natural without collapsing, a lot of bobby pins and wires were used inside as a base. The bangs on her forehead, paired with small white flowers and hanging hair beads adorning both sides of the buns, created a cool and exquisite feel. The weather was very hot on the day of the shoot, and wearing this heavy wig meant my forehead was constantly sweating; I persevered entirely out of anticipation for the final photos.

Regarding the location choice, I happened to find a pond full of lotus leaves. Behind me were layers of lush green lotus leaves. This natural background full of summer vitality, paired with the blue and white outfit, was visually very refreshing. Choosing to sit on the rough stone railing rather than standing was meant to reflect her unique casualness and informal nature as a Wicked Hermit.

Out of these two pictures, I especially like the state in the second one. I was indeed a bit tired halfway through the shoot, so I simply took off my white shallow high heels and placed them neatly on the stone slab beside me. Wearing only white lace socks, I casually stretched my legs forward with my toes slightly relaxed. This unintentional, somewhat everyday sense of relaxation, in my opinion, conveys Seiga Kaku's charm even better than deliberately posed combat or spellcasting stances. This is how I understand that feeling of yokai and immortals living their own daily lives in Gensokyo from Touhou Project.

The entire outdoor photoshoot process was actually quite tough. Summer outdoors is not only hot, but there are also many mosquitoes around the lotus pond. During post-processing, I also had to balance the harmony between the green of the lotus leaves and the colors of the outfit while retaining a realistic texture. But seeing this set of photos now, I feel all the sweat was well worth it. The cool touch of the stone slab, the delicate scent of the lotus leaves, and that feeling of breathing freely after taking off my shoes—even though taking off my shoes felt a bit 'letting myself go', it truly felt like finding a grounded comfort outside the noisy Gensokyo. I hope everyone can feel the summer comfort and laziness I tried to convey through these two photos.