[Zai Ji Cosplay] Black and White Robes Hide the Sharp Edge in NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, the Fierce Vibe of the White-Haired Impermanence

Interpreting Zai Ji's Wuchang Office Bai Qi look, the focus lies in accurately capturing the cool and sharp feeling. This black and white color scheme outfit carries a massive visual impact. The black flame patterns on the white robes are paired with a red inner lining, combined with large areas of black leather, creating an overall texture that perfectly fits the mysterious and dangerous temperament of the Wuchang Office in the game.

First is the wig section. Since the character has iconic white hair, I specially chose a very smooth, waist-length straight white wig this time. It needed repeated combing before the photoshoot to ensure the hair strands were free of frizz, allowing it to work with the studio lighting later to present that elegant yet slightly icy feeling. Regarding the makeup, not too many colors were used; the focus was placed on the contours of the eyebrows and making the eye makeup sharp. Paired with blue contact lenses, it makes the gaze appear even sharper. The lip color selected was retro red, intending to add some complexion and aggressiveness against the backdrop of cold white skin and white hair.

Putting on and adjusting the costume actually took quite a lot of time. The crop-top design of the upper wear and those metal chain decorations on the abdomen require finding appropriate support points to ensure they look snug and natural. The golden buckle straps on the black leather pants are highly detailed, tightly fitting the thighs, which not only restores the character setting but also makes the entire silhouette look more capable and tight. Although this kind of clothing looks handsome, it actually places certain demands on core flexibility when making actual movements.

I put extra care into the props this time; that blue chain blade can be called the soul of the entire look. The patterns on the blade body paired with the dark blue edge provide ample texture. The prop is connected to a blue iron chain, with a red tassel pendant at the end of the chain. When I first held it in my hands, the chain easily got tangled, but later I found a trick: unfold the chain first, and then swing it in coordination with movements. During the shoot, we needed to capture the exact moment the chain swung up or let it hang naturally to present a heavy feeling. To achieve a frame that possesses both killing intent and agility, the photographer and I cooperated for a long time.

For this studio shoot, we intentionally selected a clean, light-colored background, aiming to highlight the details of the character and props. When shooting the sword-raising movement in Figure 2, I tried to shift my center of gravity slightly backward and raise my arm, letting the robe's sleeves slide down naturally to reveal the red lining, while fixing my gaze straight into the lens. This sense of pressure from being stared at, paired with the posture of raising a weapon, beautifully embodies the character's unyielding and slightly wild spirit. Overall, this Zai Ji cosplay attempt for NARAKA: BLADEPOINT was extremely satisfying. Being able to capture that instant freezing of the character after intense combat through photography is also my favorite part of doing game cosplay in this Chinese-style ACG project.