Clutching the ticket for Row 9, Seat 84 for Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, dressed in my Rei Ayanami cosplay costume, and sitting inside the screening hall of Tianshan Cinema. This was a viewing experience I had planned for a very long time, and the exact reason why I held back from watching it online, saving it purely for an in-person theater screening. Snagging the ticket was quite a thrilling process—with Shanghai International Film Festival showing this film, everyone was fighting for speed. I stared at the screen refreshing multiple times before finally securing a ticket, and seeing the 155-minute runtime information, the stone hanging in my heart finally dropped.
For this Offline screening experience, I specifically took out this costume I had worn before and refreshed it thoroughly. The wig was re-trimmed with new layers to make the curvature of the bangs fit my face better, adding a touch of lightness and translucency. The red contact lenses were chosen for their high color payoff and slightly larger diameter. The base makeup was kept very fair, with special emphasis on sculpting the gaze to recreate that cool, aloof, and somewhat distant emotion. Since cinema lighting is rather dim, I rearranged the details of the lace collar, choosing a slightly structured material that could maintain the collar's shape while revealing its rich texture even under faint light. Putting on this outfit, I felt my entire presence pulled right into that universe's atmosphere.
Watching a movie in a theater while wearing a cosplay costume actually involves mindful little details, such as ensuring you don't block the view of people behind you, and sitting upright to keep the costume neat. The audiovisual impact on the giant screen was indeed completely different from watching at home. The familiar story unfolded frame by frame before my eyes, and seeing so many characters that had accompanied me for years appear on the screen made that emotion feel immensely real. Watching the voice actors' performances and listening to the classic soundtrack, when the house lights came back on, that lingering empty space in my heart was finally filled. I simply sat quietly in my seat, watching the ending credits roll to the very end.
I had shot photos in this costume at many conventions before, but this time, sitting in a dedicated seat within a real cinema setting with that sense of everyday ritual, it was actually much easier to capture atmospheric photos. When taking this photo, I was in a very relaxed state, without even forcing any poses—just naturally holding the ticket and looking into the camera lens. The ambient light hitting the white-and-blue outfit gave the colors a very clean, translucent look. Since flash photography is prohibited inside movie theaters, we took just a single shot, which, paired with the electronic screen behind me and the ticket stub in hand, was enough to commemorate this special Offline screening experience. Given the chance in the future, I'd also love to try more shoots that integrate anime characters into everyday real-life settings, because every time I put on these costumes to complete a meaningful moment, it becomes an unforgettable memory. With the conclusion of this movie, it also marks a true farewell to this long companionship, finally accomplishing something I had always wanted to do.