[Yunli Cosplay] Honkai: Star Rail—Giant Sword in Hand, Full Aura Unleashed

This set of photos was taken a few days ago in a traditional style cosplay studio, right when the new costume design and props arrived, so I quickly booked a photographer to test the lighting. Many people have asked me what the most demanding part of this look was. Honestly, from the moment I got the design concept art, my first reaction was that giant sword and the crown on top of my head. The sword was customized by a prop master; the black-gold color scheme's metal frame combined with the white hilt feels very solid in hand. However, to be able to hold it up for a long time during the shoot, the interior underwent lightweight processing, though the surface texture still preserved the heavy feel of metal. The few gems on the crown were made by splicing a few different types of acrylic beads. To recreate that translucent yet slightly glossy feel, the colors were adjusted three times, and finally, this combination of cyan-blue and amber was chosen, which matches the overall white, cyan, and red color scheme beautifully.

The temperature inside the studio was quite high that day, and with the hot light sources hitting from above, wearing a wig was actually quite stuffy. This wig is a customized high-temperature fiber one, and the hair volume was intentionally thickened. To create the fluffy bangs and long sideburns on both sides, just the styling alone took nearly an hour. However, when the final photos came out and I saw the luster of the hair strands under the side-backlight, I felt everything was worth it. For the makeup, I chose a warmer-toned foundation this time, paired with amber-colored contacts, wanting that slightly stubborn and playful gaze. The eyeliner was elongated and upturned slightly, and the eyelashes used three sets of segmented falsies, root by root distinct, so that even under a wide-angle low-angle camera shot, the eyes would have excellent focus.

Regarding the poses and composition, I specially used a low angle plus wide-angle this time to exaggerate the proportion between the weapon and the character even more. As you can see, the gold rings on the arms and the patterns on the cuffs are actually hand-sewn details. The white stand-up collar's stiffness was treated with support processing, so no matter how I turn my head, the collar maintains its crisp shape instead of sticking limply to my neck. The glove on the left hand is made of dark leather, paired with cyan-green beaded strands—this detail actually includes a small modification of my own based on the original design to add a visual highlight to the wrist section. The metal spheres and tassel hangings on the side of the waist make a slight clinking sound when walking; although it can't be heard in the photos, that dynamic sensation was real during the shoot.

The scene chosen was a wooden-structured room with woven bamboo grids and warm-colored lanterns. The wall texture was excellent. After the light and shadow hit, the warm-toned backlight just right outlined the edges of the red cape, forming a contrast with the cool white and cyan-green in the foreground. The photographer added a warm-colored rim light on the right side, so the edges of my hair and the weapon have a golden-edge effect, bringing out the depth of the overall frame. The whole set took about three hours to shoot, with the lighting angles changed several times in between. The photo selected here is my absolute favorite because at the moment of looking back, the tension of the body's twist perfectly showcases both the layers of the costume and the weight of the weapon.

Actually, every time I release a design with props, the biggest headache is how to prevent the props from stealing the show while integrating seamlessly with the person's movements. This time, I specially practiced the striding action of holding the sword with both hands a few times to make the shoulder and arm lines look smoother under the camera lens. My arms were indeed a bit sore after shooting, but seeing that sharp, cutting-edge feeling in the final images made me feel that all the preparation and physical effort were necessary. I hope that through sharing these details, everyone can see the agile yet powerful temperament inherent in this character.