[Closure cosplay] Midnight Cage and Partner at the Arknights Carnival

Tonight during the night session at Arknights Fes, the weathered cyan-blue timber frames and mottled, peeling paint constructed an exceptionally immersive set. My look today was Closure from Arknights: an orange patterned bandana tied around my head, paired with an asymmetrical orange cold-shoulder top, ruched brown arm sleeves along my forearms, and a string of red bead necklace draped across my chest. To faithfully capture the character's demeanor, I specifically wore red contact lenses; though my eyes grew a bit dry after long hours of wear, the visual payoff was stunning. The long straight black wig got slightly tangled from moving around the lively hall, so during every break I rushed to comb it out neatly. My partner prepared looks for Ch'en, Ch'en the Dawnstreak, and Ch'en the Holungday, rocking a brown leather vest over a blue-and-white colorblocked tunic, complemented by long purple hair and black horn accessories that looked incredibly sleek. The two of us stood inside the cage-like framework striking various poses. While we jokingly quipped in the post that we got arrested for tax evasion, it was actually just a fun interactive photo installation at the booth!

Even though the convention floor was buzzing with noise, we had to lock in our focus the second we faced the cameras. Many photographers came over to shoot today; the set lighting relied primarily on the prop moon light and ground-level illumination. Being a nighttime setting, balancing exposure was critical to ensure clean, even illumination across our faces. When striking poses, to channel Closure's personality, I deliberately slipped into exasperated sighs or helpless shrugs, playfully imagining white comic-style effect lines to boost the anime flair. Crouching or leaning against the cage bars was an undeniable test of physical endurance, especially while keeping an eye on the drape of our clothes and the flow of our wigs.

The greatest joy today was running into so many veteran Doctors who recognized our characters in an instant. Some players even brought their own signature props specifically to snap photos with us. Every convention is truly a dual trial of stamina and patience—starting hair and makeup early in the morning and maintaining solid energy all the way into the night session relies entirely on hard-earned experience and genuine love for the characters. Sharing snacks in the rest area with my partner, our conversation sparked around all sorts of design nuances, enthusiastically comparing the details between Ch'en the Dawnstreak and Ch'en the Holungday. Wrapping up the entire day, despite aching muscles and a scalp made sore by wig caps, seeing everyone passionately celebrate their love for Arknights made every ounce of effort worthwhile. Now it's time to head back, remove all the makeup, put on a soothing sheet mask, and start organizing the raw shots tomorrow so I can deliver retouched event photos back to the photographers as soon as possible.