On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I completed this Blue Archive Kisaki cosplay photo shoot along the roadside next to the cherry blossoms. When I first got out of the car, the wind was a bit strong, but the sunlight was wonderful.
The weather warmed up quite quickly, and the cherry blossoms were already more than half in bloom, with the white petals looking translucent under the sunlight. To stay true to the character, I prepared a dark blue wig styled with long hair and twin buns, topped with her iconic halo, which looked unmistakably recognizable.
The outfit is a classic school uniform style. A white short-sleeved collared shirt paired with a dark striped tie, and a dark blue pleated skirt on the bottom. To balance the overall proportions, I wore white stockings and black leather shoes, carrying a black leather school satchel for a clean, crisp feel. The fabric was quite breathable, so shooting in the mild New Year weather didn't feel stuffy at all; in particular, the drape and sway of the skirt were just right, flowing naturally while walking.
During the shoot, we specifically chose a spot by the long roadside railing. Leaning sideways against the white railing with one leg slightly rested on the edge allowed me to better highlight the leg lines and the pleats of the skirt. The photographer adjusted the camera angle slightly upward to make my frame appear taller. Sunlight filtered through the cherry blossom branches, casting dappled light that, combined with the wide-aperture background bokeh, gave the overall composition a warm, remarkably soft tone.
For makeup, to match the character's temperament, the focus was placed on details around the eyes to give the gaze a calmer, deeper expression. Since we were shooting in a public area with passersby around, the process still went very smoothly. Managing the wig and tidying up the skirt hem took some time, but seeing the final photos made all that effort feel completely worthwhile.
The overall styling feels very clean, and the dark blue and white palette stood out distinctively against the pastel cherry blossom backdrop. The bright, sunny weather on New Year's Day added a special festive coziness to the shoot. After finishing, not only did we get satisfying photos, but breathing in the fresh New Year air while expressing the character under natural light was truly an enjoyable experience in itself.