This shoot brought to life the Cheerleader version of Unicorn from Azur Lane. When I first received this outfit, my immediate impression was how crisp the color palette looked—the pairing of purple and white felt visually pristine. The top is a white sleeveless cropped design featuring the black number 72 printed across the chest, with the collar trimmed in purple sailor-suit styling. The bottom is paired with a matching vertical-striped pleated miniskirt with black ribbon tie accents at the waist, tailored cleanly to flatter the body contours. To complete the ensemble, I wore white semi-sheer arm sleeves and pure White stockings, finished with buckled Mary Jane shoes adorned with small black bows.
Wig maintenance was a primary focus for this styling. The light purple long straight hair needed to maintain airy volume without looking frizzy, and the signature ahoge at the crown was the soul of the character, requiring dedicated shaping with wax. The black bow and white floral ornaments worn on the side of the head stood out strikingly against the violet locks. For makeup, pink-toned eyeshadow and blush were emphasized; to match the 2D aesthetic, the eye makeup was drawn with delicate precision to project a lively, adorable aura.
The location chosen was a pure white cyclorama studio. Standing atop a white circular riser with an uncluttered background, this high-key white setting amplified the costume's colors to their fullest—especially the vibrant contrast between purple and yellow. Holding two bright yellow cheerleader pompoms added tremendous energy to the frame. Throughout the shoot, I continuously explored dynamic poses: the first frame featured standing on one leg with one hand on my hip and the other raising a pompom high, requiring tight core balance. The second frame captured a mid-air leg-lift jump with both arms extended into a V-shape; the shutter caught the skirt in a natural arc just as the leg motion banished all stiffness from the composition.
The studio lighting was exceptionally clear and translucent. The photographer constantly guided my head tilt and eye direction to ensure catchlights sparkled in my eyes. Jumping while wearing White stockings and Mary Jane shoes posed quite a test of balance. Centering my balance was vital, as was keeping the upper torso upright without hunching mid-jump, preserving that quintessential Cheerleader pep. Repeating jumps and pompom raises took stamina, and the pompom arcs had to sync with shutter speed to catch the fullest, sharpest motion.
The purple-and-white harmony showed rich dimension on camera, while the yellow pompoms served as perfect visual pops. After wrapping, seeing the vivid colors and kinetic tension in the final images proved that all the wardrobe prep and pose design paid off. Documenting these details represents a sincere homage to faithfully recreating the character.