[Raiden Shogun cosplay] Inazuma's Lightning Encounters a Mosquito Army Outdoors

It was my first time traveling this far to Japan for an outdoor cosplay event. I thought I'd be able to beautifully capture the majestic aura of Inazuma's supreme ruler, but reality taught me a lesson—the outdoor shoot location was practically uninhabitable, with so many mosquitoes they could carry me away!

This time, we picked a forest path in a park with lush greenery and soft lighting, which indeed produced great photos. But the price was covering myself with anti-mosquito patches, spraying half a bottle of insect repellent, and frantically slapping my arms and legs between shots. The first close-up photo looks calm and composed, but in reality, there was loud buzzing around my arms, and I had to rely entirely on facial expression management to hold it together. In the second photo, where I look back while holding a paper umbrella, the red tassel hanging from the umbrella handle was actually swaying in the wind the whole time. I had to balance the umbrella while dodging the mosquito swarm in the grass beneath my feet, so even the photographer joked that this set should be called "shooting amidst mosquitoes."

As for the outfit, this white and purple Japanese-style battle attire features incredible detail: the geometric-patterned obi at the waist, hard arm guards on the shoulder armor, and lacing, all creating rich layering. However, shooting outdoors in summer was sweltering due to limited breathability. While the combination of long sleeves and shorts made movement easy, my exposed legs became a prime target for mosquitoes, and I only realized after the shoot that I had several bites on my calves. Still, seeing the final photos made every bit of effort worth it—especially the subtle soft-focus effect in Photo 1, which brought out the texture of the hair and costume so well, and the hand posture captured by the photographer carries a great sense of narrative.

Although the outdoor shoot conditions were tough, being able to complete a full cosplay work in an environment so rich with Japanese atmosphere was a deeply fulfilling experience. I learned my lesson this time; next time I'll definitely bring long-sleeved anti-mosquito clothing and a portable fan. I hope to have the chance to shoot in such natural settings again in the future—as long as anti-mosquito measures are taken in advance, nothing will be a problem.