Posting May Day Convention photos on June 1st—procrastinating feels amazing! Honestly, it wasn't intentional; retouching this set proved far more tedious than expected. Today, I'd like to share my thoughts and experience portraying Rimuru from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
When I first decided to take on Rimuru cosplay, my biggest worry was whether my look could carry the character. Rimuru is genuinely tricky to pull off, especially that cool, detached gaze with a subtle hint of aloofness. I chose this light-blue straight long wig, paying close attention to the bangs: they couldn't be long enough to obscure the eyes, nor too short to look silly. To complement the hair color, I picked amber-toned yellow-brown contact lenses and smudged the lower lash line with blue eyeshadow and liner, giving the roots of the eyelashes a soft blue sheen to stay faithful to the 2D design.
The costume featured a black coat accented with gold embroidery and a long black fur collar. The convention hall was sweltering that day, and being bundled up in this heavy coat was pure torture—I was drenched in sweat. But for the sake of accuracy, I pushed through. The fur collar was actually quite prickly against my neck, so I had to deliberately maintain a relaxed expression for the camera without flinching.
When it came to posing, the prop mask provided ample creative room. The mask has curved, smiling slit eyes that look slightly comical, which created a delightful contrast against my aloof expression. I also explored various camera angles; for instance, the low-angle shot in photo 4 added a sense of imposing presence, making it look as though he were looking down on everyone. Then there was the hands-on-hips pose in photo 5, capturing the Chancellor's regal dignity. While viewers might feel I took forever to share these, time flew by on set.
The photographer kept reminding me to adjust my gaze, especially for close-ups, pushing to capture that serene composure of someone who sees through everything. In front of the camera, I tried to channel that effortless control. Although I have done cosplay many times before, Rimuru felt distinct: outwardly casual, yet harboring immense inner strength. I spent the entire shoot immersing myself in that mindset.
Beyond characterization, this shoot taught me a lot about utilizing light and shadow. Since the convention venue was visually cluttered, we actively searched for cleaner lighting, settling on a spot by the windows with side-backlighting. The light catching the wig gave the blue strands a translucent, crystalline glow.
Experimenting with diverse perspectives and dynamic poses felt like another step in my artistic growth. Even though it took over a month to publish these Convention photos, I am thoroughly satisfied with the final result. It serves as a sincere tribute to a 2D character I dearly love.