The moment I held the physical copy of the Anime pilgrimage anthology "Where She Is" (她所在的地方), my excitement was even more intense than passing my master's thesis defense! Standing at the CPG08 booth in my carefully prepared Uniform cosplay attire, I finally met face-to-face with this visual novel and Galgame Anime pilgrimage anthology, which embodies the painstaking efforts and passion of so many creators. Being able to participate as a contributing author was truly an extraordinarily special experience in this cosplay journey.
Back when I first heard that the organizer @ななちゃん was planning this anthology, I stayed up all night digging out pilgrimage photos from my grad school days in Japan, sorted through the associated photographic works, and submitted them without hesitation. As a visual novel and Galgame aficionado, being able to combine my own real-world location photography with 2D illustrations through digital compositing was immensely fulfilling. Especially upon seeing the final cut of the red bridge in Kobe, that wondrous sensation of the real world and the 2D dimension breaking down walls to merge seamlessly was completely magical.
For today's look, I wore a dark navy stand-collar uniform adorned with gold buttons and yellow piped trim, paired with a long, bright green wig, a black cap, and pointed elf ear props for a fantasy-leaning aesthetic in this Uniform cosplay. For makeup, I specifically adjusted the eye shape to emphasize a 2D anime feel; the wig was also pre-trimmed and styled to ensure peak condition at the convention. While differing from the blonde character on the anthology cover, both belong to that fantasy-colored universe. When I took selfies holding the sample copy at the booth, many fellow convention-goers were drawn in by the cover illustration, stopping by to inquire about the anthology's contents.
The layout, typography, and print quality of the anthology are absolutely stellar. Flipping through the pages reveals different authors' unique interpretations of each location. I was responsible for shooting the Kobe location; to secure the perfect composition, I waited by the bridge for hours. Thanks to the illustrators' magical craftsmanship, the harmony between the real scenery and 2D characters reached incredible heights. Being able to take part and collaborate with so many creators passionate about visual novels and Galgame was an invaluable experience.
The atmosphere on the convention floor was buzzing with energy. Exhausting as it was to wake up early for booth setup and walk the halls, seeing the physical books lined up across the table made all the fatigue disappear. Conversing with readers at the booth, I heard countless passionate discussions about Anime pilgrimage travel itineraries. Having submitted photos as a contributor while interacting with attendees as a cosplayer right at the booth created a fascinating confluence of dual identities, yielding lovely Convention photos. In the afternoon, I strolled around the hall, picked up doujin merchandise, and caught up with old friends I hadn't seen in ages.
This convention experience was an absolute 10/10! If the opportunity arises, I would love to continue shooting more Anime pilgrimage cosplay projects down the line—perhaps next time trying costumes even more faithful to original character settings and producing a full photoshoot right on location. I eagerly look forward to more creative opportunities like this in the future, sharing more wonderful memories of visual novels and Galgame with fellow enthusiasts.