This Arknights Year of the Kuranta themed cosplay project was finalized months in advance with a photographer friend, primarily aiming to capture a Lunar New Year vibe tinged with mystery and solemn intensity. Since the outfit features a white robe set against a cool-toned battlefield or corridor, we ultimately chose a sleek gray passageway with striking lighting. Screens flanking the corridor cast cool white illumination, creating a perfect warm-and-cool contrast with the warm orange glow emanating from the prop hammer in my hand.
For pre-shoot prep, trimming the wig took two full days to match the precise hair color, and the Animal ears were adjusted across multiple angles until they sat naturally and securely atop the head. The custom-tailored costume has a great drape but is rather heavy; walking up and down stairs in boots was particularly clumsy, almost tripping me several times. The metallic-textured left pauldron made of EVA with gold spray paint looked magnificent, but dug into my shoulder during the long shoot, requiring frequent adjustments during breaks. The most time-consuming item was the glowing hammer prop: to replicate the in-game effect, we packed heavy batteries and lighting modules inside.
On the day of the shoot, to coordinate with the corridor's dim lighting, I semi-crouched while raising the hammer overhead, with the black straps tightly bound around my thighs. This posture demanded significant core strength, leaving me exhausted after just a few sets. The photographer was extremely patient, adjusting lighting positions over and over while I strove to keep a sharp, piercing gaze. The flowing skirt effect in the full-body shots was achieved by vigorously flicking the skirt hem while shooting from a low angle with a wide lens. During post-processing, beyond standard skin and line retouching, major effort went into amplifying the hammer's orange fire petals and radiating light specks, along with floating dust particle effects to closely match the game's official illustration ambiance.
The most troublesome aspect of this costume was putting it on and taking it off. With numerous straps and metal buckles, it was impossible to manage alone, requiring continuous help from the makeup artist. The thigh straps in particular, while visually striking, demanded that my physique stay in top condition, keeping everything taut throughout the shoot. Holding that illuminated hammer aloft for extended periods made my wrists ache intensely; several times it nearly slipped, forcing me to support it with my left hand to recover. Yet this genuine fatigue during shooting gave the final results an even more authentic gravity. While exhausting, the process was thoroughly enjoyable. We selected photos together that very night, and seeing those tension-filled moments made all the effort worthwhile. Taking this opportunity with our Arknights Year of the Kuranta project, I want to say Happy New Year and wish all my friends smooth sailing and ever-growing success in both life and work!