[Arknights Only] Visiting the Convention in the Default Outfit: The Joy of Taking Photos with Friends

I finally made it to the Arknights Only at the Suzhou Anime Convention! This time, I didn't cosplay and was purely visiting a convention in the default outfit. However, I ended up being dragged around the entire venue by friends for taking photos with cosplayers at conventions, resulting in a whole bunch of plain-clothes photos. This contrasting joy really has a unique flavor. As a cosplayer who frequently attends conventions, I'm usually fully dressed up and setting up scenes. This time, traveling light, I just rushed in wearing a T-shirt and a bucket hat. I didn't expect that the first reaction of many familiar faces upon seeing me would be, "Oh, you didn't put on makeup today?" and then pulling out their phones to snap photos. That little burst of happiness from being recognized is truly hard to describe.

In the pictures, my friends and I clicked perfectly. The cosplayer with the deer antler look on the left (Naifen Guan) nailed the details incredibly well; everything from the makeup to the props exuded the unique world vibe of Arknights. I held the plush toy she handed over, which made me look exceptionally down-to-earth by comparison. There are also a few photos with Yeli, Tianmeng, and Lana. Although everyone was in a mix of casual clothes, the moment we started chatting about operator skills and the lore, the sense of closeness among fellow fans instantly maxed out. Halfway through the convention, I even ran into Mr. Peng. With a cigarette prop in his mouth and making a peace sign, his wild and untamed look almost made me burst out laughing on the spot.

The biggest surprise this time was standing next to ppk. His red-haired, sharp-horned look carried such an overwhelming aura that standing beside him instantly gave off a "tiny little thing" visual. But it's exactly this kind of contrast that makes the photos more amusing. As a player who frequently cosplays, occasionally changing perspectives to be an audience member actually allows me to appreciate the pure love behind the characters even more. The atmosphere at the venue was amazing; everyone brought their own passion and stories. There was no need for forced posing—casual snapshots were vivid enough. Even without wearing a costume, standing alongside these friends who seriously portray their characters made me feel as if I had blended into that world full of Originium Arts. Next time I encounter a similar offline event, I might keep visiting a convention in the default outfit, because this kind of "all-natural" style of taking photos with cosplayers at conventions is actually more authentic than anything else, summing up a wonderful snippet of my casual cosplay life.