[Asuka Cosplay] On-Site Photos from the Neon Genesis Evangelion × Honkai Impact 3rd Collaboration

At this convention, I mainly shot the Honkai Impact 3rd collaboration version of Asuka, with photography once again handled by Master Xitou, with whom I've worked many times. For this look, the greatest challenge lay in the intricate tactical waist belts and red pouch; the material is quite rigid and could easily look bulky if not handled carefully, so I adjusted the buckle positions multiple times to ensure the waistline looked clean and sharp.

In terms of the outfit, the white short-sleeved shirt paired with a red tie serves as a classic visual anchor, especially the knot shape. Since the tie fabric was soft and prone to collapsing, I concealed a small shaping insert inside to keep it crisp. The black leather harness and chest strapping structure demand strict posture—slouching during poses would immediately make the silhouette look lifeless. The blue skirt beneath the coat featured geometric line prints; to match this design, I specifically chose to pair it with black stockings, visually elongating leg proportions and creating a unified look.

The venue was packed during the shoot with a cluttered background. To crop out passersby, Master Xitou relied on a telephoto lens to compress the background. The first pose was a side profile look back with hands raised above my head, which required good flexibility because the waist belt restricted movement, needing deliberate core tension to accentuate the curve of the hips and legs. The second photo was a medium close-up with folded hands; fine-tuning the finger positioning with red gloves took quite some time, as excessive tension looks stiff, whereas relaxing reveals that natural confidence.

Regarding lighting, the overhead spotlights at the convention hall were harsh and tended to cast strong facial shadows, so we constantly avoided direct light and sought side-backlit angles instead. The photographer timed the snaps impeccably, and even the unedited raw preview showed that the overall texture had been captured. Retaining the core character traits while incorporating tactical elements—from the collar details to the waist pouch design—this collaboration suit feels very substantial. Wearing it around was actually quite tiring due to the noticeable weight, requiring constant control over both facial expressions and posture. Luckily, the final results turned out great. For a crossover of such an iconic IP, though adjusting the costume on-site was physically exhausting, seeing the visual tension between the red tie and leg lines in the final photos made every bit of effort worthwhile.