The Cosplay convention photos from this anime convention are finally here! Big thanks to @Gagaga for capturing these moments. I feel this Marisa cosplay really hit the right vibe.
Let's talk about the outfit first—everything from the hat to the broom was slowly put together by myself. To create a fluffy ruffled effect for that iconic pointed wide-brimmed hat, I specially added several layers of stiff net yarn on the inside, and the white lace edge on the brim was hand-stitched. I adjusted the position of the purple bow several times before I was satisfied. The wig is a light golden, long straight style with braids on both sides; I used hairspray to secure the curve of the bangs so they wouldn't collapse during the shoot. The top is an off-white ruffled collar shirt under a deep blue vest with star prints, and the gold-foil pentagram on the chest reflects light beautifully under the sun. The apron is packed with details: the little stars on the pockets and the black bows are all individually stitched, and the skirt layers are highly rich—the star patterns on the dark outer layer coordinate with the off-white pleats of the base layer, preserving both the ceremonial feel of a magician and a touch of sweetness.
As for the props, this broom was truly the biggest scene-stealer. The handle is a curved branch style with an antique painted finish to make it look like real wood. The broom head is made of black glitter fabric stuffed with cotton to make it puffy, then wrapped with purple ribbons. It feels moderately weighted in hand, not too heavy. During the shoot, this broom provided a lot of support points for poses; whether resting single-handed on it or holding it with both hands, it naturally blended into the frame.
The shooting venue was inside the exhibition hall with a gray concrete floor. The overhead lights at the convention combined with the photographer's softbox illuminated the details of the costume very clearly. Standing on the white circular platform, my shadow fell right under my feet, forming a sort of picture frame effect. The first photo is a straight-up pose holding the broom, while the single-leg lift in the second photo was a last-minute suggestion from the photographer, who wanted to add a bit of dynamic movement. I tried shifting my center of gravity to my left foot, raising my right leg slightly while leaning my upper body forward, and surprisingly, I balanced it perfectly on the first try! The subsequent sitting poses on the ground, such as kicking and touching the hat brim, were all improvised. Because the skirt is very large, it spread out into a fan shape when I sat down, which the photographer said perfectly displayed the apron and skirt patterns, so we shot a few more. The last side-sitting shot, where I held the broom handle and looked away from the lens, actually carried the vibe of a backward glance.
Actually, the most fun part of cosplay is interacting with others. Although we didn't bring a dedicated prop crew this time, many fellow fans and photographers on-site were highly willing to help find the light and adjust angles. Shooting this set took about half an hour; although standing in thick-soled shoes was a bit tiring, I was highly happy to see every detail presented so well in the final cuts. This session of Cosplay convention photos also gave me more ideas for my own outfit making and styling. If I cosplay this character next time, I might add some lighting effects to the broom, or make the hat one size bigger. I hope to capture more clean and crisp Convention photos like this in the future to convey the character's spirit and the exquisite texture of the outfit.