Documenting this Mostima cosplay from Guangzhou Arknights, mainly to share the process of handcrafting the wig halo and customizing parts of the costume. The glowing halo was 3D printed and hand-painted, with the battery pack concealed inside and brightness dialed in just right; the finished piece turned out even brighter than my partner's Exusiai cosplay halo, drawing plenty of attention on site. The costume was custom-tailored, mainly adjusting the cuff dimensions and hemline silhouettes, along with sewing hidden snap fasteners to stay true to the original design—the overall fit on the body looked far better than straight-out-of-the-box factory costumes.
Teaming up with Exusiai cosplay was an absolute blast! Running around the venue led to lots of fun moments—like trying to hold back laughter until my mouth cramped while recreating the Fujiya Peko meme faces. We chose an abandoned raw-concrete building in Guangzhou for the shoot; the abundant sunlight pushed the atmospheric mood to the max. During the shoot, the photographer watched our reactions through the viewfinder while the two of us pushed through muscle fatigue to hold poses with heavy props, especially with the glowing halo and the long staff making our lower backs ache.
In the evening, we headed downstairs to shoot a night scene. Once the streetlights dimmed, the halo glowed distinctly, creating a wonderfully unique vibe. The shadow shot in Photo 6 has quite a story—standing together under the sun, Exusiai specifically posed with a V sign, and unexpectedly the silhouette turned out gorgeous. Our smooth photoshoot owed immense thanks to our support helper, Zisu, who tirelessly helped carry gear, adjust lights, and comb wigs—working harder and getting more exhausted than us cosplayers.
Crafting props yourself is certainly a tedious process—repeatedly adjusting LED brightness and sanding the contact points on wig attachments—yet seeing the accuracy of character outfits and props elevate step-by-step through your own hands brings a sense of accomplishment unmatched by anything else. Plus, because the wig was custom-made, the contact points between the halo and the head were padded much more comfortably, preventing painful chafing even after wearing it all day. The anime convention atmosphere at Guangzhou Arknights was fantastic, and the location made getting great shots effortless. Taking so many beloved photos with my partner left me completely fulfilled.