[Kiryuu Kikyou cosplay] This blue-and-white sailor suit outfit brings out the everyday feel of Blue Archive

I really love this Kiryuu Kikyou photoshoot set. After posting the teaser last time, many friends were asking for specific details, so today I've organized this studio shoot set to share with you all.

First, regarding the accuracy of this costume design, what I'm most satisfied with is the refreshing feel of the overall blue-and-white color palette. The top is a classic white sailor suit outfit style, with a deep navy collar paired with a large blue satin bow, bringing out the character's aloof yet vibrant aura. A black choker adorns the neckline, adding packed details. The bottom is a navy blue pleated skirt with transparent blue decorative trim along the hem, which catches the eye with its texture and luster during close-ups. Of course, core elements include the floating blue-and-black geometric halo, alongside the black velvet anime animal ears on top and the black-to-blue gradient plush tail.

During the shoot, the photographer prepared a thin blue rope prop, which truly activated the interactive feel of the entire photoshoot set. In the first photo, I pull the rope with my right hand, directing toward the animal ears and halo; paired with blue contact lenses, that slightly scrutinizing look came through perfectly. In the second photo, I adjusted my sitting pose slightly, wearing black flip-flops with the rope winding around my chest and fingers, looking more casual and natural to bring out a touch of everyday laziness. In the third photo, I took off my shoes altogether, curling my legs up onto the seat and lightly holding the blue tip of the tail with my left hand—this relaxed, unguarded state actually fits the character's cat-like demeanor very well.

For the shooting scene, we chose a studio with a pure white background, featuring a reddish-brown traditional Chinese wooden chair as a prop. Honestly, when I first saw the chair, I wondered if it might look out of place, but the actual shot revealed that the dark wood tone highlighted the subject's black, white, and blue palette even cleaner, creating a wonderful cross-dimensional fusion. Photographer @BreadDog's lighting was extremely soft, with natural shadow transitions on the face and outfit, capturing the silhouette of the sailor suit top and the pleats of the skirt with great dimensionality.

In terms of composition and posing, we experimented with different angles—some with legs curled up on the chair, others letting legs drop naturally to show bare feet, with black toenail polish details preserved in close-ups. I feel that for a cosplay photoshoot, besides detailed costume, hair, and props, body language and prop interactions are crucial parts of conveying a character's personality. This blue rope not only linked the movements together, but also gave the visual focus a sense of flow across the entire body.

The entire set eschewed complex set designs, relying solely on the white backdrop, wooden chair, halo, and tail to carry the scene; minimalism actually allowed people to focus more on the character's styling itself. Having shot many ornate, complex studio scenes before, shooting this clean, refreshing style occasionally lets one appreciate the thoughtful costume design even more. Posting this set serves as a mini summary of my recent cosplay outings. Being able to interpret a beloved character through my own style in front of the lens is truly a satisfying experience.