This set of photos for Kiryuu Kikyou cosplay turned out with high completion; the combination of the blue-and-white sailor suit and long blue strings gave the visuals a unique visual tension. Recreating the character traits from Blue Archive was the primary focus. Costume-wise, the white Sailor suit cosplay base with blue trim paired with a translucent blue coat, along with a plush black tail with a blue tip and slender blue cords—these intricate elements required meticulous adjustments to convey a sense of motion.
For the shoot, a traditional Japanese tatami room was chosen as the backdrop. The crane patterns on the folding screen, along with the tatami mats and straw cushions below, perfectly brought out the character's mysterious aura for this Japanese style cosplay. In terms of pose choreography, the first shot featured one hand raised high combined with delicate finger gestures on the other hand, utilizing vertical extension to beautifully showcase the character's agility. The second shot focused on the detail of blue strings wound around the fingertips, highlighting the importance of props. The third shot had me seated on a wooden platform, extending the leg lines to balance the visual center of gravity. Since I wasn't wearing stockings, special care was given to skin tone harmonization and foot posture with bare legs to ensure they blended naturally into the traditional setting.
The lighting used was clear, transparent soft light, aiming to maintain youthful charm while adding three-dimensional depth. Fabric wrinkles needed constant smoothing during the shoot, as the sailor suit material was rather stiff and easily formed unwanted creases when seated. Refining the fluffy tail in post-processing took careful effort to ensure its curvature looked organic. When shooting this piece, the mood needed to maintain an otherworldly, aloof coolness while retaining the playful charm of Cat ear cosplay; thus, the focus of the gaze and the subtle opening angles of the fingers were tested repeatedly before selecting these three final shots.
The blue string prop served as a visual extension in these images, guiding the viewer's gaze across the frame. Overall, this attempt embodied 2D character elements within an authentic real-world Japanese space, making for a fascinating photoshoot experience. All in all, the ambiance of this set matched my imagination of the character, and I look forward to exploring her more dynamic side in future shoots.