[Hu Tao cosplay] The Tsundere Catgirl in NARAKA: BLADEPOINT

This time, I'm sharing a Tsuchimikado Hu Tao swimsuit cosplay shot in an e-sports gaming room. I had envisioned shooting in this setting for a while, as having the game character right on the screen in the background creates a presentation of the same pose across different dimensions.

Starting with the outfit, the swimsuit top is made of a semi-sheer white gauze fabric with blue trim, detailed with dark navy borders along the neckline and cuffs, resembling an anime-inspired spin on a traditional school swimsuit. The bottoms are navy shorts, accessorized with fluffy white Moe cat ears and a matching tail.

For hair and makeup tailored to Hu Tao, the hairstyle features straight black bangs with long twin tails, enhanced by extra-long hair extensions for higher fidelity. The makeup follows a classic Japanese anime style: slightly elongated eyeliner, an impeccably clean base, and soft pink blush that gives the cheeks a tender, plump look, matching the character's youthful charm.

The props and accessories also required special care: the base of the cat ears had to be fastened securely, as I frequently moved my head during the shoot. The tail had to be positioned just right to avoid looking awkward. We deliberately chose an e-sports room setting, where glowing mechanical keyboards, mice, and Hu Tao on the monitor instantly brought the atmosphere to life.

During shooting, we experimented with diverse poses—such as resting my chin on one hand with a finger lightly tapping my cheek, or mimicking cat paws with both hands. These poses really test facial expression control; keeping your eyes locked onto the lens or casting a slight sideways glance maintains that playful vibe. Furthermore, when taking wide-angle selfies, the head angle must be carefully measured; wide angles minimize head size and elongate proportions, which, paired with fair skin and clear eyes, yields highly photogenic results.

In post-processing, subtle adjustments were made to skin tones and lighting to preserve a crisp, translucent texture while ensuring smooth skin. Since the lighting in an e-sports room is complex—mixing monitor glow with ambient light—the main post-production goal was unifying the color palette to keep the subject standing out.

As a Female cosplayer, it's not just about wearing the costume, but about embodying the character's temperament. In the game, Hu Tao is an energetic, somewhat haughty, yet undeniably adorable girl. Thus, the poses revolved around shrugging, pouting, or gazing boldly into the camera. Showcasing these multifaceted sides on camera was all about faithfully bringing her personality to life. This post is simply a log of the shooting process and my reflections.