The photoshoot for Sunohara Shun cosplay has wrapped up, and this "peeking" photo is ready to share. Today's look is the young Shun version from Shanhaijing; compared to her usual commanding aura, this form has an adorable, youthful charm and lively spark that makes you want to pinch her cheeks. Since the post mentioned adding the halo in post-production, here is an unedited raw photo without heavy effects first, letting everyone feel the most direct, unvarnished character presence.
Regarding makeup and costume prep, I specifically chose a black animal-ear headband with soft white inner fluff, aiming for a texture as close to the character's designated softness as possible. The long straight black hair with blunt bangs creates a striking contrast with the green contact lenses. For the eye makeup, the upper eyeliner was kept low and subtle with a soft reddish blend around the eyes, aiming to capture a slightly drowsy, just-woken-up doe-eyed innocence rather than overly glamorous sweetness. The cleanliness of the overall makeup directly affects the real-world translation of an anime character, which was strictly controlled during the shoot.
The outfit features a black long-sleeved top paired with white shorts. The white sleeve cuffs and over-the-knee white tights shift the visual weight downward; sitting on the floor nicely elongates the leg lines while maintaining the petite, lightweight feel of the character. The tops of the white stockings were fitted snugly to avoid sagging or wrinkling. Under studio lighting, the white highlights add a clean translucency, making the classic combination of black clothing and pure white tights cosplay an unmistakable, highly recognizable part of her styling.
The most interesting equipment is undoubtedly the sniper rifle prop beside me. It serves not only as an iconic lore element of the character but also as an exceptional visual balancer in the composition. Squatting on the floor while holding an open book with both hands to hide half my face—leaving only green eyes staring into the lens—naturally conveys a playful sense of peeking. Meanwhile, the long-barreled sniper rifle on the left breaks the softness of the frame, forging a dynamic contrast between cute and cool. Honestly, the prop gun was fairly bulky and quite a workout to maneuver around the studio, but to recreate the character's aura, the effort was entirely worth it.
As for post-processing, the caption mentioned "adding the halo once home." Indeed, one of the most vital hallmarks of this character is the halo behind her. In the raw shots, due to ambient lighting and angles, we didn't force that element in camera; handling it in post-production delivers greater luminosity and elevates the magical anime feel to another level. That said, viewing the raw photo for makeup details and hair texture has its own authentic charm. If you look closely at the illustration on the book cover, its warm color palette provided a great reference benchmark for overall photo color grading.
This photoshoot experimented with low-angle framing and a seated posture, emphasizing the youthful perspective of the animal-eared girl. The everyday ambiance of Shanhaijing Senior Secondary School often lies hidden in these understated, slightly clumsy, yet earnest little moments. Portraying such a character demands deep immersion; because of the striking contrast in her persona, one must shift everything from eye gaze to body language into a state of "innocent yet determined." I hope this shot—blending hardcore weapon props with lively charm—showcases my interpretation of this Blue Archive character. I will finish adding the halo in post soon, so please look forward to the final retouched results!