[Shimoe Koharu Cosplay] Blue Archive Summer Swimsuit: Halo and Black Wings by the Water

Before shooting this set of summer swimsuit photos at the beach, my biggest worry was actually bringing large props to the seaside. For one thing, I was afraid the sea breeze would blow the wings crooked, and for another, I worried the halo on my head wouldn't stay steady in the wind. Fortunately, the waves were very restrained that day, the weather cooperated, and we smoothly finished this official set of Shimoe Koharu cosplay. This black floral one-piece swimsuit is the visual centerpiece of the entire look. The black base fabric paired with small white floral patterns strikes a path that is refreshing yet subtly sexy. Combined with the black choker on the neck and the dangling thin black straps, it perfectly balances out the sweetness of the floral pattern, adding a touch of Koharu's unique tsundere yet slightly cool atmosphere.

Speaking of the props used this time, the red halo on top of the head is truly a major scene-stealer, but it's also a rather fragile accessory. It needed to be secured to the wig with hairpins and invisible wire to remain straight without tilting. The wings are made of a stiff black tulle material with a layered design; the upper part is pieced together like feathers, while the bottom carries a subtle blue-grey gradient. Set against the seaside backdrop, this dark color palette looks remarkably pure. Because the wings are quite voluminous, my range of motion couldn't be too large during the shoot. Especially when turning or facing sideways, if I didn't watch the angle, the frame would catch the skeleton on the back of the wings. When posing in the water, I had to constantly monitor the form of the wings, trying my best to let the layered fabric drape naturally to achieve that lightweight feel of slightly unfurled pinions.

There was a reason for choosing the beach for this set of photos. Since the character itself features many aquatic settings, this natural seawater backdrop offers a sense of openness and nature that artificial pools simply can't match. The seawater displays a blue-green hue under the sun, which, paired with the pure white waves and distant clouds, along with Shimoe Koharu's light pink twin-tail wig, creates a pink-blue-black color clash that is incredibly photogenic. The wig has plenty of hair volume; once brushed smooth, it drapes naturally on both sides. When the wind blows, the hair strands lift slightly, which is much more vivid than the forced wind effects engineered inside a studio.

However, shooting at the beach also brought quite a few unexpected little episodes. For instance, the seawater looks calm on the surface, but the underlying sand is uneven and full of pebbles, making walking barefoot quite a hassle. In Photo 1, when I stood with my hands on my hips, looking light and breezy on the surface, my feet were actually constantly searching for balance. Then there were the waves—they looked gentle rolling in layer after layer, but by Photo 4, a wave suddenly grew a bit larger while I was half-squatting in the water. The moment the spray splashed up, not only was my body battered, but the edges of the wig also caught the salty seawater. Thankfully, the makeup was a waterproof version locked in with setting spray, so everything stayed intact.

Actually, the essence of this character lies in her contradictory sense of wanting to appear like a mature adult while constantly revealing a cute, childish innocence. In the pose design, I also tried my best to align with this feeling. For example, the hands-on-hips stance in Photo 1 expresses a confident, cool presence; the arms crossed in front of the chest forming an 'X' gesture in Photo 3 conveys a rejecting or tsundere attitude; while leaning forward slightly in the water with a half-clenched fist near the cheek in Photo 4 naturally lets that playfulness and agility emerge. Shooting photos in this style doesn't require too much facial expression management—as long as you let the body interact with the surrounding environment, the naturally emerging state looks the best.

Soaking in seawater for most of the day with a heavy wig and wings took quite a large physical toll, especially my feet submerged in the water, which basically turned white from the soaking. However, when looking at the camera playback and seeing the frames woven from splashes and light, all that hard work felt completely worth it. Being able to have a set of seaside memories this summer is a very happy thing. Although gusts of sea breeze blew past during the shoot, compared to baking under the outdoor sun, the breeze instead preserved a refreshing summer feel within the lens. This set basically achieved a crisp texture right from the raw images, and the post-processing only required fine-tuning the color atmosphere to give it a rich summer vibe. I hope this set of Anime-style photography with the scent of a salty sea breeze can bring a cooling summer sensation to everyone who sees it.