At the ChinaJoy 2023 convention floor, this time I cosplayed Little Formidable from Azur Lane. I chose this black-and-white dress look, featuring a ruffled dress trimmed with delicate lace edges, paired with a matching wide-brimmed black hat, a lace choker at the neck, and a silver-white twin-tail wig. With red contact lenses and bright red lip makeup, I strived to faithfully recreate the character's adorable and distinct aura before the lens.
The texture of the wig reflected a gentle sheen under convention flashlights. To avoid looking dull in messy convention lighting, I applied a clear, luminous base makeup with a wider blush area, while emphasizing curled lashes in the eye makeup to ensure crisp brightness in convention snapshots. Because Little Formidable's character design has a distinctive youthful age feel, in terms of expression control, I deliberately maintained slightly upturned corners of the mouth and a bright, focused gaze, hoping to convey that endearing, innocent girlish charm.
A massive grey plush cat prop was set up at the venue, adorned with a thick red braided collar and a giant golden coin. Standing beside it made me look petite by contrast, making it perfect for contextual interactive posing. The foot traffic at the convention today was immense, and waiting for the right spots and framing took quite a while. However, during the wait, I constantly felt attendees' attention on this outfit, and many photographers came up asking for shots.
While passing by the rest area midway through, that amusing moment mentioned in the title truly happened. Two guys in dark uniforms stopped and called out the character name "Little Formidable" directly. Being accurately recognized for the character you're cosplaying at a convention is such a huge validation and encouragement for a cosplayer. I warmly greeted them right away, and they asked about the texture of the silver twin-tails and whether my red contact lenses were custom-made. Chatting with them for a bit, I felt their sincere and deep love for the character.
Of course, the hardships of being a convention cosplayer are very real. Although this outfit looks airy and breathable, the multi-layered design, heavy brimmed hat, and thick platform lace-up shoes made walking through the crowded hall a true test of stamina. The twin-tail wig in particular, while flowing, required constant manual adjustments whenever I turned my head in such a busy environment to prevent tangling or dislodging hairpins. Yet it is precisely these minute adjustments that ultimately formed the natural and harmonious aesthetic in the final photos.
Although today was physically exhausting from start to finish, being able to showcase my passion this way—especially at a massive convention like ChinaJoy 2023—and connect closely with fans of the original game brought so much kindness and validation. After finishing makeup and styling, I habitually double-checked the stitching and accessory security to ensure every detail was well thought out for photos. Although the angles and poses were relatively casual this time, they captured the authentic anime convention cosplay atmosphere, and this genuine on-site presence is something I truly cherish. For me, the happiest part of convention cosplay isn't just putting on the costume; it's feeling that wonderful resonance between the character and my own spirit as the character integrates into the bustling convention floor. Sunlight streamed through the hall's high windows today, casting a soft halo over the giant cat and my outfit (with white stockings). Even walking back and forth across concrete floors in heavy platform shoes, every shutter click and every passerby accurately calling out my name washed away the fatigue with pure happiness. I also kept a setting spray in my bag to touch up at any moment, preventing sweat from ruining the makeup—a handy tip accumulated from years of convention cosplaying.