"The little presence-less yokai quietly sneaking into your house"—when I saw this photo, this description was the very first thing that popped into my head. Recently, I finally completed shooting this outfit for Komeiji Koishi cosplay, and from the moment I changed and stood at the doorway of the old Japanese house, that subtle atmosphere surrounded me.
Let's first talk about the facial styling and wig. Light green short hair paired with a small black top hat—the moment I put it on, I felt as if the character's soul possessed me. To restore this low-key yet secretly playful feel, I specifically picked a wig style that looks casual and fluffy without flattening it intentionally, so a light breeze when walking lets hair strands gently brush against my cheeks. For makeup, I subtracted a bit, focusing eye makeup on matching the pupil color. To capture that translucent feel of "not wanting to be noticed," the base makeup was kept as clean as possible, avoiding heavy finishes.
The costume details were indeed the most time-consuming part. The main garment features a spliced design of light khaki with subtle patterns and dark green; below the collar, that prominent bright yellow large bow tie serves as the visual focus of the upper body, faithfully restoring the character's lively side. The lower half is the main highlight of the entire ensemble, with large areas of layered black ruffles and 3D light blue-gray rose flower decorations stitched at the hemline. The fabric layering and fluffy sleeves rendered that Lolita style—interweaving retro and fantasy—extremely well. While wearing it, I really loved the skirt hem's texture, which sways naturally when walking. Special mention goes to the Black tights outfit element on the legs, embellished with matching blue line accents that echo the blue elements on the outfit, avoiding clutter while effectively lengthening body proportions.
Let's talk about the interesting props on set. We found a Japanese-style guesthouse with tatami-paved rooms and wooden shoji doors upon entry. The vintage CRT television in the room was an absolute stroke of genius; holding a prop knife with one hand resting on the TV casing, I felt as if I were about to tap the screen the next second to see if I could tune in some snow noise. The red aluminum can next to the TV was also placed on a whim—such everyday lifestyle objects really break down the detachment of 2D costumes, making the photos much more grounded. The wooden sofa behind me, casually placed throw pillows, and lush garden greenery outside the door crack all constructed rich layering.
The breaks during the shoot were quite relaxing. Photographer Xigua completely understood the "utterly presence-less" vibe I wanted, so we didn't need to force exaggerated poses. Instead, casual standing postures that look as though I might walk away at any moment fit the character setting much better. Of course, my understanding of "lack of presence" isn't entirely lifeless, but rather a playful, calculated feel of secretly observing you from a corner.
I retouched the photos myself in post-processing. Compared to drastic color grading or adding external assets, I leaned toward preserving the image's natural light and shadow. The feeling of sunlight filtering through the doorway onto the tatami mats was exceptionally gentle, so during post-processing, I retained most of the warm tones, slightly darkening the background depth of field contrast to make foreground blue flowers and the main subject pop out more. Meanwhile, skin texture processing was kept as realistic as possible without excessive smoothing, hoping to convey the character's vitality within the real world.
In truth, completing a good cosplay set isn't easy. From sourcing costumes and matching accessories, to finding suitable locations, communicating with the photographer, and mastering post-processing, every step requires sincere dedication. The character Komeiji Koishi possesses a mysterious yet charming quality; being able to step into this state for a brief few hours is a deeply healing experience in itself. Although she claims to have no presence, being able to wear her outfit and stand in a room bathed in sunlight makes me feel that all the effort left a unique mark of my own. I hope these final photos allow everyone to feel that tiny bit of whimsical yet warm color belonging to her within the world of Touhou Project in this Casual cosplay project.