This time, I'm sharing Kyoyama Kazusa's casual outfit from Blue Archive. Since an offline collaboration cafe event was happening, I scheduled the entire photoshoot right here.
Let's start with the hair and makeup. I chose short black hair accented with purple-pink highlights, paired with the signature black cat-ear headband. For the makeup, I focused on recreating her slightly languid yet adorable aura, specifically wearing red contact lenses to give my gaze a focused and deep intensity. To align with the original character design, the black choker around my neck featuring a small bell served as an essential visual anchor.
The wardrobe was chosen for its casual yet layered design. On the outside is a black track jacket with white piping, worn open to reveal the coordinated inner layers. Underneath is a white sailor-collar shirt featuring teal-blue spliced accents along the collar edge, tied with a pink neckerchief. Although the palette is predominantly black and white, the teal and pink accents inject lively energy that echoes the game's original color scheme. The lower half features a white pleated miniskirt of moderate length, paired with opaque black tights and blue-and-white color-blocked sneakers to instantly bring out a sporty, casual feel. The pink details on the shoelaces also provide a subtle finishing touch that harmonizes with the neckerchief.
Inside this Anime-themed cafe, not only was the decor faithful, but the food and drinks were delightful surprises. The three-tier dessert stand was exquisitely arranged—from cream roll cakes and macarons to fruit tarts, every treat was adorned with thematic elements that looked fantastic on camera. The two specialty drinks were also packed with ambiance: one was a blue-purple gradient iced beverage topped with a lemon slice and an exclusive birthday tag hanging from the rim, while the other was a pink specialty drink decorated with a pale blue blossom, creating a dreamy color palette.
During shooting, I experimented with several angles: close-up selfies holding a yellow macaron to clearly highlight facial expressions and makeup details, as well as full-body mirror shots standing in front of the wooden cafe door using the overhead pink halo lighting decor to capture the complete silhouette and accessories of the Cosplay outfit. Naturally, I also took dedicated close-ups of the Black stockings outfit paired with sneakers; the texture of the black hosiery and the contrasting colors of the sneakers came through beautifully on camera.
Speaking of the merchandise featured in this shoot, it was truly abundant. I gathered lots of collaboration-related acrylic stands, badges, and clear files—especially the blue gradient and pink cup sleeves, along with the birthday commemorative plaque cards, which made wonderful keepsakes. Throughout the cafe, character standees and posters immersed visitors in the feeling of stepping directly into the game's world.
In cosplay photography, building the right environment is equally vital. Choosing a themed collaboration cafe not only enriches photos with narrative depth, but also leverages official props and refreshments to add layered visual storytelling. Incorporating macarons and signature drinks transforms simple outfit displays into warm, authentic everyday moments.
Overall, this ensemble achieved a great balance between everyday casual wear and photogenic appeal. The headpiece and neckerchief accurately reproduced key details, while the jacket and sneaker combination remained effortlessly grounded—ideal for photographers aiming for an energetic, relaxed vibe. Bumping into fellow fans of the franchise to chat about photography at the cafe was also a wonderful experience. Exploring different camera angles and postures helped unlock the outfit's visual charm under diverse lighting.