[Xishi Cosplay] Honor of Kings Mermaid's Song: Ethereal Charm at the National Competition

Official photos from the 13th Honor of Kings National Competition offline event have been released! Here are my showcase photos performing the Xishi Mermaid's Song cosplay on-site. Standing before the officially built Chinese-style booth, the photographer captured the full presentation of this look.

The character showcased this time is Mermaid's Song, featuring costume colors dominated by cyan-and-white gradients outlined with golden lines, looking ethereally dreamy yet filled with rich details overall. Fabrics selected include lightweight chiffon and jacquard gauze; multi-layered wearing creates rich depth without appearing heavy, allowing the fabric to spread naturally when walking. Great effort went into the headpiece: beyond meticulously cut petals and tassels, metallic bead strands were specially adorned on the hair bun, reflecting shimmering light between movement and stillness. The long, straight silver-white wig paired with this costume required meticulous care; before shooting, it underwent volumizing and de-oiling treatments to ensure a clean, tidy style.

In the first collage group of official photos, my partner and I held up thematic cards together. Despite the large crowd surrounding us at the time, we quickly nailed our poses in front of the lens. The cards were printed with exquisite details that echoed our costumes and props nicely. For solo shots, I chose a slightly side-turned pose with one leg raised, which better displayed the light, dynamic beauty of Mermaid's Song cosplay, while the ankle straps enhanced the outfit's completeness. As a cosplayer, on-site performance means not only facing lens scrutiny but also constantly monitoring costume creases and wig angles to guarantee every photo conveys the character's aura.

Lighting on site mainly relied on softboxes, which, paired with the cool and warm tones of the background panels, accentuated the cool-toned palette of the Mermaid's Song costume cleanly. In front of the 13th Honor of Kings National Competition booth, official large mascots were placed alongside interactive area standees on the sides, creating a thick atmosphere where esports and 2D cultures fused together.

The shooting schedule that day was very tight, requiring adjustments across multiple positions and poses within a short timeframe. During early preparation, I spent a long time styling and setting the wig—especially the fin-like or wing-like structures on both sides, which relied on heavy hairspray and bobby pins to maintain volume. Additionally, Mermaid's Song hair ornaments carry asymmetric beauty, requiring precise positioning to achieve visual balance. Temperatures that day were actually quite high; layered under multi-layered costumes with spotlights beaming down, temperatures soared even further, though waterproof long-wearing makeup was specifically chosen to ensure optimal results.

Multiple cosplayers appeared together at this event. We arranged staggered group poses in front of the open booth area, combining squatting and standing postures to give the composition clear depth. Team cooperation was tacit; without needing many words, we found the visual center of gravity simply by adjusting steps. The Cosplay photography teacher was especially attentive when guiding actions, taking repeated burst shots to capture the floating flow of skirt hems.

Cosplaying Xishi holds special significance for me. The design of Mermaid's Song preserves the flowing elegance of Eastern mythology while incorporating modern 2D elements, testing personal expressiveness severely during cosplay execution. This official photo release from the National Competition serves as a meticulously planned event record. I also met many fans and players whose attention to character details made all the arduous preparation feel thoroughly worthwhile. Photos taken matched the character's intrinsic positioning nicely in overall color tones and texture. I'm exceptionally satisfied with my offline booth performance this time—free of incongruities from heavy retouching, preserving only the most authentic light and shadows on site.