[Xishi cosplay] Honor of Kings Mermaid's Song, Recreating the Dragon Girl at the Convention

This time, I'm bringing you the Mermaid's Song skin of Xishi from Honor of Kings. There are so many details in the entire look, and a lot of effort went into everything from the hairstyle to the accessories. The wig is silver-white, long and straight, with specially made straight bangs and braided structures on both sides. Paired with those ice-blue transparent dragon horns, it looks very refreshing visually. The headpieces utilize pearl and seashell elements, echoing the frog buttons and pearl tassels on the outfit. The overall color palette maintains white, blue, and gold, staying as close as possible to the ethereal feel of the original art.

Regarding the costume, the jacquard texture with hidden patterns on the upper part of this modified cheongsam is excellent, and the gold thread embroidery on the collar and the details of the pearl buttons look great in front of the camera. To recreate the lightness of a dragon girl, the sleeves and hem are made of semi-transparent ice-blue gauze material, with a gradient-colored lining underneath, which adds beautiful layers as it flows when walking. The lighting at the convention venue was quite complex on the day of the shoot. The photographer utilized natural light and reflectors for fill light, beautifully expressing the translucency of the skin tone and the cool tones of the costume.

For the makeup, I focused on emphasizing the blue-gray tones of the eyelashes and eyeshadow, paired with light-colored contacts to make the gaze look more ethereal. Usually, during photoshoots, I try my best to manage my expressions—both to maintain the character's cold, detached temperament and to bring a touch of a girl's agility. Therefore, that state of slightly raising my hand and spacing out my gaze in the third photo feels like the moment that fits the character's personality best.

Honestly, the most troublesome part of doing the Mermaid's Song look is the massive dragon horns and the long hair. In a crowded environment like an anime convention, you have to ensure the props don't fall off while preventing the hair from being pulled or messed up, so I had to be cautious almost the entire time. However, seeing this flowing effect in the final photos makes all the previous hard work feel worth it. I also brought some small props this time, such as a small transparent fan with water-wave patterns. Although not all of them were used in the photos, they did add a lot of interaction during the shoot.

Many players' impression of this skin is "flowing" and "regal," so when posing, I didn't choose particularly exaggerated movements. Instead, I leaned towards a dynamic posture within stillness, relying on fingers and gaze to convey emotions. Post-processing didn't excessively bump up the contrast either, preserving the native texture of the skin to make the overall frame look clean and soft. If there's an opportunity in the future, I'd love to shoot a set at a waterscape outdoor location, which should be even more atmospheric than an indoor studio. For now, I'll share these few convention photos first, hoping everyone can feel the unique charm of Xishi's Mermaid's Song character through this Anime cosplay.