The Convention photos from the Nanning AP Comic Con (Nanning Anime Convention) are finally ready. Taking advantage of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, I traveled to Guangxi to attend the 5th AP Comic Con. The on-site atmosphere was buzzing and the hall was packed with people, but it was precisely this lively energy that made the cosplay process feel authentic and tangible. This time, I cosplayed Chen Hai Retrofit from Azur Lane—the remodeled Dragon Empery style skin that everyone loves.
The color palette of the entire outfit features black and white as the base, complemented by deep blue and golden details, using lightweight mesh and draped fabrics. The biggest challenge lay in the long slit of the coat and the arrangement of accessories, requiring continuous adjustments to achieve a flowing, dynamic sense during the shoot. On-site, I tried various poses, such as a close-up holding a black fan to half-conceal my face, or sitting on a chair in a relaxed, stretched posture. The visual presentation of this costume relies heavily on lighting; the cool-toned overhead lights of the convention hall hitting the white fabric and Black tights outfit beautifully sculpted the silhouette and texture.
Regarding the topic of everyday styling that many are curious about, people at anime conventions are actually very open-minded, and I could genuinely feel everyone's appreciation for the character's atmosphere. I personally favor the Black tights outfit paired with heels, and for this shoot, I deliberately selected a pair of patent leather pointed-toe high heels to match the look, complete with black semi-sheer long gloves. I was very pleased with the overall completeness of the ensemble, which was chosen to embody the grace and composure of Dragon Empery elegance.
This year marks the 8th anniversary of Azur Lane. Roaming the convention floor in this Chen Hai Retrofit cosplay at such a special milestone felt immensely joyful and meaningful. I met many fellow fans on-site, chatting and taking photos together; the feeling of gathering offline is something you simply cannot experience through a screen. The photography environment at a convention is quite harsh, as overhead lighting easily creates glare and awkward shadows. Fortunately, with the photographer's auxiliary lighting and the tailored design of the outfit, the final Convention photos boast strong lighting dynamics, capturing the billowing coat and dress hem in motion.
As a cosplayer, when portraying characters with long coats and skirts, the biggest worry is creased fabric from standing for extended periods or heels sinking into cushioned mats and throwing off posture. Fortunately, the prop fan and headpieces were relatively lightweight, adding no extra burden to posing. The shot sitting on a folding chair is actually one of my favorites; though simple, the resulting effect was surprisingly casual and natural, conveying a relaxed leisure during a convention break.
Of course, the most exhausting part of attending any convention is maintaining makeup and tidying up the costume over a long day. Luckily, the weather in Nanning was cooperative—not overly sultry—allowing this multi-layered outfit to stay crisp on camera. The white, blue, and black palette is quite unforgiving on skin tone and lighting, easily looking dull if not handled carefully. Fortunately, the overall color grading leaned toward a cool clarity, perfectly matching the character's intrinsic temperament.
The overall experience at this Nanning Anime Convention was fantastic. Despite the holiday crowd, crowd control and event organization were managed well, giving cosplayers sufficient space to pose and showcase their work. Wrapping up this Guangxi Nanning AP trip with this Chen Hai Retrofit cosplay feels like a satisfying milestone for Azur Lane's 8th anniversary and my own convention journey. I look forward to bringing more quality cosplay works in peak condition and recording more convention highlights in the future.