[Eleg cosplay] Engineering Genius in Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, Carrying a 10-Pound Prop was Worth It

Let's get straight to the point: Dreamland Anime Convention has come to a successful close, and I can finally post my Eleg cosplay Convention photos. Right now, the delivery box in Photo 4 best represents everything I've just experienced.

For friends who frequently do location shoots or attend conventions, the most nerve-wracking thing is never the heat on-site or practicing poses countless times, but rather that pile of heavy, unwieldy props that make people look at you like you're crazy on trains or subways. This time, to faithfully recreate this little genius with a mechanical madman vibe from Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, I started prototyping and assembling this yellow mechanical cylinder prop way in advance. Embarrassingly, I initially thought it was just simple cardboard and PVC pipes, but to pursue so-called "texture" and camera appeal, I reinforced and detailed the internal skeleton, counterweights, and outer lacquer finish. When placed on the scale at last, it weighed a full ten pounds plus.

Carrying it around the convention hall, far from showing Eleg's tsundere "not tired or sleepy at all" attitude, I was inwardly close to crumbling under physical gravity. Especially given the long route at the convention that day—from ticket control to my booth and then to various shooting spots—a distance usually covered effortlessly turned into a fitness military drill thanks to this extra ten-pound block. But interestingly enough, the moment you set the prop on the ground, tidy your wig, and slip on that yellow jacket, that mindset of "overcoming hardship for the character" instantly surges up.

Let's talk about the details of this outfit. Everyone can see in the photos that the overall color scheme is very vibrant. The yellow jacket paired with a white inner layer fits her positioning as an engineering department staff member well. Combined with shorts, iconic black straps, and a White thigh-highs outfit, the visual layering opens up instantly. I specifically picked sneakers with a bit of cushion, ensuring the overall look remained harmonious while keeping my feet from hurting at every step throughout a full day at the expo. In fact, a huge part of the fun in cosplay lies in digging into the details—such as waist decorations, glove details, and that side cylindrical accessory, all of which I wanted to recreate as faithfully as possible.

Regarding the final shots, the photographer met at Dreamland Anime Convention was also fantastic. Because the venue was large, indoor lighting was actually quite complex, so the photographer put a lot of thought into lighting setup. While I was trying hard to "work it" in front of the camera, I was actually physically exhausted, but in the photos, it looks like a cool, composed posture troubleshooting mechanical engineering issues. This is probably the most magical aspect of cosplay: exchanging a single second to capture fragments of a character's centuries-long life.

Finally, speaking of Photo 4, that's a true portrayal of life after the convention. Everything packed back into this cardboard box, wrapped layer upon layer with bubble wrap, terrified of chipping any lacquer on the prop. That feeling is truly complex: at the convention, the prop felt as heavy as a mountain, yet after wrapping up, being so exhausted made even unpacking them feel tedious, so I just packed it up to process slowly at home.

Honestly, every cosplay session brings a feeling of being emptied yet filled up at the same time. To take great photos and hear someone say "you look just like them," what you pay isn't just costumes, makeup, and props, but also physical strength, energy, and patience. Although Eleg cosplay made me tired enough to lie down right on the spot, seeing these Convention photos makes all the hardship feel entirely worth it. Cosplaying is always a painfully joyful process, especially for characters with bulky props. If you want to try it, make sure to be mentally prepared, because physical weight really makes you exhausted.