[Ichinose Asuna cosplay] Blue Archive Maid's Combat Stance

This shoot was for Ichinose Asuna's Maid outfit look, fulfilling a wish I've held for a long time. Right from the initial planning stage, my goal was to stay strictly faithful to the original design—every detail of the costume and the texture of each prop had to be spot-on.

Preparations on the day took quite a while. The wig was flaxen blonde, long and straight, reaching nearly down to my calves. Because the character's hair is exceptionally long, I asked my stylist to thin out the ends and add subtle layering so it would look natural and not appear overly heavy on camera. We also applied anti-frizz styling, as hair of this length tangles very easily with the slightest movement and required frequent brushing. For makeup, I accentuated the blue eyeshadow and eyeliner, paired with blue contact lenses, aiming to recreate that clear yet mechanical gaze under studio lighting. I chose a lightweight foundation since shooting under bright lights for extended hours causes oil buildup, requiring constant powder touch-ups.

The outfit is based on a classic Japanese Maid outfit, but with distinct character details. It features a black puffed-sleeve top and a white apron hemmed with multi-layered pleats accented with blue trim lines. The centerpiece is the large blue ribbon bow at the collar. The skirt is predominantly black with white ruffled trims and blue stripes. To achieve a sleek, form-fitting silhouette, the waist was tailored very snugly, making it a bit of a challenge to put on. Because the character has strong combat elements, wearing this Maid outfit was far from easy; the fabric has considerable weight, making it quite warm and stuffy under studio lighting.

As for the props, the firearm was custom-made, finished with a black, blue, and white paint scheme. The details are intricate, and holding it is surprisingly heavy. During the shoot, I had to maintain single-hand or two-handed tactical poses. At first, I wasn't used to it and felt quite stiff because the stock and grip angles are rather unique, making it tough to find a comfortable leverage point. Luckily, our photographer Xiaoyao was super professional; he guided my positioning and posing throughout, showing me how to handle the gun more dynamically—such as tilting the muzzle slightly upward, rotating my wrist, and even pinpointing where my index finger should rest outside the trigger guard. He also coached me on showing off the skirt hem and leg lines, using slight body turns and the White over-the-knee socks with black garter straps to enhance visual depth. The headset and floating halo props also needed continuous adjustment to ensure they didn't block my face while looking natural on camera. Because the poses were quite dynamic, I had to keep resetting my breath and balance—especially when posing on one leg, which demanded continuous core tension.

To complement the floating blue sci-fi halo above my head, we experimented with different lighting setups. The lighting directly influenced the blue stripes on the costume and the halo effect, which were finally brought to life through post-processing compositing to deliver that tech-infused atmosphere. Along the way, I tried out various expressions as well. At first, my expression seemed too gentle, lacking the vigilance of an active combat stance. Later, I focused my attention on the gun in my hands, imagining enemies in front of me, which naturally gave my eyes a sharper edge. Switching between a demure maid and a cold-blooded combatant was something I worked hard to capture.

The hardest part of this shoot was balancing the character's fierce combat traits with a Maid outfit. I had to find that contrast—looking gentle on the surface while maintaining an alert, ready-for-battle gaze and posture. Wearing White over-the-knee socks with tight garter clips to keep them from slipping while walking became exhausting after hours on set, and holding poses in high heels really tested my endurance. Still, reviewing the camera previews and seeing the lighting and postures match my vision made every bit of effort worth it. The studio set was kept clean and minimal to spotlight the character's fine details without distracting backdrops, making it an incredibly satisfying shoot.