[La Pluma cosplay] Day 2 of CICF, the Guard in the Backlight

"Be the Doctor's guard? Okay." And so, this became my main theme for the day at the China International Comics Festival (CICF). In the morning, I was full of confidence, thinking the weather would be great today. However, when I went to the backlit avenue in the afternoon, I immediately understood one thing: God was really showing off, and the sunlight was so strong I could barely open my eyes. Although the backlit photography turned out really beautiful, it was also genuinely hot. Because the Arknights La Pluma cosplay outfit I wore has a techwear style, the fabric is quite thick, the jacket is long and oversized, and the fur collar became somewhat damp from sweat, sticking completely to my skin. That feeling was totally "1551" (miserable)—having a jacket stick to your body is just too uncomfortable. Fortunately, the massive mechanical scythe I held in my hand saved the scene. This prop was very heavy; after walking a few steps with it, my arms were incredibly sore. But in order to strike good poses, I had to grit my teeth, lift it up, and pretend to look effortless. After all, the character La Pluma is typically someone with immense strength who doesn't talk much. The photoshoot process was a real test of endurance. The photographer's camera angle was exceptionally low, basically shooting close to the ground. To find the best angles, I alternated between sitting, squatting, and kneeling on one knee. Even though my leg lines looked quite slender stretched by the low-angle perspective, the repeated squatting and standing made my knees very sore, and coupled with the sweltering heat, sweat kept dripping down my neck. But I tried hard to control my expressions, making my gaze look a bit colder and keeping my lips slightly pursed to capture the character's indifferent vibe. The venue was packed with people, and the surrounding environment was highly noisy. Everyone was constantly moving around—taking pictures, browsing the convention, wearing all sorts of dazzling outfits. But I forced myself to immerse in this character's setting, trying my best to ignore the surrounding clamor. Because only in this way would the resulting photos have true spirit, rather than that stiff feeling of just posing for the sake of posing. After a whole day, the physical exhaustion was immense. My legs were a bit numb and sore, and the red marks on my hands were imprints left by the prop. However, when I saw the final photos, I felt everything was completely worth it. The light hitting the edges of my hair and shining on the cold mechanical weapon, finally frozen into a frame, made me feel as if the character's soul had briefly possessed me for a moment. I guess this is the power of a hobby. Even though wearing such heavy clothes in summer is definitely a challenge, challenging yourself occasionally is also quite nice. Now that I can finally sit down and rest, feeling the cool air from the air conditioner and looking at the bright sunshine still outside, I think the atmosphere at the CICF convention is really wonderful. This feeling of gathering with fellow enthusiasts and striving to bring the characters we love to life is a rare experience in everyday life. Well, today's backlit guard experience ends here. Although it was hard work, it's also a very unique and deeply touching memory of this summer.