[Furina cosplay] A male cosplayer's Furina photoshoot: Everyone, listen to my command!

For this Furina photoshoot, styling the wig and securing the hat alone took nearly two hours. The wig is silver-gray long curly hair, and the trimming of the bangs and sideburns required meticulous care. To make the top of the head look fuller and more natural, a hair bump was tucked inside. That styling top hat was not light either, featuring gold metal decorations and sapphires on the brim; multiple hairpins were used to secure it, repeatedly confirming that it wouldn't slip off during the shoot. In terms of makeup, the base makeup was applied very fair, and a lot of effort went into contouring to make the facial structure softer. The eye makeup was the focal point: bright blue colored contacts were worn, red-pink eyeshadow was blended at the outer corners of the eyes, matched with vibrant red lipstick, hoping to showcase the character's gorgeous yet slightly arrogant vibe.
The details of the costume are extremely rich, and the first impression upon putting on this outfit was its weight. The dark blue jacket adopts a tailcoat-like tailoring, the gold metal trims on the cuffs and lapels have a great texture under the lighting, and every piece of embroidery is exquisite. The inner layer is a white double-breasted vest, with a black multi-layered ruffle cravat tied at the collar, and the sapphire brooch right in the center serves as the finishing touch. The blue satin ribbon at the waist combined with the gold tassels on the white shorts makes the overall layering even more abundant. Black leather thigh rings were worn on the legs, paired with sapphire pendants, getting visually closer to the original design. The gloves are asymmetric: one side is a black leather fingerless glove, while the other is a white glove, and this contrast in details makes the styling more memorable.
The shooting location was at the Maho Shoujo venue, where the vintage set design fit the character's atmosphere exceptionally well. Dark wooden bookshelves, dark red wallpaper, green grid windows, and red velvet curtains formed an excellent shooting background. The books on the bookshelf and the blue-purple ambient lighting added some mysterious colors to the frame. The golden long sword and empty photo frame held in hand were also important props. The blade of the long sword is light blue, with gorgeous gold decorations and sapphire inlay embedded at the hilt, carrying a certain heft in the hand.
During the shoot, to showcase the character's temperament, I tried a variety of sitting and standing postures. For instance, sitting on the carpet while supporting the photo frame with one hand, or sitting on a chair while gently touching the brim of the hat with one hand, as well as extending the arm while holding the long sword. As a male cosplayer portraying a female character, besides the external attire, what's more important is to understand the character's personality and body language. I tried my best to draw in my lower abdomen, straighten my spine, and adjust the angle of my shoulders and neck, hoping to make the frame look more coordinated through these subtle adjustments. For example, when sitting on a chair, I would shift my center of gravity to one side, allowing the leg lines to extend naturally. The first set of actions involved sitting on the carpet, holding the empty photo frame in hand, which required exhibiting a somewhat lazy yet confident demeanor. The photographer asked me to relax my shoulders and neck, conveying emotions through my gaze. Later, switching to the chair, touching the brim of the hat with one hand while letting the other hand hang down naturally, in order to capture that poised and unflappable feeling, I repeatedly adjusted the angle of my wrist and the straightness of my back.
Because the costume is relatively heavy, coupled with the wig and hat, shooting for a long time can get quite stuffy, but seeing the frames on the monitor made all these efforts feel completely worthwhile. Every action and gaze went through repeated adjustments, hoping to do my best to restore the character's divine essence. The line 'Everyone, listen to Furina's command' kept echoing in my mind throughout the shoot, helping me get into the zone better. The entire shooting process was extremely fulfilling; from makeup and styling to props, every link was pushed to be the best possible. Even though the wig and hat made my scalp feel a bit numb, the sense of achievement at the moment of seeing the finished photos is beyond words.