This time, my partner and I cosplayed Chisato and Takina from Lycoris Recoil, shooting directly in the United States using authentic prop gear. Handling realistic props provided a genuinely unique feel; although the prop firearms had no firing capability, the metallic coldness and counterweight feel instantly maxed out character immersion. We specifically sought out an industrial-style warehouse with gray concrete walls, red steel barrels, scrap tires, and worn cardboard boxes, perfectly matching the underground tactical vibe of the anime.
Regarding costumes, Chisato's wine-red jacket paired with a blue tie, alongside Takina's deep blue jacket with a gray skirt, complemented by Black over-the-knee stockings and uniform shoes, faithfully restored the anime's uniform designs. The wigs were hand-trimmed to fit their respective hair features—Chisato's short blonde hair and Takina's long straight black hair had their ends and bangs adjusted according to reference images, so they didn't look unnatural when worn. The brown leather bags were also custom made, with detailed vintage buckles and textures; sitting on an oil drum holding the bag in the first photo felt like organizing gear after a completed mission.
The most interesting part of this shoot was the action design. We referenced the partner combat stances from the original work—such as the high-and-low crisscross stance in the second photo, or the third photo where I grabbed my partner's hand preparing to evacuate, with the photographer capturing that tense moment. Because the props carried realistic weight and materials, the center of gravity and leverage points when holding firearms differed completely from plastic props; naturally extended arms kept muzzle positions much steadier, ensuring poses didn't look weightless in this Tactical style photography session.
Lighting was also carefully crafted. The photographer intentionally used a strong side light to slice sharp diagonal shadows across the gray walls, simulating the oppressed yet crisp lighting of a warehouse, which nicely highlighted uniform fabric textures and the subtle sheen reflections on the stockings. Under strong lighting, the Black over-the-knee stockings presented a matte yet breathable visual effect, with leg lines extending naturally during seated and stepping poses.
The shooting process was quite demanding. Since authentic props carried considerable weight, holding aiming poses for long periods made arms sore, but we adjusted repeatedly to ensure expressions remained spot-on. The positions of oil drums and tires were moved multiple times to build depth between foreground and background, supporting the industrial atmosphere without obscuring the subjects. In the final photos, color saturation and shadow transitions felt very comfortable; the red and blue uniforms popped vividly against the dark gray background, and eye contact between partners was executed flawlessly.
All in all, this was an extremely satisfying shoot. From props and costumes to scenes, everything was kept as close to the original work as possible, and the tactile feel and weight of authentic props were truly irreplaceable by post-production effects. The photography team was exceptionally professional, refining every movement and angle carefully, making this a dedicated cosplay attempt worth documenting.