More Chii Cosplay

As usual, I like to use some of the money I receive at Christmas to buy myself a nice gift - particularly the kind I'm less than enthusiastic about asking for. In this case, my Christmas gift to myself this year is [what will hopefully be] my cosplay costume for the anime convention coming up in [the very beginning of] April. It is a beautiful (and sexy) pink dress worn by Chii of Chobits in one of the images in the official Chobits art book, Your Eyes Only, which I got for Christmas last year. If you remember, I made the determination last September that I would cosplay as Chii, despite being gender-disadvantaged. To celebrate finally getting my hands on the dress I intend to wear, here are a bunch more pictures of Chii cosplayers!

Starting with a few leftovers from last time:

I am still quite fond of the "bandages" outfit, on account of it being hardly an outfit at all.

Very sexy. But hard to pull off in public. And particularly hard for a crossplayer, since it's pretty form-fitting, and there's so much flesh on display.

Speaking of skimpy outfits, I also like Chii's fashion sense when it comes to pajamas. Very casual, usually involving either a loose button-down shirt (liberally buttoned) or a long t-shirt, and a simple pair of panties (or not ;-).

Of course, Chii also looks great in a bikini. Even though you usually see her in a more modest one-piece school swimsuit.

Now, in every cosplay, there is a costume, and there is a model. Costume quality varies wildly; and not every cosplayer is exactly model material. Of course, a cosplay doesn't have to be perfect in order to be fun, but knowing me, I am drawn to the cosplays that are most beautiful and photogenic. And while a terrible costume will look bad even on a great model, I have to give the edge to the model over the costume, since ultimately I see the costume as an accessory to the beauty of the model and not the other way around. Thus, my top favorite Chii cosplays tend to be those that feature the prettiest cosplayers underneath.

You may be noticing a trend. A lot of Chii's dresses leave her shoulders exposed. I think it's a great style. Both elegant and sexy. And I totally dig the added emphasis on her collarbone.

There's no shortage of glamorous gowns and dresses for Chii to appear in. Pink is an obvious favorite.

Though if you're going all out with an elaborate style, you want to be careful that your dress is nice enough, so that it doesn't come off as being too costume-y.

One thing that is conspicuously lacking in a great many cosplay photos, is a sense of artistry. There are good reasons for this, as with cosplay, the focus is often on the craftsmanship of the costume, rather than making an artistic statement, and much of it is snapping pictures of friends and strangers you pass in the hallways. And while part of cosplay (for some) is the fun of acting the character, an impromptu scene in a hotel can't compete with a planned photoshoot. But true connoisseurs of the hobby have the option of seeking those opportunities out. The right photographic approach can make the difference between a cosplay snapshot and a potentially beautiful piece of fantasy art.

I must send my love out also to Freya, Chii's equally stunning sister and darker half.

So much pretty cosplay, and we haven't even gotten to The Dress yet!

Stay tuned for more!

To be continued...