THEME: TANABATA MATSURI When I came across this contest, my biggest challenge was finding a theme that wasn't cliché, I’m not sure if I managed to avoid it completely, but when the vibrant colors of the Tanabata Festival came to mind, I thought this might be the perfect fit for me. The festival celebrates the reunion of a couple separated across the stars, thinking of Orihime and her sewing skills, I realized she shared that trait with Zero and suddenly, the theme I’d chosen made even more sense! Zero’s design, like Null’s and Fenix’s is very simple, as I wanted the most striking element to be the melancholic contrast between Zero and the festival's colorful atmosphere. Nothing beats a charming *yukata*, which pairs perfectly with the socks from the original design! The earrings have been part of the concept since the very first sketch; I went through a few revisions, but I definitely wanted his name printed on one of the earrings in a style resembling Japanese calligraphy. For Null, I wanted to represent the couple as two stars (one on each ear) Since Null can split in two, the concepts of separation and reunion fit the festival's story beautifully! And, as is obvious, he also represents a vibrant fireworks display! Finally, there’s Fenix, wearing a lightweight outfit inspired by the paper decorations characteristic of the festival, along with a headband representing an ox—a nod to Hikoboshi’s profession as a cattle herd! I hope you enjoyed it <3