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Today's installment of CTA will be a special Shrine Maidens edition, featuring the antagonistic yurei in the Fatal Frame franchise, from 1 to 4.
Throughout the series, different rituals and different shrine maidens have all been heavily involved with the various tragedies that strike each place, from Himuro Mansion to the Mansion of Sleep, and even Rougetsu Island. I chose to feature each of these tragic beauties for 2 reasons. The first being that they are all startlingly complex and compassionate characters until the battle between duty and love force them to make uncomfortable decisions. And second: they all wear kimonos, miko robes, or like attire, which will cut down massively on explaining every detail.
I won't be including Blinded from the first game, nor Engravers of Voice of the Tattoo, nor the Handmaidens or Kanade in this article for the sake of length.
As previously stated, these characters wear either kimonos or miko's robes, so you're best first finding a pattern to make one. This site here provides a good tutorial on making a yukata, which is traditionally a summer item, and thinner (and does not have a lot inner linings or ornate details). Most miko in this article are wearing kimonos, with the xception of Sae, whom you can get away with only making a yukata. This link here provides a tutorial on how to draft a kimono or yukata pattern. This link here is a tutorial on making the miko bottom trousers, or hakama.
If you're industrious enough, you can find patterns and tutorials on how to craft one for yourself. I mention this because most of the kimonos you will find for the shrine maidens are either very plain (white, gray, etc), or have ornate specialized patterns. In the world of the miko garb, which includes the hakama and top portions, most of the ones you will find here will fall under two color hakama: red or blue. In this way, this makes this slightly easier for one since you can purchase these items (though I won't lie, this can be very expensive). Again, if one is industrious and polite enough, there are plenty of places and even cosplayers willing to give you pointers.
Now let's begin looking at each costume. Please click each image for a (slightly) larger picture. Sadly, I do not have access to very many hi-res pics.
Kirie HimuroAlso called: The Rope Shrine Maiden, Rope Priestess, Woman in the White Kimono
Game: Fatal Frame
Ritual: Strangling Ritual
Caused: The Calamity
Kirie is one of those special ghosts that can kill you in one hit until the final battle. As such, she is the game's final boss, and the most imposing. As a miko, her outfit is a simple white kimono. Her obi and kimono are both white, as well as the cord that goes around the obi. This is one of the more simpler costumes we'll explore here, since there is no dying involved, nor must you have to worry about intricate detail work. A render of Kirie, before The Calamity, can be found here.
She also wears traditional tabi socks, which are worn with Japanese sandals, or geta. Kirie does not appear to wear geta, as in all instances of meeting her when you can see her feet, they are only clad in tabi socks. These can be found quite easily online for sale.
Also note that her kimono has long furisode sleeves, which traditionally meant that this kimono was worn by an available unmarried woman (the length of the sleeves varies by length and occasion, but more often than not, one will see these sleeves being long). Curiously, Miku Hinasaki's alternate yukata/kimono have short sleeves, much like a long sleeved jumper. Note that most art shows her kimono being folded and worn "properly", as in for people still living: left over right. Kimonos wrapped on the dead are wrapped the opposite way: right over left. Either wrapping is acceptable, but most of her renders and art have her kimono wrapped for "the living". She also appears to wear an under layer, typical of kimonos, called a shitagi.
Note that parts of her kimono appear blackened or dirty, especially on the sleeves and on the bottom of her kimono. This appears to give her the distressed figure of a dead spirit. This is a good detail to keep in mind for looking the part. Kirie before the ceremony has an immaculate outfit, where everything is white and pure. For her yurei version, its recommended to have this dirtying or distressing of your outfit. It is also entirely possible these smears/distressed marks are dried blood from the strangling ceremony, so if you wish to have these appear as dried blood, that is also acceptable, though one must be careful with the vivid hue you'll choose, since Sae's trademark bloody kimono is splashed and smeared with blood as well, though hers appears much more fresh.
As seen here in this shot from the ending, the kimono knot in the back is a box style knot, where it is folded in a way that makes it look like a little box. While it only appears here in Kirie's "purified" miko form, one can assume in her yurei form, it is the same knot. The knot appearing on young Kirie appears to be what I think is known as the plump suzume/sparrow knot, which I believe is the same one Chitose uses in Crimson Butterfly.
Her hair, as seen from the first image, appears black, and long and just about mid back/breast length. Pre-Calamity Kirie's hair is much more well-kept as well as brushed away from her face, with long locks falling over her shoulders. In the form you normally see her, vengeful Calamity version, her hair obscures her face, with longer bangs falling over more of her left side of her face. A traditional yurei hairstyle, it should obscure the forehead and eyes (but still allow you some vision!). They appear to have a layered cut, unusual for the time, but something to consider.
To complete the look, you'll need about 8 ghastly spirits hovering behind you howling in anguish.
What? You can't get those? Well, what good are you?
Joking aside, the last pieces to complete your look ought to be the shinto ritual ropes around her neck, and wrists. This appears to be a heavy rope, at least and inch thick, with frayed ends. The neck rope should fall to about the top of your obi, while the wrist ropes can vary in length, but never touch the floor. They also have folded paper ofuda attached, which are traditional japanese paper charms used in various rituals. These paper lengths should not be too much longer than your rope lengths.
Your props are limited to ropes, unless you have access to anguished screaming souls (though some people have gotten creative with their Kirie costumes, even running bendable wires through the ropes to make them appear to float).
Sae KurosawaAlso called: Bloody Kimono, White Kimono
Game: Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
Ritual: Crimson Ritual
Caused: The Repentance
Sae Kurosawa, another beloved violent disaster spirit, isn't without her fun. If you like maniacal laughter and the idea of slaughtered villagers, then Sae is for you.
Like, Kirie's kimono, Sae's is markedly simple. Her shrine maiden kimono is white (off-white/eggshell if you take a look at some pre-Repentance render art). A difference between hers and Kirie's kimonos is that Sae's (indeed all Crimson Ritual twins') kimono is folded for "the dead", right over left. This is an important detail, and would normally be a kimono faux pas. A close look to rendered art reveals she too also wears a shitagi, or under kimono garment. As the game appears to have her kimono thinner than Kirie's, this undergarment is not required, and in fact a single layer suffices for obtaining Sae's slender look.
Her obi can be either white as well, or a light gray. Another major difference between Kirie's and Sae's kimono that that Sae's (and indeed all Crimson Ritual twins') obi is tied with a bright red rope, the image color for the game. This rope, in some art appearing wound over her arm, should be at the very least floor length, or long enough to hang. A bright vivid red is the key to this accent. If you have a companion to play your sister Yae, the cords can be connected to each other (provided they are loose enough to allow the two of you to be separated for necessary actions such as going to the bathroom!) to symbolize the connection and becoming one with your twin. A screen from the Promise Ending shows the cord connected:
Also note that the obi is tied in a butterfly knot, which is the go to and most recognizable kimono knot. For contrasts, it is fully acceptable to have a grey and white obi to offset your kimono. The butterfly knot, shown left, is found on most of the characters' kimonos throughout the series (though a few will use a different, puffy round knot). This piece of art depicts another set of ritual twins, which shows their obis as being connected by the red cord, but also a dark gray. This is somewhat acceptable, though Sae's is mostly white.
Like Kirie, tabi socks seem to be worn by the shine maidens as well as the Altar Twins (or male versions of the maidens). These are, of course, white, though wearing geta with these might be a good idea for foot safety at a convention or at a party (or even haunting around during Halloween, you never know!). Just try to find foot wear appropriate for the costume.
Now the meat of her outfit, the blood spatter. The blood spatter pattern isn't exactly all that complicated, unless you wish it to be. The blood liberally is applied to the front of her kimono, just under the red cord on the obi, and almost to about shin height.
Don't go crazy with spatter. in some places, it merely appears to be large splotches made from being in contact with something bleeding (an arm perhaps?), staining it. There are a few streaks, as if from hands grasping and sliding off. There isnt' too much high speed splatter happening here, but if you got the means, by gum, go on ahead. Just be mindful that most of the smearing is just that, and from contact, rather than splashing.
Go for a vivid, or slightly fresh color. Red enough to provide a good accent to an otherwise pristine white, but also slightly dried, as it appears very dark. Don't go too far into the browns.
I realize this is the most disturbingly painstaking explanation of blood I've ever typed for the site. Thank you, Sae, you make me feel homocidal. Or fromokaidal, if you prefer.
Let's finish up with the hair. Uncommon for the time (and likely for story purposes), Sae's hair is short, and cut to just above shoulder-length. Her hair is supposed to mimic Mayu's hair, only hers appears to have a slight part to the left. This makes her easily mixed-up for the gimped sister.
Spoiler, please highlight: Also note that Sae has a rope burn mark from her neck. This comes from her unfortunate demise to hanging, rather than being strangled by her sister. This is not a required make-up effort, but it is a good one that's very true to the game art and renders. End spoilers.
Your props, if you wish for any, can be various red butterflies, or if you're feeling rather malicious, then perhaps Limbo Woman's missing arms. However your best "accessory" will ultimately either be a very elaborate Kusabi cosplayer, or a Yae.
Reika KuzeAlso called: Tattoo Priestess, Tattooed Maiden, Tattooed Woman
Game: Fatal Frame 3: Voice of the Tattoo
Ritual: Piercing of the Soul, Impalement Ritual
Caused: The Unleashing
Reika's outfit options are unique, in that not only do you have 2 options to choose from (or rather, 3), but that you now are saddled with tattoo work. Reika has the most outfits dedicated to her priestesshood, or at the very least the most varying outfit options of any other shrine maiden. Let's focus first on her most easy outfit: the blue kimono.
Reika's kimono is a dark blue with a flower pattern, probably that of a traditional chrysanthenum (or you can try for a holly design, in keeping with visual thematic themes). Click left picture for a slightly larger version. Since blue is the game's image color, your blue should be a cool blue that's headed more towards indigo than the green side. The pattern appears in a slightly lighter blue, and if one cannot find a fabric that is similar enough, then hand painting will be the way to go.
Her obi is white, and presumably also tied with a butterfly knot. Unlike the previous two girls, Reika in this kimono does not wear tabi socks, instead going completely barefoot. Sandals are probably the way to go during convention/walking around for safety.
Reika's hair is long, much like Kirie's, reaching her mid back, with locks over her the front of her shoulders. Like Kirie, her hair when in vengeful spirit mode, will obscure her face.
Props for this version would likely be a Echo Stone Earring or a blue diary.
Next, let's take a look at her next costume version, during the isolation portion of her preparation for the next part of the laborious ritual.
This outfit, seen rarely except in this rendered art, depicts Reika in her miko robes, with the white top, and blue hakama. Any other time you will encounter Reika, it is after the Piercing of the Soul portion of the ritual, where she is already covered with elaborate tattoos. This art then is a sort of bridging outfit between yukata Reika and priestess Reika. The outfit consists of blue hakama pants, presumably white tabi socks (or barefoot, as she is in other art), and a white kimono top that shinto priestess wear.
For the rest of the time when you encounter Reika, she is in vengeful spirit mode. This outfit is the most daring, as it depicts Reika topless, showing off her snake and holly tattoos. She continues to wear the blue hakama pants, but there is notable distressing, not unlike Kirie's kimono, only much more so. There appears to be a white underlayer of the pants.
Like her other series counterparts, Reika's hair falls over her face, though there are times when one can see it, where it is also covered in tattoos, and her eyes display an eerie reflective nature (becoming like mirrors, as per the ritual). The eyes, while tricky, may be able to be achieved by obtaining white, or almost white contact lenses.
The meat of Reika's costume are the tattoos. Achieving the look of being topless but decent is probably best achieved by a nude body garment not unlike what ice skaters or dancers and gymnasts might wear to achieve plunging necklines but staying modest. These sorts of garments can probably be easily found at dance costume shops.
With this in hand, and making sure the fabric color is close to your own skintone (or perhaps finding one that is more deathlike and white and coloring your skin to a pallid ghostly color), the fun can begin. In the rendered art and some versions of Reika, the tattoos leave the space between her breasts, all the way down to her bellybutton blank, achiveing an almost lacy look to her pattern, and tattooing only parts of her arms, while her back is covered.
The pattern on her victims, however, appear as completely covering their skin without space for the pattern. This is entirely left up to you how far you wish to go with the tattooing.
The following is a gallery of details to the snake and holly tattoo, which represent loss of love, and the pain of living. Note that sometimes the pattern seems to be almost entirely blue (as on Reika and Rei), but appear blushish purple or red on others (Miku's are the latter). Click for larger.
Freestyling all the tattoos may prove hard, but with perseverance, you can achieve a very stunning and unique look for this costume. Don't be afraid to pepper simple swirls and curly-cues with more detailed snakes and holly, which will allow you an all over tattoo with a pleasing yet not too painful or painstaking process.
The Utsuwa (Sakuya Haibara & Tsubaki Tono)Also called: Masked Dancer
Game: Fatal Frame 4: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Ritual: Rougetsu Kagura & Kiraigou
Caused: Day Without Suffering
Though I've yet to play the 4th installment, I have nothing but good feelings for it (and plan to play it within the week). The ritual girls in this game differ from their predecessors in that there are two, and both are responsible for a failing ritual (as they were performed simultaneously).
The role of the Utsuwa is to dance in a special ceremony to worship the lunar eclipse, to the accompaniment of other chosen maidens called the Kanade. There are two maidens, as there are two ceremonies: one performed for tourists (performed by Tsubaki), and a secretive one that was closer to the original ceremony (performed by Sakuya).
In this way, you are given two different ghosts to pick from. Let's look at what they have in common. While in different colors, the kimonos appear to be very similar, with black stitching on the sleeves, and wide colored obis. Their feet are not shown so its under speculation what the foot wear is like. The sleeves have long furisode length (as their predecessors have had). The pattern on both kimonos are similar but not exactly the same; they have an almost stylized tree or jagged fog/cloud pattern that begins at the bottom of the hem and continues up to under the obi, and appears on the bottom of the sleeves.
Tsubaki's outfit is in white, with a red obi. On the concept art, her tree/cloud pattern appears as a swirling vortex, colored in black. The pattern on her obi appears to be an intricate red and black brocade, which might pose some complications for those wishing to purchase their obi. The Utsuwa kimonos have such a threatening and striking appearance that it may be necessary to construct and paint your own design onto the kimono rather than relying on finding matching fabric.
Her kimono appears distressed, as if dirtied, but in an even all-over distressing, rather than in patches like Kirie's.
Tsubaki's hairstyle as the utsuwa is left long, and her hair appears to fall almost the the top of her obi. Straight, it is also crowned by a stringed headdress, with strings evenly dangling over it.
As per the ritual, Tsubaki wears a mask over her face. It appears as a neutral female face, whith a material made from a white colored material. It also appears to be tied in place with string. The lips look as though they are painted, as well as the eyes and if it does have eyeholes, they are very narrow, so narrow as to be assumed to be painted on.
Tsubaki's over all colors evoke more deathly images, being in white with the red accents
By contrast, Sakuya's outfit is vibrant with violence. Sakuya's kimono is primarily red, with some orange undertones. Her obi is, like Tsubaki's, a brocade like design, in blacks and yellows, to offset her red. Her pattern on her kimono appears to be outlined in yellow, which gives the pattern an almost firey appearance. Her kimono is similarly distressed by dirt and time.
Her hairstyle is similar to Tsubaki's only much more unruly and tousled. It does not, like her predecessors, cover or obscure her face. This lends a whirling dervish image to her, especially considering her role as a dancer. She does not appear to wear a headpiece.
Sakuya's mask is the titular mask of the game, which is made from a dark material, instead of a light one like Tsubaki's. Her mask also has very narrow eyeholes, which little detail to the facial features. There is some distressing on the mask, like paint peeling or chipping. Her mask seems well-formed onto her face, though the expression can seem sinister. If one wants to, they can apply cracks to the mask, as the mask itself was broken in the game, and searching to make it whole is a big part of the plot.
About the hardest part of the costume, if you want the full effect of the ghost's creepiness, is the effect of Blooming, which is something of a physical warping on the face. Such things are usually left to the special effects, post-production nature, but producing the Blooming effect isn't completely necessary, if one wishes to only apply make up to distort the face.
Though to be honest, I have never seen a creepier use of the effect until now. So the game has this much going for it.
And that should be it! A lengthy, and though not as deep as I would have liked it, pretty deep CTA. Next CTA will likely involve the supplimentary shrine maidens such as the Handmaidens from Voice of the Tattoo, or Blinded from the first game. Until next CTA, Lunies, and happy haunting!
Hey! Looking for my CTA? Wander on over here to find it!
--Dio (10/16/11)
(All images and gif can be found on both the Fatal Frame/Zero wiki, and most if not all belong to Beyond the Camera's Lens)
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