One of Japan’s top cosplayers introduces us to the hidden wonders of the two-piece bathing suit.

Japanese company Mocolle, which takes its name from the words mousou (“fantasy” or “delusion” in Japanese) and “collection”, has been proudly living up to its moniker over the years, making all our fantasies a reality with crowd-pleasers like kimono-style roomwear and shrine maiden swimsuits.

Now the company is taking its design cues from another chapter of Japan’s fashionable history, this time with the Kunoichi Mizugi, or Female Ninja Bathing Suit.

Ninja costumes have been known to typically cover most of the body, to help stealth assassins blend into the shadows during their secret missions, but female ninja are often depicted in period dramas, movies, anime, and games with a lot more skin on display. Mocolle is running with this idea and turning things up a notch with this new five-piece set, modelled for the company by popular Japanese cosplayer Ryo Yamabuki.

The bikini top is styled on the crossover-style top worn by traditional ninja, with multiple colours on the neck area creating the appearance of a multi-layered top.

The mesh insert offers some coverage over the deep plunging neckline, while adding a chain mail element to the design.

▼ Ninja-esque armbands get a mesh makeover to match the top of the bathing suit.

The bikini bottoms feature short leggings with a skirt, using the same red, blue and black colour scheme. The skirt comes with a high slit for ease of movement while swimming. After all, not all shinobi can walk on water.

The pretty ribbon ties on the back of the halter-neck bikini top will help cover up your identity as a ninja without covering up your skin.

Mocolle is currently working to raise funds to produce the ninja bikini commercially, with a crowdfunding campaign on Campfire. Considering the overwhelming popularity of their past crowdfunding missions, the Ninja Bikini looks set to follow in the successful footsteps of their past garments, especially since they’re offering it at a 15-percent discount, for 6,885 yen (US$60.41), to a limited number of supporters.

To help support the campaign, head over to the official campaign page here, and to see more of the Japanese cosplayer, who’s also a guitarist in a rock band, give her a follow on Twitter or Instagram. With her many talents, she might be the next cosplayer to create her own collaborative design with the brand, like Senki did with her eye-popping bunny lingerie!

Source: Campfire/mocolle via Net Lab
Images: Campfire/mocolle