The most appropriate group to review this material is Senior Prop Fabricators and Costume Electronics Engineers, due to the highly technical nature of the 3D printing, complex LED integration, and rapid problem-solving required under a tight deadline.
Abstract
This submission details the rapid prototyping and fabrication of a complex prop—the illuminated "Sword of Sparda" from the Netflix adaptation of Devil May Cry—for a White Rabbit cosplay intended for the Fantasy Basel convention. The project was executed under severe time constraints (less than four weeks) and involved sophisticated integration of additive manufacturing (3D printing) and custom electronics. Key challenges included an initial failure in calculating LED forward voltage for a series circuit, requiring a major redesign to a parallel 6V system. Furthermore, the initial plan to use UV casting resin for the illuminated runes failed due to lack of adhesion. This necessitated a final, rapid pivot to a V2 design that utilized translucent PLA and a silk PLA core for superior light diffusion, successfully completing the prop just before the convention deadline.
0:00 Project Context: The fabrication project centers on creating a two-part full cosplay, prioritizing the complex illuminated sword prop for the White Rabbit character from the Netflix Devil May Cry series, for the Fantasy Basel convention.
0:36 Design Requirements: The sword replica is massive, requiring integrated electronics to achieve a glow effect and illuminate specific rune patterns, replicating the activated "Sword of Sparda" appearance.
1:13 Initial Timeline & Materials: The project commenced with only 17 days remaining (starting May 8th for a May 31st deadline). Initial components included a pre-ordered foam latex rabbit mask and custom 3D printed components for the sword.
1:53 Sword V1 Electronics Integration Plan: The sword was designed to split into two halves, with LED strips recessed into the rune patterns (1mm deep grooves). Illumination was intended to be diffused via a clear resin cast applied over the grooves. The hilt was designated to house the battery pack.
4:06 Critical Electronics Error (V1): The initial circuit design placed all six LED strips in series. This overlooked the aggregate forward voltage requirement, resulting in a necessary voltage of approximately 30V, far exceeding the planned low-voltage battery pack capacity.
4:54 V2 Circuit Redesign: An immediate redesign was executed, converting the wiring to a predominantly parallel configuration powered by a 6V source (four AA batteries) to meet the electrical load requirements (tested at 2.5 amps).
6:44 Sword Blade Assembly (V1): The revised electronics were successfully soldered and cable managed. A critical glue-up phase followed, requiring precise alignment within a five-minute working window.
8:45 Resin Failure and Material Shift: An attempt was made to pigment and cast the rune channels using UV-curing clear resin. This experiment failed (10:08) as the resin did not adhere to the 3D-printed material and began peeling, forcing a fundamental redesign just one week prior to the convention.
10:29 Sword V2 Fabrication Rework: A rapid V2 iteration was designed, reducing the required LED count by half. The blade body was printed directly in black PLA, intended for simplified surface finishing (wet sanding and chrome paint application).
11:00 Advanced Light Diffusion Technique: The V2 design incorporated translucent purple PLA for the light channels, backed by a layer of silk PLA. This technique significantly improved internal light reflection and uniformity, increasing brightness and masking the individual LED strips from view.
13:23 Concurrent Prop Development: Work was also initiated on the character’s artificial heart prop, which was colored using an unconventional shimmery pigment to resemble demon blood.
14:32 Final Assembly and Success: The V2 blade sections were successfully wired, glued, and attached to the hilt, confirming full illumination (14:43) and functionality prior to the event.
17:16 Completion: The project concluded with the successful completion of the complex illuminated sword, despite multiple late-stage technical failures and high-pressure manufacturing deadlines.