Anime RE-Claimed: My Dress-Up Darling

Okay let's get the obvious outta the way, I'm a sucker for a good love story. I'll admit it Writing romance has never been my forte so when I see a good love story I'm all in. That isn't to say I'm into romance at all, I'm not but I do like seeing two characters who are great for each other get together, and that's more or less of what we're getting here but like any Slice of Life anime there is so much more than meets the eye and we gotta talk about it. Like any anime I decide to watch I'm always lured in by a pretty face and they get no prettiter than gyaru Marin (pro. Mar-reen) Kitagawa, so after seeing that character and the premise for this series I quickly added it to the list. "My Dress-Up Darling" is about Wakana Gojo, a young man with a passion for making Hina dolls coming into contact with cosplay and mega weeb Marin Kitagawa and both their worlds are rocked for the better. I'll explain more after the break;

From the premise alone it doesn't sound like much but the slice of life genre is able to do so much with so little and unlike most slice of life stories this one is really grounded and you'll find yourself saying "I know people like that.". The show on it's face is a typical boy meets girl story but what I found is that the story is actually about passions, finding your passions and embracing them no matter how weird people find it. Wakana Gojo is a 6ft tall average looking boy with little to no social skills, he's very passionate about making Hina dolls and has developed quite a skill for tailoring, so much so that he's able to see the designs and flaws in clothing at a glance. Making Hina Dolls (in the show anyway) is something of a feminine hobby and Gojo endured humiliation for having such a hobby, thus Gojo keeps this to himself. Meanwhile Marin is a complete and total weeb and is outloud and proud about it, sporting keychains and other weeb products about her person. Upon seeing the character I was worried Marin was going to be like Haruhi Suzumiya, who despite being insanely hot was completely annoying, but much to my surprise Marin is actually very sweet and not annoying at all. She squees but no more than normal girls and she isn't stuck up. Her energy really pushes the show forward.

Well, hello there, Beautiful.

Both characters are passionate about their respective hobbies and when Marin discovers Gojo's ability to make clothing she enlists him to help her with her cosplay. As someone who has dabbled in cosplay (for Halloween that is) I was interested and I was surprised about how much detail the show went into about cosplay...or I would have been had I not heard that the creator of the series was a cosplayer herself. As a writer I see the fun in having a character who cosplays as it allows you to draw the same character but different, not only that but I was surprised about how much back story the characters Marin cosplayed as had, and to be honest I'd actually read that "Succubus" manga, it sounds very cute. There are moments when the series transcends the confines of it's story when Marin actually attends the cosplay event and Gojo gets to enjoy Marin enjoying his craftsmanship in her outfit, and at the heart of the story it nailed a very interesting topic that I'd like to spend the next few paragraphs talking about, and that is...

Men and women. Gojo for the longest time kept silent about his Hina dolls, making them quitely for himself because he was shunned for having such a hobby. As a man having a skill or talent that you're proud of and then you get shunned for it is devastating because men want to be useful and when Marin praises Gojo not only for his skills but his knowledge and is constantly in awe at his talent, it's no small wonder as to why Gojo enjoys Marin's company. Likewise when Marin meets Gojo and he shows himself capable, caring, kind and supportive, it's no small mystery as to why Marin finds herself falling for Gojo, resulting in what I think is one of the best love confessions in an anime series ("My Love Story" aside). Gojo tells Marin that he doesn't considering any beautiful unless he really means it completely, thus far the only thing Gojo found beautiful were Hina dolls, so when in a dead tired stupor Gojo tells Marin she looked "beautiful" in her cosplay, Marin immediately understands the implication.

Great scene here.

Gojo being able to watch his craftsmenship on display like a proud papa was in fact what he's been looking his whole life, validation that his skills and talents matter and can make someone happy and he did that. I was awed by the writer's abilities to in simple terms showcase the best of men and women in such a simple series. Talking about the characters Gojo is a character I could have easily been considering I spent most of my youth indoors working on my own comicbooks, which much like Gojo I write solely for my own pleasure and no one else's and much like Gojo I didn't go out very often due to not having a vehicle and lack of interest in going out anyway, I'm an introvert. Had it not been for the advent of the internet I doubt I'd have made any meaningful connections in my life...let alone get married. But that's a topic for another day.

Gojo is wholesome and unassuming and because of his innocent nature Gojo doesn't know much of anything outside of normal teenage fare, so movies and even going to the beach are all new to him. Marin on the other hand is a social butterfly or as the trope has been named "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" and the criticism of said trope can't be applied her because this series is written by a woman, and as much as people wanna say the Manic Pixie Dream Girl appeals to Male Fantasy, the fantasy is equal on both sides. What guy doesn't want to meet a girl like Marin who showers you with compliments, is awed by your skills and expresses how helpful and improtant you are to them, and what girl doesn't want a man like Gojo he's tall, handsome, useful, very talented, although not a millionare he has great potential and simply needs motivation to unlock it. Let's be real the Manic Pixie Dream Girl works because it cuts both ways, just like "Defrosting The Ice Queen".

Gojo is genuinely a good guy.

But I digress, "My Dress-Up Darling", like all slice of life animes is about more than boy meets girl and instead is about relationships and cosplay and what it means to be recognized. Marin gets recognized by a cosplayer she adores and despite said cosplayer being something of a jerk, Sajuna (the cosplayer in question) recognizes Marin as a competent cosplayer. Sajuna refuses to cosplay as a character unless she can do it accurately (an attitude I completely agree with 100%, hence why I've only cosplayed as characters whose faces are either completely obscured or have facepaint) and that a cosplayer should be a fan of and have working knowledge of the character they cosplay as (which I also agree with). Seeing this attitude reflected in a series showcased the varrying attitudes of the cosplay community and having dipped my toe in cosplay this series really did make me wanna do it for real and potentially go to a Con if possible. I reccomend this series completely, it's a fun wholesome watch, yes theres fanservice but not grotuetous amounts and a lot of it is tasteful...well...as tasteful as possible. 10/10 would reccomend! Catch you guys on the flip-flop!