Almost a year ago now, the anime fandom was blessed with My Dress-Up Darling, which people seemed to either love or hate. You can count me firmly in the love camp–there’s very little about the show with which I found issue. Is the content rating perhaps more explicit than at first glance? Most assuredly. Does the main character get side-lined in favor of the heroine? Yes, to a degree. But it’s also a fact that nothing else comes close to rivaling the passion displayed here.
There have been plenty of anime in the past to feature cosplay in some shape or form, like an old favorite, Genshiken. But none of them really focused so fully on the process from start to finish, from planning to preparation to the day-of logistics. While it’s unfortunate that we don’t get to see more of Gojou’s time on hina dolls, omitting it makes sense given the larger aim of the show. I don’t think it’s ever implied that he gives up his original love, but rather that he sets it aside periodically to fuel attentions to his new hobby which in turn rounds out his experiences and understanding of fabric and how it works on the human body.
My favorite cosplay moment happens in the group photoshoot in the latter part of the season. While Marin has enough charisma to fuel a show all on her own, seeing her friends join in with complimentary outfits brought with it a higher appreciation for the characters they love.
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Excellent review of “My Dress-up Darling”. Along with most of the Anime Universe, am all in on this work for it’s remarkable character designs which go far beyond Marin and Gojo as you point out. But Marin is the cupcake. Usually the Gyaru character is the leader of the mean girls, but Marin is very different. While free and spontaneous she has some very strict requirements for what she wants in a boy friend, and Gojo hits all the check boxes with yes. Most of the other characters don’t understand this about her. The manga is very explicit about why. The anime does not concentrate on Marin’s father but the manga does, and we can clearly see why Marin likes Gojo. Too spoilerific to go any further.
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Thank you, I’m glad you liked the review as short as it was 😀 Is the manga much different from the anime and worth a read as well?
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The manga is very good, and the anime does adhere closely both in the art and in the story line. There are some differences. In the anime Marin only receives a phone call from her father, but the manga presents him in person. I think this is a big plot point in explaining the character of Marin. The anime tends to present her as this manic pixie dream girl but the manga presents her as more realistic and grounded by presenting more back story in her father. I am enjoying the manga because of this.
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