It’s been a few weeks since My Dress Up Darling has ended it’s debut season, and I thought I should actually give it the honor of analyzing the show. Specifically on why it’s popular (so many waifu pics of Marin being shared). This will of course include spoilers for the anime, so prepare for that if you haven’t seen the show. Now let’s get down to things.
Now if you are unfamiliar, My Dress Up Darling (or “Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru” in Japan ) is about High school student Gojo Wakana. A young teen who works for his grandfather in his Hina doll (traditional japanese dolls) shop, and has a real knack for sewing. As a child he experienced harassment from a girl who told him a boy shouldn’t be playing with dolls, so he became reclusive as he got older. But his life changes when fellow high school student Marin Kitagawa asks for his help in assisting with making cosplay outfits she needs.
Now when it comes to why this anime gained popularity, first and foremost is the depiction of the struggles with creating cosplay. We see straight up see Marin hold a terribly sewn together dress, and why she needs Gojo’s help. Along with that, we see Gojo figuring out the different materials to use on certain cosplays that correspond to it. As well seeing him sew for different body types as he helps other cosplayers get into the characters they like. The whole series is figuring things out as they go a long, and going into meticulous detail on how it’s done. Many cosplayers can relate to the experience of attempting to construct the clothing and props of their favorite characters (myself included).
This leads into the character development of the characters as the cosplay struggles move forward. Marin is very supportive of Gojo’s sewing skills, and helps him come out of his shell in a loving way. Unlike anime like Ijiranaide Nagatoro-san or Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san, Marin doesn’t try to force him to change through teasing. Instead she constantly tells him how grateful she is for his skills and presence. As well a encouraging and complimenting him when he tries something new. Such as when playing games or getting him to wear new clothes. Marin is a type of friend a lot of people probably would like to have.
Then there is the humor and the use of fan service. There are indeed sexy moments with the characters, but it’s not an overwhelming wave of boobs that happen for no apparent reason. Such as dirty jokes having more to do with making the costumes to fit a body or when talking about the dirty games that Marin wants to cosplay a character from. And also the humor from other aspects. Such as Gojo being so fascinated by the creation of clothes that he couldn’t stop examining the clothing of characters when watching a horror movie ( which gave us a hilarious scene of Sadako from The Ring playing the part of Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre).
Overall, you can see why this show has captured the hearts of so many anime fans (as well as why so many Marin cosplays are popping up) so I would indeed suggest this show if you’re in the mood to laugh and learn a thing or two about cosplay.
About the author: Glitch is
a digital demon from planet Fanboy, and is here to teach us humans a
thing or two. You can find more of his reviews(and nonsense) over at
www.youtube.com/glitchthedigitaldemon
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