Spoilers ahead.

I began reading the Bisque Doll manga before I even knew there was going to be an anime, and believe me when I say that I was thoroughly enjoying this story in the manga. I was interested in seeing the adaptation so I started watching week to week with the best intentions in mind. However, with each passing week, this anime helped point out to me just how flawed the story actually was.

Before I start to air my grievances though, let me pay some compliments to the show. I really believe that the essence which attracted me to the manga in the first place is still present here in droves. This is above all else, an easy to enjoy, wholesome, and extremely pretty slice of life anime, and sometimes that’s all you really need to be satisfied.

Unfortunately, as soon as you start peeling away these enjoyable surface layers of sexy gyarus and cosplay culture you might be left as disappointed as I was. I’ll start with my dislike towards the main character duo and how empty they feel, this is probably my biggest issue with the story so far.

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Wakana Gojo is as devoid of personality as the hina dolls he makes (or doesn’t make). He seems to be a character built with only stereotype in mind, from the way he looks to the way he acts. There is absolutely zero legitimate reason for him being shy and insecure in the way that he is other than to fit him in the loser archetype that makes for an easy self-insert in this style of story. With the exception of one minor incident during his childhood, at no point does anyone else judge or berate Gojo for his interest in making hina dolls. His insecure behavior is inconsistent and unjustified, every character which learns of his passion is supportive or even respectful towards it.

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He constantly proclaims his dream of becoming a hina doll kashirashi even though at no point in the story is he shown pursuing this goal, Gojo completely abandons his passion in favor of creating cosplays. There is no emotional arc to this either, its simply an on/off switch, he even acknowledges the fact that he hasn’t been practicing the trade in a long time but then continues neglecting it.

I have less of a bone to pick with Marin, she’s a much more enjoyable character than Gojo but she kickstarts the events of the story in very dishonest ways. At the start of the anime, she tells Gojo that he’s being used, that he shouldn’t mindlessly do what others tell him to and that he should speak his mind, but then immediately after this, the message is abandoned when Marin herself asks Gojo to craft her cosplay. The worst part isn’t proving the message false, it’s rewarding Gojo for the behavior that Marin denounces, he is placed under immense stress by dealing with exams, his injured grandpa, taking care of the shop and working on the cosplay under an insane deadline, and in the end, this ends up being played as the correct course of action.

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The romance is also completely one-sided. Marin overtly shows the audience that she is in love with Gojo but their relationship has barely progressed since the first episode. Gojo’s insecurity stops him from seeing Marin in the same way she sees him, and despite her attempts at casually spending more time together, the amorous feeling is never reciprocated to the same extent.

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This would be my second biggest issue with the story. Failing to use cosplay as a means to explore the relationship between two people in any meaningful way. The story lays down a perfectly good foundation on which to analyze the budding romance between Gojo and Marin, however I feel that this is set aside in favor of otaku culture and general SoL shenanigans. There might be nothing wrong with this approach on the surface, but in my opinion, this leaves the story in a place where this very provocative hobby is not backed up by an authentic evolution of their relationship, and how the feelings they have for each other are affected by indulging in their passions.

To end this review, I’d like to reiterate that this is a fun show. Despite my criticisms I still enjoyed watching Bisque Doll on the week to week. If you’re unaffected by my complaints and just want to enjoy a calming anime with some indulgent cosplays throw into the mix then more power to you. I don’t hate this anime; I just wish it was better.