The first week into this new year, there was this anime garnering a noticable amount of attention. I myself am not too seasoned with rom-coms, but i thought i'd check it out just to see what the noise is about. Little did i know, i'd be stepping into an anime which would captivate me from the opening moment. 12 weeks later, i'm here to talk about an anime that swept me off my feet

»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««
❀ Introduction ❀
»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru / My Dress-Up Darling is a romantic comedy which tails the after-school hobbies of two teenagers existing on opposite ends of the social spectrum; Wakana Gojou, our socially awkward and earnest male-lead who keeps to himself his love for crafting hina dolls- and Marin Kitagawa, the extremely alluring and charming gyaru with a concealed passion of her own- cosplaying. with this effort, we're fortunate enough see CleverWorks masterfully adapt a manga that is as arousing as it is inspiring. A story centered around being passionate about what you love, about how opposites attract, and the grand theme of becoming a cosplay novice

However, while the forementioned is true, simply leaving it at that wouldn’t do justice to the immersion, enjoyment and impact this series has offered to myself and all those who pick it up. At its core, My Dress-Up Darling is an otaku-style survival guide to asserting confidence in who you are and what you like. Not being afraid of falling short or making mistakes- but instead, looking for opportunities to learn, and ultimately, living life beyond your comfort zone. These themes are neatly packed behind a wholesome development between unlikely individuals with complementary skill-sets, coated with unrivalled, irresistible charm

oh. and it's ecchi as f- (<-- * we'll get to that later...*)

»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««
Plot ⋆ Characters ⋆ Soundtrack ⋆ Visuals
»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««❀ So, it's an anime about cosplay? ❀ The plot of this anime acts as a slice-of-life crash course on what it's like pursuing, or being highly interested in cosplay. The overarching objective is to express your feelings towards the characters you love, through means of physical appearance- but, perhaps the bigger takeaway from this is to "do what you like, and like doing it". This anime also showcases the raw effort that goes behind the dazzling costumes shown off to the public. From choosing which of your favorite characters best suit you, to picking which fabrics best suit them, all the way to cosplay makeup tricks and post-editing techniques. The attention to detail is commendable and makes you feel like you're apart of the cosplay crew yourself, alongside Marin & Gojou. Added on to this is the sub-narrative of:❀ The Romance ❀ When you (or, at least when I) think of a modern rom-com starring an innocent boy who crosses an extroverted girl, you likely get a mental image of how things will go down- but to my surprise, My Dress-Up Darling offers a refreshing angle on codependency. There is zero deception or pride boasted between our protagonists. In fact, it's the contrary. Why? because here we're presented with a genuine friendship between two people who fill each others voids platonically. Haha no- but, seriously. This is such a satisfying instance of two people mutually improving each other. Never rushed, never dragged out, never repetitive, never awkward

As for the supporting characters? None feel out of place or underdeveloped. Although this anime doesn't shine in it’s cast department (limiting the character count to 3 until the midway point), the addition of new characters gives the second half of the show a much needed twist

❀ Audio & Visuals ❀ The soundtrack of this anime resembles something out of a broadway production. The OST is pretty dramatic and unique from the very beginning. At times it can be very jazzy and mature, other times it's silly and relaxing. I’ve never noticed a track becoming repetitive or overplayed, and it always feels like each song used perfectly matches up with the emotions taking place on screen

Another impressive aspect of My Dress-Up Darling is the voice acting. The VA performances are so full of life and bring the best out of each character. The expressions in every scene really do justice to the tone the manga was going for. While on topic, I'll add that the subtitles accommodate by using a plethora of slang- like at times using 'wuv' in place of 'love', for example

As for the visuals; perhaps the anime's biggest selling point.

The quality of animation showcases some of the most fluid and attractive physics you'll see out of a slice of life not produced by KyoAni. The aesthetic is extremely modern and eye-catching. The quality doesn't dip halfway through the series and it's such a treat to watch. To compliment the fluid visuals are scenes that make the most of the physics. That'll takes us to the:

»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««
Fanservice ⋆ Ecchi
»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——«« this anime is unapologetically ecchi

Spoiler, click to view

Nothing too explicit, but definitely 'in your face' and consistent throughout almost every episode. If it's something you don't enjoy experiencing excessively in your anime, this may not be for you. However, in my opinion the fanservice never feels too forced. The creator did an awesome job writing ecchi moments that play off fairly realistic situations. Also, this anime is marked under the ecchi tag, so..? You have to venture with appropriate expectations. You can imagine that an anime which literally focuses on physical appearance will have loads of opportunities to treat its viewers. The most blatant instance of this is the second half of the second episode. If you can withstand that, you'll be fine with everything else the series will throw at you»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««
Conclusion
»»—— ♥ ——«« ~ »»—— ๑ ——«« ~ »»——〤——«« ~ »»—— ♡ ——««

My Dress-Up Darling is a highly entertaining development that gets better with each episode. A romance that can be appreciated on it's surface level as well as with a deeper look. A cultured experience that pulls you in and leaves you craving the next episode. It's also a stance on how we as people shouldn't settle for company that doesn't accept us for our interests. Even in an environment where you feel alienated or alone, it doesn't mean you have to abandon what makes you, you, in order to fit in or make friends

My Dress-Up Darling is the premier of 2022's best girl, as well as a cozy anime about cosplaying. An anime that honestly invests you in to it's two main characters. If you can bypass the fanservice, it's extremely rewarding, and a must-watch. Above all, it's an anime that has impacted me in a positive manner. To me, the execution of all of it's qualities deem it a modern masterpiece, because it succeeds at accomplishing exactly what it sets out to do. Go in with low expectations, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.