This was a great show for me because of the carefree way in which it explored the possibility of youth.

We have Gojo, the stereotypical shut-in who doubts his every move due to his insecurities and feeling the world is a vertical relationship where others have more importance than him. In some way, this forces him into a corner of his own making, the is the designated 'lower status' member of any relationship he has with others; without the courage to communicate on an equal level, you'll always be speaking from below.

"We can't see what they're feeling inside, but everyone has a lot going on."

Marin was a great character for me because while she seemed to be the epitome of popularity and fulfillment, this quote sticks with me. Every single character Gojo interacts with to a substantial level has their own insecurities, their own fears of inadequacy, their own self-doubt; the only difference is that this lack of courage is in different areas. In some ways Marin is almost like a saint, she is uncompromising on who she is and who she wants to be. She encourages living your life as you want and condemns those with derisive laughs for her interests and the interests of others.
In essence, she dispels any notions of judgement from others and allows those around her to live as they should to the best of their ability.

"It can be really hard to tell others what you love or what you want to do. It takes a lot of courage."

For me, this is what this show was about. Being self-conscious, interpreting your desires under the lenses of society, taking harsh scrutinies to heart. These were all things which many people and I struggle with. With her cheery attitude and unwavering self belief, Marin shows us you can do what you want to do.

But I do think there's another layer the show explored. It takes courage and it's hard to tell others what you love because sometimes you hyper-fixate on certain emotions, things or events and you can't comprehend anything new as worthy of your attention.

"That's all I ever did, so I never thought of doing anything else. As a result, there are a lot of places I've never been. The beach is very nice. It's beautiful."

I do find the character progression of Gojo to be quite seamless and beautiful. We have a boy that begins with nothing but his love for Hina dolls. But by accepting the world and what it could give him, he let go of his self-inferiority, he let go of his fear of the unknown. He becomes unapologetic in trying new things and communicating with others.
Allowing himself to be taken away to somewhere new, and in doing so taking others to his own world.

By helping others achieve their dream, you don't always get yours, but it definitely helps. Believing in your community and giving without expectation of return is a stepping stone to knowing yourself.

Now for the extraneous stuff
The animation was beautiful for what is pretty much a slice of life anime, and that beach scene I LOVE. Marin was pretty as hell, Gojo got hotter and hotter somehow I don't know how. Shinju had bOOba.
I would've loved for them to put more information on Japanese culture considering the show is about a boy that loves Hina dolls.
I did love the detail in telling us about the cosplay process and the difficulty of making an outfit. I dunno if I can still afford a cosplay anymore after seeing the effort it takes to make one.

But it's as they say, if you feel like you wanna cosplay, even a little bit. then you should.