My Dress-Up Darling is a series that has received a fair amount of pushback in the online sphere. Much of it being centered around the ecchi scenes that were ever present in the first season. Now, I'm not one to tell people what they should & should not like about a series. If scenes of a more sexual nature aren't your cup of tea, then so be it. With that being said, the criticism of such scenes felt largely unjustified to me. It's important to take the context of any given scene into account, & much of the "fan service" is just an extension of Marin as a character. She enjoys things of a more erotic nature, so naturally many of the costumes she wears for cosplay tend to be revealing. The fan service is not at the expense of the character. She isn't put in many precarious situations or forcefully having her body shown off to the masses. Marin is confident & comfortable showing off her body. As far as fan service goes, it's about as inoffensive as it gets.

Now, with all that out of the way...If you still don't agree with that whole tangent I just went on, & you are the type of person who will unjustly criticize the series as a whole based on the ecchi scenes alone, you'll be relieved to hear that season 2 cuts the ecchi scenes out almost entirely. What remains is a show that is about as wholesome & feel-good as it gets. The show's central message of embracing your passions & hobbies without worrying about the judgement of others is very prominent. I found it extremely enjoyable to watch these characters, specifically Marin & Gojo, engage in activities that they enjoy together. Marin is one of the most infectiously positive female characters in recent memory, & she is just a joy to watch on screen. Gojo also gets his time to shine this season. He becomes much more comfortable with the people around him & comes to the important realization that not everyone is out to get him for having more "feminine" interests.

Oh, & I didn't even mention the production value. It's absolutely stellar from a visual & directorial standpoint. Season 1 was nothing to scoff at either, but the team at CloverWorks really outdid themselves here. The character animation in particular was very well done & noticably more expressive. The music was fitting also. A real vibe that fits what the series was going for. I have to tip my cap to the staff for the effort they went through for their work on the different anime & games that exist in-universe. It's easy to see why Marin is so Interested in specific shows or media when they are crafted so well. I found myself wanting to watch these shows & play these games conceptualized within My Dress-Up Darling. You can feel the passion & appreciation the staff has for the source material. It's always a treat when you can feel that passion while watching a show.

Some fans may be disappointed that there wasn't significant growth between the main couple from a romantic standpoint, but there were enough romantic scenes sprinkled in to satisfy that desire for romance, in my opinion. And besides, when it comes down to it, My Dress-Up Darling is a cosplay anime first, & a romance anime second. Some people may need to adjust their expectations, as this is not a particularly romance-focused story. If you go into the second season with that in mind, you should be left thoroughly impressed.