Apr 14, 2025
I am convinced that anyone who doesn't like this anime either A) is not attracted to women, or B) does not like straight romance. Which is completely fine! If you don't fall into the above categories then this show may not be for you. But for those of you who do, what's there not to like?
For starters, the art and animation are both amazing, especially for a rom-com show from a mid-ish tier studio. There are a lot of other anime that seem to focus their entire budgets on pretty stills and flashy scenes for the sake of advertisement. I'd be lying if I said
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I didn't fall for them every time, and I always end up disappointed when the in-between scenes are ugly and mediocre. This does not apply to My Dress Up Darling! Every second of this show is handled with care, and I was pleasantly surprised while watching it that many scenes which I HADN'T already watched on Reels were as pretty as the ones I had.
The voice acting and soundtrack are passable—and I tend to be extremely picky in this regard. Nothing in particular stood out to me but nothing bothered me either.
Character-wise, it seems that Marin was designed to be loved. She is pretty and popular, but also kind in a way that seems realistic, and flawed in ways that don't detract from her appeal. In other words, she is the kind of girl that everyone wishes they knew. I can guarantee that if she were a boy, and if this anime were aimed at girls, she would be equally adored by straight female viewers.
But seriously—she is so pretty! I'm proud of my drawing skills, but I could never design someone as pretty as her!
One of the more underrated aspects of this show is how great of a character Gojo is, too. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, but harems or rom-coms with generic dude protagonists don't usually appeal to me because their protagonists are usually ugly and lame with annoying personalities. It ruins the immersion. Why the hell would all these hot girls want a guy like that? But Gojo is appealing enough that it makes sense. Although the rest of his features are plain, he's tall enough to make up for it, and his height difference with Marin is adorable. But more importantly, he is kind, hardworking, and passionate about his interests. He feels like a real person. He also happens to be passive to a fault, but this works so well with Marin's more assertive personality that it makes their chemistry undeniable.
One thing that seemed questionable to me before I started this anime was that Marin is fixated on eroge and hentai. My first thought was, what kind of girl would want to cosplay that? Maybe a fictional one handcrafted to appeal to the male gaze. But once her stereotypically-masculine interests were juxtaposed with Gojo's stereotypically-feminine ones, I gained an even greater appreciation for their dynamic.
I will say that there were a few episodes with slow pacing that detracted from my enjoyment a bit, but overall I was pleasantly surprised, and I'm excited for season two!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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