If there was one anime girl that I would call THE best girl of ALL TIME, if there was one anime girl that stands so far above the rest that she makes any other girl look like Sakura, she is Kitagawa Marin.
Immediately, the visuals of this show pulls you in. The design of Marin is perfect engineered to activate our degenerate monkey brain. The animation is clean and crisp, taking Fukuda Shinichi-sensei's art and bringing it to life.
Marin might be the poster girl and she is what pulls you into the show, but make no mistake, this isn't just your run of the mill romcom. As much as Marin is best girl, Gojo Wakana is just as much best boy. Gojo is an incredibly likeable main lead with his own backstory, goals and ambitions. He is pure-hearted and kind, yet self-deprecating and has low self-esteem. He is relatable but isn't a self insert character.
Marin on the other hand is honest, outgoing and doesn't care what others think about her. She likes what she likes and she doesn't try to hide it. In other words, she IS everyone's dream girl. And that's ok.
In these 12 episodes we follow these two's journey exploring the cosplaying world. We get to see Marin getting her dream realised while she shows Gojo all the things that he has never seen before. Watching anime, going to the beach, going to a summer festival and watching fireworks; Gojo helps Marin live her cosplaying dream while Marin helps Gojo come out of his shell and experience the world. Through this, it is very apparent that these two are just made for each other, they complete each other, and it is a joy seeing them interact.
The fanservice in this show is very obvious and the animators do not shy away from it, but it is done in a way that is enjoyable and tasteful. But as much as this show has fanservice, it is an equally if not more wholesome show. There are a plethora of scenes that makes your heart skip. Notably the scene at the end of episode 5 where Gojo calls Marin beautiful and she falls in love with him.
The music in this show is also a spectacular. The jazzy tone makes each scene feel comfy and warm, and it sounds unique and special as well. Notably the track 'I want to help.' which plays when Marin puts on the first cosplay is an absolute banger of a track. Both the opening by Spira Spica and the ending by Akase Akari are bangers that fit the vibe of the show perfectly. And the additional insert song at the end of episode 12 just makes me emotional every time I hear it
The few side characters we get to see are also very likeable and make this world feel more fleshed out. Gojo's grandfather acts as a father figure and idol for Gojo and gives a lot of advice to him. Juju and her sister are both cute and shows us a different side of the cosplaying world.
The only minor complaint is that there are a few scenes here and there in the manga which did not get adapted. Again, this is very minor and doesn't take away much from the story.
Closing thoughts:
My Dress-up Darling has quickly become one of my favorite anime and series of all time. It even got a non-manga reader like myself to read ahead in the manga. Which, by the way, is incredible. It is a wholesome romcom with two amazing leads, filled with heartthrob and excitement. This show has got me so obsessed with its story and characters that I am here writing a review a year later after watching it the first time, and even rewatched it. Here's to hoping that Cloverworks doesn't give this show the TPN treatment.
In the words of some guy on the internet: 'We came for Marin, stayed for the plot, then came for Marin again'
Story: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Animation: 10/10
Music: 10/10
Entertainment: 9/10
Rewatch Value: 8/10