My Dress-Up Darling

Ahead of the second season releasing I decided to rewatch this one. Not only because it’s been a little since I first watched but also because we’ve since had a similar anime release in the form of 2.5 Dimensional Seduction, which was better than I expected. I’m not going to put these side by side, I already did some comparing in my review of that show, but on rewatch these shows might be more similar than I remember.

The most obvious change from my memory was the fan service aspect. I remembered My Dress-Up Darling being relatively free of horniness outside of episode 2, though not entirely devoid given Marin’s choice of characters and the fact dressing up requires undressing. Perhaps the more wholesome interactions between the two leads made me forget. I would say the story and relationship between Wakana and Marin make up for this overall, with Marin especially being adorable as she realizes her love for Wakana.

Wakana’s issues are also perhaps a little deeper than I remember, but working on cosplays with Marin really changes him. I do wish we got to see him interact a bit more with others, but perhaps next season will see his new, more confident self talking with more people. In my original review of this show one thing that was a mild complaint because I think a good supporting cast is what tends to elevate shows into a must-see. Seeing our leads learn about and support one another was enough to get by the first season, but I think bringing others in will be necessary for the show to keep up.

Overall this is still a decent romcom, though if you’re looking for more details about what cosplay involves and some of the culture around it I would point you towards 2.5 Dimensional Seduction, which might actually be less ecchi than this show despite its title. On the other hand, that show has less romance and cute moments, primarily because it’s a harem, so it’s a tradeoff.