My Dress-Up Darling Season 2

Episode 24

Just like that, it's over. I am left desperately yearning for more. But maybe that is the sign of a good show, don't leave your audience wishing things were better, always leave them hoping that you could get just a little bit more. There are still some dangling loose threads, but more so than the first season, this ending definitely had some sense of finality around it. Not only did this episode tie up some of the lingering plot threads revolving around the other characters, but it also managed to tie everything together conclusively. Even if we didn't get more after this episode, I would feel satisfied with this incredibly well-crafted, feel-good anime that I could recommend to most people.

Trigger warning: Even if it was make-up, one of the girls having her arms slit felt a little bit too real. That probably jumpscared me more than anything horror-related in the game that the characters were cosplaying from, so definitely be careful if things like slit wrists or self-harm act as a significant trigger for you.

While this episode wasn't the strongest in terms of its creative direction compared to some of the other episodes, it is probably the funniest episode in the entire series. There were legit moments where I had to pause because of how badly I was laughing, thanks to the character reactions and their facial expressions. Everything from Akira's incredibly emotional crash out to the entire flashback with Gojo and Amane's reaction to Akira's stanning behavior was absolutely hilarious. I knew that Akira didn't really hate Marin based on how the episode carried on, and there's no way that Gojo wouldn't have been more anxious about things if there really was just a strong dislike involved. I like the fact that Gojo has developed enough social skills to recognize how intense everybody can be and treats it as normal.

At first, it felt strange that Akira connected Marin as a significant joyous moment in her life that she never thought she would have after the way that her parents treated her. But then again, I am a Vtuber and a cosplayer. I am steeped in parasocial culture. The idea of somebody feeling like they have been saved because of another content creator is surprisingly becoming far more common than you might think. So if anything, it's actually fairly realistic when you look at it from that lens, which just makes Akira's crashout at the end of the episode feel that much funnier. I'm sure I would react similarly if I met somebody I admired in such a casual way.

There was something cute and satisfying about all of the characters looking at the camera, saying their goodbyes. It almost felt like the staff was directly talking to me after a job well done. Similar to how cosplayers use so many creative ways to bring out the most in their cosplay photos, this is a perfect representation of that as well. As someone who has read a significant amount of the original manga, this anime is a wholly distinct experience, punctuating a lot of the references and making everything feel much more human with ironically exaggerated character animations. It's very rare nowadays that you watch a show that feels like everybody who worked on it did so with a huge smile on their face. It almost feels like the creators of this show, and those who like it, approached it with the same enthusiasm that Marin and Gojo do for cosplay.

This season didn't have as much in terms of technical learning skills for beginner cosplayers, like I think the first season did. But overall, I do think this season is a lot stronger emotionally. All the character arcs felt incredibly believable, their anxieties and personalities felt incredibly well-realized, and everyone loved being around each other. With the way the world is going right now, I need a show where people from different walks of life enjoy each other's company through a creative hobby. Call me simple-minded, but I REALLY need this right now.

Will we get a season three? There's definitely material for that, and the biggest plot point of the show has been left unresolved. Gojo has gone through his character arc, and it feels like Marin is still at the beginning of hers regarding her finally taking that next step with Gojo. I like how the episode's message about clearly laying out feelings tied back into Gojo and Marin's relationship. Even if you want to argue that it is pretty typical to leave that stuff unresolved in a slice-of-life series, I feel like this show has invested too much time and thoughtful character work to leave that plot point hanging. I think there is enough material left for about one more season that could fully close out the bond between these two. If we manage to get a season with the same level of thought and care that this season did, then I would go so far as to say that My Dress-Up Darling could be a classic of its genre.

b>Rating:

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Anime News Network, its employees, owners or sponsors.