My Dress-Up Darling Season 2

Episodes 13-15

I am ready to inject this well-animated wholesomeness directly into my veins. The first season of My Dress-Up Darling felt like a breath of fresh air, and this is coming from someone who is far from tired of slice-of-life romantic comedies. Taking a wholesome romance between two characters and combining it with a beginner guide to cosplay just seemed like a match made in heaven. Despite the series handling certain aspects of cosplay questionably, and even though the show is viewing cosplay from a more limited lens, there is still so much heart here that it is hard for me not to recommend it. Season one was front-loaded with a lot of tips and tricks on how to start as a cosplayer, but season two so far seems to be prioritizing the social and romantic developments of our leads.

I love that the first three episodes of the show so far almost feel like one seamless movie, and I'm not just saying that because of the superb animation by CloverWorks. There is so much thought and care that went into the character animations and directing style for this series when it didn't need to go this hard. Everything from the subtle hand motions to exaggerated facial features just led to a product that feels like it's always moving, but not in a brainrot TikTok kind of way. Rather, every scene is bursting with character, whether it's Marin going over the top with her excitement or Gojo having a thoughtful introspection.

I like how this season is starting to go more into Gojo's insecurities. Outside of the early episodes of season one, they didn't go into them very much. Season one was more about him reacting to a lot of the unconventional nature of cosplay as an outsider looking in. Now that he's accustomed to the major aspects, the focus can shift to the things that he struggles with. Doing makeup and sewing clothing is easy for him, but what's difficult is interacting with other people. Despite improving his craftsmanship, he never had the opportunity to explore beyond the trauma inflicted on him when he was younger. But now he has to.

The show doesn't downplay his feelings, and if anything, we're introduced to more characters with similar sentiments to his in the cosplay world. There is a lot of overlap with confronting those interpersonal issues. Will people think I'm weird? Am I pulling this off correctly? Those thoughts can eat away at you to the point where it's hard to get much of anything done. However, while the show doesn't diminish those insecurities, it highlights the importance of putting yourself out there and realizing that not everybody will see you that way. If one person can potentially ruin your day by not accepting you for who you are, then that should make the community you build for yourself all the more important.

Episode three was a highlight for me, as I loved Amane's story about getting introduced to the world of crossplay. The fact that it helped him gain more confidence in himself to the point where he immediately shut down somebody who had the nerve to tell him to throw it all away was inspiring. It is a perfect parallel to what Gojo was going through, and while he's not quite at that point in his journey yet, it serves as an interesting glimpse into what Gojo's character arc could be throughout the season. Since the show is also leaning very heavily on the romantic undertones between our two leads, maybe that revelation can coincide with his developing romantic feelings? I'm already loving the way that Paul Dateh is playing Gojo (please get this man in more shows), so I really can't wait to hear more nuanced takes from him as Gojo evolves as a character. Of course, Amanda Lee's energy goes without saying for Marin; the perfect amount of chaotic energy that's infectious.

I like that Gojo has become more aware of Marin as a person. He's already commented on her beauty and how extraordinary she is, but he says that with an almost matter-of-fact attitude. We know that means more to him, but it's clear he hasn't realized that himself, and that's probably because there's a good part of him that thinks he still doesn't deserve her company. I hope season two goes more into him earning that confidence. If anything, I am completely fine if the show wants to take a step back from a lot of the technical cosplay stuff to focus more on Gojo as a character. If that ends up being the climax of this season, then it has the potential to be even better than the first one.

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