The Fall 2024 Light Novel Guide

My Dress-Up Darling Fanbook

What's It About? 

Fall deeper in love with Marin, Wakana, and their cosplayful adventures through this premium collection of art, trivia, and interviews.

The My Dress-Up Darling Official Anime Fanbook is a must-have for fans of the sweet and spicy rom-com that took the world by storm!

These 100 gorgeous, full-color pages contain:

Galleries of hard-to-find promotional art! Production materials from animation studio CloverWorks! Staff commentary on every episode of the first season! Exclusive interviews with the character designer, costume designer, lead voice actress, script writer, and series director! A special message from manga creator Shinichi Fukuda!

The My Dress-Up Darling Anime Fanbook is translated by Taylor Engel. Published by Square Enix Manga & Books (September 24, 2024).

Is It Worth Reading?

I knew this was gonna be an art book in the true spirit of My Dress-Up Darling when I saw that it included every single one of Marin's measurements that Gojo took to make her cosplays. Never mind her “three sizes,” this cosplay romcom realizes that Marin's inseam and wrist circumference are equally important to making the perfect costume. It's a fitting companion to the My Dress-Up Darling anime, a story that really gets the joys and trials of cosplay. Full of beautiful screen caps from the anime, plus never-before-seen sketches and exclusive interviews with the staff, this is sure to delight fans of the anime.

If you are only tangentially aware of My Dress-Up Darling or have only read the manga, exit this review and open Crunchyroll in a new window. In other words, despite this book's many behind-the-scenes details, it is still not a replacement for watching the show. While it devotes a double two-page spread to each of the TV show's 12 episodes, reading them would feel more like looking at spoilers than receiving an episode synopsis. If you have seen the anime, however, you'll be amazed by how many details you might have missed. From Marin's sparkly fingernails to the anime figurines she displays in her room, everything you see is the product of staffers who fought to make a personable, high-quality show. In the case of Marin's nails, for example, character designer Erika Nishihara noted that “adding a glitter effect during the animation process seemed like it would be a ton of extra work,” to which director Kazumasa Ishida said, “I don't want to compromise on Marin's design.” Interviews with both creators, and several more, fill this book with similarly fascinating tidbits about the show's production.

In between the fun facts, the other main feature of this book is its sexy art. With cheesecake illustrations of Marin (including a new one specifically for this book) and highlights of her racier scenes and dialogue, this may not be the kind of book you'd want to read in public, but it's also not any more hardcore than the anime or manga. It may not be a standalone book, but it's a substantial companion to the anime.

The anime adaptation of My Dress-Up Darling was a massive hit with fans and for good reason. Both as an anime fan and as a cosplayer, I could already tell that there was a significant amount of love and care that went into this production. This fan book is the perfect gift for people who love anime and would like to know more about what went on behind the scenes. There are plenty of character sheets, reference photos, and little summaries about all the characters. There are even details added about the individual cosplays that are featured in the anime, which might also prove as a benefit for those out there who want to cosplay some of the outfits that Marin wears.

However, this is not just a glorified picture book with some descriptions as there are some behind-the-scenes interviews about the anime staff. Character designer and chief animation director Kazumasa Ishida goes into detail about all of the thought that went into characters like Marin both during the design and animation process. There's a lot of emphasis on how Marin expresses herself with her body and eyes. There are interviews with the costume designer who went into all of the little details about the different outfits the characters wear which is a lot compared to your typical anime. There are even individual episode breakdowns that highlight key moments and some of the cosplay tips that are brought up in the show.

Honestly, I could see fans getting a lot of use out of this book. It's colorful, it's well-organized, and bursting with charm. It's clearly made specifically for fans of the anime and maybe that might not entice people. But if you're going to create something for a specific fandom, then I think this is the benchmark for the level of detail you should exhibit.

In the wake of the runaway success of the My Dress-Up Darling anime (and its upcoming second season), the My Dress-Up Darling fan book has plenty to offer fans looking for something to chew on in the meantime. The obvious appeal comes from episode primers, loaded with screenshots from the episodes. But there are also a ton of neat breakdowns of details like Marin's many outfits from the anime's intro sequence, breakdowns for her cosplays like Shizuku-tan or Lobelia—and, of course, what underwear color she prefers. But there are also fascinating interviews with much of the production staff that go further into the decision-making behind the anime—a fascinating gift for fans, to be sure.

Some fans might find some of the term definitions during the episode breakdowns, like for “cosplay”, a bit redundant, but I do think they serve a practical use for anyone who feels inspired to pursue cosplay as a result of My Dress-Up Darling. Another factor: while Hina Suguta deserves her flowers for her portrayal of Marin (and her interview is fascinating), I feel like American fans might also have been served well with an interview with Ama Lee, who voices Marin in the English dub. Regardless: while the subject matter prioritizes My Dress-Up Darling, this fanbook is a treat for anyone interested in cosplay or a behind-the-scenes look at anime production. Even if you've never seen My Dress-Up Darling, there's a lot to learn from this fanbook. Strongly recommended.