My Dress-Up Darling First Impressions

“You can hardly even call this sewing. I bet you forgot your seam allowance, too! Oh, come on! Why did you change the tension dial here!? And-… I-I’m sorry! I went way too far! Please just kill me now!”

This is actually my second CloverWorks show in a row, but it was actually decided by coin toss, so I’ll have to chalk it up to coincidence. With a title like My Dress-Up Darling, I didn’t really know what to expect from this show, but what I ended up with was a rather quirky romantic comedy that brought back memories of Jellyfish Princess, complete with the awkward title. That’s not to say that everything in this episode lands, but it proved to be a pleasant surprise. It also served to draw a sharp contrast with the premiere of last year’s Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro which I absolutely despised. The comedy incorporates more fan-service than I generally care for, but it did legitimately have me laughing a couple of times. As a show about learning to share one’s artistic expression with others, My Dress-Up Darling has some poignant moments, and its comedy lands more than it doesn’t.

The plot follows Gojo Wakana, a first-year highschool student who has had a passion for constructing Hina dolls since he was a child. He was raised by his grandfather who is a craftsman and runs a show selling the dolls. However, when he was young, Gojo found himself rejected for his fascination with the craft, and since then has avoided expressing his interests or even communicating with his peers. However, when his classmate, Kitagawa Marin, discovers his sewing abilities, she responds not with mockery, but with enthusiasm and seeks his aid in passion for cosplay. The set-up allows for the narrative to explore how people attempt to either hide or embrace their passions, and having just recently marathoned last year’s Blue Period, I can’t say I’d mind revisiting those themes. The biggest hurdle for some viewers, myself included, might be the amount of fan-service. Outside of the opening, there isn’t a ton in this episode, but it does pop-up at points, and the final moments suggest we might be in for much more. I’m not going to hold this episode accountable for speculation on where it might go, but viewers who are put off by ecchi content should be wary. The show’s biggest strength appears to be the comedic chemistry between Gojo and Kitagawa, as she draws out his passion for sewing and crafts, but it is heavily countered by his own introversion. This does mean that while the show is entertaining, the comedy doesn’t kick off until the episode’s final third when the two start properly interacting.

I noted in my review of Tokyo 24th Ward that the show looked nice, but didn’t have the level of refinement that CloverWorks is capable of. While the demands of a slice-of-life romantic comedy are limited, My Dress-Up Darling looks great and the show uses minor details to sell the attention that Gojo devotes to his craft as well as the lack of experience Kitagawa has in hers. The opening is nicely animated and endeavors to sell the viewer on both the artistry and character dynamics involved in the premise. I’d also like to highlight that, while Gojo does seem slightly swept-up in the tornado that is Kitagawa, at no point does she bully him into aiding her. It’s a much more positive interaction than I might have feared, given my experiences with Nagatoro-san last year, so that proved to be a delightful surprise.

Before I wrap up, a few Notes and Nitpicks:

• I’m a little surprised by how well this title clicked with me, as neither the crafting of clothes nor cosplay itself appeal to me in the slightest. That’s not to say a viewer needs a prior investment to become engaged in a show, but it doesn’t hurt.
• I feel like I haven’t been encountering fanservice as much as I used to. Maybe it’s because, with the abundance of titles, it’s simply easy to find a selection that doesn’t feel the need to rely on cleavage and panty-shots to sell itself to viewers? Or maybe I’m just failing to notice it in the titles I watch. I went scrolling through my old reviews, and the last time I remember noticing a significant amount of fanservice was probably back in Gleipnir.
• The title in Japanese is actually Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru, which translates to “The Bisque Doll Fell in Love”… which I suppose isn’t any less awkward than My Dress-Up Darling especially when you consider that the term bisque doll isn’t a common one.