My Dress-Up Darling is Good

So, in case you haven’t heard of this, My Dress-Up Darling is a newly released anime (based on a manga) about a high-school loner who hooks up with a stunning girl. No! Don’t run off! It’s not like that!

Well, it is, but… Wakano Gojo is a lanky boy who likes playing with dolls. Or, to be more precise, he’s training under his grandfather to make hina dolls. Since that’s a bit of weird career goal, he has no friends, keeps himself to himself, etc. So, he’s not a typical otaku nerd type; he’s his own kind of nerd. And then he happens to bump into Marin Kitagawa in the home studies classroom because his old treadle sewing machine finally broke and she doesn’t have a sewing machine of her own. It turns out that Marin wants to be a cosplayer (she is an otaku nerd type), but can’t sew worth a damn. Gojo decides to help her (by making that maid-type outfit in the picture above) and hilarity ensues. Marin falls for Gojo. Gojo gets horribly embarrassed. It’s all good fun and fanservice.

Why am I drivelling on about this? Well, partially because I just watched the latest episode and felt like posting something about this series again. That’s why I’m doing this now. Why I’m doing this at all is episode 4. A couple of weeks ago, the English dub of episode 4 came out I watched it and noticed something which I didn’t really take in watching the subtitled version. The concept behind the episode is that Gojo has everything he needs to make the first costume (Shizuku from Slippery Girls 2; I’m not explaining, watch the anime if you want to know), but he thinks Marin wants to wear it at a cosplay event in two weeks and works himself to near exhaustion getting it ready. Other thinks conspire to create delays. He’s at wit’s end. Then, in his darkest hour, he remembers something his grandfather told him about making hina dolls: it’s hard work, but when someone sees one and they smile, when someone falls in love at first sight with something he’s made, it’s all worth it. Energised, Gojo finishes the outfit, and then discovers, of course, that Marin would have been happy with it being ready whenever it was.

And yesterday and today, I’ve been reminded of why I put myself through all the pain involved in writing these books. (Okay, yes, they make money and feed me, but…) I put out a book, you guys comment that you like it, and I really appreciate that. Just like Gojo and his grandfather, it’s the smiles that keep me going. Now, if I could get a Marin to smile for me when I finish a book, I’d probably be putting them out every other week, but we can’t always have what we want.

So, thanks.

Also, if you’re into anime (or just want something funny to watch), I’d recommend My Dress-Up Darling. If you can put up with adverts, you can watch episodes free on Crunchyroll (link on the image). The dub is really well done, so you’re not missing anything watching it in English. Episode 4 is not the only one that’s resonated with me. It’s an all-round show: meaning, massive boobs, tips on cosplay, and plenty of comedy. This show has it all. Uh, except for battle scenes. So far.