This time I watched episode 2 of My Dress-Up Darling pretty much as it aired. So I don’t know what my fellow bloggers think about it. I do know that those who thought there was a bit too much fanservice in episode 1 probably weren’t that crazy about it. I liked this episode though.
In fact, I’m going to go so far as to say that I might like the anime more than the manga. Time will tell but I’m enjoying this adaptation so far.
I said it before but let me just say it again. Gojou is just so perfectly relatable. Well to me. I do realize that this is entire series was written by a lady that has a few things in common with me so the character might just be relatable to me. Like a vision of a likeable young man from a woman’s point of view that would be unrecognizable to actual young men. That’s o.k.! Fantasies are fun!
There is one thing I really enjoy about the messaging in My Dress-U Darling. It really constantly enforces the point that gender norms are silly and people should not be ashamed of what they like. That is of course the whole point of Gojou’s character. Yes, boys can like dolls and enjoy making beautiful intricate objects that require minutes. That’s a good message.
But I personally appreciate how it normalizes women and girls being comfortable with sexuality. It’s sad that there are still people that think that women in general either don’t like sex or that there’s something wrong if they enjoy sexuality. Heck, there are even women who think that way.
And if you are a woman who does not like sexual themes, that’s perfectly fine. It’s perfectly fine if you’re a boy who doesn’t like them as well. But I think it’s time we saw more female characters that have sexual curiosity without being portrayed as deviants or specifically promiscuous. You know, just normal. I appreciate that side of Kitagawa’s character. I also liked that the show portrayed it with no judgement.
As for what happened during the episode. Well, it ramped up the fanservice a bit. This is the type of fanservice I tend to enjoy. It makes perfect sense within the context of the story. The agency remains with Kitagawa the entire time. And I for one never really felt her character reduced to a simple vehicle for that fanservice. It was generally well-executed in my opinion, and I enjoyed it.
Am I the only one who finds blushing ears particularly cute? I dunno, it just gets me every time. Oh, and while I’m admiring, I should say that I also really liked the scene of Kitagawa’s back when she got her hair out of the way. I guess we don’t see full-backs that often and with her hair getting tucked in front of her shoulders. I thought the image was striking.
It does help that Gojou stays sweet and respectful the entire tie. As the pov character for those scenes, if he had been more aggressive I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed them as much. As it was, I thought it was a great episode 2 and I’m starting to get really excited about seeing the finished costumes. I hope he doesn’t have too tough a time with it.
The last scene with Gojou’s grandpa was hilarious. It was kind of sweet as their family dynamic is nice but also just fun to see the eternally flustered Gojou being so fine with what should be a super embarrassing situation. Did I tell you guys that I once was late to Christmas dinner with the family because I was playing a naughty game and just couldn’t bring myself to turn it off? Thankfully I don’t live with them but still…
