Hello one and all, welcome back to my weekly My Dress-Up Darling post! I did notice a few people starting to get less enchanted with episode 2 of the show. I was sort of expecting this. I do know that not everyone is a fan of this genre and the premiere was a bit tamer than I expected.
But that’s o.k. We all have favourite genres and elements we enjoy more. So how did episode 3 do?
Here’s the thing. For people that didn’t like episode 2 because it was much more risqué than episode 1 than I figure this is a return to form. Sure there were some nice little teases. We got to see some thigh, oh la la! But it was pretty chaste all things considered. Now I tend to enjoy fanservice when it works with the story. And in that regard then this fanservice was a lot more random. But like I said, it was light. Also I do believe it’s a feature of the series and generally well done.
However, I did also read a few posts and comments about how the show was settling into a by-the-box, more stereotypical anime and that’s why the second episode wasn’t as fun. And in that regard, I’m afraid things just got worse. Episode 3 embraces a heck of a lot of tropes. The shy boy suddenly, literally surrounded by girls. Discussing saucy media in public and having the background characters misunderstand. The cute girl with the bottomless appetite. Honestly, it was just about paint by the numbers.
I’m sort of softening the blow for myself here. I really like My Dress-Up Darling. Episode 3 included. But if people were really thinking last week wasn’t innovative enough to be interesting, I have a feeling the reviews are going to get even worse. So I’m preparing myself. I’m used to watching and enjoying shows few of my contemporaries like. It’s still a bit lonely.
As for me, I really enjoyed this episode. It was cute. Like I said, it hit a lot of tried and true tropes and lovingly served them up. It wasn’t a surprising episode by any means but it was comforting. And it continued t show a good level of skill on the technical side.
My Dress-Up Darling is a romance and we can’t overlook the importance of that element. But for me, the slow progression of the friendship between Marin and Gojou is the best part. I’m not sure how well it’s coming across in the anime, but Gojou is someone who never really had any friends at all. He hasn’t developed the emotional maturity or communication skills others have when it comes to dealing with social situations. So he’s really trying his best here and Marin is being very patient with him.
On the other hand, Marin is used to being liked but not necessarily understood. She’s a weirdo but somehow that just doesn’t fit her image. So people don’t really see that part of her. And it makes her a bit uneasy but she doesn’t really know or even realize it.
Her speech about people never playing the games she recommends really hit home. OK, you know who you are! I had a friend with who I regularly talked video games, and would often mention how much I loved Steins:Gate to. Like all the time. For over a year. And he did that exact thing. The whole, huh sounds interesting. Then his brother played it and said, it’s cool and right away he gets a copy! Then keeps telling me what a great game it is. Don’t you hate it when people d that! Cause they do that to me all the time.
Maybe, on some level, I started this blog because I wanted someone, anyone, to follow one of my recommendations… Whoa!
Sorry, my mind wandered off for a minute there. In general, episode 3 was some more slow building of a friendship between two very different people. And the slight discomfort that comes along with that. I thought it was sweet. It made me smile and the episode went by in the blink of an eye. I also thought that wig shop looked amazing. I miss going to wig shops. And for those of you who may not have done much cosplaying in your lives, 2 weeks is a really short amount of time to put a cosplay together. Not only do they need to actually sew the dress, which looks quite complicated. They’re going to need to get it fitted, get the accessories together. practice the makeup. I’m getting stressed out!
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I haven’t seen any negative reviews so that part surprised me. I don’t feel that it’s unoriginal or tropey – even through there are some tropey parts, they’re done in an interesting way with some new elements that make the show and characters distinct from other things I’ve seen. Plus, the characterisations of the two main characters and their social insecurities feels pretty nuanced and authentic. I just love their friendship, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the show goes from here!
I haven’t seen any for episode 3 so far. Then again, not that many have come out yet. But I did see a few not outright negative just a little less happy about episode 2.
Personally, I love tropes in anime. One of the reasons I gravitate towards the meduim is because I prefer anime tropes to sitcom and drama tropes
I thought that was a sweet episode, too, and pretty much for the same reasons.
I thought the scene where Gojo found himself suddenly “surrounded by girls” (actually talked to casually by Kitagawa’s friends) was pretty well done, too. She’s not embarrassed to talk to him in public, and her friends don’t see anything weird either. It’s a breach of self-image, and so he latches onto by-stander comments, which do confirm how he sees himself. I thought that was a pretty good depiction of… self-inflicted social inertia? I don’t know what to call it, but I thought it worked pretty well.
That scene was so well done it gave me chills. This show is really making my inner writer happy!
I also really liked that scene. It was very sort but the fact that everyone was just acting normally. Gojou was a bit stressed out and very nervous, which makes sense, but he didn’t run away or fainth or do any exaggerated cartoon reaction. I appreciate that.
It’s not unusual for a person who perceives themselves on the lower social echelon to feel like they shouldn’t overstep their bounds, even if those are imaginary. There something suspicious about getting everything you wanted.
I hate the way they turned the shop sign into a bulging boner. I’ll never see it the same way again!
Well, based on this review, this sounds like something I’d like. Thank you for the recommendation!
I do hope you end up liking it. It’s quite a sweet show