Wakana Gojo is a bit of an outcast, but honestly, it’s mostly his own doing. He spends his days hunched over a workbench, meticulously painting the faces of Hina dolls. It’s a craft he inherited from his grandfather, and he’s terrified that if people found out a high school boy likes traditional dolls, they’d think he’s a total creep. Then Marin Kitagawa literally crashes into his life. She’s the "it girl"—flashy, popular, and deeply, unapologetically obsessed with adult visual novels and magical girl anime. My Dress Up Darling Season 1 isn't just about making clothes; it's about two people who are weird in completely different ways finding a weirdly perfect middle ground.
Most people expected a standard "fan service" rom-com when CloverWorks first aired this in early 2022. What they got was a masterclass in technical animation and a surprisingly respectful look at the labor-intensive world of cosplay.
The Raw Craftsmanship Behind the Cosplay
The show treats sewing like a high-stakes sport. Seriously. You’ve got scenes where Gojo is agonising over the tension of a bobbin or the specific drape of a synthetic fabric. It’s not just "magic happens, and now she’s a character." In the first few episodes, we see the actual struggle of pattern making. Gojo doesn't know how to make human clothes; he only knows dolls. This creates a fascinating technical hurdle. He has to learn how to scale up his delicate skills to fit a human body, and the anime doesn't skip the boring parts. It shows the late nights, the finger pricks, and the genuine exhaustion of meeting a convention deadline.
Marin, on the other hand, represents the "soul" of the hobby. She’s terrible at sewing. Her first attempt at a Shizuku-tan outfit was a literal disaster—loose threads everywhere, no structure, basically a rag. But her passion is what drives the engine. When she explains why she wants to be these characters, it isn't about vanity. It’s about "suki" (love). If you love a character, you want to embody them. That's a core tenet of the cosplay community that the show nails perfectly.
Shinichi Fukuda, the original manga creator, clearly did the homework. The details about using specialized tape to change eye shapes or the sheer discomfort of wearing a heavy wig in the heat are 100% accurate. Ask any veteran cosplayer; they’ve all been there.
Why the Animation by CloverWorks Actually Mattered
Look at the eyes.
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The character designs by Kazumasa Ishida are incredibly expressive, but it’s the lighting that sells it. In the scene where Gojo first sees Marin in the finished Shizuku-tan cosplay, the atmosphere shifts. It’s not just because she looks "hot." It’s the realization of a craft coming to life. The way the light hits the purple lace and the contrast of the dark room makes it feel monumental.
Director Keisuke Shinohara opted for a lot of close-ups on hands. Hands working, hands trembling, hands measuring. It grounds the fantasy in a very tactile reality. This isn't some floaty, ethereal romance where things just happen. It’s a show about work.
Breaking the "Waifu" Mold with Marin Kitagawa
Marin became an overnight sensation, and yeah, part of that is the character design. But the real reason she stuck is her personality. She’s remarkably healthy as a human being. Usually, in these types of shows, the popular girl is either a secret jerk or has some dark, brooding trauma. Marin is just... nice? She’s confident. When Gojo is embarrassed about his hobby, she doesn’t just "tolerate" it. She thinks it’s incredible. She respects his skill.
There’s a specific moment where she tells him that people shouldn't make fun of the things others love. It’s a simple sentiment. It’s also the backbone of the entire series.
- She eats what she wants (often a lot).
- She speaks her mind without being a "tsundere."
- She admits when she’s wrong.
- She falls in love first and falls hard.
Her internal monologue throughout the latter half of My Dress Up Darling Season 1 is hilarious because she goes from "cool, confident cosplayer" to a complete disaster the moment she realizes she likes Gojo. It’s relatable. It’s human.
The Nuance of Gojo’s Growth
Gojo starts the season as a guy who has literally walled himself off from the world because of a childhood comment from a girl who called him "disgusting" for liking dolls. That kind of small, sharp trauma sticks. Watching him slowly realize that his skills have value in the "real world" is the real emotional arc. When he helps Sajuna (Inui Shinju’s sister) with her Black Lobelia outfit, he’s not just being a "simp" for Marin. He’s becoming an artisan. He begins to see the beauty in different body types and how fabric can transform a person’s entire aura.
Misconceptions About the Fan Service
Is there fan service? Yeah, definitely. There’s a whole episode dedicated to a "love hotel" scene that gets pretty tense. But if you look past the surface, the show uses these moments to build intimacy rather than just checking a box.
The measuring scene in episode 2 is the best example. It’s awkward. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s also a necessary part of the process. You can’t make a custom cosplay without exact measurements. The show leans into the awkwardness of two teenagers in that situation, making it feel more like a rite of passage into the hobby than a cheap thrill. It’s about the vulnerability of letting someone see you—literally and figuratively—so they can help you become someone else.
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The Cultural Impact of the Hina Doll Connection
It’s worth noting that Hina dolls (Hina-ningyo) are a serious, traditional art form in Japan. By linking this ancient craft with modern cosplay, the show makes a bold statement: creating a costume for a convention is just as valid an artistic pursuit as traditional doll making. They both require an eye for detail, a respect for the material, and a desire to preserve a specific image or feeling.
The "Iwatsuki" doll-making district in Saitama actually saw a surge in interest because of the show. Real-life artisans like Keisho Suzuki (who served as a model for Gojo’s work) have noted that the anime accurately portrays the "face-painting" process, which is the most difficult and prestigious part of the craft.
Practical Takeaways for Fans and Creators
If you’ve watched My Dress Up Darling Season 1 and felt an itch to start making something, you aren't alone. The show is basically a love letter to the "maker" community.
- Don't hide your "weird" hobbies. The things you’re afraid to show people are often the things that make you most interesting to the right people. Gojo’s doll-making wasn't a burden; it was his superpower.
- Research is the difference between good and great. Gojo spends hours looking at reference photos and reading the source material for the characters Marin wants to play. If you're creating something, go deep into the "lore" of the craft.
- Collaborate. Marin and Gojo would both be stagnant without each other. She provides the vision; he provides the execution. Find someone who balances your weaknesses.
- Invest in the right tools. The show highlights how much easier life gets once Gojo has a proper sewing machine and the right fabrics. Cheap materials usually lead to a "cheap" feeling result.
The season ends on a quiet, beautiful note at a summer festival. No big confession, no world-ending stakes. Just two kids watching fireworks, one of them finally feeling like they belong in the world. It’s a grounded, sincere conclusion to a story that could have easily been a caricature. Whether you're in it for the technical details of sewing or the "will-they-won't-they" tension, the first season stands as a high-water mark for the genre. It’s honest. It’s messy. It’s genuinely well-made.
To get the most out of the series, pay attention to the background art in Gojo’s house—the transition from the sterile, doll-only environment to a room cluttered with fashion magazines and fabric scraps perfectly mirrors his mental opening to the world. If you're looking to start your own project, begin by mastering a single small skill, like Gojo did with the doll's "kashira" (head), before trying to tackle the whole outfit. Consistency in the small things leads to mastery of the big things.