My Dress-Up Darling (Episode 1) - Someone Who Lives in the Exact Opposite World as Me

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Gojou is obsessed with Hina dolls. He learnt everything from his grandfather and puts all his spare time into perfecting his craft. It should be admirable, but he’s worried it makes him look creepy.

My Dress-Up Darling (Episode 1) – Someone Who Lives in the Exact Opposite World as Me

What happened?

Gojou lives with his grandfather in the family home where they make Hina dolls. His grandfather is a master dollmaker and is teaching Gojou everything he knows, but he’s been doing it for forty-eight years so is naturally much further along than Gojou. That doesn’t stop Gojou from putting everything he has into it. However, that’s worrying his grandfather who is concerned that Gojou doesn’t have any friends.

Of course, he tries to reassure him, but in truth, he doesn’t. How can he make conversations with the other students in school when they want to talk about sports, manga, and anime, and all he knows is Hina dolls. There’s also a girl in his class, Marin Kitagawa, who seems to have everyone’s attention. She is praised for the things she loves. They couldn’t be more different.

My Dress Up Darling Episode 1 Marin Kitagawa falls into Gojou Wakanas life

Then, after his sewing machine breaks, Gojou decides to use the school one after classes, however, Marin walks in and sees him with his Hina doll. He’s distraught and expects to be thoroughly embarrassed. What happens next surprises him. Marin is ecstatic that he can use a sewing machine. She’s also quite fond of his Hina doll. She decides to show him why she’s there.

Marin wants to cosplay as her favourite character, but she’s not that good with a sewing machine. Gojou examines her attempt and pretty much picks it apart, stitch by stitch. He doesn’t realise what he’s doing until it’s too late. However, when he tries to apologise, Marin is delighted. She tells him everything and then asks him to help her make the costumes. He agrees, amazed to find someone with the same passion as him for their craft.

My Dress Up Darling Episode 1 Marin Kitagawa championing

What did you think?

I missed out on watching this series live as I had other shows to get through, so I came into it aware of the hype and also some of the criticisms. Anyhow, none of that really matters because this episode was excellent. Marin is just incredible and I can already see these posts turning into a Marin appreciation series. She kind of reminds me of Clair from Gleipnir, but not nearly as crazy. She has the same level of confidence though and that’s exciting.

I thought it was interesting how Gojou saw them as being from different worlds when they were actually far more alike than he could have imagined. The big difference is that her interests align with what was popular at that time. I’m excited to see where this series goes and how their relationship develops. There’s also bound to be a load of great cosplay costumes and awkward moments for Gojou. This series is not listed as being ecchi, but my ecchi radar is pinging. This should be a lot of fun, especially with little details like the fact that Marin’s favourite character was from a series called Saint Slippery’s Academy for Girls – The Young Ladies of the Humiliation Club: Debauched Miracle Life 2! Brilliant!