English Dub Review: My Dress-Up Darling: “For Real?!”

Overview: Marin (Amanda Lee) soon realizes her feelings for Gojo (Paul Dateh) while a famous cosplayer, Sajuna, (Risa Mei) makes a surprise introduction to Wakana in the most crazy unexpected way. 

Our Take: Marin beginning to realize her feelings for Gojo could just be the simple, blushingly awkward affair that we have seen time and time again from countless female characters. However, Marin takes it to another level with her classically exuberant energy, bouncing off of the walls of her mind as she tries to come to terms with her growing love for Gojo. Just when you think you couldn’t adore her anymore, she just keepings giving you more reasons.  

After realizing his misunderstanding of being Gojo alone with Marin, we see how Marin yearns to be closer with Gojo on a physical level. It’s refreshing to see this side of relationships being showcased as attraction is a key part of romance.  that if often not delved into as much as it should be, in a serious manner at least, on account of it possibly being too mature or taboo. 

Gojo’s grandpa, being a good Samaritan, brings in a stray girl from the rain and it turns out to be Sajuna, the cosplayer Marin loves. She makes an unprecedentedly embarrassing introduction to Gojo, and of course what could only happen to him, in him walking in on her nude in the bathroom with all her lady bits on display. This sets up her request for a cosplay outfit after seeing Marin’s Shizuku-tan outfit on social media. Sajuna’s firsthand thoughts of Marin being that she is nothing more than a ditzy girl mindlessly trying cosplay but then soon coming to adore and admire her for her dedication and respect to the characters she dresses up as, showcasing just how cutely heartfelt yet stern she is. 

When learning about the outfit Sajuna wants Gojo to craft in Shion from Flower Princess Blaze!!, it transitions to a fun Sailor Moon-esque animation from the show in the universe about the character giving you a lens into the fun 90’s Shoujo tone, visual style (complete with a 4:3 aspect ratio which is a nice nostalgic touch) and its influence love of it from Sajuna and Marin. It ends with Marin asking to cosplay along with her as the character that is a sister to the character, Shion, and her realizing that Gojo is single, with her upbeat positive energy from both ironically enough making for a sweet ending and a great introduction to a new cosplayer.