A loner boy and a flashy girl find common ground via cosplay in this sweet and spicy rom-com! While they work on making the “Heaven’s Will” costume for Winter Comiket, Christmas rolls around… For the first time, a giddy Marin gets her lucky underwear ready. Meanwhile, creating Haniel’s costume is proving trickier than Wakana anticipated, and he’s at his wits’ end…
As Christmas approaches, Marin prepares to confess and that quickly morphs into her trying to catch Gojo unawares with her underwears. Gojo’s creative side is on the rise, however, and Marin may not be prepared to deal with his true nature.
Another solid, if somewhat unremarkable, outing for the delightful duo of Gojo and Marin, although you are going to be more than a smidgen disappointed if you were expecting much movement on the relationship side.
In place of that, however, we get some real meat for Gojo to chew on as a character, which feels completely believable and makes a lot of sense. It’s pretty fair to say that Marin draws a lot of the eyeballs to this story, but Gojo definitely brings something to the table (not as obvious a statement as you’d think given some of the male leads in similar manga).
Creators are, generally speaking, rarely happy with the things they create. There’s always something more to be done. Even as somebody who belts out underbaked manga reviews at an unhealthy pace, I feel that strongly, so the story recognizing that Gojo is obsessed with doing a good job is a great turn.
He’s certainly in this volume, but you could argue that he’s not terribly present for it. He casually invites Marin over for Christmas, not really reading that vibe at all properly, then barely pays her any attention as he tries to get their new cosplay right.
Whatever the cosplayer equivalent of writer’s block is rears its ugly head, as the time crunch and his mental image make the end result continually elusive. It’s the most unhinged and disconnected we’ve seen him yet.
When inspiration finally strikes, it is a really cool moment of catharsis that feels earned and a huge payoff from everything the poor guy has been suffering through just to make a costume.
Marin brings the silly side to things, just by being her usual bubbly self and trying hard to execute her grand plan for romance. There’s a great conversation she has with a store employee over underwear that doubles as a quiet message of empowerment that I really appreciated.
These two are both really great doing their own things this volume, which is key to it not being boring. As always, the chibi game in this series is beyond reproach. One of the best sulks ever is in these pages.
Combined with a rare focus on Gojo and, yes, information presented quickly and engagingly, this is a very strong volume. So much so that I forgive it for dragging out the the whole confession storyline.
4 stars - not exemplary, but very good, and a solid little pivot that shows one of our leads in a different light. Strong, but shy of the series’ best.
With Wakana working vigorously on Marin’s next cosplay outfit and getting all the right materials, the holiday season arrives and she finds herself some “very” good luck to give her the courage to tell him her feelings. Wakana, despite his recent go-getting energy, however feels like he hasn’t really accomplished much like his peers but gets the confidence he needs later.
Not her “boo” yet, but maybe soon. A (100%/Outstanding)
molto carinoooo anche questo volume! mi sto molto affezionando a tutti i personaggi ma sopratutto a Marin! per Gojo invece ho pensieri contrastanti haha anche se in questi ultimi volumi mi sta piacendo di più.
More of a 3.5 star rating; I really liked seeing a bit of Gojo’s friends from school in the first chapter of this volume and hope to see a bit more of them in future volumes. As much as I enjoy Gojo and Marin’s dynamic together, I also want to see how they interact with their other, school friends. Also, seeing Marin get so excited over spending Christmas with Gojo and his grandpa, only to find out that the Wakana’s don’t celebrate the holiday was amusing to see. Additionally as wonderful as Gojo’s creations are, I’m deeply worried about his tendency to become so obsessed with his creating and hope he doesn’t make himself crazy sick by pushing his limits so far. Overall, I’m very excited going into this next volume since I want to see how the new cosplay turned out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Popsugar 2024 reading challenge: BÁSICO 11. Un libro de género narrativo que normalmente evites - En esta cuenta, aborrecemos el romance...pero hacemos nuestras excepciones.
What does it mean to give 100% of oneself to something? A task? A goal? A relationship? A brief opportunity?
What does it mean to realize that giving 100% doesn't necessarily guarantee that one will succeed?
MY DRESS-UP DARLING v12 glimpses Wakana's ongoing struggle for perfection at a hobby for which perfection is often the farthest thing from a maker's mind. The angel/devil creature at the focus of Marin's upcoming cosplay effort hails from source material renowned for an unfathomably awkward array of disingenuous artistic acumen. That heightened level of creative specificity is great for otaku who love arguing no the internet, but it doesn't hold much practical value to generous, mayhap casual fans who simply wish to engage the creative culture on their own terms.
And so, Wakana and Marin go hunting for fabrics, accessories, prop details, and so forth. The current volume finds the two high schoolers at an in-between stage of their relationship: Marin desires closeness, but fears fracturing the effervescent productivity their partnership brings; Wakana desires simplicity, but acknowledges that without pushing himself (or pushing Marin), then his grasp of more complex social interactions will be beyond his reach. The solution? A winter holiday confession or some last-minute scrambling for textiles might do the trick.
This manga still struggles to find the right equilibrium in terms of how its primary characters engage their cohorts and friends, relative to one another, yet manages to charge forward nonetheless. With few exceptions, most of the secondary characters in this comic are sort-of recognizable and almost always forgettable. For example, in the first chapter, Wakana chats with Akira (prop-maker) outside the gates of his school; at which point, a few classmates join the conversation, classmates whose names and dispositions are either not mentioned or rendered in dramatic relief, which produces contradictory sentiments in terms of whether these dynamics are at all valuable.
But MY DRESS-UP DARLING v12 can still hit the mark when it needs to. A brief chapter on dressing for oneself is particularly notable. Marin goes underwear shopping and engages a particularly brilliant sales lady who reminds the young model there's no downside when a women decides to dress snazzily or attractively if for no other reason than because she wants to. It's about comfort and confidence, and wearing clothes that build up both should be a point of emphasis for all who care to notice.
Similarly, Wakana hits a creative rut when hunting for the right fabric for Marin's cosplay escapade. The young man's earnest acknowledgment that his lack of experience in building and assembling outfits is a limiting factor weighs heavily on him. Accumulated experience goes far in the creative arts and in maker spaces more broadly. But that's not to say inspiration can't strike. The pursuit of perfection isn't always good or necessary to deliver exquisite results. Sometimes, the simple and honest pursuit of good work, will deliver quality work worthy of respect.
when I started watching the anime the other day I never knew I'd end up liking the series this much, mostly because of the negative things I've heard people say about it and partly because it's ecchi. I don't really usually enjoy ecchi anime since they often cater to a male audience with fanservice. But this one struck a chord with me.
The animation screamed BUDGET, the storyline was engaging to the point that I even considered cosplaying, and the main characters themselves gave me comfort. It's just the type of slice-of-life that I enjoy (and it doesn't hurt how much I absolutely adore Marin and Gojo). So when I finished the anime I binged the manga right away and now we're here.
I don't even mind that Marin and Gojo's romantic development is slow; for me the pace is just right. I love witnessing them being each other's support system. And seeing them happy doing what they love is enough to make me happy. I love both of them so much and hope that Gojo would create Marin's cosplay outfits and do her make up and go shopping with her and go sightseeing with her and cook for her forever and adore her forever 🥹
Before I begin the review, I just want to talk about how great it is that they mention that despite what some people might think, we don't put make up on or dress nice for men, sure sometimes we do (like on a date), but most of the time it's for ourselves. I once saw a video where someone didn't believe that (I can't remember if it was a man or a woman, it doesn't really matter who it was) and to that I say, you're an idiot and who have you been hanging around and or watching online that you think that!? Can't we enjoy the things we like, without someone thinking we're only doing it for someone else?!
I also want to say that I love that despite on the surface, Marin seeming like a girl who is an airhead and only follows trends, she's not. There's a scene where she talks to someone about loving her nails and not caring that they're out of season. I love that mind set, it's the same for me. I love it even more when I see younger people thinking like that instead of constantly buying the new trend just because it's trendy and not because they actually like it. So, wait a go Marin, more respect to you!😊
Anyways, onto the actual review
I'm not sure how to articulate how I feel after reading this book, but I'll try to and I'll also try to make it short (I have a bad habit of going on and on and making these too long sometimes). This volume focused on Gojo's inner struggles as a creative person, that he's never satisfied with what he makes and him obsessing over his current project, which, by the way, only he's stressing out on, Marin is happy with what she's seen but he's the one who's putting too much stress onto himself by focusing on so much detail that will probably never be noticed by anyone. I kind of get it, while I've never been this obsessed with perfecting, I have had times where I'll be trying too much to get things just right even though they're good enough, never to this level though. I love how there's a constant back and forth between Gojo thinking and some of what was written in the book, comparing the similarities between his current head space and the protagonist in the book, very intriguing and the story seemed pretty dark and interesting. Gojo's descent into madness reminded me of when I heard of a book or a episode from a show where the character had a similar experience when working on a masterpiece (although I could be wrong and getting mixed up with something else or maybe I had misunderstood or misremembered). I was surprised since I didn't expect this from a simple and fun romance series. I love stuff like that, anything to do with psychology and or philosophy. The only part that really annoyed me was when Marin was so excited to spend Christmas with Gojo and then he just brushes her off and goes back to work. I understand that he's not really "there" at the moment, so he doesn't realize what he's doing, but I still felt so bad for Marin and was annoyed with him, He better redeem himself in the next volume.
It's hard to believe that there are only 3 volumes left. Volume 14 came in the mail today. I wander why vol. 15 is being published in March, it's not like they have to wait for the mangaka to catch up, I'm pretty sure the series has ended, so what are they waiting for!? Usually they publishers wait 3 months before a new volume, but this is more than that. I will probably read vol. 13 later this month and then read vol. 14 when we get closer to the release of vol. 15.
(Copia desde mi Instagram @agamundisr_escritor / @leyendoconalice)
Konnichiwa a todas, lectoras🌸
Hoy os traigo la reseña del decimosegundo volumen del manga "Sexy Cosplay Doll" continuando con los preparativos para el Comiket. Dicho esto, empezamos:
💖Este tomo arranca con Wakana entregándole a Marin los patrones para el traje de "Mandato Divino" convirtiéndose a lo largo de esta entrega el conflicto principal del chico. Marin, por su parte, intenta aprovechar la Nochebuena para declararse finalmente al protagonista mientras sigue con su dieta para recuperar las medidas deseadas.
💖En esta entrega nos encontramos con la obsesión de Gojô por resolver problemas con el traje como las propiedades de la tela, poniendo de manifiesto su ensimismamiento y la falta de inspiración derivada de una vida dedicada a las muñecas "Bisque". Por parte de Marin, ella aprende a través de una dependienta de que debe ponerse guapa y sensual para ella misma en vez de buscar la aprobación de la persona de quien está enamorada.
💖Acerca del resto de personajes puedo destacar el estrechamiento de la amistad entre Akira y Wakana, dando paso a un corazón roto e influyendo en la percepción del modus operandi del artesano de las muñecas tradicionales. En esta línea es interesante como el abuelo del joven pide a la dama que reconozca y apoye el trabajo de su nieto, recordándonos que este tiene problemas serios de autoestima.
🌸Conclusión: Este volumen de ambientación navideña no termina de renunciar al toque erótico, y puntualmente sexual, de Marin para dar paso a un trabajo de introspección en la pareja protagonista y las dificultades para formalizarse como pareja.
Cabe decir que un punto fuerte de la obra es la búsqueda activa de conquista por parte de ella, en vez de él, nadando a contracorriente en la mayoría de comedias románticas. Como último elemento, aunque conocemos más detalles acerca de la confección de los trajes, este volumen deja un sabor agridulce al paladar.
This volume absolutely delivered for me and a huge part of that was how much love and attention Gojo got in this one. I’ve always adored those moments when he’s completely locked in on his craft but this volume really dug deep into that side of him. The way his creative block was portrayed felt so raw and relatable as it wasn’t just “oh, I can’t think of anything,” it was that gnawing uncertainty of not knowing what you want to make, or even where to start. You could practically feel the weight of his frustration, the way his mind kept circling and coming up empty.
What really got me was how we got to hear his doubts, see him stuck in that fog and it didn’t feel rushed or brushed aside. It made the moment when he finally found that spark again (triggered by seeing the hina dolls) feel all the more satisfying. That little shift from stagnation to inspiration was like watching the exact second the light comes back into an artist’s eyes.
The writing and illustration here worked so beautifully together to capture his process, both the messy, frustrating parts and the quiet triumph of pushing through. Gojo’s passion and dedication to his craft have always been part of what makes him such a special character but this volume reminded me that he’s not just helping Marin live out her cosplay dreams, he’s on his own artistic journey too. He’s an artist through and through, and I loved every second of it.
Marin is steal on a diet, and doesn't feel like putting effort into cosplaying, until she looses the weight. But it's Wakana that convinces her to cosplay again, when he is determined to make a cosplay of a character that started her love for things she wants to cosplay. When her new friends tell her about Winter Comiket. But Wakana is spiraling trying to make sure the cosplay is perfect, looking for the right black fabric. He is letting his perfectionism get to him, as he begins to spiral. While Marin has full confidence in Gojo's ability from his previous work, she gets closer to having the confidence to confess her feelings to him. When Wakana's grandpa, let's her know that he is just as much as a perfectionist as Wakana. She claims to understand. Yet will Wakana eventually snap, when he finally finds the right fabric for the cosplay. Finishes it in time for the event
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The Haniel cosplay is my favorite arc so far, so I’m glad we’re finally getting to comiket.
TBH I find Wakana’s low self esteem annoying, and while I understand Grandpa’s explanation that creative types are never satisfied because what they make doesn’t match what’s in their heads, I don’t think it’s entirely true. Unless they are satisfied on some level, I don’t think the artist would let their creation see the light of day.
The fabric obsession puzzled me. I assume the kimono was silk with embossed pattern - is there truly no modern equivalent? Wakana also said the ribs in the original were black but he wanted them to stand out so he painted them white. Interesting that he’s willing to take creative license now. But, in the manga images of Haniel, weren’t they already white??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A return to form for a series I read for the cosplay and the relationship between Marin and Wakana (the other Gojo and the one most favored in the eyes of our Bisque Doll/Dress-Up Darling).
The cosplay tandem plan their most ambitious project yet, while Wakana struggles to find the perfect fabric for his design, Marin wrestles with her own feelings for him and finding the perfect time to confess. Marin may need to find some inner inspiration, andh Wakana to think out of the box for this one.
The cover is perfect for reading in the seasonal mood, so I can understand why this publisher took this long to release it. Just at the right time, as the serialized main story has reached at interesting point both in the plot and the relationship of the two leads.
Gojo is on an obsessive mission to create Marin’s new cosplay outfit. He seems so determined to get it the way he wants and it’s a different side to him that gave this volume a bit of the boost it needed from the last few volumes. Normally his costumes and Marin shine in the volumes but now it’s Gojo’s turn. Marin played second fiddle to him and I liked it. I do like Marin but this was more about what makes someone as creative as Gojo want to make their work a masterpiece. The sleepless nights, the muttering and basically living in his own world makes him try to see what he needs and what he’s missing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Gojo è ossessionato nel realizzare in maniera perfetta i suoi cosplay fino all’esasperazione e il nonno e Marin gli ricordano di rallentare. Fa riflettere anche me quante cose ho rimandato perche non erano perfette? Inoltre il Nonno ricorda che gojo non abbia mai pensato che le sue realizzazioni siano belle anzi ha sempre trovato difetti. E mi ha rattristito un po. Una parte molto toccante è stata quella in cui Gojo dice di aver raccolto fallimenti perche per anni è rimasto chiuso a fare la stessa identica cosa… In ogni caso volume molto piu dinamico e carino♥️ Ci spero ancora per Marin e Gojo✨♥️
Shinichi plays with the costumes we wear in life to tell a heartwarming nostalgic story of young budding love, friendship and passion for art expression. In doing so, she actually delves into identity, self acceptance and growth by collaboration.
I only read this manga series because I first fell in love in the anime. It starts slow and really doesn’t promise much, but it builds slowly and by the end, it’s such an earnest and wholesome story. It transported me back to how it felt being young and in love, decades ago.
To the author, I saw how much care, heart and effort you poured into Marin and Gojou; ありがとう 🙇🏽♂️
En español el siguiente Tomo sale hasta dentro de 7 meses, y no puede ser posible que Marín todavía no le haya declarado su amor a Gojo.
Ya van dos intentos de lencería bonita y Gojo me está cansando con su obsesión por hacer las cosas perfectas, además de que se estresa lo veo malito de sus nervios.
Ademas ahora es Halloween, la comic de invierno quedaba casi perfecta, no pasaba nada por adelantarnos 2 meses y así siento que voy a ir con 5 meses de retraso.
Akira en este tomo fue bastante graciosa, de lo más divertido de todo el manga.
Last volume kinda made me doubt where this story was going as I didn't enjoy it as much as the beginning of the series, but volume 12 reminded me why I love it. Seeing Wakana interact a bit more with some of his other friends in the first chapters was a nice change and that Christmas scene with Marin so excited about spending it with Wakana and his grandpa was so sweet.
I still wish their relationship would progress more as it feels like this storyline is going nowhere at the moment. Overall a pretty good volume for this series.
OK... this was basically just two things: 1) Gojo's obsession with getting the perfect cosplay materials for Marin. 2) Marin's further fall into love with him. She even goes as far to buy Christmas lingerie for her upcoming stay at Gojo's house for the holiday. She plans to confess her love at the next cosplay event.
Fukuda-san... please let these two get together. They deserve each other. She will help him come out of his shell and he will ground her.
Need the next Volume... this one was complete prep for it.
The 12th Volume of My Dress-Up Darling continues the series mixture of fun, fanservice, cosplaying and drama. Despite the Santa Marin cover, the volume doesn't really use the Christmas time to any massive advantage; not surprising as explained in the glossary.
The strongest andalso in many ways toughest part is Gojo pushing himself on making the Haniel costume. It is hard but also believable to see a creator push themselves too far. Gramps line that Gojo may go his whole life not being satisfied with his work was really sad to hear. Still next time we will see if Gojo's hard work pays off.
Je suis tellement frustrée qu'il ne se soit rien passé pendant la soirée de Noël !!! Je me doutais qu'il n'y aurait pas de déclaration mais je pensais qu'on verrait au moins nos héros passer un peu de temps ensemble... Je suis déçue 🥲
Par contre le reste du tome était incroyable, en particulier toute la partie sur Wakana constamment insatisfait de son travail... J'ai trop hâte de lire la suite !!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"PEOPLE WHO CREATE THINGS HAVE A PICTURE OF IT IN THEIR MIND BUT WHEN YOU ASK WHETHER THEY CAN MAKE IT THAT WAY THE ANSWER IS THAT IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT"
Well, the making of Haniel cosplay continues. Gojo struggles to make it exactly like his imagination. No matter what he does, he seems to be missing something.
While Gojo struggles to find the thing he needs, Marin prepares for Christmas! But alas! THE WAKANA'S DON'T CELEBRATE IT.
Intense creativity mode Gojo is something else. I will say, the made up series that the Haniel cosplay is pulled from has such a Berserk/Dark Souls vibe to it, and I cannot wait to see it in all of its glory. We are clearly building to something big, since Marin is getting impatient about voicing her feelings, while Gojo still has yet to get over his inferiority complex. I sense some drama on the horizon.
Me gustó este tomo más qué el anterior a pesar de qué no pasan muchas cosas, debe ser porque es con temática navideña. Me hubiera gustado ver una escena divierta en dónde Marin le mostraste su lencería navideña a Gojo y también una bonita escena de Gojo, Marin y su abuelo en una cena muy bonita y familiar, pero eso no sucedió. 💔 Siempre es bueno qué sepamos hasta dónde llevar nuestro trabajo, tener buen out no es divertido y hay qué cuidar nuestra salud y no descuidar todo lo demás.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I think my biggest issue with this series is the fact that Marin doesn’t resonate too much with me, but when Gojo is working hard and showing off his creative prowess, it really hits home. I loved seeing him in the zone this volume!
However I am so ready for this weight loss arc to be done. It’s so toxic. The mangaka will never convince me Marin has gained weight and is now an “unacceptable” weight. Please stop the fatphobic bs.
Another amazing volume. The interaction between characters is amazing here, all the introductions of different characters and development really paid off.
This is also a volume that deals into Wakana's descent into creator madness, and that's a really interesting angle to take.
Can't wait to see where this will lead, next volume.