My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 08

その着せ替え人形は恋をする [Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru] #8

by Shinichi Fukuda

At their high school’s cultural festival, Marin tackles her first crossplay! While struggling with projecting masculinity in character, she prepares for the festival with the rest of the class.

But while Marin is a pro at group activities, Wakana has jitters about his very first time working together with his classmates. Is there a light at the end of his tunnel of nerves and anxiety?!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Slice Of Life, Seinen, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2021

Reviews

[📖Moon Book Eater🍽️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

can’t get enough!

This series just keeps getting better. There was more exploration into crosplay which was cool to see! On to the next one!

[Klaudia (Czytelniczka z Księżyca) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Z każdym tomem coraz bardziej kocham tę serię i coraz bardziej nie rozumiem czemu tak bardzo źle ją promują. Gdybym się nie przełamała i nie obejrzała anime najpierw to na pewno nigdy bym nie stwierdziła, że ta seria jest naprawdę cudowna, urocza, a ogólna tematyka serii, czyli odnajdywanie swojego miejsca i tego co się kocha, a także niepoddawanie się pomimo przytyków od rówieśników i dalej parcie naprzód jest jednym z mało wspomnianych wątków w mangach w moim odczuciu. Dlatego bardzo się cieszę, że dałam tej serii szansę, pomimo pewnych aluzji, że seria będzie skupiać się tylko na jednym aspekcie, który tak bardzo promują i eksponują na początkach stron mangi, a co ani trochę nie jest tematyką książki. Owszem jest mowa o dojrzewaniu i zainteresowaniu drugą osobą, ale postacie (w szczególności Gojo - a to facet!) peszy jak dziewczyna jest w bikini, a nie jest napalonym nastolatkiem, co w moim odczuciu tak był kreowany przez wszystko inne, a nie nie przez treść mangi. Czy możemy przestać niektóre serie przestać promować, w tak głupi, powierzchowny, sztampowy i ostatecznie niemający nic wspólnego z serią?!
(Tak też było w przypadku serii moja gwiazda, a którą ostatecznie też uwielbiam, choć promocja tytułu była najdziwniejszą promocją, nawet dziwniejszą niż tutaj)

[Victor The Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 8 (My Kindle Review)

We see Goju and Kitagawa working tirelessly together to get her costume perfect and ready for her first cosplay event at their school festival, while his work gets a lot of praise from others which surprises him. On the day of the event, Kitagawa becomes an absolute knockout on stage and makes all the girls scream crazy for her with Goju getting more recognition for his part. A (100%/Outstanding)

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

With their class depending on them for the coveted (?) win at the cultural festival, Gojo and Marin are pushed like never before. Okay, fine, it’s just Gojo. But can he really go from the outside looking in to being the centre of attention that easily?

Never has anything that loved its cheesecake been nearly as wholesome as this story, which is about a teenage boy learning to believe in himself and see the good that everybody else does, including a very hot girl, because manga.

And that’s not a disparagement on this premise, because it’s done so incredibly well. A truth which has not changed since the very first volume and continues here with this wonderful little story arc that shows Marin doesn’t need to show a lot of skin to absolutely slay.

For all her MPDG ways, Marin is just a sweet kid who happens to work really hard and look really good and… that’s totally fine! She’s not full-on into that trope because she’s definitely got things that ruffle her feathers, she’s just laid-back about things that she’s laid-back about.

And while Gojo might be happy to be the wind beneath her wings, she’s looking for something more than a cosplay partner and I love the way she gushes about him when she’s fully into crush mode, especially towards the end. She absolutely sees the best in him and wants others to realize it too.

Gojo, of course, sees nothing in himself but shame to be endured and I do wonder if that girl who wrecked his confidence when he was a kid is ever going to come back as a teenager and apologize (there’s the rival if we ever go that route, I swear).

Oh, except, maybe he’s being way too hard and if he’d see what Marin is putting out he might realize that he’s kind of amazing. Which is what this volume is basically about. He’s had similar realizations in the past, but it’s very Gojo to need a reminder or twelve.

With all the prep for the crossplay going on, Gojo is pushing it hard to get everything done and while he thinks he’s failing his class by not doing anything else, he’s actually saving them by his skill and dedication. It’s classic behaviour for somebody like Gojo, honestly, and I know I’ve been in that position before, so… story checks out.

The whole volume is basically just a huge Gojo uplift and him realizing that he’s been cutting himself off from his class, not the other way around, and his class breaking through by being genuinely in awe of what he can do. It’s maybe a bit much that everybody loves him just so dang much, but the writing manages to absolutely sell it.

When Gojo decides it’s time to do Marin’s makeup and, instead of peace and quiet, he ends up with a massive floor show focused on him? Oh, this sequence is absolutely killer and it’s one of my favourites in the entire series.

Watching him wrestle with his self-doubt, get a very mild nudge from Marin, and then shift into the freaking professional badass that he is? Never has eyeliner been so cheer worthy. The art in this series is typically flawless, but it gets the nuance of this scene across and the shift in Gojo SO right.

The big pageant goes about as you’d expect, full of some great moments and levity and all the doki-doki one president can possibly handle. And then Gojo and Marin get some time together and is that a photo op? Maybe, but not quite how somebody expected.

This is just a big bowl of delicious hearty cereal, with a huge sprinkle of sugar. And maybe a dollop of cheesecake, which ruins the metaphor, but you get my point. Yeah, there’s some skimpy this and that, but, while that certainly butters the bread in this series, the bread is very, very good just on its own.

5 stars - not only am I now incredibly hungry, but I can safely say that this series remains as funny, sweet, salty, and spicy as ever and features some great lessons about believing in yourself plus a pairing for the manga ages. It took a couple volumes to settle into this level of amazing, but it has been a fantastic ride so far.

[⋆ ࣪˖ ִֶָ sel ་༘࿐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A variety of personalities in here. I love this arc because Gojo is slowly going out of his comfort zone. And we're meeting a lot of good friends!

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because it's THAT GOOD! The build-up is worth-it! I hope this volume/this arc can be animated sometime in the future! AHHHH!!!! What a rewarding volume this is! The character development still sticks its landing on the casts! And I love the supporting characters/classmates helping in the cultural festival! They may be background characters, but they have their own personalities and stories fleshed out in the series! (Actual chapters: Chapters 56–63)

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories becoming a bit too formulaic, that being said, as a lesbian Marin Kitagawa fangirl, seeing Marin as a suave gender bent host for this cosplay was absolutely incredible! Swooooon! She’s a legend.
That being said, I love the cosplay integration to this story and I know that it’s integral to the progression but I think it’s just so heavy on the cosplay of the week formula that I sometimes feel like I’m reading more of a guide to how to cosplay than anything else. It can do more than one thing at a time and it feels lacking in the push of the romance, and their lives outside of cosplay really at all. Gojo did start to connect some dots in this chapter about Marin being pretty and all, but that could easily be swept under the rug. My fear is that the story would continue new cosplay idea, tips and tricks, and one or two cute scenes regarding Marin x Gojo, forever. I want it to build towards something grander I guess.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 8 is all about the cultural festival and getting ready for Marin's cosplay as a guy host character. The class is really behind her and Wakana to win. She is able to pull off the look flawlessly and even gets down the mannerisms well. Marin wins the beauty/cosplay contest and that pushes their class into winning the whole festival. (As we knew she would)
There are two more important points from the Volume: 1) Wakana realizes that he has started to feel about Marin like he first felt about hina dolls. This is a strong indication that he is falling in love with her. 2) At the after-festival carnival, Wakana plays games and wins prizes for Marin. It feels very much like a date. (They are so cute!)

Is there fan service to this manga? Yes, but the story is wonderful and definitely generates all the feels. This is one of the top manga for me.

[Ruby the Wizard · Rating 4 out of 5]

T~T This is turning a bit into a "making friends" wish-fulfillment story for me now haha... Gojo not only making friends, but them being completely understanding when he gets overstimulated and needs to remove himself from the situation to reset? Augh... My heart... This is one of the most positive series I've read.

[Genres and Journals *Tia* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute addition to the series. I enjoyed seeing Marin and Wakana interact with their classmates more. However, their relationship is so slow burn that I’m beginning to wonder if it will ever really happen? But I guess it is good for Wakana to make friends on his own merits before he enters a full romantic relationship with Marin. He definitely needs to interact with more people than just her.

[lily k · Rating 5 out of 5]

definitely up there as one of my favorite volumes
i really thought this was the one where they would finally confess, but nope
still so much tension & it’s so cute, but i’m impatient

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!!

[Sheepy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutle adore this series. There is nothing negative I can say about it! I've loved every moment so far and I can't wait to read more!

[Anthony Wendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume offers a lot of great growth for Gojo as a character. As he finds himself having to actually work around his classmates, he finds himself being torn from his comfort zone so he is able to make Marin ready for the school event. There are some great shots of him drawn with the looks of determination that would put some shonen action heroes to shame and really make you feel for the characters passion and dedication to his craft.

[Ana Parejo]

me he visto el anime en una noche y estoy OBSESIONADA, entonces el devenir natural en estos casos en continuar el manga. la verdad que el anime se quedó en todo lo alto con la escena del love hotel, y en comparación con este tomo, un poco bajona. me suelen aburrir los festivales escolares.

por otro lado, estoy adorando a Marin, es que es la mejor haciendo cosplay de lo que le gusta y pelándosela todo. tengo un crush en ella más que en él, que es mucho decir porque él es perfecto (educado, atento, sensible, ª)

espero que se vaya desarrollando más el romance en los próximos tomos

[-moonprismpower- · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the art. I love how the series started. But there’s barely romance. And honestly, that’s what I’m mostly here for.. I liked the idea of a pretty peppy girl and an awkward shy boy falling in love. But that’s not even the main storyline in this series. The romance(if you would even call it that???) is the side plot instead. I’m getting bored. I’m not sure I will continue…

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wakana may be stressing another cosplay extravaganza, but the guy has finally internalized the essential nature of collaborative work: ask for help; rely on others; express thanks; give it your all; and don't be surprised if, in the end, everyone wants to throw a huge party to celebrate. MY DRESS-UP DARLING v8 is an entertaining volume for numerous reasons, but at the manga's heart, Wakana Gojo's growth takes precedent.

Marin's school-approved cosplay as a leading character from a popular shoujo manga for the culture festival will probably cave the ceiling. But before that, Wakana has to apply some modifications to the suit, Marin needs to finalize a few details regarding costume underclothes and her posturing, and the class's food stand for "Russian Roulette Takoyaki" needs to pull its own weight. Class 1-5 is extraordinarily busy.

MY DRESS-UP DARLING v8 excels in that it deliberately expands Wakana's view of what makes good friends fundamental to good partnerships. Does the young man struggle to assemble a clothing addendum all on his lonesome? Or, in contrast, does he ask his classmates for help, using someone else's knowledge and intuition to build a better cosplay experience?

It's not easy. It's never been easy. Especially for a kid who only knows how to do things on his own. But that's part of the manga's thematic charm (and wish-fulfillment): Good people (if you can find them) will do anything to help you succeed. And so, Wakana asks a self-confident male cohort to serve as a model on which Marin can base her character's movements; he thanks a female student who shows him how to assemble a rainbow rose on a budget; and he owns up to the responsibility of fulfilling the duties assigned to him (if at the behest of a doe-eyed Marin).

The author and the creative team also deserve kudos for more earnestly filling in the gaps of the manga's secondary cast. Readers shouldn't have had to wade through eight volumes and 1,600 pages to learn the full names of Wakana and Marin's classmates. Regardless, it's good to put given and family names to many of these personalities. Perhaps it's only appropriate that these characters' names appear in full in the volume in which Wakana seeks to thank them personally, but the information is nonetheless overdue.

The manga's art has also shifted toward simplicity. Female characters still have shimmery eyes and long and dramatic eyelashes. Marin's cosplay scenes are still given full-page focus. Wakana continues to sweat bullets when he's on the clock. However, in terms of page composition and panel utility, MY DRESS-UP DARLING v8 wields a simple but steadfastly effective approach. The creative team is much better (more efficient) at guiding the eye, for example, during soliloquies. And when multiple characters speak (in the same panel), the character blocking and bubble arrangement never conflict. Very few manga pull this off consistently, and it's a real treat to see this happen, especially in such a compelling and entertaining volume.

[Albert Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(English copy from my Instagram @agamundisr_escritor / @leyendoconalice)

Konnichiwa to all readers 🌸

Today I bring you the review of the eighth volume of the manga "Sexy Cosplay Doll" continuing with Marin's first crossplay. With that said, we begin:

💖The volume starts with the preparations for the wig that Marin will wear, which presents Gojô with the challenge of hiding the roots of the hair. Once the challenge has been overcome, the focus of attention passes to the class representative, who, using a blister pack and a clothespin, achieves the desired transmutation.

However, the real test lies in the host's interpretation and is that she needs to act in a masculine way, referencing the unwritten rules of respect for the character played in the cosplay, especially when it comes to girls.

💖With the help of Murakami, someone Gojô admires, this challenge is overcome, reaching the last key detail of the crossplay, which is the multi-colored rose that the host sports.

This scenario allows the character to develop by asking for help from Seira, a classmate, who through her experience at a summer camp teaches her how to easily dye the flower petals.

As icing on the cake, it is highlighted that the simplest solutions are the best, which leads the protagonist to lean towards thinking more simply.

💖In the third third of the volume, the action moves to the first day of the festival. This starts off really bad for Gojô's class, but Marin and her classmates are willing to give it their all, with her being the trump card.

The cosmaker then suffers the pressure of being watched while he works, which blocks him, but it is his determination to be up to par, in addition to remembering his career doing doll makeup, that makes him shine.

🌸The final chapters close with a stellar performance by Marin, a public recognition of Gojô and his integration into the celebration of the victory at the bowling alley, being a gesture of evolution.

Rating: 5🌸

Arigato enjoy your time 🌸

[Lanie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to this volume so much that I actually decided to not watch the new season of the anime yet because I really wanted to experience this part through the manga first. I don't regret this decision at all!

Volume 7 really sets this up perfectly because yeah sure it is about this crossplay but it is really about Gojo reaching the monumental turning point he does in this volume in terms of his self-esteem. The event that triggers it is so simple as well: He realizes that his classmates have the same insecurities he does. Discovering that you are not alone can have a profound effect on a person and it clearly does here. It isn't just one instance either where he relates to his classmates but several and honestly that was just perfect. But what just makes this the best is Gojo and Marin really do have such a wonderful group of classmates. The students of class 1-5 have created a safe environment where they not only grow but they encourage each other to grow, through positive support. They focus on each other's strengths which allows them to call out weaknesses in a manner that is supportive. Quite frankly about half of the adults I know could learn a thing or two from Class 1-5.

We get a little bit of movement in terms of him recognizing he has a crush on Marin (finally!) as well, so honestly this may be my favorite vol to date!

Also, as an aside I think it's really important to point out just how much research Fukuda did into both the manufacture of Hina Dolls and cosplaying. I mean I don't think unless they pointed this out, I would have realized just how much work went into making this as true to life as possible. Since it's a romance series I'm not sure how many readers actually care on that level, however, it truly allows this series to shine, and I appreciate it greatly!

[sofi 🤍 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5🧵
Moooolto carino anche questo volume! Mi è piaciuto tanto approfondire ancora di più il cosplay maschile e ho amato la grande dedizione e il numeroso impegno di Gojo, si vede che è veramente appassionato! Mi è piaciuta tanto anche l’ambientazione nella scuola. L’unico punto a “sfavore” di questo volume è il fatto che non ci sia stato alcun cambiamento o evoluzione nel rapporto Marin/Gojo e io muoio dalla voglia di capire se Gojo si vuole svegliare e capire finalmente che piace a Marin… chissà se le cose cambieranno in futuro. Lo spero vivamente sennò ho paura che diventi una storia troppo monotona.
-
4/5🧵
This volume is sooo cute too! I really enjoyed delving into male cosplay even more and I loved Gojo's great dedication and commitment, you can see that he is truly passionate! I also really liked the setting in the school. The only point "against" this volume is the fact that there has been no change or evolution in the Marin/Gojo relationship and I'm dying to understand if Gojo wants to wake up and finally understand that Marin likes him... who knows if things will change in the future. I really hope so otherwise I'm afraid it will become too monotonous a story.

[Jesus Ascencio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este fue un gran tomo, hubo muchos momentos divertidos, hermosos y épicos. Ver a Gojo trabajar y recibir apoyo de toda su clase fue genial. Además de que Gojo aprendió a que todos tiene sus problemas y pueden a llegar a sentirse igual que el, por los que ahora puede abrirse a los demás.
Marin como siempre apoyo a Gojo y quiso que si esfuerzo y el del su grupo no fuera en vano, dando todo a la hora de la presentación logrando una actuación increíble. Lo que enamoro a Gojo como era de esperarse, Gojo esga enamorado de ella, pero aún no quiere darse cuenta, me muero por que llegue ese momento. Y como siempre Gojo y Marín fueron un gran equipo y lograron otro cosplay perfecto.
Al final fue increíble ver a Gojo hacer nuevos amigo y abrirse a muchas nuevas experiencias, espero que siga así. Lo único malo es que los avances de la relación de Marín y el son un poco lento, pero aún así es hermoso verlos juntos, prácticamente se comportan como novios sin serlo!!

[Mindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this volume so much.

Marin does her first crossplay for the cultural festival, and everything turns out amazing. She looks so good, and she even practices moving like a male, so the look is a total success. Wakana is still trying to get used to everyone is his class suddenly giving him so much attention, but he finally gets the praise and respect that he deserves for his talent and hard work. The class goes out to celebrate after the festival, and one of his classmates calls Wakana "the man of the hour".

It's so sweet to finally see everyone liking Wakana and drawing him in to the group. He was so lonely and distant from everyone in his class at the beginning of the series, and now he's well liked and appreciated. It's about time. Wakana is the absolute sweetest and most earnest character in the series, and I love him to bits.

[Zian B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 star rating;
I just adore how excited and supportive everyone in Gojo and Marin’s class was of the pair, but especially of Gojo, by making sure they didn’t get too stressed over making the suit and making sure they didn’t forget to eat. This volume showed how absolutely precious Gojo is, by how genuinely surprised/flustered and elated he became whenever someone in the class complimented his work or his skills. It was also amusing seeing Marin be embarrassed and flustered when trying to spend quality time with Gojo away from their classmates, only to get interrupted.
I hope that going forward in the story, Gojo realizes he has friends and overall just people that he can rely on when he needs help.

[Nazish Ahmed (Nazish Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rate this 4.5 stars.

I might have rated this book 5 stars if the characters weren't talking in that annoying way. Sometimes I talk like that too and I don’t have a problem when people talk like that in real life, but when I read that dialogue, it really annoys me.

I love how much love Gojo got in this volume, he deserves it😊 He's also learning to let other people help him as well. I can relate to not wanting to ask others for help because I'm afraid of burdening others too (and sometimes because I want to prove that I can do it myself). I'm also loving their classmates as well now.


Blog: nazreads.ca
Twitter: Naz_readsanime
Instagram: nazreads01, nazcosplay, nradesigns, charmedanimegirl01

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
Amo que todos respeten a Gojo y le den el lugar que merece.
En mi humilde opinión este es el segundo mejor cosplay que Marin ha hecho (el primero es el del tomo 5).
Ay, el final, aunque gracioso, me frustró mucho porque desde el principio yo también noté qué no se habían tomado fotos juntitos y ahora que podían hacerlo LOS DOS SOLOS, se les fué la oportunidad. En fin...
No sé si soy yo, pero siento que las cosas están pasando a un ritmo algo lento(? Igual no me quejo (tanto) porque la historia en sí trata sobre el día a día de estos estudiantes, pero no sé, creo que necesito un poco de drama...solo un poquitito.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is truly fantastic. The build up for Kitagawa’s cosplay as Rei-sama is done so well when you see how much work both Gojo and Kitagawa put into the process.

However, the stand out point of this arc is Gojo making friends. Yes, he’s been able to come out of his shell by befriending Marin and other cosplayers he has met, but he’s still very shy around pretty much everyone at school. His determination to get the win for his class leads to him finally interacting with them and realizing they aren’t scary or judge mental, but that they are just regular people. Seeing him have fun with people other than Marin was so nice to see. My boy is growing up.

[Bee C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gojo and Marin are finishing up their cross play outfit for the school festival. I gave this volume a 3 mainly for Gojo. He’s full of anxiety but he learns that every one is rooting for him and that it’s ok to rely on others. I didn’t give it a five because I feel that the story is repeating itself without moving forward. I like that there is a different character Marin wants to be but where is the story headed? We know she likes Gojo and he’s slowly coming to terms with his feelings as well but nothing else is happening. Hopefully volume nine will bring in something.

[Niall Teasdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get these, and I really want to take my time reading them, and every single time, they're read the same day. I mean, it's a manga, not 'Game of Thrones,' but I wish I could slow down!

Marin becomes manly. Self-revelation happens. Soft toys are given. It's all good fun, and educational if you ever want to try cosplay. There's even a little bit of a science lesson in this one. Can't wait for volume 9, but I'll have to, for far too long.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this arc, it’s so wholesome! The kids are all so supportive, and you can feel their youth in the energy they put into the festival. Gojo is slowly learning about people and how to lean on others sometimes. I would have loved to see the reaction of his classmates when he suddenly became so intense to do Marin’s makeup. He was super hot 😉

I laughed so hard at Marin’s epic failure to get a photo with Gojo. A bunch of insensitive guys totally butt in and ruined it all so nonchalantly 🤣

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the occasional fan service, still a weirdly wholesome story about high schoolers working on a craft together. In this case, it was preparing Marin for dressing as a male anime character. They discussed wigs, undergarments, makeup, and posture in this one. Some of the zoom in shots in this (and the previous) are so cool looking. In particular, when Gojo does something cool, he looks real cool