Most pieces of TV and film have some idea they’d like to pass on to the viewer. Sometimes, it’s musings on a theme—like an examination of growing old or the tragedies of war. Other times it’s a straightforward moral just as clear as in any fairytale. This last season’s My Dress-Up Darling is the latter kind—and its message is a fantastic one: “It’s okay to like the things you like.”
Image source: TVアニメ『その着せ替え人形は恋をする』
This moral is conveyed to us through the characters of Gojo and Kitagawa. Gojo, from a very young age, fell in love with the traditional Japanese Hina Dolls his grandfather made. This quickly turned into a drive to make them himself—basically becoming his grandfather’s apprentice. But when he shared his new interest with a friend, she rejected it because of the established gender roles she had been taught. Gojo was a boy who liked dolls. Boys aren’t supposed to like dolls. Therefore, Gojo was “weird” and she lashed out as young children do.
Losing his friend over the thing he was most passionate about caused Gojo to socially isolate himself growing up. He wasn’t bullied but he was so afraid of getting close to other people—lest they discover his “shameful” secret—that he became little more than a doormat in his classmates’ eyes.
Image source: TVアニメ『その着せ替え人形は恋をする』
At first glance, Kitagawa looks to be the opposite of Gojo in every way. She’s fashionable, popular, and outgoing. She speaks her mind and isn’t afraid of people’s reactions—she even lectures her friends on why her favorite character from a porn game is so awesome in the middle of the classroom. Yet, even she has things she keeps on the downlow—like her poor sewing ability and her desperate need to “become” the game and anime characters she loves through cosplay.
Image source: TVアニメ『その着せ替え人形は恋をする』
While the series is largely focused on Gojo being dragged into the world of cosplay—with him making the costumes and Kitagawa wearing them—the reason their relationship works so well is because she lives the moral of the show: “It’s okay to like the things you like.” And as opposed to Gojo’s self-isolation, Kitagawa has surrounded herself with people who, even if they don’t necessarily share her interests, support her.
When it comes down to it, Kitagawa has no interest in Hina Dolls. Gojo, on the other hand, has no real interest in games or anime. However, neither trashes on the others’ passions. In fact, they actively support them even if they don’t completely understand them. In the process of combining their interests through cosplay, each changes and grows into a better version of themselves—getting closer to their individual goals along the way.
Image source: TVアニメ『その着せ替え人形は恋をする』
All in all, My Dress-Up Darling wants you to feel confident about your passions and surround yourself with those who accept both you and them—even if they don’t share them. While not everyone will accept or agree with what you like, moving forward with those who do is a sure way to find happiness—and perhaps even love.
My Dress-Up Darling can be seen on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Top image source: TVアニメ『その着せ替え人形は恋をする』 on Twitter.
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