Gojou completes Marin’s costume for the beauty pageant, but can he meet his class’s expectations?
Episode 18 — “I’ll Make It Happen, No Matter What with These Two Hands”
Hmm.
The eighteenth episode of My Dress-Up Darling gave us two masterful performances, not just one. We expected Marin to woo the crowd and steal the student council president’s heart. Everyone else has already fallen in love with Marin, so what’s one more? But the surprise and breakout public display of talent and artistry came from the most private individual. Gojou and Marin complement each other’s skills, but it was Gojou who had to push through adversity.
My Dress-Up Darling showed us contrasting levels of confidence. Marin is a star, and her modeling work reflects that. Gojou is an introverted artist, and his best work shines when he sits alone in his room painting porcelain faces. Gojou rose to the occasion in front of the small audience of his classmates and impressed me more than Marin’s expected stage presence. He was never the main attraction in front of people before. He could apply makeup and costume elements to Marin at cosplay events, but that was backstage. For this moment, for his classmates, he was the celebrity.
Teamwork still played a role in the beauty pageant, though, in My Dress-Up Darling S2, episode 18. The target was the female student council president, but part of the presentation came from the crowd’s energy and emotion. Marin and Gojou’s classmates convinced the audience to reenact the Champagne Call scene for PrezHost, which contributed to Ms. President’s heart skipping a beat in “Rei-sama’s” arms. I love watching winners! Yoisho!
My Dress-Up Darling Makes Me Go Heh.
Here’s a familiar sight: Gojou sits alone in his room, stitching fabric together under a single lamp. His classmates complete the decorations for their Russian roulette takoyaki stall. Next up for Marin’s costume? The rainbow rose that doesn’t cost $7 each. Is Gojou familiar with spray-paint cans? Nope! He and Marin wasted a paper rose. Har. Marin’s friends wanted to see her wearing the Rei-sama suit and her flattened boobs. Go back to My Dress-Up Darling, episode 17, for that scene. Oh? Could the sleepy-sounding Seira actually be dependable? She knows how to make a rainbow rose! One white rose, four colors, and capillary action! Gojou learns something new about social interactions every day. Even Grandpa Gojou can cook dinner for the kids until the festival is over. It’s okay to rely on others because it feels good to feel you helped.
Festival starts! CloverWorks flexes its background painting muscles for My Dress-Up Darling. Class 1-5’s Russian roulette takoyaki sold brisk business in the morning, but Class 1-3’s curry plates owned the lunch crowd. Marin has extra fire to take first place in the beauty pageant, so her class wins the most points. She connects how the characters in PrezHost help Rei-sama succeed, so she wants to reciprocate for her classmates.
My Dress-Up Darling Wows Audiences, Great and Small
The day of the beauty pageant! Gojou finished the suit jacket, and Seira’s rainbow rose turned out perfectly. But Gojou doesn’t want others around to watch him apply Marin’s makeup. Too intimate and intimidating. Ack! The whole class came to watch Gojou work makeup magic on Marin’s face! How can Gojou calm down enough so his hands can avoid shaking? Plus, the added pressure of helping Marin win for the class’s overall victory weighs on him. One word from his living dress-up doll is enough. Focus! Gojou transformed himself into The Artist. This was my favorite scene of the My Dress-Up Darling episode. Marin loves how he looks at her like that! Gojou put on a riveting performance for his classmates.
Now, it’s Marin’s turn in the spotlight. She already won as soon as she stepped onto the stage. Marin captivated the crowd. But look at what she did to the vote that matters! The student council president has fallen to Rei-sama’s charm offensive. But Gojou only has eyes for Marin. He found another muse. My Dress-Up Darling can’t show him admitting he’s fallen in love with the girl behind the doll face yet. It’s time. Charm the pants off everyone, Marin! Worth 800 million yen? Yoisho!
My Dress-Up Darling — Total Victory for the Marin Kitagawa Global Supremacy!
No surprises here. Class 1-5 won the most points in the cultural festival. Yay! It was super fun! Gojou’s next hurdle? Handling his nerves at the afterparty! He did okay at the Halloween party in My Dress-Up Darling, episodes 13 and 14. Hahaha! Nowa loves shouting in a karaoke box. Will she ask about Gojou and Marin dating again? Oof. Gojou spent his introverted energy reserves too quickly. It’s okay if it’s just Marin, though. Oops. Marin remembered how someone else pulling on her waist made her heart skip a beat.
Oh, look out. Gojou and Marin can have a date by themselves. The crane machine will not defeat Gojou! Ooh, Marin wants a picture alone with Gojou. Ack! Too late! All the dudes showed up!
Next time, Marin’s delicious memories catch up to her!
My Dress-Up Darling (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru) streams on Crunchyroll in Japanese with multiple language subtitles.
Aw, poor Marin. When can she have a private moment again with Gojou? I have a more pressing question, though. What will Marin’s next cosplay character be? From the end theme, the sexy nun could be the likely choice. Come on, Marin. Bring sexy back with thigh-high boots and a prayer! What’s your prediction? Or who would you like to see again? Let us know in the comments below!
Let’s Chat
You made it to the end of this post! Thank you! As a token of our appreciation, enjoy an extra 5% off your next order when you use the code BLOG at checkout. Also, don’t forget to follow J-List on all our platforms!
- Twitter / X, where Peter posts anime booba for you
- Bluesky, where we post several times a day
- Facebook, where we used to share memes and discuss anime
- Discord, if you want to chat with other J-List customers of culture
Golden Week has arrived in Japan, and J-List is celebrating with an extra-awesome sale for you! Through May 13th, you can get 15% off all in-stock items shipping from Japan. Just think of the amazing stress-relief toys, ero lotion, or hentai manga you can pick up. No code to enter, just start browsing here!
