Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
aSneaki
Season 1 had me hooked like nothing else... So S2 being this bad hurt. This review comes late because of how watching this show was such a drag. There's quite literally no progress in Marin & Gojo's love life, and they tended to focus on every other characters sob story rather than what the show is really all about in the first place.
On top of that there were 4 or 5 episodes in a row that pushed some woke cross dresser that probably doesn't apply to or interest the majority of viewers in the first place. Lets be frank, we started the show for fan service & a decent love story. Not 120 minutes of exposition attempting to normalize some strange fetish.
You would think that CloverWorks would try and cater more to their audience. Go read the manga if you want what you ordered.
Read at the sourceAzizaKarim1
Season 1 of My Dress-Up Darling used cosplay as a tool to develop its characters and their relationship. Season 2 turns cosplay into the main focus—and the story suffers because of it.
Most episodes feel like filler: repetitive cosplay segments, excessive exposition, and very little real character or relationship progression. The introduction of multiple secondary characters only bloats the season, as none of them are meaningfully developed or necessary.
What’s most disappointing is the loss of subtlety. Everything is explained through dialogue, leaving no room for emotional nuance or interpretation. The core relationship barely moves forward, making the season feel stagnant and stretched.
Season 2 is unfocused and disappointing. What once stood out now feels generic.
Read at the sourcePrN_8
My Dress-Up Darling – Season 2D
I liked the first season mainly for the romance, not so much for the cosplay aspect. This season leaned heavily into cosplay, leaving very little room for the romantic elements. The MC-and-quirky-girl dynamic is an old anime trope, but Marin’s energy still makes it an interesting watch. That said, the shift in focus felt a bit off to me.
Characters
The newly introduced characters felt bland. Maybe cosplay fans will enjoy them more, but I didn’t really connect with them.
Animation
Pretty good overall. I’m glad they didn’t overly sexualize Marin this time. Recommendation
Honestly, I’m conflicted. The genre itself felt like it shifted. I didn’t really like this season, but I’d still watch it—for the tiny bits of romance that remain.
Read at the sourceTwo0ld4this
My Dress-Up Darling season 1 is one of my favorite animes of all time, mainly because it had me literally cracking up in every episode! The story was so well done, it still sets the standard for rom-coms in my book. I still recall rolling in my bed, dying of laughter. The romance was also a nice touch, even if it ultimately ended in a cliffhanger.
Well, I just finished season 2, and I'm sad to say I only chuckled out loud once. And the romance? We were given crumbs... and another let down by the end. The main characters feel so different from the first season; their chemistry is all over the place. At times, it feels like Gojo has simply been friendzoned. Worse, a lot of screen time was given to side characters for whom I felt nothing. Attempts to make these side characters have their own…
Read at the sourceRinLotte
Compared to the first, the 2nd season has been a huge step forward for "My Dress Up Darling". Although the studio and the creators did not change, the art direction and the storytelling got a drastically different approach, and a good one at that! Even if the first season left you a bit cold (me likewise), the new approach of the anime makes this season a nice breath of fresh air, so do give it a watch if you are still contemplating!
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The 2nd season of "My Dress Up Darling" immediately grasps your attention with its new style of animation and storytelling. In already the first episode with a scene depicting an "anime within the anime" which is in a very different artstyle compared to the usual. All characters that are being cosplayed are introduced and explained in the…
Read at the sourceMinheeMiku
I'll start by saying Season 1 was one of my favorite Anime.
Season 2 is so disconnected from what made everything good about season 1.
The start of season 2 just skips a bunch of chapters and continues to diverge from the main characters and the elements you loved in Season 1.
It's becomes a totally uninvolved with the main characters and just a slice of life, uninteresting anime.
All the intimate moments you loved between the main characters are gone.
In fact you will often be wondering what show you are even watching, many episodes are so derailed with endless annoying side characters that do not matter.
I would of never imagined watching S2 and thinking to myself "I hope the main characters in this show get some screen time together"
They have absolutely ruined this show, Turing it int…
Read at the sourceDarksain
I never really write reviews for any anime, although I have been watching anime since 2019 now... but this one is so special to me... every episode in season 2 so far has me giggling and smiling like crazy, just because of how wholesome and cute the show is!! I really hope it gets renewed for a third season, because I cannot wait to see where Gojo and Marin's story goes... also each and every cosplay is such a banger!!
Season 2 meandered a little bit compared to the first season, at times the pace was a bit slower, but its nothing to cry over, as the introduction to a lot of new characters and their backgrounds needed that time for the story to develop. I absolutely loved the animation style, and the ending theme song hits 10/10. Gojo has had so much character development compared to the p…
Read at the sourceecktt
TLDR: Yet another highly anticipated let down.
How did they drop the ball so badly? This season romance between Marin and Gojou went from the 12KV AC to 1.5V DC. At the same time the cosplay and woke messaging got turned up. The entire season seemed more like an extended OVA. Little....actually no progress between our MCs while we found out way more than necessary about the supporting characters. Even the animation seemed a bit off. The pacing seemed long and unnecessarily drawn out, as the story seemed uninteresting. Marin edgy fortitude was replaced by girly butterflies while Gojou could not be more oblivious. I watched over S1 to make sure it wasn't garbage and I wasn't being too harsh. In the end it was full of more moments and character charm, which is what this genre lives off of. W…
Read at the sourceholycheesestick
My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 was a major letdown. Gojo, the protagonist, is still painfully timid — like, dude, grow a spine already. After an entire season, he’s still stammering and turning red over basic interactions. It gets old fast and makes it hard to root for him when he can’t take a single step forward emotionally.
And don’t even get me started on the relationship. Zero progress between Gojo and Marin in 12 episodes. They tease moments here and there, but nothing ever comes of it. It feels like the show is stuck in the same loop — no payoff, no evolution, just vibes. If you were hoping for real development, skip this one.
Read at the sourcetorqueofalltime
I am a huge sucker for romance anime and I really, really wanted to like this one. But there is something in me that just can't feel satisfied with this season.
I absolutely loved the art and the animation. It was terrific. Each scene felt lively and all the characters felt so full of life and charm. I couldn't help but smile during a good percentage of the show, but after all was said and done I looked back and realized that not much was really done to bring Gojo and Marin together. Sure they express some feelings about each other, but it's all personal- the stuff we've heard before just expressed more intensely. We even get some cute bonding scenes. But that's the thing: just "some," in my opinion, doesn't cut it. I can only recall around 3 or 4 significant scenes where you can say Gojo…
Read at the sourceTetsuya8
This summer season have so much great anime, and the wildest thing is that I think this is a best one. I wauted three years for this. First season was really good. But this is simply next level. What stays from season one is great pacing where I was always surprised, that episode already end. Next think I like to mention is simply fantastic animation. Especially I like diferent angles they used often also feel that is really colorfuĺ animation. Which is good about anime where main thing is cosplay. Simply this anime is funny, colorfull and really worth waiting.
Read at the sourceBlueTatamiMats
S1 was fine n all, but S2 is straight up a 256-minute advertisement for the cosplay industry.
The anime just decided that for some reason - it is going to sacrifice character development, animation budget and basically all corners of creativity and bloat the season with absolutely useless filler content by trying to flesh out the cosplay industry; something that nobody wants to fucking see.
This show is supposed to be about 2 (highschoool) characters and their "relationship", but now this season we got so many unnecessary characters that don't even matter to take up screen time, so much exposition that is not helping to flesh out anyone, not even the useless characters, it is just useless banter/yapping at this point.
The show completely gave up on all forms of subtlety the dialogue held…
Read at the sourceTharr
Oh, boy. "I loved 1st season and couldn't wait for this one". "I fkin' love cosplay, it was an amazin' anime". I'm sure most of the positive reviews have something like this. The same sh***y arguments you find for every title. Instead of thinking for themselves, its easier to copy/paste opinions. God forbid you say that the new stuff sucks... Spoiler alert: even though it has a higher rating, this anime is worse than the 1st season. And that one wasn't that amazing either.
Visuals. Funny things. Same art style. A bit worse design, more simplistic, yet better animation. At one point, she's sitting on her bed and then falls on her side. Then, for a split second, she does the natural move of rearranging her hips. I'm weird to notice that, I know, but I was too impressed by their dedication.…
Read at the sourceLedeu
When I first started watching My Dress-Up Darling, I honestly didn’t expect to be as moved as I was. On the surface, it looks like a lighthearted rom-com anime with cute characters and cosplay themes, but it quickly became much more meaningful for me.
What I loved the most was the relationship between Gojo and Marin. It’s not just about romance — it’s about acceptance, encouragement, and finding someone who truly appreciates what makes you unique. Gojo’s passion for doll-making is something so personal and unusual, and seeing Marin not only accept it but wholeheartedly support it was really touching. It reminded me how important it is to have people in your life who push you to embrace your passions instead of hiding them.
The anime is also visually stunning. The colors, the details in t…
Read at the sourceGlasglow
3/10, literally just for the fact that they couldn't be bothered to finish the entire show with two seasons.
We've had like three or four episodes wasted on filler stuff that could have been cut down and the producers would have been able to recreate the Haniel Arc, which was the most impactful and beautiful volume of the series. Three episodes would have been plenty to wrap up the anime.
Instead we literally have a show that was a couple of episodes short from the final conclusion of the manga and it's infuriating because we will never see it animated because it's just a couple of episodes.
Screw them and poor pacing.
Read at the sourceghostly6888
This series is more fitting for an episodic style rather than a serialized one. Like, most of the season was focused on cosplay work, which is what the show is about, I guess. But the focus on our two main characters has basically dwindled, and our attention is brought towards the supporting characters instead.
I like the theme of self-actualization and just doing what makes you feel good without worrying about how other would perceive you. I like seeing how it varies from character to character (or, just two characters, at least). These are values that the main character himself could apply. Unfortunately, the show still feels directionless story wise due to the lack of romantic development between the two main characters. I can estimate at least two thirds of this season was dedicated t…
Read at the source5iv3_
My Dress Up Darling wraps up its second season full of vigor and energy! It really was such a great season, filled with many fun moments and new characters! I think I enjoyed this season a tad more than season 1 for multiple reasons:
One being the plot of this season. I think the arcs covered here were just plainly more interesting than season 1 (season 1 was amazing though so don't take this the wrong way). We got to see these characters further opening up more than how they were in the beginning of the series, and I've really developed a bit of a soft spot for this series because of it!
Second, the animation needs to be acknowledged for this season. It was off the charts actually, it's bonkers. It was so fluid and animated, I feel it elevated the overall flow of the show while still…
Read at the sourceIonliosite2
Remember everything you liked about Sono Bisque Doll? Well, this season completely squashed it and it became a completely sterile show where everything you see looks even more pointless every time you look at it. This series already adapted everything worthwhile it had to offer back in the first season, and if the reason you were here was because of the fanservice, you will be massively disappointed because after the first episode there's barely any.
You should have noticed in the first season, but Gojo is a plank of wood, he doesn't have any actual personality to him and this season doesn't challenge him in any way. I know, this show is le wholesome chungus so everything and everyone has to affirm and reaffirm the message, but this doesn't have any meaning when they don't seem challenged…
Read at the sourcedont404
Let me be as blunt as possible: this season is a complete and utter letdown. The show lost its charm, feels directionless, and doubled down on the very things I already disliked in season 1.
The first big issue is the romance being put on the back burner. In season 1, cosplay was important, but it was mainly used as a reason for Wakana and Marin to spend time together and grow with one another. Their relationship was the heart of the show, and that’s why people connected with it. This season flips that on its head, making cosplay the main focus while the characters themselves feel secondary. Seems like a common trend with "romance" shows this season, where they decide to remove the romance aspect altogether, and it just doesn’t work. I know some will argue that the series has always been…
Read at the sourceStark700
Season 2 of My Dress-Up Darling was destined to happen. Despite the four year gap between the first and second season, fans' support made it happen, like a cult classic reborn. The first season was also well reviewed and with the manga's growing popularity, this was just a matter of time. My Dress-Up Darling has established itself as an iconic anime franchise but does set the standard for today's rom-coms.
CloverWorks has been known to produce multiple anime every season in recent years, and it appears to be on a trajectory to establish itself as a powerhouse studio. The first season of My Dress-Up Darling had its imperfections from time to time but the animation quality was always stellar. Let's be honest, for a franchise like this to succeed, it needed uniqueness, diversity, style, and…
Read at the source