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reviewed My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 1 by Shinichi Fukuda (その着せ替え人形は恋をする [Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru], #1)

Shinichi Fukuda: My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 1 (Paperback, 2020, Square Enix Manga) 4 stars

Wakana Gojou is a fifteen year old high-school boy who was socially traumatized in the …

Review of 'My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 1' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I saw the words "dress-up" on the spine and read the back. I saw "Doll making" and "cosplay" and went "Yeah, this is for me."

And it was!

This humorous story about the nervous and anxious Wakana (who can get serious when it matters) and the cool and bold Marin (who gets flustered when her feelings are real) is delightful and adorable. Both characters are relatable in their own ways (Wakana who is ashamed of his doll making career/hobby and Marin who's just so happy to have someone genuinely share in her interests) and their struggles and finding relief in each other is heartwarming. You story emphasizes how these two relate to each other with the experiences they've both had with their "odd" hobbies and it builds their chemistry.

I suppose if I had any critique, I think the "Wakana takes measurements" scenes went on a little too long. I understand part of the comic is the erotic aspects, but it felt a little repetitive as they went over the same "Wakana is turned on, embarrassed, and forces himself to keep going." While the end had a nice pay off (When he forces himself to consider her feelings for her cosplay hobby and gets serious), they probably could have cut out a step or two in between.

But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to Volume 2!