My Dress-Up Darling Ep 6

I have to say, I was quite surprised how late they decided to start the Opening (almost 10 minutes into the episode), but I actually liked this decision. By choosing to start later, they were able to use the extended time of the first half to properly finish up the development that spurred at the end of last week’s episode. It was a good transition to the next arc, where we really start to see Marin getting all worked up about how much she likes Wakana. It was greatly entertaining to see, because ever since Wakana said she was beautiful, she can’t help but see him in a light with sparkles and roses. It’s pretty funny when you think about it that it’s being told such that she comes to realize her own feelings for him!

We also got see some nice interaction between her and Gramps, as well as learn that she is similar to Wakana since her mother had passed, and her father had a job transfer so she lives mostly on her own. It was sweet to see how Gramps imeaditely offered Marin to have dinner with them every night to make sure she eats properly after she had showed them the convenience store meals she eats. So now Marin will be a fixed member at their table to make sure she is eating properly.

This week we meet finally got to meet Inui Sajuna, also known as Juju. She is the cosplayer Marin mentioned earlier on who she idolizes, and unfortunately for Wakana, he ends up having an incredibly awkward first encounter with her. It all came about when his grandpa had assumed Sajuna was one of his friends, and offered her their home to warm up and dry off when he had saw she had gotten caught in the rain. However Wakana knew Marin had work together, so he was deeply concerned about who the heck his gramps let inside their home, (which is understandable, really), he felt the need to identify who it was. Unfortunately that’s how he walked in while she was naked. (Poor souls…). And this mishap was what gave Sajuna (who he was meeting for the first time) the unexpected leverage to get Wakana to make her a Shion’s Black Lily outfit from the magical girl series, Flower Princess Blaze.

Despite her looks, Sajuna is actually a senior to Wakana and Marin, but her petite form enables her to pull off cosplaying as Shion in a way Marin can’t because of her height. Of course Marin could still cosplay her if she really wanted to, but she won’t because as much she loves Shion’s character, she doesn’t want to spoil her image. So instead, she would pick a different character she likes that suits her height, such as Shion’s sister Neon. Those set of values as a cosplayer is something Sajuna really respects and follows as well. Hilariously, like they way Wakana and Marin had assumed she was an elementary/middle school student, Sajuna had misconceptions about whether Marin actually cared for the series and characters she was dressing up as, which both parties had apologized without the other understanding why.

That said, Sajuna did have a second misunderstanding though when she had assumed Wakana and Marin are dating. Oh gosh the boy was so embarrassed and quick to shoot it down, and even outright made it clear he hasn’t dated anyone before– which of course pleased Marin. I do think it’s pretty cute and telling how much she thinks of his character that she had thought on multiple accounts that he had a girlfriend or dating experience, but I digress.

As to how Sajuna found out about Wakana being responsible for making Shizuku’s outfit… Well as the information wasn’t made public, she had gone to the event to see the outfit in person and  found out about it by chance when she overheard that Wakana had personally tailored it. After that she she ended up tailing him all the way to his home, where she later returned during a rainy day in hopes to commission him to make her a Shion Black Lily outfit.

It was pretty funny how Wakana had (understandably) misunderstood Sajuna’s reasons for being there. He thought she was there to see the Hina Dolls and was enthusiastically showing her all of them, until she confronts him about where the outfits are. Sajuna didn’t realize that he didn’t take commissions and that was his first time making an outfit to be worn. That’s pretty much how she was led into blackmailing him to make one for her after he had accidentally walked in on her. Which brings Wakana to his next project: Flower Princess Blaze. But this time he won’t be making just one costume, but two (one for Sajuna, the other for Marin).

And finally, when he was getting the run down of the story, Wakana was really feeling the story until Marin throws in the fan-theories and shipping when she suddenly comments about how Shion’s childhood guy friends were totally dating. Oh god, I was laughing so hard because this is something so many of us can relate to. IT’S SUCH MOOD. AHAHAHAHAHA! Wakana was SO LOST when they were telling him about how it’s not written anywhere officially and was being told about the complex relationship chart. He couldn’t fathom how this was supposed to be for little girls. Oh Wakana, this is only the tip of the iceberg.