My Dress-Up Darling episode 12 is out and it proves to be the perfect finale for this lovely rom-com we’ve grown to love. it’s been an undeniably exciting and fun ride, especially with all of its cosplay ventures and developments. The anime has been a balance of teasing and wholesome vibes, but the finale takes it on a more heartfelt tone. Marin and Gojo’s friendship has been endearing ever since the beginning and this episode manages to wrap their feelings quite nicely. The fact that the finale is titled, “My Dres-Up Darling” makes it all the more moving. By the end of it all, I found myself feeling very happy, emotional, and satisfied. Because what’s a rom-com anime without that summer festival experience, right?
If you’ve noticed, the finale episode is milder and laid-back as compared to the previous episode. There’s barely any cosplay or fanservice. It’s reminiscent of their trip to the beach but the finale weighs more in feeling and beauty. What makes this so nice is that it simply — oh so simply — focuses on Gojo and Marin as they spend the remaining days of their summer vacation together. Throughout the episode, they act like adorable dorks. Well, isn’t summer always about making new memories and living in the moment?
If you look back into the good old days, it’s the “normal” moments you’ll find yourself missing. This is what the My Dress-Up Darling finale feels like. From beginning to end, all the little scenes felt so special and memorable. From watching movies, cramming homework, jumping into the school pool, buying food, to a piggyback ride home. And when Gojo realizes how much has changed, how Marin’s friendship opened up his world, and how it’s going to continue — it’s all very moving.
Personally, the best part was when Gojo was silently in awe of the fireworks show– I definitely felt the emotion at that moment. Because of that, I have a lot of love for CloverWorks for their lovely visuals. (Plus their “show-within-a-show” animation.) In addition, the fact that Gojo ended up looking at the beautiful Marin during the fireworks show made my heart flutter too. If you’re interested, you can listen to the official insert song titled, “Kimi Ni Tsutaetai Koto Ga Arunda” by Spira Spica on their YouTube channel.
This finale episode particularly reminds me that the writing of the story is so good, simple, mature, and healthy. It’s very pleasing and refreshing and I genuinely enjoyed watching the entire series. I especially love the relationship that Marin and Gojo have. They’ve established a great friendship, and whether it grows romantically or not, at least right now, they have each other to adore. It could be the traditional clothes or the actual love confession — but all in all, My Dress-Up Darling episode 12 delivered a heartwarming and beautiful finale. It definitely earns a spot on my personal rom-com favorites.
As always, don’t forget to vote in our weekly polls if you enjoyed the episode. You can also go ahead and dive into the original material, which continues to Volume 6 of the manga. There is also the option of rewatching everything, which is available to stream on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Bilibili in select regions. You can also visit their official Twitter to see the many special celebratory illustrations.
Images via Bilibili
©Shinichi Fukuda/SQUARE ENIX, Kisekoi Committee