Heartwarming / My Dress-Up Darling

A lively and beautiful gyaru teams up with an introverted but talented boy to make and model cosplay clothes. Heartwarming moments ensue in My Dress-Up Darling.

General

• The relationship between the two main characters is pure heartwarming. Right from the beginning Kitagawa shows nothing but kindness to Gojo: helping him clean up the classroom after other students had bailed, complimenting him on his hina doll, and being in genuine awe of his sewing ability. After Gojo agrees to make her cosplay clothes, the friendship then blossoms, still rooted in cosplay but also including weekend hangouts, beach and shopping trips, and lunches together. Slowly but surely, Kitagawa helps Gojo come out of his shell and embrace a new way of living.
• Kitagawa Marin could be considered this in general. Despite being beautiful and very popular, she is the polar opposite to the Alpha Bitch stereotype. She's friendly towards pretty much everyone, only showing hostility to those who judge others and their interests, and her admiration of Gojo and his talents is sincere. She's also patient and quite empathetic, showing concern for Gojo when his grandfather ends up in hospital and tearfully apologises when Gojo exhausts himself making her Shizuku costume on a very tight deadline due to a miscommunication. No wonder she's the Class Princess.
• The relationship between the Inui sisters. Shinju clearly adores her older sister Sajuna, and Sajuna is willing to put herself into situations she absolutely detests just to make her younger sister happy.

Manga

• Chapter 10: Gojou unveils the finished Shizuku-tan cosplay to an amazed Kitagawa, and then reveals he thought she was going to the gathering that weekend so he pushed himself. This stuns Kitagawa, who reveals that she had planned on going to a later one and waiting however long it took him to make the cosplay because of how labor intensive cosplay can be. While this doesn't upset Gojou, Kitagawa genuinely begins to cry and apologizes to him for not making herself clear so he pushed himself to that extent. It's very nice and heartwarming to see just how much Kitagawa respected him and the craft that she felt awful he pushed himself that far for her due to miscommunication.
• Chapter 24: Usami-san, the fabric store clerk: he is very supporting and understanding when he thinks that Gojo would be the one wearing the outfit in the design sheet.
  Usami-san: Even if he would put on the skirt it wouldn't be wrong at all... Not to mention those serious eyes of his. He's relying on me now. I must become a pillar of support for him..!!
• Chapter 39: Kitagawa calls Gojo to calm her nerves while she's being kept awake by a horror movie the two watched earlier. He stays with her on the phone until he's physically incapable of staying awake. Despite being too shy to say it earlier, Kitagawa lets loose those three most beautiful words once she can hear he's fallen asleep on the other end of the line...
  Kitagawa: Gojo-kun... I love you.
• Chapter 43: Crossing over with tearjerker, after Himeno tells the story of how his ex girlfriend made him throw out his cosplay because of how "gross" it was for a guy to cross dress, Kitagawa starts crying and telling him how awful of her it was to so that. Since she should have been able to tell how much it meant to him. Himeno is clearly surprised at how much this affects her, but he just smiles, and assures Kitagawa that he's come far since then. And how he would much rather do what he enjoys and love himself than let someone else tell him how he should be living.
  • Himeno also has a soft moment where he reflects upon how many people he told he was a cross dresser, yet none of them shamed him for his hobby and many even were amazed. And has a smile when, after revealing his earlier fear that Gojou would say something about his cross dressing, Gojou wholeheartedly declares he would never say anything like that.
• Chapter 48: After Gojo once more denies that he and Kitagawa are going out, he catches another man talking to her and barges in, coming close to something resembling a love confession... until it turns out that the man is her hairdresser, chewing her out for running her hair iron too hot. While Gojo and Kitagawa still remain Twice Shy after this, the scene moves her enough to give him a kiss on the cheek (although he's in a full-body bunny costume at this point so he neither feels it nor realizes what she did).
• Chapter 53: Gojo is fearful for the upcoming culture festival, as he has to make pageant clothes for Kitagawa while helping his classmates to build their stall. However, his classmates know that making clothes is a time-consuming work and taking on both tasks would be too straining for him, so they assure him he can focus on the costume without doing the stall.
• Chapter 61: Gojo is under extreme pressure, as there are many people in the room watching him doing the final touch on Kitagawa's Rei-sama cosplay. Coupled with everyone's high expectation, he nearly has a breakdown. Fortunately, he goes on serious mode and stunts everyone with his makeup work. This is also the exact opposite of what he feared at the start, expecting that everyone will ridicule him for his interests like his former childhood friend. Instead, they're legitimately amazed by his skills and regard him as the man of the follow-up party after the event.
  Gojo: I will make Kitagawa-san number 1.
• Chapter 67: After a day of having Gojo test photographing her with their new professional-grade camera, Kitagawa says she wants to head back to the Gojo household for one specific photo. The photo she takes is a headshot of Gojo's grandfather.
• Chapter 72: Just after Sajuna turns down Kitagawa's request to join them in a Coffin meet-up, Shinju pops up and learns about the plans. She immediately becomes ecstatic at the idea of seeing Shinju joining a Coffin meet-up and gushes about the potential of seeing her in that cosplay. Only to become immensely saddened when she learned Sajuna turned down the invitation. Her heartwrenchingly sad face clearly gets to Sajuna, though, as not a couple minutes later she picks back up her phone and calls her back to ask about the meet-up. Sajuna may be stubborn about her cosplay ideals, but she clearly won't place her cosplay preferences above her little sister's feelings.
• After the truth comes out as to why Sajuna actually refuses to cosplay a character like Black Lobelia (insecurity about her face type and bust, along with her height a bit, not matching the character enough), the friends she's made help her pull off the cosplay stunningly. All while encouraging her to not give up without at least trying if it's something she really wants to do.
• Chapter 81: Sajuna reveals that she felt some insecurities about how as she grew older, and was thinking of quitting. But says that meeting other, older cosplayers made her realize she could keep doing it even as an adult. To which the others completely encourage this, recalling encounters with cosplayers in their 40s and 50s who are still just as passionate about it. Sharing the belief that it's a hobby that anyone can enjoy no matter how old they get, and that can be started anytime.
  • There's also a wonderfully impassioned speech given about how even as an adult, one should never give up whatever their passions are. Even when time becomes a more valuable commodity, the resources and finances of an adult will open all the more doors to make it more fun. And how even in the more difficult times, one's hobbies can give a bright spot in the darkness and pull them through to the other side when nothing else seems to be going right.
• Chapter 97
  • After Kitagawa and Gojo are approached by a group of photographers, one individual has only a smartphone compared to others around him with high-spec equipment. Feeling insecure from being an amateur by comparison, he wonders if he should back off and not take pictures at all. But Kitagawa assures him that this isn't the case at all, and that she herself started with only a smartphone for photography. Which brings his spirits right back up.
  • The lineup of photographers looking to get pictures of Kitagawa's Haniel cosplay are all very kind and patient with her, even when she makes goofs like pricking herself with her own props. It makes for a very warm and understanding atmosphere among people who are wholeheartedly passionate about their hobbies.

Anime

• The end credits show Gojo and Kitagawa playing around, with Gojo giving Kitagawa a big smile.
  • Moreover, the ending song, Koi no Yukue is a about a girl experiencing Kitagawa's feelings towards Gojo - she's so utterly and completely dizzy in love with him that she can hardly contain it.
• Episode 1: Kitagawa's joy when Gojo agrees to make cosplay clothing for her. Also, Gojo realizing he may not be as alone as he believed.
• Episode 3: After hearing people speaking of whether he and Kitagawa are dating, Gojo attempts to avoid her because he doesn't want to ruin her reputation (not aided by his previous night's dream). When she finally manages to corner him and he explains, she states she doesn't care about what others say and that she considers Gojo her friend.
  • At the end of their shopping day, before they say goodbye to each other, Kitagawa tells Gojo how happy she is because he played the videogame, as well as her gratitude for all his help. It's clear that all his support means a lot to her.
• Episode 4: When Kitagawa learns about how Gojo's grandfather got hurt, she immediately offers to help him in any way she can. Throughout the episode we see that she grows visibly worried when she notices how tired he looks, and at one point she even tried to visit him at home to bring him some food.
• Episode 5: Even though he's still dead-bone tired from the costume-making marathon, Gojo attends the cosplay event with Kitagawa, and just loves to see her having fun as Shizuku-tan.
  • As they go back home, Gojo begins to fall asleep, and dreamingly tells her she was beautiful. Then Kitagawa remembers how Gojo had said he only uses the word "beautiful" for things he truly believes from the depth of his heart, causing her to have a Love Epiphany.
• Episode 6: Gojo's grandfather meets Kitagawa, and when he learns she lives on her own he invites her to have dinner with them whenever she wants. He also offers Sajuna his house's shower so she won't get sick.
  • Sajuna, who had been weirded out by Kitagawa's Loony Fan antics, gains a lot of respect for her when the latter reveals she would only cosplay as characters she can properly portray.
  • Kitagawa's full Love Epiphany in and of itself. Watching Kitagawa, who has thus far been infinitely self-assured and confident in herself, reduced to a blushing wreck over just how completely and utterly she's fallen in wuv with Gojo is a sight to behold.
    Kitagawa: (thinking to herself while freaking out) He's so freakin' adorable! Oh, my God! (flaps her arms and starts to flutter from love) I wuv Gojo-kun!
• Episode 7: Kitagawa invites Gojo to her house so they can watch the anime Sajuna wants to cosplay for. While they are nervous (him because it's the first time he is at another girl's house, her because it's their first "date"), they both enjoy their afternoon together.
• Episode 8: Juju explains how she fell in love with the Shizuku-tan costume he made, making Gojo realize how his grandfather feels about the Hina dolls he makes.
  • Kitagawa takes Gojo to the beach after they are done with their finals. Gojo initially thinks she wants to do scouting for photos, but she reveals she just wanted to spend time with him.
    • Kitagawa is stunned to learn that Gojo hasn't gone to many places due to his hobby, so she tells him she will take him to many places during their break, just the two of them, and he happily accepts. While Kitagawa is left embarrased and blushing at what she just did, she's giddy at the idea of spending more time with Gojo. She then takes a photo of Gojo.
• Episode 9: Shinju tells Gojo she wants to cosplay as one of the male characters from the same anime Juju and Kitagawa are cosplaying from, but she doesn't because she's afraid that she wouldn't be able to do it or because her sister would dislike it. Gojo encourages her to try and helps her with the cosplay. When Juju and Kitagawa see it, they are amazed, cheering Shinju up.
• Episode 10: Sajuna is feeling a bit down, thinking she failed as an older sister because she never realized how much her younger sister wanted to cosplay. Gojo cheers her up, relating how it takes courage to tell others how they truly feel. Later on the sisters share a moment together where Sajuna admits to Shinju her own insecurities.
  • Gojo eventually manages to tell Kitagawa that he feels uncomfortable helping her try on her Prisoner Veronica costume because it's just too revealing for him; while Kitagawa does playfully bonk him with her fists because she expected him to say much worse, she's entirely understanding. It's a nice enough moment as is, but it also shows Gojo finally fulfilling what Kitagawa told him back when they were cleaning up the class - that he shouldn't do something he he doesn't want to; it's a huge step for him.
• Episode 11: Kitagawa tells Gojo that she would like to cosplay as Rizu-kyun, but believes she's not "cute" enough to pull the Girlish Pigtails look. Gojo however assures her that she can and promises to do his best to help her, much to her joy.
• Episode 12: Kitagawa invites Gojo to a festival, where the two watch the fireworks - until Gojo turns to watch Kitagawa as she watches the fireworks. While she ruins the moment by sticking her (blue-tinted) tongue at him, it's obvious how much they have fallen for each other.
  • Kitagawa gets hurt, so Gojo ends up carrying her by piggyback. Kitagawa apologizes for it, but promises to take him to all the festivals in Kanto.
  • The Stinger is Chapter 39's Love Confession, and it's as beautiful as the scene in the manga.