Content Warning: fanservice
Spoilers for season one of My Dress-Up Darling
Released in January of 2022, My Dress-Up Darling took audiences by storm. Viewers quickly grew attached to its heroine, Kitagawa Marin, and her confident, endearing personality and big-hearted love for fandom and cosplay. But many were also surprised by the series’ male lead, Gojo Wakana, and his refreshing depiction of masculinity and his attitude towards sex. In many ways the series goes against the grain of stereotypes still prevalent in today’s society, and especially in the rom-com genre.
One of Gojo’s defining characteristics is his passion for hina dolls. Ever since he was given a tour of his grandfather’s hina doll shop at five years old, he has been in love with the craft that involves textile work, make-up, and accessorising dolls. Sadly, there is still a divide between activities and passions that are seen as stereotypically masculine and feminine, and people are often perceived as strange or weird for crossing that line. The show demonstrates this in its very first scene, when Gojo’s childhood friend Nobara yells at him, saying “Why do you like girl’s dolls Wacchan? You’re a boy!”
Those words traumatize Gojo, to the point that he develops social anxiety and becomes secretive about his “feminine” passion. While this cultural stereotype clearly weighs on him, he maintains his dedication to the artform: his passion for hina dolls never falters and contorts to meet the “acceptable” societal standard of masculinity. It’s clear that the narrative itself does not buy into these gendered ideas. In fact, Gojo’s traditionally feminine skills prompt the show’s inciting incident, getting the attention and admiration of Kitagawa and launching the relationship between the two.
