Highlights

• My Dress-Up Darling combines romance and cosplay in a unique way, with animation comparable to top shows.
• Fans of the show should explore similar anime like Our Dating Story and Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie.
• Exciting news - the sequel to My Dress-Up Darling is in the works, promising an even more engaging story.

My Dress-Up Darling was nothing short of a huge hit when the anime adaptation debuted in Winter 2022. Based on Shinichi Fukuda's beloved manga, Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru is a romance that also dives wholeheartedly into cosplay, a topic that precious few anime have explored beyond introducing it as a side character's passion.

My Dress-Up Darling hit its first season out of the park, with CloverWorks delivering animation that compares favorably to just about any other show currently on the air. While the premise of an outcast being "saved" from their loneliness by a popular love interest is cliche, My Dress-Up Darling does the trope well by actively establishing a common interest between Wakana Gojou and Marin Kitagawa. Fans should check out a few romance anime like My Dress-Up Darling​​​​​ while they wait for that show's sequel to debut at some point in the future.

Updated March 6, 2024 by Mark Sammut: My Dress-Up Darling's sequel is confirmed to be in the works, although a release period has yet to be announced. The original season's success is without question at this point, and the same can be said for the respected manga. CloverWorks could very well have an all-time great on its hands, especially if the second season builds on its predecessor's extremely solid foundations. In the meantime, fans can check out some anime similar to My Dress-Up Darling.

14 Our Dating Story: The Experienced You And The Inexperienced Me

Cute Romance About Ignoring Rumours

Airing during Fall 2023, Our Dating Story can, at a glance, be mistaken for a My Dress-Up Darling copycat since Runa Shirakawa's appearance is reminiscent of Marin; however, the shows are fairly different overall. While My Dress-Up Darling takes a slow approach to building up its core romance, Our Dating Story jumps in head first by establishing Runa and Ryuto as a couple in its opening episode.

From there, the anime focuses on exploring the teenagers' budding dynamic, and they have a charming and innocent rapport for the most part. Ryuto might be slightly polarizing with viewers who are tired of the "unpopular guy" trope in romance anime, but he is harmless. Runa is likable, and she has a unique backstory for the genre.

13 Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie

Opposites Attract & Complete Each Other

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie received quite a bit of hype prior to its Spring 2022 debut, inciting murmurs that it could be the show that fills in the void left by My Dress-Up Darling. First things first, do not approach Kawaii dake ja Nai Shikimori-san expecting it to be exactly like Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru as they are quite different types of shows.

While the latter focuses on the build towards a relationship, the former starts with its main couple already together. They both have slice of life elements, but Shikimori is far more slow-paced since its early chapters (and episodes so far) are devoted to just following around the central characters, with little in the way of growth or development.

Still, people who enjoyed the adorable dynamic between Marin and Gojou in My Dress-Up Darling might appreciate Shikimori and Izumi's sweet relationship in the Spring 2022 series. Doga Kobo's animation is also vibrant and pretty, matching the somewhat carefree tone of the story.

12 Wagnaria!!

A Slow But Worthwhile Build

My Dress-Up Darling is not just a romance anime, as it is also a slice of life. Working!! delivers a similar mix, just with the focus being on a family restaurant rather than the cosplay scene. Split into multiple seasons, the romance aspect grows more pronounced as the anime progresses, with a number of relationships being explored. Mahiru Inami and Souta Takanashi's dynamic is the most similar to Wakana and Marin's in My Dress-Up Darling, at least in the sense that it involves an outgoing character helping a more reserved person to come out of their shell.

Wagnaria!! is unfortunately not available on any streaming service, however, its spin-off, WWW.Wagnaria!!, is on Crunchyroll and VRV. Although this series does not feature much romance, its humor is similar to the main show.

11 Insomniacs After School

Finding Peace

In My Dress-Up Darling, Marin and Gojou connect thanks to their different but somewhat related passions; in Insomniacs After School, Isaki and Ganta's relationship is built upon a shared plight. Both teenagers have spent years suffering from insomnia in silence, causing them to believe they cannot talk to anyone about their issues. However, one day, Ganta stumbles upon a sleeping Isaki in their school's observatory, sparking an adorable friendship that steadily ventures into romance territory. Similar to My Dress-Up Darling, Insomniacs After School's main pairing grow closer through their normal everyday interactions, which gives the anime a slice of life feel.

To retain access to the observatory, Isaki and Ganta decide to restart the Astronomy club, causing them to explore a field they are not particularly interested in. While the romance is the show's selling point, it is also a blast to see the protagonists slowly become more passionate about astronomy, even if they never quite reach Marin or Gojou's love for fashion or hina dolls respectively.

10 My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

Making Connections

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU strikes a distinct tone to My Dress-Up Darling since it takes a more philosophical approach to its characters, particularly in its final season. However, the two shows share a few things in common. Hachiman and Wakana's loner statuses stem from negative past experiences and are largely self-imposed, although the years of isolation have shaped the characters quite differently.

Both anime revolve around students coming together over a common cause, be it cosplay in My Dress-Up Darling or the Volunteer Service Club in My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU. More importantly, these anime take generic romance tropes and make them feel fresh, albeit in quite different ways. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU's later seasons dive deep into their characters' personalities, delivering introspective analysis of their anxieties, fears, and dreams.

9 The Dangers In My Heart

A Well-Paced Romance

Spring 2023 was absolutely packed with fantastic romances, and My Love Story With Yamada-kun At Lv999, Tonikawa: Over The Moon For You, and Insomniacs After School are all easy recommendations for fans of the genre. In comparison to those shows, The Dangers in My Heart took a while to fully reveal its brilliance; however, by the end of its run, the anime compared favorably to all of its peers, before surpassing most of them during its Winter 2024 season. Kyoutarou is an edgy teen, at least within his own mind. He tends to fantasize about killing his classmates, particularly a bubbly and endearing girl named Anna Yamada. In reality, Kyoutaro has a crush on Anna and uses these thoughts to distance himself from his own feelings.

As the story progresses, Anna gradually pulls Kyoutarou out of his shell, all the while still coming across as a three-dimensional character in her own right. Despite their differences, both characters are coming to terms with their feelings for each other, and it is adorable and charming to watch them accept and embrace their emotions. The Dangers in My Heart is one of the best romance anime ever.

8 Paradise Kiss

Fashion Industry

Ai Yazawa's popular Paradise Kiss was adapted into a too-short anime by Madhouse, and while the show does not capture the brilliance of the Josei manga, it is still a solid watch. Paradise Kiss revolves around the fashion industry and follows Yukari Hayasaka, a frustrated student overwhelmed by her mother's expectations, as she is dragged into the modeling world after being discovered on the street.

Yukari quickly falls for George Koizumi, a fashion designer who moves at the beat of his own drum. Their relationship is not quite as wholesome as Marin and Wakana's dynamic, but Yukari and George are still riveting together.

7 ReLIFE

A Second Chance At Life

ReLIFE revolves around an experiment that de-ages people so they can get a second chance at high school. The project's goal is to rehabilitate people who have become outcasts, to provide them with a chance to grow so they can eventually contribute to society as adults.

ReLIFE is initially a slice of life that explores Arata Kaizaki's struggles to reintegrate into school, both academically and socially. While romance is not a significant factor, the anime does explore this avenue in its final few episodes and the ReLIFE: Kanketsu-hen special series.

6 Horimiya

Romance, Slice Of Life, & Comedy

One of the more famous shows of 2021, Horimiya is all about love. The popular Kyouko Hori and the reserved Izumi Miyamura seem to be polar opposites, but they share a thing in common: their school personas do not reflect who they are outside of it.

Horimiya was also developed by CloverWorks, and the show's art and animation are fantastic throughout. Like My Dress-Up Darling, Horimiya stresses the importance of not judging a book by its cover.

5 Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro

Bullying Turns Into A Wholesome Friendship

Sometimes, a bad first impression can sink a show; thankfully, Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro managed to survive its rough first episode. The quiet Naoto unwittingly catches the attention of Hayase, a younger girl who finds that she loves to tease her senpai. Initially, her mockery borders on bullying territory, but she quickly realizes she has taken things too far and tones down her antics.

By season 2, Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro has totally left behind its aggressive origins and transitioned into a wholesome romance about two teenagers who are shy about expressing their feelings. It is cute, funny, and sweet.

4 Say "I Love You"

Endearing & Grounded Romance

A history of bullying has forced Mei Tachibana to close off from the world as a form of self-protection, a decision that led her to have no friends. After a "meet cute" with the school's resident heartthrob, Yamato, Mei's life begins to change. Say "I Love You" has a considerably weaker start than My Dress-Up Darling as it does not justify Yamato's interest in Mei; however, once the characters get together, the anime improves considerably.

Mei and Yamato are incredibly likable, and they deal with grounded relationship challenges driven by communication issues.

3 Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku

Mature Relationships With A Lot Of Comedy

A shared interest serves as the basis of many relationships, and Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku explores that concept to a certain extent. While they have known each other for a long time and are both interested in otaku culture, the outgoing Narumi Momose never saw herself dating the socially awkward Hirotaka Nifuji; however, that changes when Hirotaka randomly asks out Narumi.

Although revolving exclusively around couples, Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is more of a comedy than a pure romance. That said, the anime has its share of heart-pounding scenes that should satisfy romantics. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku also handles its romance realistically, as while Narumi and Hirotaka gradually grow closer, their relationship is naturally slow-moving.

2 Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover

A timid girl who unfortunately looks like the ghost from Ringu, Sawako Kuronuma has led a high school life defined by loneliness and anxiety. On the other hand, Shouta Kazehaya is the guy every girl wants to be with; naturally, the two start to get close, a camaraderie that inspires Sawako to open up.

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me To You is arguably the standard-bearer for anime about an outcast and popular student falling in love, especially when it comes to shoujo. While the show does resist making Sawako and Shouta an official couple for far too long, their friendship is still heartwarming.

1 Special Mention: Smile Down The Runway

Similar Premise, But More Drama

This recommendation comes with an asterisk as Smile Down the Runway barely has any romance. However, as My Dress-Up Darling's first season is primarily a slice of life with romantic subtext, fans of that show should still check out this 2020 anime, especially if they are interested in fashion. While she has been training all her life to become a top model, Chiyuki's plans are dashed when she learns that she is too short for the industry. Refusing to give up, Chiyuki teams up with Ikuto, a teenager from a poor family who wants to be a fashion designer. Together, they chase their seemingly impossible dreams while supporting each other and other people.

Smile Down the Runway is very much a drama, with the story regularly raising the stakes to try and keep things intense and interesting. As such, this series is not as breezy or lighthearted as My Dress-Up Darling. Nevertheless, both anime focus on characters who are obsessed with fashion in some form, even if high fashion is very different from cosplay.