REVIEW: ‘My Dress-Up Darling’ Season 2 Episode 5 — “800 Million”

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5, “800 Million,” sees Gojo (Shoya Ishige, TP Bon) dive headlong into making Marin’s suit for the cultural festival’s pageant. But it takes a village to make a cosplay, and Marin (Hina Suguta, Eternal Boys) is determined to do her part as well. 

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5 is built heavily upon a central theme: teamwork. While having dinner at Gojo’s, Marin discovers how much effort and how many pairs of hands go into making hina dolls. This realization gives her a new perspective on how much Gojo does, and inspires her to do something that will aid him with her next costume. 

Since she lacks craft-based skills, she opts instead to make bento for him so he doesn’t have to deal with the crowds at the lunchroom. This leads to an adorable scene of Marin basking in Gojo’s praise for her work. His positive response not only warms Marin’s heart but also prompts her to double down on her efforts as she continues to provide culinary gifts for Gojo.

Teamwork is the driving force in My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5.

The sheer joy that Marin displays at Gojo’s acceptance of her lunches does more than just bring a smile. It helps remind the audience that the pair’s relationship isn’t as one-sided as it may seem at a glance. Gojo does a lot for Marin, while Marin doesn’t always get opportunities to return the favor. On the surface, one could even suspect Marin of sometimes taking advantage of Gojo’s big heart. 

However, just because Gojo has more chances to help Marin out doesn’t mean she’s not just as willing to. How joyfully she dives in when she sees the opportunity helps showcase just how mutually willing they both are to lend a hand, even if one sees far more chances to do so. 

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5 also finds a subtle way to highlight Marin’s deep understanding of Gojo. Once her suit is complete, she dons the outfit to the applause of her classmates. However, once she is wearing it, Gojo realizes he made a mistake. When measuring the suit, he didn’t take into account that Marin would be reigning in some of her “assets” to appear more manly. This prompts Gojo to plan revisions on the project. 

While their classmates try to dissuade Gojo from creating more work for himself, the suit looks great after all, Marin goes right along with Gojo’s decision. Again, this act could be viewed as a sign of disinterest in Gojo’s well-being. Why put him through more work when the suit already looks great? But an important subtlety of the moment makes Marin’s motives clear. 

Showing instead of telling hammers how much Marin understands Gojo.

A master class in “show, don’t tell” plays out in this brief moment. Marin’s body language as she backs Gojo’s choice tells the audience that she knows reworking the outfit is what will make him happy. He doesn’t accept less than perfect, and to try to dissuade him would be more upsetting to him than letting him double down on the project. His dedication is admirable, and Marin sees no reason to get in his way. A clear sign of the difference in how well Marin understands Gojo as opposed to their classmates. 

Filling out the rest of My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5 is a plentiful dose of humor and cuteness. Moments of levity propel the episode between its emotional beats, crafting a brisk pace that never allows the story to become stale. Seeing Marin practice her host skills on Gojo in front of their classmates is an exceptionally effective moment. The puddle Marin’s efforts quickly reduced the poor boy to illicit laughs and sympathy simultaneously. 

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5 is another fantastic entry. It delivers heart and entertainment, while also highlighting the relationship between its dual leads, without calling attention to it. This gives the episode a generous helping of depth, while never needing to slow its pace to deliver it. 

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 5 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

Previous Episode | Next Episode