REVIEW: ‘My Dress-Up Darling’ Season 2 Episode 9 — “Because I Don’t Intend to Sleep Tonight”

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9, “Because I Don’t Intend to Sleep Tonight,” picks up with the cosplay group as Marin (Hina Suguta, To Be Hero X) reaches out in an attempt to secure another cosplayer to fill out their ranks. Although the individual may be a hard sell without some outside intervention. 

To further their cosplaying goals, Marin calls Sajuna (Atsumi Tanezaki, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End), hoping that she will be willing to join their group. Sajuna dismisses the offer, as she only cosplays what she wants, when she wants. However, when her little sister Shinju (Hina Yomiya, Bocchi the Rock!) mistakenly thinks she’ll get to see her big sis cosplay a character from one of her favorite games, Sajuna finds herself soon relenting. 

This interaction opens My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 with a wonderful mix of sweet and hysterical moments. Shinju never tries to actively guilt Sajuna into joining the others, but her obvious disappointment is enough to weigh on her big sister’s mind. Sajuna’s struggle to resist the urge to please her sister is fantastically animated, creating a hilarious visual moment. 

The humor continues to land, delivering plenty of laughs.

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9‘s opening tone persists through much of the rest of the episode. As the group works out plans and chats around the table, the energy remains high, with laughter and exuberance flowing between most of the cast. 

The big exception to this is Akira (Maki Kawase, Summer Time Rendering), who remains the sour note in the room. When she excuses herself to have a smoke, Himeno (Ayumu Murase, Leviathan) offers to go with her. As the two chatter, Himeno brings up Akira’s clear discomfort with Marin. My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 confirms that Akira does dislike Marin, not wishing to even be near her, but cuts away before she explains herself to Himeno and a passing-by Gojo (Shoya Ishige, Sabikui Bisco).

Despite not receiving the full details of why Akira dislikes Marin so much, there is still plenty that can be easily inferred. The fact that Gojo’s attitude towards Marin doesn’t change in the slightest tells us that it isn’t anything maliciously bad. While Gojo wouldn’t blindly believe a stranger bad-mouthing Marin, if he were given a story about her being truly awful to someone, one would expect some discomfort on his part until he could address the situation. 

The mystery surrounding why Akira hates Marin is still there, but we’re not left entirely in the dark.

This leaves a heightened level of curiosity over what Marin might have done. Is she even aware of the incident, or was it a situation where her mere presence made a plan go south, with no intentional action on her part? With how delicately the season has approached the emotions and motivations of its growing cast, it’s easy to expect a complicated and impactful reveal once the truth is out. 

Once the group breaks up, My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 follows Gojo and Marin back to her place for some gaming. However, when the train service goes down, Gojo’s visit turns into a sleepover, much to his terror. But with Marin adamant that there is no other way, the pair strikes out for a nearby shop to get some supplies for the night. 

Fearing the concept of sleeping at Marin’s, Gojo stumbles across a display of energy drinks. These get his attention. After all, if he doesn’t sleep, it’s just a visit and nothing inappropriate is happening. Gojo’s logic may feel a bit faulty, but his focus on which energy drink will best do the job leads to a hysterical final moment. 

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 sets up the rest of the series, promising surprises ahead.

When Marin catches up to him, she finds him squatted in the aisle, intensely scrutinizing something. While his body is blocking her view, the shelf next to him is filled with condoms. Leading Marin to jump to conclusions about Gojo’s intentions for the night. Further compounding the mix-up is Gojo’s statement that he doesn’t plan to sleep tonight, when Marin asks if he’s buying “that.”

The emotional rollercoaster Marin goes through in the waning moments of My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 is priceless. She is shocked by what she perceives is transpiring, but not in a negative way. While the night isn’t going where she thinks it is, it feels undeniable that she would be open to that eventuality. Which is unsurprising, given how well established her deep feelings for Gojo are. 

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 is filled with humor and fun. Sprinkle in some setup for future events, and this entry provides another enjoyable entry in a wonderfully feel-good series. Here’s hoping the payoff sticks the landing.

My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 Episode 9 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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