Kitagawa Marin is like an onion – you don’t fall in love with her at first sight, but it’s upon discovering the multiple layers underneath her charming appearance that you will cry over how perfect she is.
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Being drop-dead gorgeous means that Marin often has guys hitting on her, yet she has been dubbed an “ice queen” by her friends because she never reciprocates their affections.
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Marin doesn’t care about how ikemen (イケ面; good-looking) the guys that hit on her are. And if the guys make fun of her hobbies, it’s a glaring red flag for her.
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Her ability to look past physical appearances, despite being a literal goddess herself, is one of the reasons why she is so appealing and loved by viewers of My Dress-Up Darling.
Image adapted from: CloverWorks
Despite having rather niche and unusual hobbies, Marin is not afraid or embarrassed to voice out what she likes.
Her hobbies include playing erotic games – which is unusual for girls and too taboo to bring up casually in daily conversations – but she is not one to shy away from it.
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Perhaps it is because she has an unusual hobby herself, but Marin is not judgemental of what other people like.
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Not only did she not make fun of Gojo’s niche hobby and obsession with hina dolls, but she even finds it amazing and respects him because of it.
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The complexity of the goddess that is Kitagawa Marin continues with her myriad of facial expressions, which give her character even more depth.
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Besides being adorable, Marin also shows us her weird expressions that are often exaggerated and comical. These idiosyncrasies of hers prove that she’s more than just a pretty face.
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Her expressions are the best when she is talking about the things she loves, given that she is extra passionate about them. It’s clear that she lets her true self out every time she talks about what she loves.
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We stan a progressive queen who openly disregards gender norms that tell us what girls and boys should like. For those like Gojo, who have been burdened by gendered societal expectations for the longest time, Marin’s words are truly a refreshing relief.
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Marin’s love and passion for cosplay is really admirable, especially for those who partake in the hobby themselves. To Marin, cosplaying is the ultimate form of expressing one’s love for the character she is attempting to embody.
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Marin loves the characters that she cosplays so much so that she wants to become them.
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Despite her lack of talent in sewing, it did not discourage her from attempting to cosplay.
Marin tried her best to make her own costumes by reading books on sewing and did not give up even when her attempt was a disaster. Instead, she was able to put down her pride and seek help from Gojo. Marin is indeed a resourceful character who always gives her all for what she loves.
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Despite her happy-go-lucky attitude, Marin is a sensitive soul who is highly empathetic and kind towards others.
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When Marin found out that Gojo rushed to work on her outfit in the midst of his grandfather’s hospitalisation and the midterms, she felt so apologetic that she burst into tears while apologising to him.
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Marin has a stunning figure and she’s not afraid to show it off – which is what makes her fanservice scenes so appealing.
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Such scenes reveal just enough for fans to swoon over her, but that’s not their only function. More often than not, her fanservice scenes are accompanied by actual substance; for instance, when Gojo has to take her measurements in order to make her outfit in one scene, and when she shows the heat-related struggles of a cosplayer in another.
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These scenes complement and spice up essential plotlines, which makes them easy to watch, even for those who typically avoid fanservice.
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When Gojo took Marin’s measurements, he asked if she was embarrassed. To this, she replied, “Why would I be?”
Marin’s reply shows how comfortable she is with her own body, such that she felt no shame when Gojo was taking her measurements. Her confidence is not a sign of her arrogance, but an expression of her self-love.
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One of Marin’s greatest appeals is her “otaku-friendly gyaru” character. “Gyaru” is a Japanese fashion subculture that branches out into many different styles. Some common traits of a gyaru include having long decorated nails, bleached hair, piercings, short skirts, and a keen interest in fashion – all of which Marin has.
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Gyaru tend to have wilder personalities and are social butterflies, but Marin has an added trait that makes her special – she’s also an otaku (nerd).
Marin fangirling over other cosplayers at a convention
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This otaku-friendly gyaru trope is precisely what makes Marin so loveable – the majority of her fanbase will find her fashionable-nerdy self aspirational, yet relatable.
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Marin frequently teases Gojo, and boy do we love their interactions. When Gojo was avoiding Marin because he was afraid that others would think that they are dating, Marin teased him by saying, “Then why don’t we 2024?”
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Her playful personality shows her ability to take a joke, while her extroverted boldness gets our hearts racing.
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Many introverted fans of Marin would love to have her adopt them as she is not only fun to be around with, but also able to make your heart jump out of your chest at times.
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Marin’s love for food is quite relatable, though how she maintains her figure remains a mystery.
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Marin is the kind of girl who is able to devour a meat bun right after finishing a filling bowl of ramen.
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Despite her love for food, Marin is not the best cook – although she thinks that she is.
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Her “cooking” mostly involves reheating different types of frozen food from convenience stores, which is not exactly the healthiest.
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Marin’s best facial expressions have to be the ones where she gets all embarrassed and flustered.
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As a popular gyaru, Marin is a strong-headed girl who is usually composed. She’s usually the one teasing Gojo and making him embarrassed, which is why when the tables are turned, it is a refreshing sight to behold.
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Video adapted from: CloverWorks
By seeing her vulnerable side, we are more attuned to her as a complex character that might be the perfect social butterfly on the outside, but also has a more relatable shy interior.
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More importantly, the way she gushes over Gojo is exactly how we’d simp for her, which makes the previously dubbed “ice queen” more relatable than she initially seemed.
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Despite being such a simpable goddess herself, Marin is never haughty or self-absorbed.
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Marin simping for Juju right in front of her
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Instead, she simps for many fictional characters and even cosplayers such as Juju, similar to how many of us simp for our beloved 2D faves.
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She loves who she loves and simps for whoever she finds cute or amazing, regardless of their gender.
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Image adapted from: CloverWorks
When Marin cosplayed Shizuku, she showed us every step of the transformation in great detail, from shaving her eyebrows to putting on her makeup. At the end of it, Marin looks like a completely different person.
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Marin attempts to adopt Shizuku’s disposition but bursts out laughing instead.
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Shizuku’s personality is drastically different from Marin’s, so when Marin adopts her ojou-sama (お嬢様; elite young lady) disposition, it is a refreshing contrast to Marin’s animated gyaru self.
Image adapted from: CloverWorks
Image adapted from: CloverWorks
Each time Marin cosplays, we get to see a new side of her, which makes us fall in love with her over and over again.
Before watching My Dress-up Darling and seeing Kitagawa Marin everywhere on social media, we didn’t really get the hype. Now, we can finally understand why the internet loves her so much.
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