Each year, a new crop ofanimepops up on the scene, with many fading away just as quickly as they landed. Sometimes, an anime rises in popularity enough and sticks around, with My Dress Up Darling being one of these lucky few. This show follows a crafter of Japanese Hina dolls and a fashionable cosplayer.
Together, Wakana Gojo and Marin Kitagawa team up, create gorgeous cosplays, and get close. If you need more content like My Dress Up Darling, we’ve got you covered! Here, you may find some of the best anime like My Dress Up Darling. This will cover shows with similar content, as well as shows with a similar vibe.
9Princess Jellyfish
If you like the humor and fashion aspect of My Dress Up Darling, then you may love Princess Jellyfish. Rather than focusing on cosplay, this anime follows a jellyfish otaku and a crossdresser. After a bizarre meeting, the two become friends and eventually work on some jellyfish-themed outfits together.
Princess Jellyfish is fast-paced, funny, and heartwarming. The otaku who live in the building with Tsukimi are hilarious, each with their own strange personality. When you throw Kuranosuke into the mix, you are in for a good time.
8Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun doesn’t focus on fashion or cosplay; instead, it chronicles thehigh school experience of a young shojo manga artist. The artist in question is the cool and collected Nozaki-kun, whom Chiyo Sakura is a big fan of.
Shortly after the start of the show, the two start working together on manga. Like My Dress Up Darling, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun takes a peek into a popular industry in a way that’s engaging and funny.
7Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku is a josei anime/manga that takes place in a seemingly average office. This anime follows the love life of Narumi and Hirotaka, as well as their friends Hanako and Taro. Though this is a full cast of adults, each one is a bit of an otaku.
You’ll find video games, anime, and even Comiket here!As a josei anime, the romance here is realistic and healthy without any necessary drama that may plague ahigh school shojo anime. Overall, Wotakoi has a similar vibe to My Dress Up Darling in terms of niche hobbies and lovable characters.
6Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai
The name of this anime is a bit of a mouthful, but we promise that it is well worth the watch. Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai follows Sakuta, who sees classmate Mai Sakurajima wearing a bunny outfit at the library, though no one else seems to notice.
Don’t let this bizarre start fool you; this show follows the relationship between Mai and Sakuta and has a hint of the supernatural (we won’t spoil anything for you though). If you also happen to be a fan of Monogatari, then you will like Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai.
5More Than A Married Couple, But Not Lovers
Next up, we have another anime with a long title. Reading the description of the show, you’ll get a strange blurb on a couple pretending to be married in high school. Don’t let this fool you; More Than a Married Couple, but Not Lovers goes beyond a typical rom-com.
The two main characters have a wonderful and refreshing dynamic, with Akari Watanabe (the female lead) being a bright and colorful gyaru. While she isn’t quite identical to Marin Kitagawa, you can definitely feel some similarities between the two.
4Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
If you like the blend of romance and comedy, then Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is a must-watch. This anime following Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, who are both members of the student council (with Shirogane being the student council president).
Both characters have feelings for each other, but refuse to confess first. This leads to some overly strategic scenarios that are way more intense than they need to be. Thankfully, it often creates over-the-top and humorous situations that will leave you laughing out loud.
3Paradise Kiss
Paradise Kiss is like a more mature version of My Dress Up Darling. Though it’s also set in high school, Paradise Kiss feels more like a josei anime. This show follows Yukari Hayasaka, who meets a group of students attending Yazawa School of Arts.
Paradise Kiss was created by Ai Yazawa, who also wrote Nana! Her manga Neighborhood Story chronologically takes place before Paradise Kiss, but it involves some of the same characters.
She quickly becomes sucked into the fashion world, including all the drama that comes with it. Paradise Kiss portrays romance in a realistic manner, which is standard for any work from Ai Yazawa. Though cosplay isn’t the focus here, the characters are all extremely fashionable.
2Smile Down The Runway
Smile Down The Runway fully leans into the fashion aspect, with several similarities to My Dress Up Darling. This anime follows an aspiring model who is a bit too short, and an aspiring fashion designer who doesn’t have the resources to pursue his dream.
This anime deals with the personal growth of our main characters, who strive to fulfill their dreams. Smile Down The Runway shows us the good and bad, as not everyone can immediately succeed at something they want to pursue. There isn’t too much romance in this show, but the story more than makes up for it.
1My Love Story With Yamada-kun At Lv999
Last but not least, we have My Love Story With Yamada-kun At Lv999. This is perhaps the strangest name on our list, focusing on gamers instead of cosplayers. After being broken up with by her boyfriend, Akane Kinoshita plays their favorite MMO and plans to get back at him.
Now, enter Yamada Akito. This pro-gamer happens to be a member of Akane’s guild. Though he is quite different from Akane, the two develop a friendship that will leave you smiling at your screen. This anime is perfect if you want a semi-realistic video game theme mixed with a shojo anime.
