My Dress-Up Darling was one of the most beloved series of 2022. The story revolves around a romantic theme, following the story of a young dollmaker who dreams of perfecting his craft and a girl who loves to cosplay.
This series quickly climbed up the ladder and became one of the most trending shows of Winter 2022. Set around an amiable premise with wholesome interactions between the characters, My Dress-Up Darling portrayed excellent chemistry between Marin and Gojo.
The first season was highly acclaimed, but there was yet to be an announcement regarding a renewal. Audiences might feel a void within them after completing this series. However, some anime series resemble My Dress-Up Darling in some aspects and feature adorable romantic premises.
More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers
This series revolves around an intriguing premise: the main characters have to pretend to be a married couple to complete a practical. Jiro and Akari’s school has a practical program where students are paired together and must live as a married couple to get credits. When these two are paired, it greatly upsets them, as both want to be with their crushes.
However, students can change their partners if they rank among the top ten couples. With the motivation of being with their loved ones, Jiro and Akari try their best to act as a married couple and finish the assignment. But things take a turn when Akari slowly develops feelings for the protagonist.
Horimiya
Horimiya delves into the lives of Kyoko Hori and Izumi Miyamura. They are polar opposites: Kyoko is popular, intelligent, and outgoing, while Izumi is introverted and has a secret side to himself outside school. Keeping aside their differences, these two bond and quickly become good friends.
However, Hori and Miyamura have several things in common behind the mask of differences. They bloom into a genuine and wholesome romance and start dating. The series outshines itself when it comes to portraying its well-fleshed-out characters.
Our Dating Story: The Experienced You And The Inexperienced Me
This series debuted in the Fall of 2023 and is based on Makiko Nagaoka’s light novel Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and Inexperienced Me. The female lead, Runa Shirakawa, has aesthetics similar to Marin’s in My Dress-Up Darling.
The story is a slow burn that gradually develops romance between the characters. This series revolves around the “unpopular guy” who falls in love with the “popular girl” trope. Although it can be a little repetitive and bland, the chemistry between Runa and Ryuto makes this series stand out.
Shikimori Isn’t Just a Cutie
Shikimori Isn’t Just a Cutie, produced by Doga Kobo, was released in spring 2022. This series is different from My Dress-Up Darling in many aspects. The former shows the characters as a couple from the start, while the former explores the development bond between Marin and Gojo.
This series is slow-paced, but the interactions between Izumi and Shikimori are heartwarming. The animation style is attractive, too, adding charm to the somewhat carefree tone of the story.
Quintessential Quintuplets
This is a popular series because it approaches harem in an unconventional way. The five female leads are quintuplets, but each possesses a distinct personality and an equally meaningful bond with the protagonist.
The story follows the life of Fuutaro Uesugi, who comes from a financially crunched background. He decides to tutor some students to earn money. But everything changes when it is revealed that his students go to the same school as Uesugi and are quintuplets.
