Anime knows what sells. Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru has got it, so it’s no surprise that it’s turning into a major hit. But from what I know about the manga, the anime is pretty faithfully adapting it – including the money shots. So that sort of amounts to what this series is, pretty much. Cosplay, fanservice, more cosplay, more fanservice, more fanservice. Maybe a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, though we’ll know more about that in future episodes and the inevitable second season.
That Bisque Doll so earnestly depicts the passion for cosplay is certainly a mark in its favor. It’s not a hobby I care about all that much, but I appreciate the celebration of being passionate about something (whatever it is). For Marin it’s cosplay, for Wakana it’s Hina dolls (another thing I don’t much care about, but that’s fine). My concern here is mainly the same one I’ve had from the beginning – namely, that Marin seems like such an idealized otaku fantasy. And the way the camera leers at her for those long, lingering shots doesn’t do anything to dispel that notion.
In a way this show is kind of a John Lennon (“Double Fantasy”) scenario – Marin’s geeking out over cosplay is a selling point for that demo, and Marin with her sparkly eyes and boob bag and sweaty thighs is a selling point for another. There’s certainly nothing new about girls this young being sexualized to this degree in anime, but is it too much in this case? I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder but to be sure, there are times when it gets pretty close to the edge for me.
I suppose the reason this mostly works is because Marin is pretty authentic even as she’s being objectified. Anyone who’s a big fan of anything understands the “I have at least 50 #1 favorite characters!” moment – we’ve been there (and maybe still are). My passion for anime vents itself in a different direction (mostly writing about it) than hers, but I totally get her. And while it’s part of what makes her come off as idealized sometimes, she’s a very non-judgmental and positive person. Wakana isn’t exactly a card-carrying member of her social tier, but Marin appreciates that he too has something he’s an otaku over (and she gets free labor out it, besides).
I still feel like Gojou is mostly in doormat mode, though it’s not Marin who puts him there but Gojou himself. If Sono Bisque Doll is going to level up as a story, much less a romance, there has to be more balance between these two characters (though most series never really achieve that). Right now he’s pretty much an accessory – necessary, but only to a point. At the cosplay event he basically disappears into the shrubbery as Marin becomes the center of attention (for his work, true), only becoming relevant when she starts spilling out of her boob bag and showing signs of heatstroke. He supports her of course, and is appropriately embarrassed at her lack of self-consciousness, but it’s all reactive.
If this sort of episode is all this series is, it would have a pretty limited upside for me. But it keeps dropping anvil-like hints that more is brewing here, like Wakana calling Marin “beautiful”, and her remembering his past words on the subject. One-sided anime romances are like eggs on closeout, a dime-a-dozen, but ones where both parties are fully-formed individuals as rare as hen’s teeth. I don’t know which end of the chicken Bisque Doll is yet – it could still go either way – but there’s enough here to make he hopeful at least, if not outright confident.
Polly
February 6, 2022 at 6:25 pmY’know, if it were for the oodles of fanservice (and the fact that Marin has a penchant for eroge in particular), Bisque Doll would be right at home in a shounen magazine.
I asked a friend who follows manga about Gojo’s development. She told me to be patient. She also says the mangaka tones down the ecchi after 40 or so chapters- but only slightly.
According to her, they’ve covered 14 chapters as of this episode. Going by that pace, it’s probably gonna be fairly ecchi heavy for the rest of this season, unless the anime decides to step on the pedal and blitz through the manga to the point where we somehow bypass chapter 40 or so before this show ends.
Guardian Enzo
February 6, 2022 at 7:01 pmI doubt they will, since another season is pretty much a lock at this point. Though of course the pacing will have been decided in advance.
LAsuka
February 6, 2022 at 11:44 pmI also thought the fanservice was a bit heavy-handed, although it is still way within the limit for me.
As a cosplayer myself, the reality is far less sexy than the anime made it to be.
I feel this show is very similar to Runway de Waratte, with the same plucky female lead that steamrolls her way into the MC’s life and changes it for the better. However, comparing Gojou to Ikuto, Ikuto is a far better lead because he gets his act together when faced with a situation where the female lead is in a compromising position (like the scene where Chiyuki strips in front of him when she needs to get naked to dress for the runway – and Ikuto got his act together and managed to tailor the dress in record time). I feel that Gojou is a bit too doormat and incel for my taste. Sure, that may be par for the course for a person of his age in a similar situation, but honestly, its gets repetitive and overplayed too often. Hopefully this is dialed down once he gets more used and comfortable with Marin, but as Runway showed, it’s a far better show if they don’t spend too much time on the awkwardness (the measuring scene certainly did not need one episode, and Runway also had a measuring scene that completed in less than half the time Bisque doll took), and focus more on the nature and appeal of cosplaying.
Leily
February 7, 2022 at 12:50 amI dunno, I think Runway conducted itself with a verve and dignity that Bisque Doll doesn’t have. Bisque Doll’s a lot goofier. I don’t get the vibe Bisque Doll’s attempting to reach the lofty heights Runway did.
And I think Wakana’s a good kid. He reminds me of Jun from Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen, actually- just less cynical and more painfully shy. Marin’s kinda like his Saito.
(I think Enzo will understand.)
Guardian Enzo
February 7, 2022 at 7:45 amYeah, I get that.
I’m not saying Wakana is a bad kid, and I’ve certainly seen far worse male MCs. The problem is that Marin is so flawless that he seems tiny by comparison. He’s like the player avatar in a VN and she’s the female heroine. In a way the fact that this show seems at least somewhat aspirational thematically highlights the problem far more than if it were content to just be an ecchi comedy.
jabel
February 7, 2022 at 3:20 amI dont see how Gojo is an incel. Incels whine about how they never get women while often displaying misogynistic behavior, while Gojo has never acted like that in any way. A loner for sure (particularly pre-Marin), but incel? Idk boss
Bob
February 7, 2022 at 4:53 am>incel
In what anime has Gojo displayed that kind of bitterness and outwardly-directed negativity? Because it sure isn’t this one.
sonicsenryaku
February 7, 2022 at 5:48 amThat word gets used improperly quite a lot on the internet I’ve found, but I think I get what LAsuka overall point was even with their egregious misuse of said word.
Guardian Enzo
February 7, 2022 at 7:42 amI think in context the biggest difference was that Ikuto was chasing his own dream, and it was given equal (or possibly even greater) emphasis tha Chiyuki’s. Here, Gojou is just an accessory to Marin’s passions – his own interests are strictly secondary. Also, Chiyuki was much less of a idealized NPC type than Marin – she had her own insecurities and struggles.
Also yeah, he’s not an incel as the word is commonly defined. Though I do think he’s a doormat.
Marty
February 7, 2022 at 1:41 amGenuine question: Would it be accurate to classify Marin, at least as of right now, to be the anime/Manga equivalent of the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” trope?
sonicsenryaku
February 7, 2022 at 3:00 amHmmm; Well, first I guess it’s worth asking if you find the trope to be an inherently bad thing?
Guardian Enzo
February 7, 2022 at 7:57 amIt’s an interesting question – as is whether it’s an inherently bad thing. To the latter I’d say kinda yes, since definitionally MPDGs are not three-dimensional characters. Chiyuki, for example, was not one. Neither is Haru from Yesterday wo Utatte – she’s annoying but she exists as a POV character with her own issues.
I think you could make a pretty strong case with Marin after five episodes, but in a sense it’s as much Gojou’s development as anything that will ultimately determine the answer.
sonicsenryaku
February 7, 2022 at 10:17 pmSee but that’s the thing: not every one/two-dimensional female who happens to be energetic and passionate is a MPDG; there are crucial determinants that define the trope. MPDG’s was a pejorative term coined to define odd, eccentric female characters who would enter a male characters life and send him on his call to adventure for the sake of irrevocably changing their life and giving them purpose. The term was initially meant to criticize female characters of that type for not having any plausible justifications for taking a liking to the male character other than the author indulging in wish-fulfillment; and most importantly, to criticize female characters of this type for having no agency beyond just improving the male character’s life. It is these stipulations that define the entire problem with MPDG’s and why the term was made in the first place, but now it seems like it’s used to define eccentric or quirky female characters who play a role in a male character’s life instead of what it was supposed to be criticizing. To be honest, Marin doesn’t fit that bill at all
Firstly, I don’t even think Marin falls into the category of being a quirky, kooky female despite her overflowing passion for anime-related stuff: the whole reason why she’s popular is because of how genuine and down-to-earth she comes off. Secondly, while Marin coming into Wakana’s life does break his curse of being lonely and sets his life on a different course, her motivations are completely her own and exist separately from Wakana. Marin can’t be defined by the original definition of MPDG and the criticism meant to be levied at such characters because 1. her intimate dynamic with Wakana is based of relatable, humanistic foundations: Marin discovers Wakana has a talent/passiom and appreciates him for it. Wakana feels valued because someone sees value in his ability to provide….well…value; and this spurs their relationship. There is a legitimate basis for Marin to be interested in Wakana and have desire to be in his life There’s an interpersonal justification for their interactions beyond “because the plot says so” and that in and off itself, refutes any potential claims of Marin’s interest in Wakana being inexplicable. Wakana isn’t just a doormat who happens to be loved by Marin for no other reason than the author wishing it; he’s a doormat who develops a relationship with this chick . 2. Marin has her own goals: she loved anime otaku-related stuff and cosplay before she met Wakana, and she will continue to love that shit even without him in her life. Marin’s agency isn’t tied to making Wakana a better person, and as a result, she fails the test for being a MPDG. If you’re looking for another pejorative term to describe Marin, a stronger argument could be made for her being a Mary sue-esque character; that I could totally see there being a more solid argument for instead of MPDG
All that being said, there are females in media who can be characterized by the superficial details of the MPDG trope that are able to be written with a level depth, avoiding the flaws the term was trying to bring awareness to. Haruko of FLCL fame is a character that would and does fit the superficial label a MPDG; however, for anyone who has seen FLCL, we know that the trope is subverted, and we find out that she does indeed have her own drive and motivations, recontextualizing her interactions with most of the cast in the show and maximizing some of the cathartic payoff the show leans into. So yea, while the term has a negative connotation, you can still write characters who behave like MPDG while avoiding the pitfalls that come with characterizing females in that way.
toroidal
February 8, 2022 at 9:13 amI mean definitions vary, but the fact that it’s pretty easy to explain why Marin is interested in Wakana and it’s not just generic fluff sentiment cuts heavily against that by most traditional definitions of the term.
Guardian Enzo
February 8, 2022 at 9:48 amMPDGs can be interested in the loser protagonist as long as their interest fuels his development. It could even be said to be a staple of the class.
Ultimately, to the extent it matters whether or not Marin is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl will be determined by progression in her own character (or lack of it).