"Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru" is a cosplay-themed romantic comedy that will be adapted into an anime series starting in January 2022. The story follows a super-cool, beautiful gal (but an otaku) and a boy who can't make friends because of his unusual hobby of making Hina dolls. Through cosplay, they bond and communicate with each other. Many technical and cosplay-related terms appear in the story. Here, we've compiled a list of terms that appear in "Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru"!
Term #1: Kashirashi (Headmaster)
A specialized occupation that creates the faces of Hina dolls. The process of making Hina dolls is divided into separate steps, such as creating the face and shaping the hair. Currently, the most common method is to create a plaster cast and then finish it with chalk, a process that requires immense skill.
Term #2: Lining
The lining on the inside of clothing. When making cosplay costumes, whether to properly create a lining or not, since it will not be visible anyway, depends on the maker and the cosplay subject. Apparently, glue is sometimes used instead. Making your own may be difficult in the first place...
Term #3: Cosplay
Cosplay refers to dressing up as characters from manga, anime, games, etc. It is often performed at events such as Comic Market and live concerts. Cosplay is a Japanese-English word derived from "costume play," but it is now widely accepted around the world. With the development of social media, it has become easier to share information, and cosplay is becoming more commonplace. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, it appears that public events have scaled back across the board.
Term #4: Null Girl 2
The subject of Kitagawa Marin's first cosplay request: "Saint♡Nulll Girls Academy: The Young Lady's Shameful Club: Harenchi Miracle Life 2," or Null Girl 2 for short. This incredibly popular adult game, which sold like hotcakes last year, is also set to be adapted into an anime. While it's a masturbation game with elements of rape, it's also said to be a tear-jerker with plenty of tear-jerking moments. The game's protagonist, the granddaughter of the chairman of the board, enrolls in a school with only girls and is ordered by the principal to join the "Shameful Club," which already seems to have elements of a silly game.
Term #5: Sick Makeup
Also known as landmine makeup or menhera makeup, this technique uses red eyeshadow to create a swollen, tear-stained look, creating a mentally unstable look. It can create a sense of loneliness and inner darkness, making you want to protect the person.
Term 6: Breast Bag
In anime and games, the bust of a female character with large breasts is depicted as if the clothing is directly attached to the character's bust. While this emphasizes the bust line, some argue that it is unrealistic. In reality, large breasts can be achieved in real life with some ingenuity, and in cosplay, this can be recreated with appropriate costumes. There are also garments designed to fit the bust, so this is not entirely impossible these days.
Term #7: Acosta
A real-life cosplay event that the author visited for research. While the names of real-life stores sometimes appear in the story, the one visited by Marin and Niina in the story is set to be a different place from Acosta.
Term #8: Wig
A wig is an accessory worn on the head to complement or change a hairstyle. It's essentially the same as a wig, but the difference is that it's primarily used for fashion purposes. In cosplay, it's used to recreate a character's hairstyle.
Term #9: Flower Princess Retsu
After seeing Kitagawa Marin's cosplay, cosplayer "Juju" (aka Sasuka Inui) requested creator Gojo Niina create a cosplay costume for this anime, which was hugely popular among adult men and elementary school girls at the time of its broadcast. Juju's character, Black Lily (aka Shion Nikaido), is the protagonist's rival character, who is shocked by her sister's fall from grace and falls from grace herself. The reason her sister fell from grace was because "her unrequited love was dating another man." It's no wonder her soul gems become cloudy.
Term 10: Torso
A type of mannequin. It is primarily used to display clothing. It differs from a mannequin in that it lacks limbs and a head. A mannequin without a head is called a headcut mannequin. The word's origin comes from the French word meaning "tree trunk" or "torso."
Term 11: B Holder
A breast-flattening device, primarily used by women cross-dressing in cosplay. The "B" stands for "Bust," and costs around 3,600 yen (excluding tax).
Term #12: KILLING GIGS
This is the work that Marin chose as the subject of her next cosplay. It's a fighting game set in a world where assassins, corrupt police officers, gangsters, and other such characters gather together. Marin's favorite character is "Veronica," who is characterized by her tanned skin, sullen eyes, underboob, and jagged teeth. Based on the name and the character, I believe the original is likely Ramlethal from "Guilty Gear." In fact, Ramlethal's underboob has disappeared in the latest game.
Term 13: ■ Berta
This is a cosplay character that the author attempted as part of creating the work. In the end, the hurdle was too high and he never got around to cosplaying it. The character is inspired by Roberta, the bespectacled maid from Black Lagoon.
Term #14: I'm a High-Selling High School Light Novel Author, and I'm Having Trouble Being Hounded by a Succubus Every Night
This is a manga that Umi recommended to me at a manga cafe. It has an unusually long light novel-like title, but it's actually a slice-of-life four-panel manga. It's abbreviated as Sabakoma and written by Kanimiso. It depicts the daily life of Liz, a succubus who tries every trick in the book to get the protagonist, a night owl, to sleep, but ends up getting brushed off as a fool.
Term 15: Kosuraba
"Space Idol Cosmo Lovers" (commonly known as Kosuraba) is a training simulation game in which players become managers and train their assigned idols to become the best in the universe while simultaneously dating them. However, if the company, fans, or other idols find out, they'll be fired... Game Over. (And of course, they'll break up with the idols.) It can be thought of as a game based on The Idolmaster with dating simulation elements added.
Term 16: Partner
In cosplay terminology, this refers to someone who works together. It refers to someone who is particularly close, and can also imply that they participate as a pair and do not work alone. It is often used to publicly announce one's partner on social media.
Term #17: This is Tsukiyono♡Company
This comedy follows a trio of sloppy bunny girl assassins as they strive to capture the testicles of their target, a yakuza boss, but ultimately fail due to a series of blunders. No one dies, and the cheerful, humorous story is well-received, even when you know the punchline. Even the opposing yakuza have lovable personalities, and the handsome, airheaded underboss is apparently the most popular character in the series.
Term 18: The Student Council President is the No. 1 Host
This reverse harem shojo manga became a huge hit with its live-action adaptation. It gained popularity through anime, film, and live-action adaptations, and in the live-action version, the leading actress cross-dressing became the most popular, beating out many handsome actors. While aimed at women, the show's popularity has led to it becoming well-known among boys, who are said to be tear-jerking. Marin dresses up as one of the characters, "Rei Kogami," at the school festival beauty pageant. The original source is likely "Ouran High School Host Club."
Term #19: Hairline Parts
This item creates a natural border between the wig and the face. It's made of skin-colored lace and is attached to the wig. Apparently, you can even make your own.
[Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru] Glossary Summary
Here's a list of terms that appear in "Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru"! The creator seems to have done extensive research, even visiting actual stores and events. Many of the stores featured in the series are real, and if they gain popularity through the anime, they may even become sacred places. In fact, it seems the Hina doll shop that served as the model has already become a sacred place. In that sense, we're really looking forward to the anime adaptation! "My Dress-Up Darling" will begin airing in January 2022, so be sure to tune in!
