Anime and Its Common Dere

As someone who enjoys any good anime out there, I’m sure you’ve heard a character being called a ‘tsundere’. Does Taiga Aisaka from Toradora flash across your mind? No? Perhaps you’ve heard Yuno Gasai being called a ‘yandere’ does and haven’t a clue to what it means. Well, let me tell you that it certainly has nothing to do with her pink hair and everything to do with her obsessive nature. We’ll talk more about that on another day. Right now we’re focusing on the six Dere’s and their meanings. Starting with the most popular.

Tsundere

A ‘tsundere’ refers to a character that is depicted as haughty or someone having a high-and-mighty attitude. These characters may appear stuck-up on the outside, but behind closed doors, they’re as soft as a marshmallow.

In the beginning, they don’t know how to handle their feelings so their haughty attitude is worse around their love interest. They will say things such as ‘it’s not like I like you or anything’ or ‘it’s not like I have anything better to do’.

These characters experience an inner conflict between their feelings and pride. However, as they experience personal growth, and as the anime/manga continues, they accept their feelings. Lashing out occasionally when they feel they’re being judged.

Yandere

This character type, the ‘yandere’…well, I wouldn’t mess around with their love interest. Much less talk to them. They behave all nice and sweet in the beginning however quickly become obsessive and violent. They only become violent once they feel as if their crush is in danger or will be taken from them.

A yandere thinks anyone who simply breaths too close to their crush is a love rival. Yikes. Their violence also always ends in murder. They’re not above torture either. Yandere exhibit stalker-like, manipulative and controlling tendencies towards their crush, such as stealing their love interest’s stuff or secretly following them home.

Dandere

These characters are what you would call the silent-type and tend to keep to themselves. The ‘dandere’ find it difficult to express themselves because of nervousness or shyness. They’re even viewed as antisocial. They only emerge from their shells and show who they are when their crush is around.

Kuudere

The ‘cool’ character — the ‘kuudere’ display cynical, cold, and collected behavior. They don’t show any sign of emotion even in extreme situations and they’re hardly seen panicking. These characters don’t lack emotions, they just keep them hidden from the world and treat them as a weakness. They hate showing weakness. The kuudere only show their softer side to their love interest and the ones they love.

Goudere

An unstoppable force of nature and willing to do anything to please her master/love interest. The ‘goudere’. Their intentions are typically misunderstood in an over the top manner for comedic effect.

Undere

The anime equivalent of the yes-man — the ‘undere’. They’re the submissive character type that will agree to or say ‘yes’ to anything that their mast-oops, I mean love interest ask from them. They’re willing to do whatever their love interest asks of them. They believe it’s a way of getting closer to their crush and that’ll they will be more likable.

Female characters are referred to ‘deres’ more than male characters. In fact, Grey from Fairy Tail may be a Tsundere? These ‘deres’ aren’t only found in manga or anime. They’re just more called out on their behavior and labeled for it than they are in western works of fiction. Or they’re called something else entirely. The other ‘dere’ types weren’t mentioned here. Check out my other posts if you’re curious.