Anime characters often have interesting ways that they interact with the people they are closest to or in love with. But have you noticed that some show their affections in a certain or similar way?
You’ve probably heard of the Japanese word ‘dere,’ which originates from the phrase ‘deredere,’ which means ‘lovestruck.’
You may know some of the more common ‘dere’ types of anime, such as ‘tsundere’, ‘yandere’, ‘kuudere’, ‘deredere’ and ‘dandere’, which are the main five which you might come across in a series. But there are more types out there that you might not have heard of, but you’ll be able to recognize.
Let’s take a look at the different ‘dere’ types of anime, how to recognize them, and some notable characters which show their ‘dere’ style.
Tsundere
Tsundere characters are a bit like caramel candy, hard on the outside but with a soft interior. A tsundere often starts off quite cold and angry towards those they love, but slowly starts to show their softer side.
The term tsundere comes from ‘tsuntsun’ – meaning ‘angry’ or ‘cold’ which is quite a contrast from the lovestruck ‘dere’ description. Often these characters are navigating their feelings for the person they are interested in, for example, you might hear them say something like ‘I’m only doing this because you asked nicely, not because I like you.’
Other tsundere characters might not change over time, but will switch between their ‘tsuntsun’ and ‘deredere’ sides at the drop of a hat, so you never know how they might react!
Some notable ‘tsundere’ characters from anime include Kagura (Gintama), Asuka Langley (Neon Genesis Evangelion), and Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan).
Yandere
Have you ever been ‘crazy in love’? Some characters take their feelings to an entirely new level, and that is what the yandere does. Yandere characters have developed their affections into an obsession, meaning that they will stop at nothing to ensure the happiness and safety of their loved ones, perhaps even resorting to some questionable actions in their devotion.
The ‘yan’ in yandere comes from the word ‘yanderu’, which means to be mentally unwell, which describes the obsessive nature of the yandere character and the lengths they will go to to get the person that they want. They might seem sweet on the outside, but don’t get in their way!
Famous yanderes are Misa Amane (Death Note), Griffith (Beserk), and Satou (Happy Sugar Life).
Kuudere
The kuudere is ‘cool as a cucumber’, completely unflappable even in the most stressful of situations. Often they can be hard to read, preferring to be distant and analytical, but deep down their true emotions run beneath the surface.
Kuudere comes from the word ‘kuuru’, which is the katakanaised version of the word cool. Think of kuudere characters as being made of ice, they might look emotionless, and not really react in any noticeable way to the person they are interested in. However, over time, they start to thaw and open up, eventually being able to show their true affections.
Kuudere characters you may know are Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Sakaki (Azumanga Daioh), and Kanade Tachibana (Angel Beats).
Deredere
Deredere characters are bright, bubbly, and full of beans! Always in a good mood, they want to spread that joy to others. Not much can get them down, and it doesn’t take long for them to bounce back when something goes wrong.
Derederes are the true ‘lovey-dovey’ type, not holding back when it comes to showing their affections. Some types of deredere, such as the oujodere, are much more refined and subtle in their affections, and taking things to extremes is the megadere, whose over-the-top reactions to their interest leave very few doubting how they feel!
Famous derederes are: Ochaco Uraraka (My Hero Academia), Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket), Orihime Inoue (Bleach).
Dandere
The dandere is the wallflower of the ‘dere’ types. Shy, timid and often anxious, they often keep to themselves and may be afraid to say anything in case it is taken in the wrong way.
Sometimes a dandere may be a little bit like a kuudere character, seeming to be emotionless, but unlike the kuudere, the dandere may appear like this because they are scared to show how they feel. While a kuudere is often calm and collected when they speak, a dandere will often get flustered when they voice their opinions.
The term dandere comes from ‘danmari’ meaning ‘silence’. They aren’t always shy though. With the right person, the dandere can open up and show their sweet and sensitive side.
Notable danderes are: Crona (Soul Eater), Hinata Hyuga (Naruto), and Mio Akiyama (K-ON!).
Bakadere
Bakadere characters are often very sweet, but also very stupid! Clumsy and rather air-headed, the bakadere can often end up in all sorts of situations due to their lack of know-how and need to be looked after by other characters due to their childish and innocent natures.
The term bakadere comes from the word ‘baka’, meaning stupid or idiot. One thing is for sure though, through their antics the bakadere is sure to add some comic relief to your anime series!
Bakaderes you may know include: Atsuko Kagari (Little Witch Academia), Usagi Tsukino (Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon), and Yuuko Yoshida (Machikado Mazoku).
Hiyakasudere
Hiyakasudere, sometimes called ‘tease-dere’ enjoy making others blush, either by being seductive or by teasing others that they know get embarrassed easily. They’re always looking to get a reaction, and if you are the main interest of their affections, watch out, as they will tease you even more!
Hiyakasudere comes from the word ‘hiyakasu’ meaning ‘to tease’, or ‘to make banter’. One thing is for sure, things are never dull when they are around!
Some examples of hiyakasuderes are: France (Hetalia Axis Powers), Blair (Soul Eater), and Holo (Spice and Wolf).
Himedere/Oujidere
Bow down to the himedere/oujidere – these dere types want to be revered like a king or queen! Often arrogant and condescending, they expect the worship of others rather than seeking to ply their affections on their love interest. Speaking of worship, there’s even the kamidere, who wishes to be seen as a godlike figure.
Behind this though the himedere/oujidere may have a reason why they are acting the way they do. Often there is insecurity fuelled by a backstory of abandonment or betrayal, and those that are able to see past this often see the true nature of the himedere/oujidere.
All hail these himederes and oujideres: Erina Nakiri (Food Wars!), Satsuki Kiryuin (Kill La Kill), and Tamaki Suou (Ouran High School Host Club).
Goudere
The perfect accompaniment for a himedere/oujidere is a goudere. Goudere characters exist to make their special someone happy, almost treating them as their king or queen! The goudere will always be at your beck and call, and could even develop into an undere, being unable to say no to whatever their loved one wants.
The origin of the term goudere could come from a few different places; ‘gougou’ meaning boisterous, ‘gouki’ meaning fortuitous, or could be from ‘gou oni’ meaning strong demon. Based upon your favorite goudere characters, which do you think best fits their personality?
Gouderes you may know include: Juvia Lockser (FAIRY TAIL), Albedo (Overlord), and Jibril (No Game No Life).
Nyandere
People are not always the only object of dere affection. Nyanderes are obsessed with cats, and often show their dere side when around them. Sometimes they may even be emotionless like a kuudere until they see a feline! Nyandere also includes characters that have cat-like characteristics, or characters that start to act like a cat when showing their affection, such as through imaginary cat ears and teeth.
Nyandere comes from the word ‘nyan’, which is the sound a cat makes in Japanese culture. Also similar to a nyandere is an inudere, who instead of cats, is obsessed with dogs!
Notable nyanderes are Ichigo Momomiya (Tokyo Mew Mew), Rumiho Akiha (Steins;Gate), and Chocola and Vanilla (Nekopara).
Mayadere
Sometimes a character may not even be on the side of their love interest to start with. The mayadere is often the antagonist or the deuteragonist, who once they realize their feelings for their special person, switch sides to help them.
Mayadere may either come from the word ‘mayakashi’ meaning fake or deception, or from ‘ma yaka su’, meaning to cheat or to swindle.
Noteable mayaderes include: Seishirou Tsugumi (Nisekoi), Kiritsugu Emiya (Fate/Zero), and Tohka Yatogami (Date A Live).
Hajidere
Have you ever been around someone you are interested in and suddenly all of your ability to talk to them and remain composed goes out of the window? This is what the hajidere suffers from; they are able to interact normally with other characters, but when it comes to their crush they seem to forget how to be able to socialize, blushing heavily and sometimes even fainting in their inability to cope!
Hajidere comes from the word ‘haji’ which means embarrassment.
Characters who often blush include: Chi Chi (Dragon Ball), Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia), and Haruna Sairenji (To LOVE-Ru).
Hinedere
If the deredere is a glass half full character, a hinedere definitely has their glass half empty! These characters often have a cynical view of life and can sometimes be hard to be around, getting annoyed by others, but with the right person, they can open up and show their softer side.
Hinedere comes from the word ‘hineru’ which means to twist or to defeat easily, linking to the negative outlook of these characters being a stark contrast to those around them.
Hinederes you may know are: Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto), Daikoku (Noragami), and Uryuu Minene (Mirai Nikki).
Kekkondere
A kekkondere is obsessed with marriage, even to the point where they are happy to get hitched to someone they have only just met! They wish to marry their crush as soon as possible and will go to great lengths to make their love interest desire them. Because of how relentless and creepy they can be, often they can show some megadere and yandere tendencies too.
Kekkondere comes from the word ‘kekkon’ meaning marriage, showing that this truly is the only thing on that character’s mind!
Characters pining to tie the knot include: Hancock Boa (One Piece), Yuno Gasai (Mirai Nikki), and Marika Tachibana (Nisekoi).
Kanedere
Kanedere are in it for the money, seemingly only interested in characters because of their status or wealth. However, if they meet the right person, they may be able to put their material wishes aside for them.
Kanedere comes from the word ‘kane’, which literally means money, showing their nature as the gold diggers of the anime world!
Characters only interested in you for your purse strings include Mitsune Konno (Love Hina), Fujiko Mine (Lupin III), and Ami Kawashima (Toradora!).
Byoukidere
Kind and caring, the byoukidere are also fighting another battle, often with a life-threatening illness that leaves them weaker than other characters. They may often need to spend time in hospital, or may be confined to a wheelchair and need extra care from the others around them.
Byoukidere face one of two fates: either they die, or they are saved by another character, and often end up being with them at the end.
The word byoukidere comes from ‘byouki’ meaning illness, showing this is the defining piece of their character.
Famous byoukideres include: Akito Souma (Fruits Basket), Nagisa Furukawa (CLANNAD), and Konno Yuuki (Sword Art Online).
Yottadere
Yottadere are happy to share a drink with you, and often aren’t found without one in their hands! They can often be quite flirtatious or violent when under the influence, but often they manage to sober themselves up when they finally meet their love interest.
Yottadere comes from the word ‘yotta’, which simply means drunk.
Raise a glass with these yottaderes: Matsumoto Rangiku (Bleach), Tsunade Senju (Naruto), and Ryoko Hakubi (Tenchi Muyou!).
Sadodere
A sadodere enjoys playing with the emotions of others. They especially like to manipulate and humiliate the person they are interested in! Sadodere characters may be violent and harsh to others, as well as much more brutal and violent to loved ones.
Sometimes a sadodere may be able to change their ways, but otherwise, their perfect match is a masodere, who is more than happy to be subject to their torment!
Sadodere comes from the sadistic personality of the sadodere, from the term sadomasochism.
Notable sadoderes include: Minatsuki Takami (Deadman Wonderland), Kurumi Tokisaki (Date A Live), and Mariko Kurama (Elfen Lied).
Nemuidere
Good luck getting the nemuidere out of bed: they love getting their forty winks! Often seen sleeping, they often need the encouragement of their love interest to be able to do anything productive, which is a shame as often they are hiding some incredible abilities!
Similar to the nemuidere is the darudere, who is more lazy than sleepy, and can sometimes be more easily motivated than their counterpart.
The term nemuidere comes from ‘nemui’ meaning sleepy, and darudere comes from ‘daru’, meaning sluggish.
Some famous sleepyheads include: Dorothy Unsworth (Black Clover), Nemu (Haibane Renmei), and Agiri Goshiki (Kill Me Baby).
This is just a small list but there are lots of other dere types out there for you to discover. Maybe you’ve noticed some of our dere types in some of your favorite anime and manga?