My favorite anime character trope – examining the tsundere

Naming one’s favorite anime series or characters isn’t hard, but favorite anime character trope isn’t something we always think about, nor is it something an anime fan necessarily has. As a matter of fact, tropes could be something an anime fan dislikes since they’re likely to go hand-in-hand with cliches and pandering. But for those of us who don’t mind having our tastes catered to once in a while, we can’t help but notice character tropes in anime, and perhaps appreciate one…

I’ve known for a while that the female tsundere is probably my favorite anime character trope. That doesn’t mean I like all tsunderes of course, but they tend to be characters that catch my interest the most in any given series and they make up the majority of characters I consider favorites.


Rie Kugimiya’s four famous tsunderes: Shana, Taiga, Louise, Nagi

The word “tsundere” is a combination of the Japanese word “tsun,” which means “aloof” or “irritable,” and “dere,” which means “lovestruck.” The general term refers to female characters who have both of these opposing traits, separated into two types depending on whether the “tsun” – their aloof, hot-tempered side, or the “dere” – their caring, vulnerable side, is their default mood. Whichever is their default attitude, there’s always something, usually the male protagonist/love interest or another character, that will trigger the shift from “tsun” to “dere” (Type A) or “dere” to “tsun” (Type B). One of the defining traits of a tsundere is how they deny their non-default mood, for example, a Type A refusing to admit they have feelings for their “dere” trigger, and a Type B in denial that something triggers them to “tsun.”

Contrary to what some may think, there are male tsunderes. Inuyasha, Kyo (Fruits Basket), Shaoran (Cardcaptor Sakura), and Ed (Fullmetal Alchemist) are some examples. They’re sometimes called “Oranyan,” and though not as famous as the female types, they’re certainly there.

MAL’s Tsundere Club has a good definition of the two prime examples of tsunderes. I’ll list both here and expand on them using some of my favorite characters:

“1) She is initially combative/aloof/cold either towards the protagonists or everybody, and through the course of the story, opens up and becomes emotionally vulnerable and loving (basically a personality shift over time)”

This is the “character development” version of a tsundere, since the ones in this category start off as blatant Type As, “tsun” being their default mood with little to no “dere,” and then developing into Type Bs, being “dere” most of the time, usually with some “tsun” left but kept in check. Shana (Shakugan no Shana) and Taiga (Toradora!) are perfect examples of this kind of tsundere. Taiga is initially violent, foul-tempered, and anti-social with Ryuji and most everyone except for her friend Minori and crush Kitamura. With help from Ryuji and the other characters, her cute, vulnerable side is revealed more and more over time, until “dere” becomes her default mood towards the end of the series. Likewise, due to being a Flame Haze, Shana is totally cold and insensitive towards others until she meets Yuuji, who gradually helps her open up to human emotions. By the end of season 1, she’s practically become a Type B. And in seasons 2 and 3, she’s so clear about her feelings for Yuuji that one could argue that she may not even be tsundere anymore. In fact, Shana’s character development as a tsundere is so popular that it’s pretty much become its own sub-trope.

Haruhi has also been called this kind of Type A tsundere, though I personally think her appeal comes from being a unique mix of different tropes, tsundere just one of them. Nevertheless, she is at least part tsundere, being totally self-centered, manipulative, and even tyrannical towards others at first (though more out of being happily oblivious than being flustered and hot-tempered like other tsunderes). But spending time with Kyon and the SOS Brigade makes her gradually become less crazy and more open to normal activities and relationships with others, especially in yet-to-be-animated stories of the light novels. Kyon acts pretty tsundere towards her too, which makes them such an amusing pair.

“2) She is combative/aloof/cold on the outside, but secretly she feels very vulnerable and loving (basically she puts up a farce to hide the ‘real her.'”

This kind of tsundere could overlap with the first one, but I think the main difference is the lack of change from a Type A to a Type B. Kagami (Lucky Star) and Hinagiku (Hayate no Gotoku) are good examples. Both are Type Bs, being generally nice, normal girls until something triggers their “tsun,” in which case they put up an aloof front to hide their secret vulnerability. In Kagami’s case, her “tsun” is brought on by Konata’s teasing while Hinagiku’s is brought on by Hayate and the student council trio. Kagami, Mio (K-ON) and similar characters who play the straight-man to other characters are also called “tsukkomi.”

Nagi (also from Hayate no Gotoku) and Asuka (Evangelion) are good examples of Type A tsunderes with this trait. Nagi acts rather immature and childish, and employs Hayate as her butler though she’s secretly been in love with him from the get-go but refuses to admit it, gushing over him only in secret. Asuka’s “tsun” is very extreme as she’s always adamantly insulting Shinji, Rei, and other characters, even being violent at times. Yet, she has her share of insecurities and weaknesses, while Kaji seems to be the only character to bring out her “dere.”

Even though I think of tsunderes as my favorite character trope, I could just as easily not like them if they’re poorly written. If their character development is way too contrived or predictable, not adding anything memorable to the trope, that could certainly be a problem. One example of this “empty” tsundere is Touka from season 2 of Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu. I’m sure there are many other examples in harem/ecchi anime, but since I rarely watch this genre, I tend to avoid them. I could also dislike them if they have way too much “tsun” and not enough “dere,” as is the case with Kirino from OreImo. I think Kirino is a unique and interesting character, just not very appealing with an overflow of “tsun” that just makes her come off as meanly immature and ungrateful more than anything. Minko from Hanasaku Iroha is another tsundere I had a problem with because her character development was inconsistent; one minute she’s friends with Ohana and then back to being insufferably rude to her. Basically, too much “tsun” equals a mean bitch while too much “dere” is a boring Yamato Nadeshiko. A good tsundere comes from a balance of these.


Yes, she’s my favorite fiery tsundere!

And lastly, for the important question, what’s so appealing about the tsundere trope? TV Tropes’ page points out that the combination of “tsun” and “dere” helps to smoothly bring out both comedy and drama, especially in a romance story. For me personally, I think it makes a character more appealing when they have both a strong, aloof side as well as a caring, vulnerable side. The wider range of emotions a character expresses, the more likable they become to me. Whether the character is mean and cold at first but becomes good over time, or whether they put up a tough or kind front to hide weaknesses or inner struggles, it’s the “light vs dark” conflict that makes tsunderes very human and likable, even if the idea is stylized in anime. Wish fulfillment of course plays a role too, as who wouldn’t want an otherwise mean character to soften up and even become cute? Many of my other favorite characters who aren’t tsunderes, such as Yuri (Angel Beats!) and Makina (Shikabane Hime) also possess the trait of “kind and strong on the outside but masking inner demons and vulnerabilities on the inside,” and I think that concept itself is my favorite kind of character and is what draws me to tsunderes.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on tsunderes, or talk about your own favorite anime character trope, I’d love to hear it in the comments ^_^

No Comments… read them or add your own.

  1. Relic says:

    I don’t mind tsunderes and usually like them but it always makes me go ” COME ON! JUST SAY WHAT YA MEAN AND ALL THIS MADNESS AND MISINTERPRETATION COULD BE SOLVED!”, lol. So while I like them, it isn’t good for my blood pressure. My favorite is the cool type that always knows what’s going on and is like a walking trump card, Narukami in Persona is satisfying that for me right now and so is Arata in Chihayafuru. Taiga was by far the most prevalent winner of the “giving me a brain hemmorage from beating around the bush” award.

    • Yumeka says:

      LOL, yes, beating around the bush about the one they love can be a frustrating tsundere trait. But when I remember that girls like Taiga and Nagi have reasons for being socially awkward and emotionally immature, it’s easier to forgive, and it also makes it all the more rewarding when they finally do come to grips with their feelings.

  2. Frootytooty says:

    Good post! I hadn’t realized there was the distinction between the 2 types, but now that you bring it up I see it. I agree with you about Kirino – she was generally an ungrateful bitch most of the time and I really felt sorry for her brother and ‘friends’. However, it made her a more interesting tsundere than usual. Having seen a billion tsunderes in various anime, it’s one trope that I’ve gotten quite sick of, so variety is important IMO.

    I tried to think of some other character tropes but couldn’t think of many, lol. I don’t think I particularly like any trope either… I guess I like my cast to be fluid and not confined to a set personality.

    • Yumeka says:

      I agree, I like to see the trope handled in unique ways (like with Kirino) or at least memorable ones (like Shana and Taiga). It’s no good if it’s just too blatant and predictable.

      Unique character tropes can be good, but I personally don’t want characters to be too unique to the point where they don’t seem like anime characters anymore or could easily be replaced by live-action actors/actresses. Taking anime tropes and bringing out the best in them is what I like =)

  3. Cirris says:

    I think Tsunderes are a popular trope because most people can relate to them, especially your Type B Tsundere. Most people put up fronts hiding things about them they don’t like in themselves. So it’s easy to associate our insecurities with those traits of a Tsundere. I generally hide my anime likes from people around me to avoid awkwardness. I think because of that I tend to like Tsundere types myself.

    When you brought up Kirino, I laughed. She is the most controversial lead female protagonist I’ve seen in some time. A lot of MAL and Animesuki posts revile her for her bitchiness. They often site Kuroneko/Ruri, a supporting character who is also a tsundere, as being the much better character in the series. I think the extra OVA special episodes of the series are rated higher because Kuroneko plays more of a major role in those episodes than Kirino did.

    BTW, I’ve watched the series twice. Once near the end of the season it was shown and then again after the OVAs were completed. Kirino doesn’t seem as bad a second time around. She’s still comes off as a brat. However, you do notice her charming moments a bit more. I can understand the hate though. She does remind you of some of those bitchy bimbos you’d remember back in high school.

    • Yumeka says:

      I corrected your comment as best I could ^^ Don’t worry, I guarantee I’ve made many more typos than you have considering all the posts I’ve written no matter how many times I proofread!

      Anyway, yes, that’s a good point about why we can find tsunderes appealing, especially the nicer Type Bs.

      I also found Kirino more tolerable when I watched OreImo a second time (which I recently did after purchasing the US DVD release). I still have the same issues I had with her but not as bad, and I can see that she’s an entertaining character even if she’s not an appealing one (it helps that her character design is very cute to me even if her personality isn’t XD)

  4. Myna says:

    Okay, tsunderes. Not exactly my favorite character trope. Partially because I feel like their character development is just so darn predictable and also because there are so many whiny brats.

    Of course, I do like some tsunderes. Misty, Haruhi, Syaoran, even Taiga who annoyed me a lot. I think character development really depends on whether I like a tsundere or not.

    My favorite character trope? I love anti-heroes like Shinji and Light. I also like the sadistic psychopath characters such as Izaya and Kimblee, and yanderes are also great as well. (I’ve always like Ami.) In addition, I also find myself attached to mysterious, enigmatic characters like Kaworu, Johan Liebert, and Anthy.

    I have mixed feelings about Princess Tutu, but Rue is a bit of a tsundere (to a much lesser extent) and I like her.

    A tsundere I can think of in western media is Raven from Teen Titans and I’m a fan of her as well.

    • Yumeka says:

      So sadistic murderers like Kimblee are okay but tsundere girls who just have some emotional and social problems aren’t? LOL, just kidding, just kidding ^^,,,

      I also don’t like tsunderes that are too predictable, as was the case with Touka from Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu. Even if the nature of the trope makes the end result of the character predictable – like with Taiga, we know she’s gonna soften up and possibly love Ryuji by the end of the series – but the unpredictability comes from how exactly that’s going to come about and what we’ll learn about the characters along the way. If this whole journey is well written, then you’ve got a great Type A tsundere.

      Anti-heroes are good, too. Inuyasha has always been one of my favorites (plus he’s a tsundere XD) The Bebop crew are great anti-heroes as well. But they have to have some redeeming qualities and some shred of humanity for me to like them. If they don’t, like with Kimblee and Light, it’s hard for me to relate to them as a likable character.

      According to TV Tropes, Raven is a kuudere. I’ve only seen a little of Teen Titans so I couldn’t say for sure, but that’s what the site says.

  5. Kal says:

    Yeah, I like tsunderes as well. Rie Kagimiya is also one of my favorite voice actresses. She does such a good job of instantly switching between the tsun and dere, sometimes even on the same sentence.

    So I would have to say they are best. One of my favorite Tsunderes is Hinagiku from Hayate no gotoku. I’m reading the manga, and she’s just so cute! The 2nd season of Hayata was very close to the manga, so it gave a good insight into her character.

    The other type, I’m not sure what the name is, but it’s the type of character that is very smart, but simply lacks common sense. So they end up doing lots of things with really good intentions, but everything just becomes skewed in the end. Usually funny. Sgt. Sagara Souske from full metal panic, and the combination with tsundere Chidori make a really good combo. Those 2 are my favorite couple.

    • Yumeka says:

      Ah, so that’s why I loved the second season of Hayate more than the first – because it followed the manga closely and focused a lot on Hina’s character ^_^ Though I tend to favor Type A tsunderes, she’s one of my favorite Type Bs.

      Perhaps your other favorite trope is the No Social Skills character? At least that’s what the site lists for Sousuke.

  6. Logopolis says:

    The problem I frequently have with them is when the ‘tsun’ part goes so far as to involve being actively unpleasant, often even violent towards their target, who just sits there and blandly takes it, and yet they’re supposed to remain sympathetic protagonists. Obviously, the tsundere there is being a bad person, but the target is also displaying a lack of self-respect, so why respect them?

    (Although this isn’t a problem in Evangelion, because Asuka is supposed to be unpleasant and screwed-up, and Shinji is supposed to be a wimp. So I’m in sympathy with the show, and I can do my “understand what made them like that, and apply universal compassion” thing. The problem comes when the show doesn’t take abuse as seriously as I do.)

    (What I find particularly odd is how frequently they crop up even in wish-fulfillment harem-y stuff. Makes me wonder if their typical otaku target audience-members have self-esteem problems.)

    Now, moral tsunderes, who understand they don’t have the right to hurt others, can be one of the most potent character archetypes around.

    • Yumeka says:

      I also don’t like tsunderes who are too violent and bitchy, often without proper provocation, towards their target, or anyone really. Nor do I like the bland male protagonists who never speak out against it. This is another reason why I avoid blatant harem/ecchi shows since they’re filled with this kind of relationship. What I find weird is that it’s okay, or even considered funny, for the tsundere girl to beat the crap out of her love interest. But if the tsundere guy did anything like that to his girlfriend, think of what a bastard he’d be thought of.

      Like what you said about Evangelion, having a tragic past to let us understand why they act that way can work as long as they have some redeeming qualities. As for otaku self-esteem, I wonder about that too. Do they want a love interest who acts that way towards them? Maybe the quest to unlock the girl’s “dere” side is fun?

  7. Suzushina Yuriko says:

    I’m sorry, but the female tsundere has to be one of my most disliked character types ever, especially if they’re overly violent. They’ve become so common in anime now that I just can’t stand them anymore, especially when they’re being selfish and beating up/whining at the male lead for things they aren’t even responsible for. These are the overly tsun types that you mentioned. I can stand the female tsundere trait if it’s combined with other traits like kuudere, is in small amounts, or does not lead to a cookie-cutter stereotype placed there to draw in cheap sales and do nothing else. Examples of female tsundere I like are GOSICK’s Victorique, Bakemonogatari’s Hitagi, Steins;Gate’s Kurisu, and Madoka’s Kyouko.

    Though, for some reason, I really like male tsundere. I think reason for why this is so is because I think they’re actually pretty rare in anime. An example would be the adorkable Waver from fate/zero, Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile, some characters from Hetalia, Kanji from Persona 4 (and he does it in a way that he’s still totally badass at the same time), Haseo from the .hack//GU games, and Silver from the Pokemon games. …then again, I am a fujoshi and I might be biased on my opinion…

    Still, this was an interesting discussion. Feel like dissecting the yandere anytime soon, especially with the Yandere Queen making her anime debut in Mirai Nikki? :P

    • Yumeka says:

      I agree with you about the bad traits of tsunderes you mentioned in your first paragraph. They’re one reason I avoid harem/ecchi shows. Yes, too much unprovoked “tsun,” especially if it’s violence and whining, is no good. That sweet, cute “dere” side has to come out and be consistent.

      I think the reason you may like male tsunderes more (besides the fact that you’re a fujoshi) is because, like I mentioned to Logopolis above, it’s not acceptable for them to beat up their love interest. Not sure why it’s okay for only female tsunderes to go the extreme and do this…

      Heh, I’m not as versed in yandere as I am with tsundere – the ones I’m most familiar with are the Higurashi/Umineko no Naku Koro ni girls and Ryouko Asakura from Haruhi. But yes, I’m also watching Mirai Nikki and Yuno is quite the prime example of that trope =)

  8. Like all tropes/cliches, tsunderes can be effective if written well, as well as provide a target for annoyment if not written well. There’s a good reason that anime viewers target Kirino and Minko, and it’s because they are much more tsun without a good reason to continue being so. If Kyousuke/Ohana provided a good reason for them to be upset, then there wouldn’t be the backlash/anger that’s present towards them.

    Conversely, growth of a tsundere is a easy way to show character development. Your two examples, Shana and Taiga, are two characters who have a clear logical progression throughout a series and thus the series they’re in benefits greatly. Even though she’s not a true tsundere, you can see the progression of Haruhi’s character (even in 2006’s broadcast order!) throughout the series.

    I’m sure Skorp has more to say on this topic.

    • skorpigeist says:

      I must say that you pretty much covered my basic thoughts, and that Yumeka pretty much covered the rest of them.

      I have to say that my love of Tsundere’s has to be due to the progression that they go through (whether that be the Type A or Type B). It is nice to see such all encompassing dynamic and subtle character traits. In real life, I don’t know, but I like the idea in a fictional story of seeing a character that has both a hard and soft side. It is also the fact that a character can be a little fiesty, and at other times so mild, that has an appeal.

      I think that Shana and Taiga are the best examples of the Tsundere, with Kurisu being probably one of the most realistic Tsunderes portrayals that I have ever seen.

      The problem like Ultimatemegax pointed out, is that it is a problem when a character is Tsun for the sake of being Tsun, and does not have a reason to be acting that way (even if that reason may sometimes be contrived). The more realistic the reason for being Tsun, the better it is.

      I find it interesting that usually the complaints against the trope are for Tsundere’s that are overly Tsun. I would think one that is overly Dere would be just as bad. It is the balance that is important

      Considering my favorite ones have this… another reason to love Tsundere’s is the (絶対領域) Zettai Ryouiki. It is a neat little detail that I enjoy.

      Like any other trope, it can be overplayed or misplayed (which I think is what most are more upset about when it comes to this character type). Another example is the Dandere. The cute, shy, naive type can be so charming, but get on people’s nerves.

      I also have to switch gears back to this right quick and mention the fact that some of the characters mentioned here are not fully Tsunderes are interesting choices. I feel like a lot of characters have “Tsundere” qualities to them, but they do not really fully embody the trope to its full potential.

      I am also equally as interested in the male Tsundere, though they are not as common. I like females Tsundere’s more (being a straight guy).The problem with them is that they tend to fall into the more “jerk with a heart of gold” type category than fully be recognized as Tsundere. I think that Stein’s:Gate has one of the most interesting Tsundere/Tsundere pairings ever with Okabe and Kurisu.

      I am curious to see where this discussion leads.

      • Yumeka says:

        Thanks for your very thorough comment =D

        You’re right that having a character with both a soft and hard side is appealing. With the hard side, we can be like “Cool, she’s pretty tough,” and for the soft side we can also be like “Aww, but she’s also cute and sweet.” It makes for a versatile dynamic that can smoothly move from comedy to drama as well as have an easy potential for character development.

        Yes, too much “tsun” without provocation is when a tsundere suffers. In HanaIro, Minko has no reason to be so mean to Ohana – there’s no backstory for her explaining why she’s such a sociopath, nor does she cease to be rude to Ohana after a certain point in the series. Compare this to Shana and Taiga who have reasons for acting the way they do (Shana because she’s not human and Taiga because she has a dysfunctional family) and then consistently change their ways over the course of the series.

        I never thought of Kurisu as a tsundere, but now that you mention it, she seems like a good Type B.

        Thanks again for all the interesting points~

        • skorpigeist says:

          My pleasure. It is kind of a fun topic to talk about with people. I hope that you cover a few of the other character tropes. There are so many and the way they are played.

          You could probably write papers on this topic

    • Yumeka says:

      Good points about Kirino and Minko.

      Yes, a well written tsundere can certainly carry a show, as is the case with Shana and Taiga. I feel that both Kyon and Haruhi have some tsundere in them, which also progresses as the series does, and another reason why they’re so entertaining.

      • skorpigeist says:

        I am putting this here, as it was something that Ultimatemegax pointed out to me when we were chatting.

        Kyon is a good example of a male tsundere. It is such an interesting fact, because very rarely do we really get to be inside the head of the tsundere. You get to see the motivations, and may color him in such a way that you may not think of him as such. I must give credit to him for reminding me about this.

        As for Minko and Kirino, yeah I think they are what can happen when a tsundere is either poorly written, or not focused on enough that we see them in the right light. like I said, it would even be better if we were given direct contrived reason. I think in Minko’s case the argument can be made that her tsun towards Ohana comes from the fact that she just up and planted herself in the work dynamic (and did some things without really thinking about the consequences) and the genki aspects iritated Minko. The other side to that is that she gets more attention from Tohru, who is the object of Minko’s affection, and she can’t stand that someone else can achieve his attention (even worse because Ohana does not like him in that way, as for Tohru, his motivations/feelings/etc are best left for another discussion. Another problem is that there is so little to balance out Minko’s tsun. The moments she did show a soft side, I thought were actually on the path to being well done.

        I don’t have much to say about Kirino. I need to rewatch Ore Imo. But she definitely has the “brat” thing going on.

        I definitely have said enough about Taiga and Shana, except for how cute they both can be. Another thing that may be worth mentioning is that Tsun can also be cute… pending on how it is done.

  9. Savo says:

    Personally, I’m not a huge fan of tsundere characters. Some, like Asuka from Evangelion can be good characters, but so many fall into the one-sided cliche of being psychotic and abusive, which doesn’t translate into a enjoyable character for me. This is particularly annoying to watch when the main character is one of those wimpy leads who just takes it lying down.

    Male tsundere on the other hand can be quite fun to watch, some of my favorite male characters in anime have been of that kind, like Ed from Fullmetal Alchemist.

    • Yumeka says:

      Like I mentioned in some above comments, I’m also not keen on the unprovoked abusive tsunderes nor their wimpy male partners. It’s these kinds of tsunderes that give the trope a bad name, but if done right, like with the examples I discussed in the post, they can certainly shine.

      Also like I mentioned in above comments, a reason male tsunderes may be more appealing to some is because the most “tsun” they’ll do is just insult, deny, and get into verbal quarrels with their love interest. For some reason, it’s not acceptable for male tsunderes to physically abuse their love interest even though it’s acceptable for female tsunderes to do this. Weird…

      • skorpigeist says:

        Without opening the can of worms to much, I will say that it probably has a lot to do with how men and women are viewed in the context of society , and the psychology of sex and gender. Though it probably should not be different at all (and abuse is abuse regardless of how it is unleashed) it is just perceived differently.

  10. kluxorious says:

    Tsundere got to be my favorite trope as well simply because I usually can’t stand girl who is meek and nice to begin with. I like them feisty and still open to the possibility of love. It reminds me of myself in a sense lol.

    • Yumeka says:

      That’s a really good point, being feisty but also open to love. I don’t have anything against the meek, nice girl trope, but the girl who has a balance of spunk as well as love is more likable to me.

  11. Marow says:

    I also find the tsundere to be my favorite character trope, but when asking myself why, I stumble. Why do I, and many more, like them so much?

    Maybe it is cute. They have a strong side, but also one that is adorably lovely, which creates a good character. In one scene, you have the nagging between two characters, but not hate, just a kind of teasing by being mean. In another, you have the previously strong character reveal that “hey, you know, just because I put on a strong outside, doesn’t mean I’m a jerk on the inside”.

    In a way, isn’t a tsundere a real human in love, if perhaps a bit exaggerated? Maybe that is why they are so appealing, because they remind us of ourselves. Don’t you behave a little different with the one you love? One time, you might try to be very warm and calming, but in another be a little bit more on the “meaner” side? It’s playful. It’s real.
    This doesn’t apply to everyone of course, but in general, this is the most common way we deal with love.

    Which might be why the tsundere, when done right (Taiga), is so appealing.

    • Yumeka says:

      Very good points about the appeal of tsunderes, especially that they’re an exaggerated portrayal of real love. They certainly go with the phrase “We always hurt the ones we love.”

  12. chikorita157 says:

    A year ago, Aorii has written something about tsunderes that are particularly interesting. Tsunderes most of time have an insecurity or rather a lack of self-esteem. To cover that up, they tend to overreact, which is apparent in many characters of these types. Character development of course causes them to gradually warm up.

    Of course, I don’t really have any problem with tsundere characters, except that they sort of gotten somewhat generic. Mostly in part that the producers decide to Pigeonholed Kugimiya Rie for all those tsundere roles. While not necessarily a bad thing, but it causes people to write off new series like Hidan no Aria off rather instantly… then again, it’s JC Staff. Thankfully, her role for Minase Iori in The Idolmaster don’t have too much tsuntsun (mix of Type A & B), but still apparent in some instances. Haven’t played the games, so I don’t know the full extent of her character, but yeah.

  13. Very interesting post. Not my favorite character trope, but I didn’t realize that there were two types of tsunderes! I would say that Type B is my favorite kind of tsundere. ^_^

    I suppose the reason why we like tsunderes would be that it’s always very nice to see a new side of a person, especially when we think that we know everything about them and they then suddenly reveal a new side to them. That would encourage us to get to know them even more. After all, if you had a loved one, wouldn’t you want to get to know him/her better?

    • Yumeka says:

      Yes, having a character that can be tough and sweet, with other emotions in between, leaves much potential for development and dynamic interactions. Unfortunately a lot of “empty” tsunderes just have the toughness to sweetness thing without any development or ingenuity and that’s what gives tsunderes a bad rap =/ But as long as tsunderes like Shana and Taiga exist, I’ll keep loving them ^_^

  14. omareo says:

    Wow!! I didn’t realize people had such a strong dislike of Minko– She is my favorite tsundere character… I actually get a strong Moe feeling from her. Maybe cuz’ I’m older but I wanted to protect her because it hurt so much to see her emotions get crapped on in every episode.

  15. Drew says:

    I can’t stand tsunderes, myself, but you do a good job explaining yourself here. I think I like the grand total of one tsundere character, and that’s Naomi Nakashima from Corpse Party, and that’s only because the story presented very realistic consequences for behaving like a typical tsundere. 1. Her tsuntsun treatment of her love interest pushes him away several times and she will probably never have him as the result. 2. Her pretty much best and only real friend gets fed of her lousy attitude and runs off in tears after being on the receiving end of her vemon in one scene. I loved it.

  16. Frog says:

    You mentioned male tsunderes briefly, but what do you personally think of them? Do you find them as likable and appealing as female tsunderes? I have to say I really love male tsunderes, a lot of the time even more than their female counterparts. (Syaoran is probably my favourite anime character ever.) I think tsunderes are really cute when it’s emphasised how socially awkward they are or if they have reasons to act the way they do.

    • Yumeka says:

      I like male tsunderes very much too. Maybe not as much as female ones, but that could just be because there aren’t as many. Inuyasha is one of my favorites, and I consider Kyon one too ;) Syaoron is great as well. Like female tsunderes, I don’t like it if the male ones have too much “tsun” and yell and pick fights all the time, but prefer the more “dere” ones XD

  17. Chloe says:

    Well might be a bit of an old treat but anyways..

    Ive been in love with tsunderes for a looooong time. My first encounter was louise from zero no tsukaima plus naru from love hina.

    I agree with you about minko and kirino, one of the few i dont like. As well as the underdeveloped and stereotyped tsunderes, good example houki from infinite stratos.

    My favorite has always been louise. Yes she is abusive sometimes irration but her dere moments are so cute! Especially around S3&4 ! :) and the end of S2 ofc ;) 2nd would be aisaka taiga. Actually theyre pretty close to both being no.1 but yeah.. XD

    I am unsure what appeals to me but they just do! I just love to guess when the dere comes and that you need to trigger it instead of immediatly getting it all the time like derederes. I just like feisty strong girls who can stand up for themselves. And my fiancee calls me a tsundere too. I can be pretty fierce at times but usually cause im insecure or dont want to admit im wrong etc

    It is just sad to see too many stereotyped tsunderes are there now so i grew a bit tired of it atm and start to doubt if i still like them, but i still like the 4 tsundere wonders. Louise>taiga>nagi>shana. I liked shana the first season but after that it went downwards for me so i liked her a lot less.

    I collect figures of tsunderes as well, reason i linked my “website” which is my profile on myfigurecollection lol =P warning: lots of louise and taigas XD

    Unlike you i did like minko, not my favorite tsundere but she wasnt annoying or anything like i felt with kirino.

  18. Chloe says:

    Oops i contradicted myself! Minko isnt on my list of dislikable characters ^^”

  19. Clarisse says:

    Wether they’re ‘provoked’ or not, I think it’s ridiculous that they carry on abusing these guys, it’s ridiculous. And I don’t care about they’re past, it’s not an excuse. I couldn’t care less about taiga’s daddy issues, that doesn’t excuse her. It’s not being tsundere, it’s domestic violence. If it was a guy beating a girl up, it would be viewed completely differently.

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