Tsundere



"It's not that I like you or anything"

- A typical tsundere phrase.

"Urusai! Urusai! Urusai! (Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!)"

- w:c:hero:Shana (and many of her clones).

A tsundere is a common character archetype in anime/manga in which a character (usually a girl) is introduced as being cold and aloof (hence the tsun- part of the word) but later shows a warmer, more loving side (hence the -dere part) and keeps switching back and forth between the two. Like its sister term Kuudere, the term first became popular after the release of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which featured the debut of w:c:hero:Asuka Langley Soryu, who to this day remains one of the best and most well-known examples.

Tsunderes can be either heroes or anti-heroes. Frequently, they are in love with someone but are too stubborn to admit it, whether out of pride, insecurity or simple fear of being rejected. To hide their feeling, they often yell at or hit the one they love, although the one they love often shares part of the blame for this. An example is w:c:hero:Akane Tendo slapping her fiancée w:c:hero:Ranma Saotome (or hitting him with any old object lying around) because of his smart mouth and often insensitive remarks.

Although primarily used in anime and manga, tsundere-like characters are also present in Western media, such as w:c:hero:Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series and w:c:hero:Toph Beifong from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Tsundere can be divided into two main categories, depending on their default mood:


 * Harsh (or Tsun): These Tsundere have tsuntsun as their default mood. It takes someone special to trigger their deredere side. The intensity of the tsuntsun can range from "I must glare and fight my way through life" to grumpy pessimism. It's about which part of the tsundere personality is the public face and which the hidden. If the Tsundere is The Rival, she is more likely to be Harsh. Helping a rival out is usually accompanied by a line like "Don't get me wrong, I'm not doing this for you."


 * Sweet (or Dere): These Tsundere have deredere as their default mood. They are sweet, kind and generous, but just happen to have a hidden violent side as well. In this case, temper is almost always triggered by someone or something else, usually a love interest. Either they have belligerent sexual tension, are an accidental pervert, or just have no idea how to handle feelings of love and attraction. May also overlap with violently protective girlfriend if her love interest is threatened or in danger.
 * Sweet types should not be confused with a Yandere. If a Sweet Tsundere were really convinced that their love interest didn't want them, they would revert back to the deredere side and probably enter an "I want my beloved to be happy" phase, while Yanderes are not good with rejection at all and have been known to get downright murderous under such circumstances.

Other Examples

 * Shana from Shakugan No Shana, w:c:hero:Taiga Aisaka from Toradora!, w:c:hero:Nagi Sanzenin from Hayate the Combat Butler and w:c:hero:Louise de La Valliere from The Familiar of Zero (Known collectively as Four Tsundere Wonders)
 * w:c:hero:Aria H. Kanzaki from Aria the Scarlet Ammo (Known as Fifth Tsundere Wonder)
 * w:c:hero:Inuyasha and w:c:hero:Sango from Inuyasha
 * w:c:hero:Erza Scarlet and w:c:hero:Gray Fullbuster from Fairy Tail
 * w:c:hero:Haruhi Suzumiya and w:c:hero:Kyon from the Haruhi Suzumiya series
 * w:c:hero:Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop
 * w:c:hero:Yennefer of Vengerberg from the Witcher franchise
 * w:c:hero:Mai Valentine from Yu-Gi-Oh!
 * Inner Moka Akashiya from Rosario + Vampire
 * w:c:hero:Maka Albarn from Soul Eater
 * w:c:hero:Machias Regnitz from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
 * w:c:hero:Rachel Alucard from Blazblue
 * w:c:hero:Rin Tohsaka from Fate/Stay Night
 * w:c:hero:Kallen Kōzuki from Code Geass
 * w:c:hero:Mikoto Misaka from A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun
 * w:c:hero:Vegeta, w:c:hero:Bulma, w:c:hero:Chi-Chi, w:c:hero:Android 18 and w:c:hero:Videl from Dragon Ball Z
 * Pan from Dragon Ball GT
 * w:c:hero:Winry Rockbell and w:c:hero:Izumi Curtis from Fullmetal Alchemist
 * w:c:hero:Hilary Tachibana and w:c:hero:Mariah Wong from Beyblade V Force and G Revolution
 * Misty from Pokémon (anime)
 * w:c:hero:Platinum Berlitz from Pokémon (manga)
 * w:c:hero:Nami from One Piece
 * w:c:hero:Edy Nelson from Valkyria Chronicles
 * w:c:hero:Leia Rolando from Tales of Xillia 
 * w:c:hero:EVE from Wall-E
 * Lulu from Final Fantasy X
 * Leanne from Resonance of Fate
 * w:c:hero:Meryl Stryfe from Trigun
 * w:c:hero:Meryl Silverburgh from the Metal Gear series
 * w:c:hero:Kimiko Tohomiko from Xiaolin Showdown
 * w:c:hero:Holo from Spice and Wolf
 * w:c:hero:Kurisu Makise from Steins;Gate (she's even called one in the series)
 * w:c:hero:Makoto Niijima and Morgana from Persona 5
 * Mine from Akame Ga Kill!
 * Haruna and w:c:hero:Seraphim from Is This a Zombie?
 * w:c:hero:Yamraiha from the Magi series
 * w:c:hero:Revy from Black Lagoon
 * Angie from Shark Tale
 * w:c:hero:Kurogane from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
 * Isuzu from Log Horizon
 * Miku from Darling in the Franxx
 * w:c:hero:Makoto Konno from The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
 * w:c:hero:Renée Roberts from Mew Mew Power
 * w:c:hero:Sash Lilac and w:c:hero:Neera Li from Freedom Planet
 * w:c:hero:Rina Toin from Mermaid Melody
 * w:c:hero:Nagihiko Fujisaki from Shugo Chara
 * w:c:hero:Fujiwara no Mokou from Touhou Project
 * w:c:hero:Zorne Sepperin and w:c:hero:Grolla Seyfarth from Rosenkreuzstilette
 * w:c:hero:Yozora Mikazuki from Haganai
 * Ginger from Chicken Run
 * w:c:hero:Cagalli Yula Athha from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
 * w:c:hero:Chie Satonaka from Persona 4
 * w:c:hero:Touka Kirishima from Tokyo Ghoul
 * w:c:hero:Kyoko Sakura from Puella Magi Madoka Magica
 * w:c:hero:Ayase Shinomiya from Guilty Crown
 * w:c:hero:Kotori Itsuka from Date A Live
 * w:c:hero:Izumo Kamiki from Blue Exorcist
 * w:c:hero:Houki Shinonono from Infinite Stratos
 * w:c:hero:Yukari Takeba from Persona 3
 * Noire and w:c:hero:Uni from Hyperdimension Neptunia
 * w:c:hero:Kamiya Kaoru from Rurouni Kenshin
 * w:c:hero:Kaname Chidori from Full Metal Panic!
 * w:c:hero:Ayano Kannagi from Kaze no Stigma
 * w:c:hero:Akiha Tohno from Tsukihime
 * Natsuki from Doki Doki Literature Club
 * w:c:hero:Sakura Haruno from Naruto
 * w:c:hero:Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia
 * Brittany of w:c:hero:The Chipettes from Alvin and the Chipmunks
 * w:c:hero:Sonya Blade from Mortal Kombat
 * w:c:hero:Ririchiyo Shirakiin from Inu x Boku SS
 * w:c:hero:Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi from Cross Ange
 * w:c:hero:Scarlet Testarossa from both Detectives of Night and Rescind
 * w:c:hero:Rika Nonaka from Digimon Tamers
 * Gwen from Total Drama
 * w:c:hero:Amy Rose, w:c:hero:Knuckles the Echidna, w:c:hero:Rouge the Bat, and w:c:hero:Blaze the Cat from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise
 * Emma from Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race
 * w:c:hero:Ran Mouri from Detective Conan
 * w:c:hero:Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, w:c:hero:Maki Harukawa and w:c:hero:Tenko Chabashira from the Danganronpa series
 * w:c:hero:Zuzu Boyle,w:c:hero:Celina and Rin from Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V
 * w:c:hero:Saya Takagi from Highschool of the Dead
 * w:c:hero:Sadie Kane from The Kane Chronicles
 * w:c:hero:Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus
 * w:c:hero:Kopaka from BIONICLE
 * w:c:hero:Leia Organa from Star Wars
 * w:c:hero:Tsukiumi from Sekirei
 * w:c:hero:Susie Derkins from Calvin and Hobbes
 * w:c:hero:Kirino Kousaka and w:c:hero:Kuroneko from Oreimo
 * w:c:hero:Wallabee Beetles, w:c:hero:Abigail Lincoln and w:c:hero:Fanny Fulbright from Codename: Kids Next Door
 * Asuna and w:c:hero:Alice Zuberg from Sword Art Online
 * w:c:hero:Akane Kimidori, w:c:hero:Midori Norimaki, w:c:hero:Tsururin Tsun and w:c:hero:Tsuntsunodanoteiyugo Tsun from Dr. Slump
 * w:c:hero:Sailor Moon and w:c:hero:Sailor Mars from Sailor Moon series
 * w:c:hero:Makoto Kenzaki from Doki Doki Pretty Cure
 * w:c:hero:Aiko Senoo and w:c:hero:Doremi Harukaze from Ojamajo Doremi
 * w:c:hero:Li Syaoran, w:c:hero:Meiling Li, and w:c:hero:Chiharu Mihara from Card Captor Sakura
 * w:c:hero:Helga G. Pataki from Hey, Arnold!
 * Mandy from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
 * w:c:hero:Princess Ruto from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
 * Kiho Hiryuu from Dere Project
 * w:c:hero:Shinku from Rozen Maiden
 * w:c:hero:Viridi from Kid Icarus: Uprising
 * Severa/Selena and Takumi from the Fire Emblem series
 * w:c:hero:Rainbow Dash, w:c:hero:Twilight Sparkle, w:c:hero:Rarity, and w:c:hero:Applejack from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
 * w:c:hero:Sunset Shimmer from My Little Pony Equestria Girls.
 * Maleficent from Maleficent
 * w:c:hero:Alex Fierro from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.
 * Beast from Beauty and the Beast
 * w:c:hero:Kagami Hiiragi from Lucky Star
 * w:c:hero:Sonya from Kill Me Baby
 * Gamora from Marvel Cinematic Universe
 * w:c:hero:Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket
 * w:c:hero:Louise Belcher from Bob's Burgers
 * w:c:hero:Rosalie Hale from Twilight
 * w:c:hero:Osana Najimi from Yandere Simulator
 * Casca from Berserk
 * w:c:hero:Mion Sonozaki and w:c:hero:Jessica Ushiromiya from the When They Cry series
 * Yuka from Elfen Lied
 * w:c:hero:Kyle Broflovski from South Park
 * w:c:hero:Maki Nishikino from Love Live! School Idol Project
 * Norway from Hetalia
 * Kirby from The Brave Little Toaster
 * w:c:hero:Nori from Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia
 * w:c:hero:Revali from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
 * w:c:hero:Ladonia from Hetalia
 * w:c:hero:Erina Nakiri From Shokugeki No Soma
 * w:c:hero:Lisesharte Atismata From Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut.