With animes showing various characters having exaggerated personalities, it doesn’t come as a shock that these characters have a sub-culture of their own. Tsundere and Yandere are the most common types of traits familiar to most. However, there are many more interesting Dere traits and characters. Here, we’ll be taking a look at the different types of dere characters you will find in anime and manga.
When an anime character’s personality (generally these are anime girl types, but they can also be applied to male characters) shows some specific characteristics, they are categorized into a particular Dere type. It’s very enjoyable to find a wide range of characters in the anime we watch, and the interactions between these characters are always hilarious. Without any further ado, let’s take a look at the most common Dere types-
1. Dandere
You know how Hinata always observed Naruto from a distance, silently supporting him, praying for him, and occasionally helping him out. She never vocalized her feelings and never showed her emotions. Another example of a Dandere is Rikka Takanashi.
This is a perfect example of a Dandere character. “Dandere” comes from “Danmari,” the Japanese word for silence. These characters might possess the deepest feelings for another character but tend to be shy or asocial. They aren’t mean but embarrassed.
2. Mayadere
Esdeath, from Akame Ga Kill, started out as a character of torment and evil. However, when she saw Tatsumi smiling in victory, she couldn’t help but fall for him. She falls so much in love with him that she begins taking advice from others, changing herself so that he could like her.
Such a character, who begins out as an antagonist and switches sides upon falling in love, is termed a “Mayadere.” As a result of their romantic feelings, there’s a change in their behavior and thoughts.
3. Utsudere
These characters have suffered a saddening event in their lives and are usually seen to be sad and depressed. They could have been bullied when they were young or faced the loss of a loved one. Initially, they don’t trust people much and tend to keep a distance from others. However, they slowly open up and begin to trust others when they meet good people and form better relationships. Some examples of Utsudere characters are Rei from March Comes in Like A Lion, Aya from Mahou Shoujo, and even Sayori from Doki Doki Literature club.
4. Deredere
Menma from Anohana and Ochaco from My Hero Academia are characters that spread a sense of joy and happiness wherever they go. The term “Deredere” means love struck. These are the characters that don’t have any conflicting emotions mixed in with their love. Theirs is a simple love, and these characters are usually all about smiles and pleasantries.
5. Tsundere
One of the most common anime “Dere” personalities is the Tsundere. These are the characters that show a feeling of anger and hostility towards the one that they love. However, they can also be rude and angry with everyone, as they begin to show a peek of their softer side around the person they love, only when they become comfortable.
When shown love or confronted about their feelings, they often become defensive or angry while feeling happy and excited from within. Many animes use this trope as showing comical anger and frustration. Some Tsundered in anime are Taiga from Toradora!, Inuyasha from Inuyasha, and Misaki from Maid-Sama!
6. Kuudere
Kuudere is derived from the Japanese romanization of the English word cool. It refers to those characters that are calm and stoic. They are usually silent, but not out of shyness (like Dandere), rather because they like keeping to themselves,
They often don’t show many emotions and have a reserved faces. Occasionally, this may be coupled with a sarcastic sense of humor. Their emotional/cute side comes out, however, in the vicinity of their love interest. Some Tsunderes in anime include Kanade Tachibana from Angel Beats, Shoto Todoroki from My Hero Academia, and Boa Hancock from One Piece.
7. Yandere
Yandere comes from the Japanese word “yanderu,” meaning “to be sick.” The literal meaning would be someone who is sick or ill in love. Rather than physical sickness, the term is aimed at mental sickness. These characters are so deep in love that they are willing to go to any extent to win over their loved ones.
These are the characters you may have noticed in animes that are usually normal, sometimes charismatic, and may even have many friends. However, their charismatic persona is only a blanket over the true darkness in their feelings. They will go to any extent to protect their love interest or fight against someone else who might come between them and the love interest. Some examples are Misa from Death Note, Lucy from Elfen Lied, Yuno from Future Diary.
8. Darudere
These are the characters that seem lazy and indifferent most of the time. They act nonchalant most of the time. However, they differ from the Kuudere because they aren’t “cool,” instead, they are just shy or don’t know how to express themselves any better.
Moreover, their emotional sides and feelings become more apparent when their friend or love interests stumble into dangerous situations. They will jump right into action, not hesitating to help. That is, they only show their emotions when absolutely necessary. Some Darudere’s are Shikamaru from Naruto, and Gintoki from Gintama.
9. Hinedere
The cynical characters who seem to have a cold-hearted attitude and a tongue sharper than a knife, even though this isn’t how they genuinely are, fall into the Hinedere category. As the series gets deeper and we get to know the character better, more of their emotional and tender sides appear. Basically, these characters are arrogant around others, but their tender sides come out in the open under some exceptional circumstances. Some Hinederes are Sasuke from Naruto, Hachiman from OreGairu, and Houtaru from Hyouka.
10. Nyandere
These are the characters that are obsessed with cats and feline-like characteristics. They may show their “dere” side occasionally or constantly. They combine cat-like grace with features like cat-ears and tails. “Nyan” is just the Japanese word for meow, and Nyandere is another way of saying catgirl or boy. Some nyandere characters are Tsubasa from Bakemonogatari and Koneko from High School DxD.
Conclusion
While these Dere traits are anime character archetypes, they aren’t singularly visible in a character usually. A well-written and complex character generally contains a combination of dere types, and not just one.