With a history almost as long as Western animation and arguably more varied, anime has given rise to many instantly recognizable character tropes. You might not know what a deredere is, but if you’ve watched anime for any length of time, you’ve definitely seen some characters that are classified as such.
Deredere characters are open, affectionate and cheerful. They neither mask their feelings, nor do they take their feelings to unhealthy limits. They are wholesome and refreshing, bringing positive energy to everyone around them. In a medium filled with tsunderes and yanderes, we have to give credit to those that dare to be a deredere. Here are some of our favourites.
10Chika Fujiwara
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
The runaway dark horse of Kaguya-sama isn’t either of the main characters, but thesupporting character Chika. Unbothered by the psychological battles and rivalries going on around her, Chika is simply there to make everyone’s day a little brighter.
Chika isn’t just a ball of bubbly energy though: at many points in the story, she proves herself to be surprisingly talented and adept. She can speak multiple languages and is good at the piano, indicative of her prestigious upbringing. Somehow, she seems unaware of the romantic rivalries her friends subject themselves to.
9Nejire Hado
My Hero Academia
One of the pitfalls of being a deredere is that it can drive people away if they don’t trust you. Unfortunately, Nejire Hado learned that firsthand. A kind-hearted student brimming with curiosity, she was shunned in middle school due to jealousy on her classmates' part.
After finding friends who didn’t resent her for being too powerful, Nejire was truly able to let her deredere personality shine. She became one of UA High School’s top performers, acting as an affable mentor to her juniors.
8Mako Mankanshoku
Kill La Kill
Mako isn’t just a heartwarming deredere, but a gutbusting one. Many of Kill La Kill’s funniest moments come thanks to this character. Mako is a bundle of unstoppable energy for anything except her school classes: she is Ryuko’s most loyal friend.
Living in squalor, Mako becomes attached to Ryuko fairly early due to her admiration for the latter’s defiant attitude. She unwittingly helps Ryuko overcome her reservations about her Senketsu outfit, and ends up foregoing a life of luxury to stay true to herself.
7Soma Yukihara
Food Wars
Soma Yukihara is equal partsfiery shounenand goofy deredere. He openly voices his feelings for his tsundere counterpart, Erina Nakiri, and is determined to make a dish that even she will deem delicious.
An anchor for his group of friends, Soma harbours no jealousy or pettiness. He is generous with his knowledge and congratulates others when they win, even if it means beating him. Being around him helps other students of Totsuki Culinary Academy come out of their shells.
6Marin Kitagawa
My Dress-Up Darling
Marin is a refreshingly open character in a medium where romantic tension rarely gets resolved. When she discovers Wakana Gojo’s talent for crafting costumes, she forms a bond with him that helps them both grow and make memories.
Despite being beautiful and popular, Marin isn’t stuck-up. She dedicates herself to her hobbies without fear of judgment, and helps Gojo do the same. Thanks to her easygoing nature, the two are able to turn their guilty pleasures into genuine passions that help them make memories and thrive socially.
5Yui Yoshioka
Angel Beats
Beneath Yui’s cheerful exterior lies a tragic backstory. In her past life, she was left paralyzed from a young age after a car accident. Her energetic personality in Angel Beats' afterlife is her way of making up for it.
Yui is the type of character that can call her friends morons without coming off as a tsundere. She is extremely driven, becoming the lead singer of the band Girls Dead Monster and achieving all the goals she had been unable to strive for in life.
4Shoyo Hinata
Haikyu
Deredere characters aren’t just supporters and secondaries: some of them dare to dream big on their own. As a child, Shoyo Hinata saw a volleyball player who was larger than life and that moment stuck with him forever.
When Hinata enters high school, he finds hisvolleyball clubin shambles. Once a glorious team, they are now discouraged and on the verge of giving up. With his determination and drive, as well his enthusiastic support for his teammates, Hinata is able to help his team rise to the top once more.
3Mayuri Shiina
Steins Gate
Mayuri is the childhood friend of protagonist Rintarou Okabe. Cheerful and innocent, she is one of his earliest supporters and cheers him on even when others dismiss him as a fool. Thanks to her, other people join his project.
A person like Mayuri keeps the entire friend group together. It is impossible to feel unwelcome with her around: she greets everyone with good cheer, making them feel like they belong. If she knew youwere watching the anime, she’d probably greet you with a triumphant ‘tu-tu-ruu!’ as well.
2Eru Chitanda
Hyouka
Often, our deredere friends bring out the best in us - like Chitanda does for Oreki. Filled with wonder and curiosity despite her regimented upbringing, Eru Chitanda manages to repeatedly drag her friend Houtarou Oreki into mysteries he wants no part of.
Thanks to her unflagging energy, Chitanda is able to keep her school club thriving and creates some unforgettable memories while also learning about the students who came before. Without even realizing it, Chitanda helps Hyouka’s Classic Literature Club make the most of their time together.
1Kamina
Gurren Lagann
If we had to describe Kamina in one word, it would be irreplaceable. He is the ultimate big brother. Everyone in Gurren Lagann either wants him, or wants tobehim. He is the undisputed youth leader of Giha Village, daring to dream of a better life for all of them.
Passionate to a fault, Kamina’s charisma lets him win over characters who were strangers just a short time ago. Kamina is rough around the edges and places great importance on being cool, which only makes him more endearing. A guy who wins Yoko Littner’s heart that fast has got to be a real charmer.
