Dere archetypes are a staple ofanime, and for good reason. With most series being limited to around 20 minutes per episode, dere archetypes are a quick and effective way of establishing characters and telling you a lot about them even if you’reshown very little. They let you know whom to root for, and depending on your preferences, who your future waifu or husbando is going to be.
While there are dozens of dere archetypes, some going down to very minute details, the most common ones are as follows. If you’ve watched anime for any length of time, you’ll probably know the characters before you’ve even seen their respective shows.
Ryunosuke Tanaka
Haikyu
Bakadere characters are easy to spot: they’re thecomic relief. These characters tend to be reckless to the point of foolishness, despite their best intentions. However, they do have an underlying sweetness that makes them easy to root for. The archetype is also known as ahodere.
Many shounen protagonists may not be out-and-out bakaderes, but do have elements of the archetype to keep them from seeming like Mary Sues. That’s why, despite their strength, Goku and Naruto are often on the receiving end of jokes.
Juvia Lockser
Fairy Tail
Goudere characters are a bit goofy: they combine elements of the bakadere, dandere, and yandere to make a uniquely lovable archetype. Though they’re often simple-minded, these characters obsessively love the protagonist in a much more light-hearted manner than yanderes.
Rather than turning to violence or jealousy, gouderes try their best to impress their loved ones. If they believe their crush deserves something, they’ll throw caution to the wind in order to get it for them, often with comedic results.
Lordgenome
Gurren Lagann
Kamidere characters have a god complex: whether it’s due toreal or imagined power, they see themselves as the ones fit to rule over humanity. To them, the lives and well-being of the human race don’t matter. Instead, they see their subjects as a means to an end.
These characters tend to shoulder the burden of power on themselves. Though they’re usually antagonists, two of the best-known kamidere characters in anime — Light Yagami and Lelouch Lamperouge — are protagonists, proving that this dere archetype can be compelling for a central character.
Rias Gremory
High School DxD
Himedere characters are regal in both their appearance and mannerisms: they tend to act like royalty. The majestic trappings of the archetype mean that they often look down on the protagonist, and as such, they cross over with the tsundere archetype often.
This archetype’s popularity stems from the automatic mystique surrounding a grand character. These characters command the room, and their hard-to-please nature usually motivates the protagonists to prove themselves.
Ciel Phantomhive
Black Butler
Oujidere characters are, in essence, the male counterpart of himederes. They are princely in their bearing, and singularly disinterested in anything but themselves. Oujideres tend to be selfish, mean, and uncaring towards their lovers. Much as himedere characters overlap with tsunderes, oujideres tend to also be kamideres — their god complex overrides common courtesy.
If they’re not mean, then they’re clumsy: there are a lot of oujideres who, despite looking the part, are anything but graceful — they are used for comedy. Despite their meanness and goofiness, oujideres are still popular due to their design and personality. Many mean oujideres became that way because they’re too busy striving for their goals to care for the people around them, which makes them compelling and desirable.
Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions
Meiko ‘Menma’ Honma
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Deredere means lovey-dovey, and this archetype’s characters certainly live up to the name. Unlike cold tsunderes and obsessive yanderes, deredere characters are openly affectionate, sweet, and caring. They express their feelings to the protagonist in a positive way, though they can sometimes be flustered and shy.
This character archetype brings with it a positive energy, making it a staple of harem anime. Though deredere characters rarely see a romantic resolution, the journey with them is always a refreshing one.
Ami Mizuno
Sailor Moon
Dandere characters are shy: though they do harbour feelings for the protagonist, they can’t bring themselves to express them. The prefix ‘dan’ means silent, which is the defining quality for a lot of dandere characters.
Sometimes, as in Clannad, the dandere does get the guy or girl. Unfortunately for most danderes, they are generally relegated to the sidelines — always in the protagonist’s sight, but never in their mind.
Shoto Todoroki
My Hero Academia
Say it out loud and it’ll make sense: kuudere characters are cool. They are stoic and rarely display emotions. Many are almost robotic in their demeanour, and they tend to be very strong or have hidden talents.
This dere archetype owes so much to Rei Ayanami, fromNeon Genesis Evangelion, that it’s also known by a second, simple name: the Rei Ayanami expy. Kuuderes almost never have a romantic resolution, but they do help the protagonist in their time of need.
Kotonoha Katsura
School Days
You can identify yandere characters just from the iconic pose: so obsessed, so deeply in love, and so out of their minds are these characters that all they can do is clutch their face while thinking of their beloved.
Yandere characters represent anunhealthy relationship dynamic, and their portrayal in media is rarely, if ever, shown to be positive. Yandere is the domain of stalkers, sometimes going so far as to wound or kill the object of their affection — if they can’t have them, no one can. That said, it’s still one of the most popular dere archetypes, because you may’t help but think you can fix them.
Asuka Langley
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Tsunderes are ice queens: these characters purport to hate the protagonist. They may be unnecessarily rude to the main character, and oftentimes they genuinely don’t like them to begin with. In essence, tsunderes represent the basis of romantic storytelling: trying to win someone else’s heart.
Over the course of the story, however, tsunderes tend to warm up to their love interest. This character archetype tends to get the happy ending most often, mostly because their anime series don’t end halfway.
