Main Tropes Index

Troperville

Editing Help

Tools

Toys

Narrative

Genre

Media

Topical Tropes

Other Categories

Custom Search

alt title(s): Punchy Love; Oranyan
S-so don't get the wrong idea. Understand?

Oh, Arnold, how I love you. And yet I hate you! And yet I love you. And yet I hate you! And yet I love you.
Helga, Hey Arnold

The Japanese term tsundere refers to a character (usually female) who "runs hot and cold", alternating between two distinct moods: tsuntsun (aloof or irritable) and deredere (lovestruck). The tsuntsun can range from the "silent treatment" to "lovestruck kindergartener who pushes you into the sandbox". The reasons behind a Tsundere's behavior vary widely. Some are reasonable justifications. Others simply flow from the conflict between her feelings about the object of her affections and her reactions to having them, such as embarrassment or frustration at being so attracted to that boy, particularly if he has certain personality quirks or behaviors that infuriate her. She may not even realize that she is attracted to him, and conversely reject his compliments of her.

The Tsundere stock characterization is very popular with writers of Romantic Comedy because the conflicts between both personality facets can be easily utilized to generate both drama and comedy.

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

Type A (alias Type Tsun or "harsh"): These Tsundere have tsuntsun as their default mood. It takes something special to trigger their deredere side. The intensity of the tsuntsun can range from "I must glare and fight my way through life" (Louise of Zero No Tsukaima) to grumpy pessimism (Kagami of ''Lucky Star). It's not about intensity, it's just about what part of the tsundere personality is the public face and which one the hidden. If the Tsundere is The Rival, she is more likely to be Type A. When she does help her rival out, expect her to say something along the lines of "Don't get me wrong, I'm not doing this for you." This is usually accompanied by ferocious blushing. While she usually cuts down on the beatings and insults and shows more signs of mushiness as the series progresses, she will not be fully converted to "dere" in contrast to the Defrosting Ice Queen (which, ironically, was the original definition of Tsundere). Compare Jerkass Woobie.

Type A can overlap with a Jerk With A Heart Of Gold, but usually not. The moods of a Tsundere tend to switch in reaction to the actions of select people; the deredere side usually only comes out when someone has acted in a way to trigger it. A Jerk With A Heart Of Gold is jerkish in general regardless of whether the other person is mean or nice, and shows his Hidden Heart Of Gold when the situation warrents, regardless of how the other person had been acting. Male characters in particular should be considered for Jerk With A Heart Of Gold status, as men are generally that instead of tsundere, although the kuudere subtype is more equally split in gender. Oranyan is sometimes used to refer to a male tsundere character.

Type B (alias Type Dere or sweet): 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, her temper is almost always triggered by someone else, usually the male Love Interest. (An example is Kagome Higurashi from Inu Yasha). Either they have Belligerent Sexual Tension, or the guy is an idiot or an Accidental Pervert, or she just has no idea how to handle feelings of love and attraction and thus is sweet to everyone except the man she's interested in. Unwanted suitors such as Dogged Nice Guys might also trigger the tsuntsun. Very often the male Love Interest will be very frustrated as everybody else keeps telling him how sweet the Tsundere is and wonders how they can possibly be describing the same girl. Might lead to an Informed Attribute if we never actually see the sweet side as default, since the Tsundere and her irritant are always together on screen. Type B Tsundere are often subject to Adaptation Decay, Character Exaggeration and Flanderization that turns them into a Type A.

Type B should not be confused with a Yandere. If a Type B Tsundere was really convinced that her Love Interest didn't want her, she would revert back to her deredere side and probably enter an I Want My Beloved To Be Happy phase. A Yandere would calmly tolerate a lot of the things that a Tsundere goes bonkers over, but if a Yandere decides that her Love Interest really doesn't want her, she's likely to snap and Murder The Hypotenuse.

A common way of showing a Tsundere has mellowed or has had her heart won over by the Love Interest is to have her shift from Type A to Type B.

Tsuntsun methods:

  1. The Cold Shoulder: In employing this tactic, the tsundere resolves to not give the man in question the time of day. If she does talk to him, responses will be monosyllabic. Pointedly ignoring him in conversation and disdainful looks round out the total freeze she will lay on the dude. Example of a tsundere who favors this tactic: Genshiken's Chika Ogiue. If the tsundere uses these tactics exclusively, she might be labeled a Kuudere ("cool-dere").
  2. The Violent Approach: Things get physical, and not in the good way. The tsundere, in a bad mood by this point, will punctuate verbal abuse with plenty of good old fashioned violence. Kicks, punches, slaps, and other painful forms of beatdown will follow. Heaven help you if she's got a Paper Fan or a Hyperspace Mallet. Example of a tsundere who favors this tactic: Ranma 1/2's Akane Tendo.
  3. The Taunt: Not as common a tactic, but effective in its own right, is for the tsundere to constantly belittle the love interest with insults and putdowns. Favorite expressions include "Baka!", and "Urusai!" ("Shut up!"). Tsundere who know the guy's point of pride will not hesitate to insult him on that account, and when this tactic is employed nothing the guy can do will be good enough to impress her. If they have Belligerent Sexual Tension, Volleying Insults often occur. This kind of tsundere might be vulnerable to a Shut Up Kiss. Example of a tsundere who favors this tactic: Neon Genesis Evangelion's Asuka Langley Soryuu. If the belittling is limited to witty snark without blatent insults, then she might be included in the Kuudere subtype.
  4. All Of The Above: The tsundere's reactions will heavily depend on the situation she and the guy are placed in. Example of a tsundere who demonstrates this: Kimagure Orange Road's Madoka Ayukawa.

Deredere tactics vary greatly:

A Tsundere's attractiveness is two-fold: on one hand, she is an independent, strong-willed girl, determined to do everything well. On the other, she has major endearing traits such as awkwardness with relationships (particularly romantic relationships) or tomboyish tendencies, which she perceives as "weakness". However, where another girl would start wangsting about these, a Tsundere just blushes and covers them up with aggressive attitude. Furthermore, she's much less likely to suffer from Chickification, since her less-than-doting personality facet is her major appeal. For Type A, it's assumed that she only acts mean to hide her good heart or deal with romantic attraction. For Type B, her hidden tsuntsun side shows that she's more than just the sweet girl.

Most Tsundere deny their behavior, although a few glory in it. Type B Tsundere in particular often aspire to become a Yamato Nadeshiko, perhaps following the example of an older sister or her mother. When she fails in these attempts (usually directed at her Love Interest) expect her to either release her tsuntsun half on a convenient target (again, usually her Love Interest), or to show off her deredere by breaking down and crying (often in the Love Interest's arms). The loss of her Love Interest is a common method for changing a Tsundere into a Yamato Nadeshiko. If her Tsundere personality re-emerges, it's probably a sign that she's learned to love again.

If a series doesn't have a explicitly romantic bent, a Tsundere can still come in the form of The Rival who acknowledges that the lead is a Worthy Opponent but remembers just in time that she's supposed to dislike the competition. Even then, many fans will see a romantic attraction between her and her preferred target, especially if said target is The Ditz. If a character proclaims herself a Tsundere, be careful. She might just be using the term to conceal her anti-social tendencies.

When paired with a Jerk With A Heart Of Gold, together they produce Belligerent Sexual Tension. Sometimes a way of creating a Jerk Sue.

Voice actresses often protraying Tsundere roles are Rie Kugimiya and Satsuki Yukino.

Compare with Well Excuse Me Princess. When Flanderized tends to overlap with Mood Swinger. Also see Dont You Dare Pity Me and Fear Leads To Anger. Aloof Ally may show the same hot-and-cold behavior but for differing reasons. Kuudere is a subtrope where confrontation is created by being "cool and emotionally undemonstrative" rather than aggressive behavior. Contrast with Yandere and Yangire, which rather than being angry outside but sweet inside, is sweet outside and nucking futs inside. Can grow up to become a Mistress to a Servant Boy. Tsundere will often sport Twintails.

... You mean all of that wasn't enough for you, and you still want more details? Masochist. Fine, go visit The Other Wiki.

It's not like I care.

...Dummy.


Examples:

    open/close all folders 

Type A ("tsun" or "harsh"):

    Anime & Manga 

    Comic Books 

    Fan Fiction 

    Film 

    Literature 

    Live Action TV 

    Theatre 

    Video Games 

    Webcomics 

    Western Animation 

    Music 

    Real Life 

    Folklore 

    Other 

Type B ("dere" or "sweet"):

    Anime & Manga 

    Comic Books 

    Fan Fiction 

    Film 

    Literature 

    Video Games 

    Webcomics 

    Western Animation 

Other

    Anime & Manga 

    Comic Books 

    Film 

    Literature 

    Live Action TV 

    Music 

    Tabletop Games 

    Video Games 

    Webcomics 

    Web Original 

    Western Animation 

    Other 

    Real Life 


They Fight CrimeTropes Of LegendTruth In Television
TaremeTrope Names From The JapaneseOranyan
Troubled But CuteLove InterestsUnlucky Childhood Friend
Token LoliAnime Character TypesKuudere
Troll BridgeOlder Than DirtTwo Lines No Waiting
Moe MoeAnime FanspeakYandere
True Love Is ExceptionalLove TropesTwice Shy
Too Good For This Sinful EarthMary Sue TropesWaif Fu