There are many types of characters in the anime community. A popular type is the “dere type.” Tsundere characters are very popular in every anime.
A story in anime shows is written the same way as any other. Some relatable characters go through some sort of development or become a villain.
The development types learn and grow as the show goes on. On the other hand, the bad ones only care about destruction.
In this list, we will talk about Tsundere characters who are the former kind. But first, let us talk about what exactly they are Tsundere characters.
20 Best Tsundere Characters In Anime
- What Is a Tsundere Character?
- List Of Tsundere Anime Characters
- 20. Chitoge Kirisaki – Nisekoi
- 19. Madoka Ayukawa – Kimagure Orange Road
- 18. Mikoto Misaka – A Certain Magical Index
- 17. Aya Konichi – Kiniro Mosaic
- 16. Ayano Sugiura – Yuru Yuri
- 15. Akane Tendo – Ranma
- 14. Kaname Chidori – Full Metal Panic!
- 13. Misaki Ayuzawa – Kaichou Wa Maid-sama
- 12. Sena Kashiwazaki – Haganai
- 11. Inuyasha – InuYasha
- 10. Zero Kiryuu – Vampire Knight
- 9. Michiru Kinushima – Plastic Memories
- 8. Rin Tohsaka – Fate/Stay Night
- 7. Kallen Kouzuki – Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
- 6. Taiga Aisaka – Toradora!
- 5. Emi Yusa – The Devil Is a Part Timer
- 4. Kyo Sohma – Fruits Basket
- 3. Takumi Aldini – Food Wars!
- 2. Bakugo Katsuki – My Hero Academia
- 1. Miyuki Shirogane – Kaguya-sama: Love is War
- Other Tsundere Characters You May Not Be Aware Of:
What Is a Tsundere Character?
Tsundere characters are shown to be cold and straightforward when originally introduced. This is very common, especially when their love interest is involved.
The character then goes through some sort of development, after which they open up more and become more friendly.
This word is derived from “tsun tsun” which means acting cold or haughty in Japanese and, “dere dere,” which means affectionate or snuggly.
These types of characters often keep switching between hot and cold but nevertheless are lovable goofs who everyone likes.
List Of Tsundere Anime Characters
20. Chitoge Kirisaki – Nisekoi
- Number of episodes: 32+ 5 OVAs
- Number of seasons: 2
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- MAL Rating: 7.58
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Chitoge is one of the best examples of a Tsundere character. She is hot-headed and prone to getting angry at people she finds irritating.
This is also the first case with her love interest in the show, Raku Ichijou. As she only takes him on as her lover to prevent a gang war between their families, she is very aloof from him.
She even kneads him during one of their initial meets. But after she gets saved from drowning by him, she starts warming up.
They soon fall in love with each other, and Chitoge is committed to him for the entirety of their relationship right until they get married.
19. Madoka Ayukawa – Kimagure Orange Road
- Number of episodes: 48+ 2 Movies+ 8 OVAs
- Number of seasons: 1
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- MAL Rating: 7.54
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Madoka is a character who grows hot and cold depending on which side you get on. The other students at school fear her as a popular juvenile delinquent.
She and her best friend, Hikaru Hiyama, have a crush on the same guy, Kyousuke. He is the result of a lot of changes in her life.
She gives up smoking for him and generally does better at the whole life thing. She is always good at academics and athletics, getting even better with Kyousuke’s help.
She is among the true tsundere characters in anime.
18. Mikoto Misaka – A Certain Magical Index
- Number of episodes: 74+ 2 Specials+ Movie
- Number of seasons: 3
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Action, Sci-fi
- MAL Rating: 7.36
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Misaka can be short-tempered and violent. Moreover, she is a tomboy. But is more or less friendly toward everyone.
Her childish personality comes out only when her love interest Touma says something to insult her. She has been crushing on him for a long time, only to realize that she loves him later.
When she wants to help him, she ends up getting mad at him, which leads to Touma not wanting to be around her.
Additionally, she has also been trying to get more and more involved in his life, trying to help as best as she can.
17. Aya Konichi – Kiniro Mosaic
- Number of episodes: 24+ 2 Movies
- Number of seasons: 2
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life
- MAL Rating: 7.23
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Aya is awkward and has trouble expressing her true feelings, especially when it comes to her crush on Yoko.
Yoko is her childhood friend, and Aya needs her a lot. She lives in denial, for the most part convincing herself that she is not so dependent on her.
Even though they have been friends for a long time, this does not stop her from acting like a classic tsundere. She insults her when she feels like her feelings are being revealed and can be bossy.
As the series progresses, this mean behavior does lessen, although her tsundere side is revealed repeatedly.
16. Ayano Sugiura – Yuru Yuri
- Number of episodes: 36+ 2 OVAs+2 Specials
- Number of seasons: 3
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Comedy, Girls Love
- MAL Rating: 7.57
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Ayano is another one of the tsundere anime characters who do not show their feelings and instead live in denial about them.
Ayano is good at her job of being the Vice President. Moreover, she is also pretty serious about her studies, even going so far as to rival against Kyouko.
Another thing about her is that she is secretly in love with her academic rival. She is so shy about this that she will pick random fights with her just so she gets to talk.
Kuouko, on the other hand, is not aware of this. Their pairing is also the main fantasy pairing for Chitose Ikeda, who is Ayano’s best friend.
15. Akane Tendo – Ranma
- Number of episodes: 161+13 OVAs+2 Movies
- Number of seasons: 7
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Comedy, Action
- MAL Rating: 7.76
- Where to watch: Funimation
Akane has two sides to her. She can be friendly and helpful to people who are in trouble. But when it comes to Ranma, she is jealous and angry.
Moreover, she also expresses her insecurity by hitting Ranma with whatever she can find. One time, she left him in a full-body cast.
Although Akane seems too harsh on him, she does have feelings for him. She is on the verge of revealing them to him often, but they always get interrupted.
She possesses a soft side that is so gentle that she has helped her rivals and even worried about Ranma on several occasions.
14. Kaname Chidori – Full Metal Panic!
- Number of episodes: 49+ OVA
- Number of seasons: 3
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Comedy, Action, Sci-fi
- MAL Rating: 7.61
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Kaname has lived both in the US and Japan, which leads to problems like people of both nations not fully accepting her.
The High School she attends mostly accepts her, but they refuse to date her. For this reason, she is insecure about her identity and is not able to form a connection with anyone.
This is until Sousuke Sagara comes along. He is a new transfer student, and she quickly gets attracted to him.
This leads to her acting like a tsundere towards him, often becoming angry when he does not understand something. Moreover, she gets trapped in a love triangle with him.
This further complicates her feelings, and she becomes unsure of how to handle the situation. Their relationship is the main romantic subplot in Full Metal Panic!
13. Misaki Ayuzawa – Kaichou Wa Maid-sama
- Number of episodes: 26+1 OVA
- Number of seasons: 1
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- MAL Rating: 8.01
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
Misaki is another female character with tsundere tendencies. These tendencies can stem from the fact that her dad left their family, after which he became biased toward the opposite sex.
She has a strict attitude towards the boys in her school while reserving her softer side for the girls. Although, when it comes to danger, she is not so partial.
She is a kind and genuine girl who believes in helping anyone in trouble. She works in a maid cafe where she has to act girly and soft.
But Takumi, who is her love interest in the show, brings out her true nature with his teasing. Moreover, she gives him nicknames because of his stalkerish nature, often violent and awkward around him.
She is clueless about her feelings and does not realize them until later in the series.
12. Sena Kashiwazaki – Haganai
- Number of episodes: 26+1 OVA
- Number of seasons: 2
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- MAL Rating: 7.17
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimatin, Netflix
Sena has a lot of pride and an extremely high opinion of herself. She treats the male students as her servants and has a high standard regarding who can be her friends.
This is why she does not have a lot of female friends. Moreover, she hurts people and realizes it later after someone points it out to her.
All her bravado goes away in front of Kodaka. She thinks of him as different from the boys in her class. Her feelings only increase after he rescues her from a bunch of boys harassing her.
Sena confirms her romantic feelings for him randomly while saying that she would not mind marrying him or that she loves him.
11. Inuyasha – InuYasha
- Number of episodes: 167+1 OVA+ 4 Films
- Number of seasons: 7
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Comedy, Action, Adventure
- MAL Rating: 7.86
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Inuyasha is a male tsundere character. Even though Kagome Higurashi is Kikyou’s reincarnation, Inuyasha cannot warm up to her.
He is still hurt by her death and hence, takes a long time to decide how he feels about her. They eventually fall in love even though they go through a lot of problems, one of them being Inuyasha’s relationship with Kikyou.
He does not want to lose another one of his loves, so he becomes fiercely protective of her. This protectiveness is so much that even when he is near death, he regains his strength enough to take care of her.
Even though he is in love with her, he goes into denial about it because of the hurt he faced last time. But this soon turns out well as they marry with a child later on.
10. Zero Kiryuu – Vampire Knight
- Number of Episodes: 26+ 1 Special
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Mystery, Drama, Supernatural, Romance
- MAL Rating: 6.89
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Zero has a complicated relationship with his lover in the show, who is Yuki. He has a distaste for vampires and starts to hate himself when he turns into one.
He becomes aloof towards her when he finds out that Yuki is actually a Pureblood vampire. Another time he acts cold towards her is when she and Kaname are together.
He does not like going to her for help. However, he lets her know it is okay for her to do so because she owns him.
He only speaks to Yuki about his past, as she has similar experiences. Only she can calm him after he has nightmares. His feelings keep growing due to all these things.
However, Yuki is unaware of them all. He lets her go off with Kaname. But, later on, Yuki reveals to Kaname that half her heart belongs to Zero.
9. Michiru Kinushima – Plastic Memories
- Number of Episodes: 13
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Sci-fi, Drama, Romance
- MAL Rating: 7.91
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Michiru is another one of the tsundere personalities on this list. She is the mentor of Tsukasa Mizugaki and also has a crush on him.
Most of the time, she is kind to everyone. But her jealous side is awakened when she sees Isla and Tsukasa together.
She cares deeply for him and wants only the best, supporting him in whichever way she can, even if this means supporting him and Isla being together.
She is also less envious of their relationship once she finds out how much time Isla has left. After that, she encourages the employees to throw Tsukasa and Isla a goodbye party.
8. Rin Tohsaka – Fate/Stay Night
- Number of episodes: 24
- Number of seasons: 2
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Action, Fantasy
- MAL Rating: 7.28
- Where to watch: Netflix, HIDIVE
Rin has long brown hair tied together with black ribbons. Her personality is of a serious and competitive nature.
This competitive nature is seen even with Shirou, who is her love interest in the show. Her bossy personality comes in between their relationship too.
She is initially not attracted to anyone but soon develops feelings for Shirou after watching his attempts to finish a high jump.
Later in the series, they confess that they are both attracted to one another and begin a relationship.
She is seen to care deeply for him from the times she did not leave him, even when she could have easily done so. She is our regular tsundere as she retains all their characteristics.
7. Kallen Kouzuki – Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
- Number of episodes: 50
- Number of seasons: 2 + OVA + Movies
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Mecha, Military, School, Super Power, Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
- MAL Rating: 8.70
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Kallen is a short-tempered individual, but she is opinionated. She refused the Britannian side of herself, which meant abandoning her Japanese friends.
Her selflessness goes very far, even helping Britannians and Japanese people alike. She can be aggressive when it comes to her war activities.
When it comes to her relationship with Lelouch, she is not a fan of him because of his arrogant character. The situation worsens when she gets the wrong idea that Lelouch uses her.
But this all dies when she learns his intentions are pure and noble. Her soft side for him reveals itself when she cries and is even ready to sacrifice herself for him.
6. Taiga Aisaka – Toradora!
- Number of episodes: 25+OVA
- Number of seasons: 1
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Drama, Romance
- MAL Rating: 8.10
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Taiga is our good tsundere archetype. She is mean and is disturbed by the smallest things. She and Ryuuji, her love interest in the show, get closer in an attempt to help each other.
She starts developing feelings for him but continues to act very aloof by making him cook and clean for her.
She has attacked Ryuuji twice, once even in his own home. Her issues are the result of her strained relationship with her parents.
She confesses publicly at the pool that Ryuuji is hers but later tells her friend that Ryuuji is her dog. Both of them end up confessing to each other at the end of the series and even elope.
5. Emi Yusa – The Devil Is a Part Timer
- Number of episodes: 25
- Number of seasons: 2
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Comedy, Fantasy
- MAL Rating: 7.76
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Emi has a somewhat short temper when it comes to the Demon King. But otherwise, she is a rational and responsible person.
She despises Maou at first because of their differences and because of the fact that he is the Demon King.
But she soon comes around to Earth and sees that he truly has changed and is becoming a better person. Both of them are soon able to have a civil relationship.
Maou also saves her life a lot of times which makes her start harboring feelings for him. She does acknowledge them later in the series.
4. Kyo Sohma – Fruits Basket
- Number of episodes: 63
- Number of seasons: 3
- Status: Finished airing
- Genres: Supernatural, Romance, Drama
- MAL Rating: 7.68
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Kyo has the cat spirit in him in Fruits Basket. He is charming but has a hot temper, frequently getting mad at the smallest things.
His entire life’s purpose is to defeat the Rat, Yuki, as he thinks it is because of him that he receives such bad treatment.
He does not let people get close to him and keeps them at arm’s length, so they do not pity him and his condition.
All this changes with Tohru’s arrival. She takes care of him with patience and understanding. As a result, he slowly becomes more mature and calm.
He goes from being harsh to wishing her happiness, even if it is not with him. He is not really good at telling her how he feels, making him a modern tsundere.
But his softer side is evident in how he cares about the people he loves. Kyo lets go of his stupid fears in the end, thinking they are unfair to Tohru.
They confess to each other and reconcile. Later on, they get married and have three children together.
3. Takumi Aldini – Food Wars!
- Number of episodes: 86
- Number of seasons: 6 + 1 OVA ( 1 Episode)
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Gourmnet, Ecchi
- MAL Rating: 8.17
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
Takumi is the 7th Seat in the Elite Ten Council in Food Wars! He has short blonde hair and is seen with his brother Isami.
He declares that Souma Yukihira is his rival and is engaged in making himself better than him. Although this rivalry seems only from his side, Souma does confess that he is a good opponent.
Takumi does not take defeat well and stays bitter about them. Another thing he cannot handle is when anyone insults his restaurant or his brother.
He is protective of his brother and will silence anyone who says that he is better than him. He does not like being wronged and will hold a grudge.
As the series progresses, he and Souma hold mutual respect for each other’s cooking and even form strong bonds.
2. Bakugo Katsuki – My Hero Academia
- Number of episodes: 113+ 6 OVAs+ 3 movies
- Number of seasons: 5
- Status: Currently airing
- Genres: Action
- MAL Rating: 7.92
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Bakugo is the childhood friend of Izuku Midoriya and also his bully. He displays an aggressive attitude throughout the series and is not immune to bragging about his Quirk and abilities.
He did not like anyone other than him being the best at something and even got angry at the fact that Izuku passed the Entrance Exam.
As the MHA series progresses, he becomes jealous of the fact that Izuku is getting better than him and despises him even more.
But there comes a change in his character. After realizing he is not the best, he works towards improving himself and genuinely works on his shortcomings.
He also cares about Izuku even though he says he hates him. This is seen when he tries to protect Izuku after learning that Tomura targets him.
Bakugo is one of the most famous examples of tsundere character.
1. Miyuki Shirogane – Kaguya-sama: Love is War
- Number of episodes: 37
- Number of seasons: 3
- Status: Finished Airing
- Genres: Romance, Comedy
- MAL Rating: 8.41
- Where to watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu
Miyuki is the Student council president and the male main character of the series. He is a dedicated and hardworking student and even does a part-time job on the side.
He takes all of his duties very seriously in order to keep up his image. He does not come from a rich family and is worried about expenses.
This contrasts with his love interest, Kaguya Shinomiya, who is very wealthy. This intimidates him, and he refrains from telling her how he really feels about her.
They both are set out in a competition of who will confess first, which makes for a rather comedic turn of events. They do start dating each other later on.
But this does not destroy his fears of her looking down at him. He holds up his image to impress Kaguya and prove his worth to her.
Nevertheless, he is still one of the most popular tsundere characters on this list.
Other Tsundere Characters You May Not Be Aware Of:
- Mikage Sakurai – Kokoro Connect
- Aoba Tsukishima – Cross Game
- Kagami Hiiragi – Lucky Star
- Naru Narusegawa – Love Hina
- Erza Scarlet – Fairy Tail