The Tsundere is an ever-present part of anime, undisputedly one of the most well-known character stereotypes, if not the most well known.  There are three other primary character types- the kuudere, the yandere, and the dandere, but let’s be honest, Tsundere is without a doubt the most well known and distinctive.  I mean, there’s tsundere maid cafes, tsundere shirts, and even a wikihow article on how to be a tsundere!

I think, generally speaking, we know what we like about seeing Tsunderes, right?  People have actually analyzed why we tend to like such characters, but it makes sense why they would be attractive anyways.  They manage to be cute, while still maintaining an aggressive vibe, making them extremely fun characters to watch.  The way in which such characters represent the extremes of aggressive behavior, and affectionate, almost shy behavior has proven to be quite interesting.  However, we’ve gotta ask- why do they behave that way?

Opinions of all kinds can be seen across the internet, putting forth the idea that the tsundere can exist in real life, or that tsunderes actually display Bipolar Disorder, that they display psychological “splitting,” among many other arguments.  As a psychology student, I’d like to pitch in my opinion on the character type- maybe provide a bit of a fresh perspective on the famous archetype.  Man, honestly, I’m really, really excited to share what I’ve found out, so, without further ado, let’s get to it!

Continue reading “A Psycho-Analysis of the Tsundere” →