Tsundere. The character type we all know and love.

According to Sebastian (Shiraishi from Lucky Star) there a two types of tsundere: The old traditional tsundere and the new tsundere that has evolved over the years. (He looked it up on Wikipedia before hand)

-The traditional tsundere is characterized as a person that is initially cold towards another person but gradually begins to thaw and show their true self.

-The new, evolved version of tsundere is a person who’s emotions and feelings towards a person outwardly change frequently and they may display many different personalities. (bipolar?)

Personally, the traditional definition makes the most sense to me and is closest to what I believed a tsundere was.

There are many fine examples of tsundere throughout the years but the top 5 listed here are the ones that have made a significant impression on me through their actions and relationships with other characters.

So without further ado, lets begin! (beach mode!)

5. Shana - Shakugan no Shana
Type of Tsundere - Traditional
Tsundere towards - Yuji Sakai

Urusai Urusai Urusai! always goes through my head when I think about Shana. She at first thinks of Yuji as nothing but another torch who will quickly be erased from existence and as a result she does not want to become involved with him. However, Yuji proves himself to be more then just a fragile existence and saves Shana from danger. Furthermore, Yuji is found to hold the Reiji Maigo within him, making him a potentially powerful person.

Shana’s feelings towards Yuji gradually grow and her coldness towards Yuji gradually disappears revealing her true self to Yuji. Shana realizes how much she cares for Yuji and defends him from Wilhelmina who wants to take the Reiji Maigo before the Bal Masque gets a hold of it. She tells Yuji that she likes him as they activate Alastor’s power which usually results in the death of the users.




4. Tohsaka Rin - Fate/Stay Night
Type of Tsundere - Traditional
Tsundere towards - Shiro Emiya

Tohsaka at first declares to Shiro at the start of the Holy Grail War that they are enemies and that she will take him out of the War as quickly as possible. However, they find a common enemy, Rider and team up together as “partners” to get rid of her. This relationship continues to grow and eventually Tohsaka ends up living in Shiro’s house. This begins the breakdown of Tohsaka’s coldness towards Shiro.

During the Berserker fight, she goes as far as to sacrifice Archer in order to save Shiro and Saber from a potentially fatal encounter and she continues to aid them after Archer’s death. Although Shiro’s feelings are towards Saber, since shes gone Tohsaka can take Shiro anytime she wants.




3. Naru Narusegawa - Love Hina (manga)
Type of Tsundere - Traditional
Tsundere towards - Keitaro Urashima

Keitaro is assigned to become the new manager of the Urashima Bathhouse. He encounters Naru, who is a student living at the bathhouse. He makes a horrible first impression on Naru due to a series of misunderstandings and unfortunate events which results in Naru’s coldness towards Keitaro. However, their relationship slowly begins to improve when they study together to take the examination for Tokyo U. After the exam, Keitaro who thinks he has failed goes of with the professor to an island to search for artifacts. However, everyone is surprised to see Keitaro’s name on the list of people that were accepted. Naru decides to find Keitaro and bring him back before its too late for him to register for Tokyo U. The continued conflicts and resolutions only serve to bring Naru and Keitaro closer together and the end result is their marriage.




2. Haruhi Suzumiya - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu
Type of Tsundere - New/Traditional
Tsundere towards - Kyon (whats his real name anyway? lawl)

Classifying Haruhi as a Tsundere is a hotly debated topic. However, after watching the series a couple of times through and putting all the pieces together I am throughly convinced that Haruhi is in fact a Tsundere. However, she shares both characteristics of a new and traditional tsundere. Haruhi is viewed to be an Omnipotent being who can create and control data allowing her to create and control anything she desires. Haruhi’s actions and the anomalies that she creates act as a mirror revealing to us her true feelings towards Kyon. However, Haruhi appears to Kyon as a bossy and impulsive girl who does not consider others opinions.

Haruhi’s affection towards Kyon began at the Tanabata Festival three years ago when he helped her create a message on the ground to try to contact aliens. He told the young Haruhi that his name was “John Smith” and that he went to North High School. In order to see this John Smith again, she decided to enter North High after graduating from elementary school despite her exceptional abilities which could have easily gotten her into a better school. At first, Haruhi appears to everyone as a cold and indifferent person. However, Kyon begins to sucessfully make conversations with her. Haruhi decides to make the SOS-dan club with Kyon and her true personality begins to show.

Haruhi does many things that reveal her affection towards Kyon.
Goes of alone with Kyon outside in the storm which results in them ending up in a cave.
She recreates the world into one where there is only Kyon and herself.
After, being kissed the crisis is resolved and the world reverts back to normal
Wears a ponytail the next day after Kyon said he liked ponytails.
She steps in as the lead singer for ENOZ to win affection with Kyon.
Constant yet subtle disdain towards Mikuru.
Listens (reluctantly) to Kyon’s advice. (She doesn’t listen to anyone else)
Stays after everyone leaves and waits for Kyon to wake up so she can walk home with him.
Does not leave the hospital for all three days that Kyon is in a coma.
Many more that I can’t think of at the moment.




1. Asuna Kagurazaka - Mahou Sensei Negima (manga)
Type of Tsundere - Traditional
Tsundere towards - Negi Springfield

Her first impression towards Negi is very bad, he tells Asuna that she will be heart broken (Ken Akamatsu plot device used to create a tsundere relationship) which results in Asuna’s initial coldness towards Negi. However, this begins to end when she finds out about Negi’s magic and ends up becoming his temporary partner in the battle against Eva.

She begins to realize that she really cares a lot for Negi and after they have a huge fight she pushes Negi into the ocean and embraces him in a hug, telling him that she worries about him and that she wants to become his true partner in all ways that count. Later on, she creates a club that is dedicated to finding Negi’s father and she goes as far as to obtain training from Eva (surviving for seven days alone in the wilderness) to become stronger in order to help Negi. This relationship between Asuna and Negi would be perfect if it where not for the huge age difference. (perhaps Akamatsu will resolve this?)

-exo