Tsundere (ツンデレ,pronounced[t͡sɯndeɾe]) is aJapanese term for a character development process that depicts a character with an initially harsh personality who gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side over time.
The word is derived from the termstsun tsun (ツンツン) (adverb, 'morosely, aloofly, offputtingly')[1][2][3] anddere dere (でれでれ) (adverb, 'in a lovey-dovey or infatuated manner').[4][2][5] Originally found in Japanesebishōjo games,[6] the word is now part of the otakumoe phenomenon,[7] reaching into other media. The term was made popular in the visual novelKimi ga Nozomu Eien.[8]
Manga authorKen Akamatsu liststsundere as one of the special cases in his definition ofmoe: "The person feeling it must be stronger: the object ofmoe is weak and dependent (like a child) on the person, or is in a situation where she cannot oppose (like a maid)... (*Tsundere only: There will be times where the stronger and weaker role is reversed)."[9] The concept has received increasing attention in Japan, with a maid cafe named Nagomi inAkihabara started havingtsundere events in 2006[10][note 1] andtsundere-themed products released (likeTomy Co.'s portable television set),[note 2] and the concept increasingly reflected in recent anime, from an extended discussion of the meaning of the concept and its origin on the Internet inLucky Star's Lucky Channel segment classifying the characters according totsundere-ness.Tsundere characters are typically introduced as being critical toward, and looking down upon, the main character. Often, as the story progresses,tsundere characters eventually warm up to the main character, sometimes to the point of falling in love. They usually find it very hard to admit these feelings; some outright deny them.
Tsundere as a concept is not strictly limited to women, and is not strictly limited to manga or anime. The characterGermany from the seriesHetalia: Axis Powers is portrayed as beingtsundere, and is paired with a "lovable loser",Italy Veneziano.[7]Tsundere role-play has become a common theme inmaid cafés.[7]
^"In Tokyo's Akihabara district there is reportedly atsundere café, and the wordtsunderera, better rendered in English as Tsunderella due to being highly evocative ofCinderella, was nominated for a prize in the 2006 fashionable word awards, indicating that 'tsundere' culture may become more prominent in the future." February 2, 2007, "Toymaker introduces portable TV with harsh audio guidance that gradually gets kinder" in theMainichi Times.
^"Toy manufacturer Tomy Co. has come up with the world's firsttsundere portable television set, which gives audio guidance with a harsh voice that gradually becomes kinder as the user gets used to the set...Tsundere is a word for a type of feminine personality that is initially uptight and cold, and then kind and loving. It is well known among Japan's otaku community, and ranks in popularity with the wordmoe, which signifies an enthusiasm or fetish for something, especially in connection with anime." February 2, 2007,Mainichi
^abKoshi, Rikdo (December 2006).Excel Saga, Volume 15. Viz Media. p. 2, translator's notes (Carl Gustav Horn).ISBN978-1421508467.This is an attempt to translate the concept oftsundere (this illustration and the "tsundere?" slogan appeared on the back of the slipcover on the original Japanese Vol. 15...); a character description sometimes used in dating-sim games. Note that it has been demonstrated previously inExcel Saga that Matsuya has to be virtually be on the brink of death in order to display softness.
^Galbraith, Patrick W. (2009).The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider's Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan. Kodansha International. p. 44.ISBN978-4-7700-3101-3.Lum-chan is the source of moe, the queen. She's the first tsundere character.
^Thompson, Jason (September 11, 2014)."House of 1000 Manga – Kimagure Orange Road".Anime News Network. Archived fromthe original on September 12, 2014. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2015.For historical value, yes: this is the root from which all modern shonen rom-coms grew. (Including the tsundere archetype, which Madoka basically embodies.)
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