Tsundere character types in anime are usual girl characters, but their male counterparts, like Inuyasha, are nearly always beloved fan favorites. The hallmarks of a tsundere are a cold surface personality and a sincerity that they hide or only show to certain people. In a romance, tsundere characters tend to grow bashful around the person they are crushing on.
Tsundere often hide their bashfulness with snark or even aggression. The moments when they slip and their softer side peeks through tend to cause much fanfare with audiences. The dual aspects of a tsundere’s personality can get taxing if the writing isn’t strong and their romance arcs are too drawn out, but when balanced perfectly, a tsundere makes a great love interest.
10 Hirotaka (Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku)
Hirotaka of Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku has a calm and aloof personality, especially compared to his girlfriend, Narumi, who wears her heart on her sleeve and can be impulsive. Hirotaka is more self-contained whereas Narumi is concerned about what others are thinking and feeling.
Hirotaka takes everything seriously, and he also has no problem ribbing his girlfriend about her foibles at work. Loner and Capricorn-esque personality aside, Hirotaka cares deeply for Narumi and saves the most sincere side of his personality for her.
9 Hak (Yona Of The Dawn)
Though given to flirting occasionally, Hak of Yona of the Dawn takes his duties seriously and upholds an honorable (and even fear-inducing) reputation at court for his fighting abilities and leadership qualities. Hak is straightforward, which is good for Yona as a sheltered princess.
Hak often chides Yona both to tease and to point out her lack of realism. Though Hak can be brusque, his devotion to the princess could never be called into question. As they journey together, Hak expresses deep concern for her physical and emotional well-being.
8 Tomoe (Kamisama Kiss)
After the loss of his master, Mikage, Tomoe is jaded and standoffish in Kamisama Kiss. He turns up his nose at the new Land God, Nanami, who is his opposite in nearly every way. Nanami is naive, self-effacing, hardworking, and cheerful whereas Tomoe is rude, snotty, and lazy.
As Nanami and Tomoe work together at the Mikage Shrine, Tomoe warms to Nanami. They have a slow progression toward friendship, but sooner rather than later it couldn’t be more obvious that Tomoe would do anything to keep her safe.
7 Vegeta & Bulma (Dragon Ball Z)
Vegeta has all the markings of a tsundere in Dragon Ball Z, he’s prideful, cold, and calculating. He goes beyond the traditional tsundere type as a former killer and antagonist. He puts his violent past behind him when he comes to Earth, though.
The anti-hero ends up falling in love with Bulma, settling down, and raising a family. Though she has many positive qualities, Bulma can also give in to anger, vanity, and cold calculation. Their relationship is one of the most beloved tsundere-tsundere couplings in all anime.
6 Kaguya & Miyuki (Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War)
Kaguya and Miyuki are smitten with each other from the very beginning of Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War, but they’re both too stubborn to admit it. They see confessing their feelings as like admitting defeat.
Rather than going to therapy, they both hatch a plan to force the other to own up to their feelings. Their plan may not be the healthiest, but it is more entertaining. The times when they put their rivalry and pride aside to share blushes and sweet moments are both comical and endearing to see.
5 Madoka (Orange Road)
Madoka of the 1985 classic Orange Road is one of anime’s best tough girls with a heart of gold. At first, Madoka comes off as emotionally removed and ruffian-like, but as Kyosuke befriends her, he sees her altruism and kindness.
Madoka is known around town for misbehaving, especially in school and Kyosuke takes the consequences of his actions very seriously. Madoka hides the part of herself that’s hurt by others and burdened with loneliness. Though brash on the surface, Madoka puts others before herself time and again.
4 Chiaki (Nodame Cantabile)
Chiaki and Noda are romantic foils in Nodame Cantabile, but they prove that sometimes opposites attract for good reason. Noda has a sunshiney, cheerful nature that’s very inviting to others, where Chiaki is not so cheerful. Chiaki focuses mostly on his music. He’s critical, serious, and pessimistic.
Any popularity Chiaki has at school comes from his musical talents and handsome face, and not a winning personality. Though Chiaki has his pick of girls, he falls for Noda and remains devoted to her. He exemplifies the boy who’s serious in everything he does, from his studies to romance.
3 Usagi & Mamoru (Sailor Moon)
Aside from the occasional bashfulness when he receives a lot of attention, Mamoru doesn’t have many blushing moments in Sailor Moon, except for the end of season one when he has a heart-to-heart with Usagi and witnesses her transform into Sailor Moon. Up until that moment, he never hesitated to chide and cajole Usagi for her immaturity and clumsiness.
Usagi, a fellow tsundere, happily teases (and even yells) at Mamoru just as much when he baits her. But even that doesn’t stop her from tripping over herself when he does something dashing.
2 Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket)
Kyo is a beloved tsundere who falls for one of the sweetest anime characters of all time, Tohru in Fruits Basket. He pushes others away because most of his life is overshadowed by rejection from his family, and the natural isolation that comes from the Sohma family curse.
Kyo gives in quickly to anger and even yells at Tohru when they first meet. And at first, he doesn’t like the idea of Tohru being a part of the household. As he slowly falls for Tohru, he gains a sense of acceptance that he never had before.
1 Syaoran Li (Cardcaptor Sakura)
Sakura and Syaoran Li begin as rivals for the Clow Cards in Cardcaptor Sakura. Syaoran Li is cynical and rude. He believes that he’s more entitled to the Clow Cards than Sakura, but as the two get know each other and become friends, he comes to respect her and believes that she’s the one meant to wield them.
Syaoran’s fierce self-reliance and loner tendencies fade as he grows closer to Sakura. The two begin fractiously, but in the end, they turn out to be perfect for each other.
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