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"Kuzudere" (JP) is a term for a character who usually acts like scum, but becomes cute, selfless, and deredere after falling in love with their love interest. At first they are very greedy and are only interested in fulfilling their own self interests. They are quick to blame others and won't hesitate to lie or use underhanded tricks if it means getting what they want. They also have the tendency to talk down on others and have a slightly problematic personality. However, despite their off-putting behavior they are someone who has a good heart and genuinely loves and cares about others. After becoming closer to their love interest they will start to act more cute, lovey-dovey, and romantic towards them. They will begin to become less selfish and cherish their love interest's happiness over even their own needs.
Etymology
Meaning of the Term
Kuzudere (クズデレ) is a combination of "kuzu" (クズ), meaning "scum; garbage; piece of trash (a person who is worthless)", and "deredere" (デレデレ), a mimetic word for "being lovestruck (overly affectionate, lovey-dovey, not hiding one's romantic feelings)".[3]
Origin
The term was created on the Japanese internet to describe the character Nero Yuzurizaki from the 2010 detective comedy anime series Detective Opera Milky Holmes (JP). Nero is a tomboyish, rough and tough, obnoxious bokukko girl, or so she would lead people to believe. She speaks with the masculine term "boku" and is very selfish, often talking down on others while comforting her own greed. She is quick to blame others and she never seems to play fair, often using underhanded tricks to win against others to get ahead. She has even been given the nickname "kuzu" (scum) by her friends, though the term is merely a pet name and not used maliciously. However, despite her initial behavior she is still a good girl at heart and often looks out for the rest of the Milky Holmes members. She also has a huge crush on a girl named Hercule Barton who she shows a more affectionate side towards.[2][4]
Alternate Name
Although not necessarily the same exact meaning, the term "kuzukawaii" (クズかわいい), meaning "scum-cute", was also created at the same time to describe the character Nero Yuzurizaki. This term describes someone who looks all cute and adorable but has a trashy personality.[2][5][6]
This term was also later used officially to describe the personality of Chitose Karasuma from the 2016 idol anime Gi(a)rlish Number.[7]
History
Official Media
Ui×Kon by Minori Kurosaki
The first known use of the term in official media comes from the 2019 romance manga series Ui×Kon (JP) by Minori Kurosaki where it was used to describe the male protagonist Kon. The series follows Ui a girl who recently lost both her parents in an accident and enrolls into a unique high school that pairs students together with the intention of future marriage. The paired students share a dorm room for three years and compete in a variety of tasks and competitions to prove their love, with the aim of being chosen as the best couple in the school. Winning this competition will not only allow them to partake in a special wedding, but they will also take ownership of the academy, or, in other words, become rich.[1][8]
Ui enrolls into this school with the hopes of finding a new family; a person who will welcome her home and love her the way her parents did. However, she is paired with a clever, calculating boy named Kon. Kon joined the school for one reason and one reason only: money. He wants to be part of the "best couple" and take the prize money, even if he has to fake their relationship to obtain it. This difference in goals makes it initially difficult for the two to get along, as Ui came to the school to find love, not to help someone lie their way to the top. When Ui first meets Kon she is put off by him and thinks of him as scum. However, throughout the series Kon starts to genuinely develop feelings of love for Ui and shows a more cute and lovey-dovey side.
Personality
Kuzudere characters usually act like scum (kuzu), but become cute, overly affectionate, and lovey-dovey (deredere) around their love interest.
Kuzu Period
Kon being scummy towards Ui from Ui×Kon
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Kuzudere characters initially act quite scummy. They are very selfish and only care about fulfilling their own sense of greed.
They never seem to play fair and are not against lying or using dirty underhanded tactics if it means getting what they want. They are also quick to shift the blame to others and will even throw their friends under the bus if it means getting away with something. They also gave a tendency to put others down, though they don't always mean what they say.
They will even use their love interest if it means getting easy money. Though they will never do anything seriously bad since they are still a truly good person at heart.
Dere Period
Kon kissing Ui from Ui×Kon
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Despite their initially off-putting nature they are a very good and caring person at heart. After truly falling in love with their love interest they will begin to completely change their ways. Rather their being selfish and having their own sense of greed being the most important thing to them, they now cherish only one thing in the world: their lover.
They will start to act more sweet and caring, going out of their way to never let their love interest feel sad ever again. They will become more affectionate and lovey-dovey towards their love interest, doing things like holding their hand, kissing them, or even writing out notes detailing everything they love about them.
Differences From Other Archetypes
This type is most similar to gesudere since characters who act like scum are often very crude and vulgar as well. The main difference is simply that not all kuzudere characters act in this manner and not all gesudere characters act in a scummy manner despite their boorish exterior.
It is also very similar to kanedere since both types act greedy and selfish before eventually falling in love and becoming deredere. The main difference is simply that kanedere characters typically hide their true intentions under a deredere mask to gain the affection of those who they're targeting for money while kuzudere characters are more open with their scummy ways.
It is also similar to usodere since both types lie to get what they want. The main difference is simply that an usodere character hides their true personality to win the heart of their love interest, while a kuzudere character lies and cheats to satisfy their own greed. Kuzudere characters also have a tendency to be more open with their lies, while an usodere character will only come clean after becoming deredere.
Many yandere (yankii) and thugdere characters likely fall under this type as well since delinquents and thugs are usually very scummy as well, though they don't necessarily have to be.
Charao characters are also likely to fall under this type since they're extremely frivolous and driven by self-interest. The main difference is simply that there's no need for a charao character to change their ways and become deredere like a kuzudere character, though it sometimes does happen.
Similar Archetypes
- Charao: A term for a flirtatious male character whose attitude and appearance come across as very frivolous.
- Gesudere: A term for a character who usually talks in a very crude, offensive and vulgar manner but becomes cute and deredere around their love interest.
- Kanedere: A term for a character who at first is only attracted to their love interest if they have money, status, or any other resource that will benefit them, but eventually becomes deredere for them.
- Mayadere (Western): A term for a character who started as a villain trying to kill their love interest, but switches sides after falling in love with them and becoming deredere.
- Thugdere: A term for a character who often mistreats their love interest by harming them physically and emotionally to hide their true deredere feelings of affection.
- Usodere: A term for a character who at first lies and covers up the truth to win the heart of their love interest, but eventually turns honest and becomes deredere for them.
- Yandere (Yankii): A term for a yankii delinquent who becomes deredere.
List of Characters
Gallery
 Kon with Ui from Ui×Kon  Kon with Ui from Ui×Kon |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ui×Kon (Volume 6). Ribon Comic (2021/05/24). “Nanami Academy High School is a special school where boys and girls live in a dormitory in a double room, aiming to become the best couple in the world! Ui's partner Kon, chosen by a super accurate matching system, is a kuzudere boy...!? Kon's marriage heartbeat is unstoppable. Volume 6 of "Ui×Kon" is now on sale!”
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 What is Nero Yuzurizaki. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2010/11/09). “In addition to "Kou", she is also called "Kuzu" (scum). This nickname was given to her because her behavior in the story is problematic. It is common for her to blame others for her own mistakes and to lie. However, this is merely a pet name and is almost never used maliciously. In addition, various words have been derived from this, such as Kuzukawaii (scum kawaii) and Kuzudere. (Although minor, they seem to have existed from the beginning.)”
- ↑ What is Kuzudere. NicoNico Pedia (2011/05/03). “Kuzudere is when a person normally speaks and acts like scum (kuzu), but occasionally acts dere.”
- ↑ Detective Opera Milky Holmes Reviews. Amazon (2010/11/24). “Nero is kuzukawaii and kuzudere!”
- ↑ What is Kuzukawaii. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2013/09/26). “A term used to describe a person who is a "scum" with problems in behavior and character, but who is cute. It is used to describe Nero Yuzurizaki in the "Milky Holmes" series.”
- ↑ What is Kuzukawaii. NicoNico Pedia (2011/05/03). “Kuzukawaii is an adjective that describes the character of a person. It is supposed to be a compliment. It is a coined word that combines two seemingly incompatible words, "kuzu" which refers to a person's terrible personality or behavior, and "kawaii" which describes cuteness. It is a state in which the people involved suffer terrible things or feel uncomfortable, but is also somehow cute! It is similar to "kimokawaii" and "busukawaii" which have been popular in recent years. However, compared to "kimoi" and "busu", it is even harder to imagine "kuzu" containing cuteness. This point makes the impact of "kuzukawaii" stronger. "Kuzukawaii" was rarely used on online bulletin boards, playing on "kimokawaii" and other terms. The person who established it as an identity was Nero Yuzurusaki, who appears in the anime "Detective Opera Milky Holmes". To her, team unity is nothing compared to her own appetite. But that's okay.”
- ↑ Chitose Karasuma Official Character Introduction. Gi(a)rlish Number (2016/10/07). “A new voice actress who looks cute (kawaii) but has a trashy (kuzu) personality.”
- ↑ Ui×Kon. Ribon Mascot Comics. “Today, they met for the first time, and three years later, they will have the "best marriage in the world"...? Uu enrolls in Nanami Academy High School, a special school where two boys and two girls live in a dormitory room with the aim of becoming the best married couple in the world! Ui's partner, Kon, who was chosen through an ultra-accurate matching system, is a bit of a bad guy...?”
| v • eDere Types | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Japanese | Standard |
Bakadere ♡ Biridere ♡ Bokodere ♡ Butsudere ♡ Chindere ♡ Dandere ♡ Darudere ♡ Deredere ♡ Dorodere ♡ Erodere ♡ Gandere ♡ Gesudere ♡ Goudere ♡ Gundere ♡ Gurodere ♡ Hajidere ♡ Himedere ♡ Hinedere ♡ Kamidere ♡ Kichidere ♡ Kiredere ♡ Kiridere ♡ Kuudere ♡ Kuzudere ♡ M Dere ♡ Megadere ♡ Nyandere ♡ Ojoudere ♡ Onidere ♡ Osadere ♡ Rindere ♡ Roshidere ♡ S Dere ♡ Sashidere ♡ Shindere ♡ Shundere ♡ Sunao Cool ♡ Sunao Heat ♡ Sunao Surreal ♡ Tsundere ♡ Tsuyodere ♡ Undere ♡ Usodere ♡ Utsudere ♡ Uzadere ♡ Wandere ♡ Yandere (Yanderu) ♡ Yandere (Yankii) ♡ Yoidere ♡ Zondere | |
| Variations |
Deretsun ♡ Tsun-Aho ♡ Tsun-Ama ♡ Tsunbaka ♡ Tsundero ♡ Tsundora ♡ Tsungire ♡ Tsunneko ♡ Tsun-Pure ♡ Tsunpuri ♡ Tsunshun ♡ Tsuntere | ||
| Western | Standard |
Bocchandere ♡ Byoukidere ♡ Kanedere ♡ Kekkondere ♡ Nemuidere ♡ Oujidere ♡ Oujodere ♡ Smugdere ♡ Teasedere ♡ Thugdere | |
| Variations |
Ahodere (Western) ♡ Kamidere (Western) ♡ Kidere ♡ Mayadere (Western) ♡ Megadere (Western) | ||
| Other | |||