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"Deredere" (JP) is a term for a character who is lovestruck and does not hide their romantic feelings towards their love interest. Unlike other dere types, they don't have another side that they hide their feelings behind. They will behave very sweet, flirtatious, affectionate, and loving towards their love interest the entire time.
Meaning of the Name
The word "deredere" is a Japanese word that is used to describe the "untidy or sloppy appearance due to romantic feelings". It is also used to describe the act of "flirting with someone", "fawning over someone (displaying exaggerated affection towards them)", or most commonly as "being lovestruck" (experiencing intense feelings of romantic love for someone). If someone is described as being "deredere" for someone it means they are visually showing their romantic attraction to them.
Since this is the only "dere type" that doesn't have any additional prefix with the base "deredere" (デレデレ) word, it means that they are the perfect definition of being "lovestruck".[1][2][3]
Origin
Although the term "deredere" has been around for a very long time in the Japanese language, the use of deredere as a so-called "dere type" is derived from tsundere. The popularity of tsundere caused the meaning of deredere to shift from a simple adjective to a character archetype that described something akin to "a tsundere character without a tsun side". This term is used to describe someone who does not hide their liking towards someone, unlike a tsundere who hides their romantic lovestruck deredere feelings behind their tsuntsun side.[4]
History
The term has been used in several manga series.[5][6][7]
Personality
Deredere differs from the other dere types in that it does not have another personality side that is used to conceal the warm and loving feelings. Their romantic feelings of love towards their love interest are completely out in the open and very apparent to anyone who sees them. This does not necessarily mean that a deredere must confess the instant they develop these feelings (although this is very often true), but it is very obvious when they love someone. Most often even if the love interest does not notice the people around them, such as their friends, will.
Deredere characters are unafraid to show their feelings of affection to their love interest. They are very sweet, loving, affectionate, and flirtatious towards their love interest the entire time. They will become noticeably happy whenever they are around them and may even start blushing from how much they love them. In some cases during these moments, they may even be visually depicted as having heart eyes. At the same time, if things aren't going the way they want they may start to become sad because of it.
They love being around their love interest and will do their best to gain the attention of their love interest. They may invite them over to their house or try to spend as much alone time with them as possible. They will do different things to show their affection towards their love interest, such as complimenting them or verbally telling them that they love them. They'll often get close with their love interest and flirt with them.
When it comes to verbally confessing their love for them, they are either completely open about it or somewhat hesitant at first about sharing those feelings with them directly. If they're too embarrassed to say the words out loud they will show their love in other ways, such as giving them heart-shaped food on Valentine's Day, to try to make their love interest get the hint. If their love interest doesn't get the hint, they will slowly start getting more and more intimate with them and do things that make it very obvious they are more than just friends.
If they are currently in a relationship then they will perform even more intimate acts such as hugging on them and physically loving them.
Types of Deredere
Although in Japan all characters who are purely "lovey-dovey" and open with their feelings are classified as solely deredere, in the Western community characters that have large or exaggerated displays of affection are often said to be megadere instead. Megadere comes from the word "mega" meaning "very large", so, in other words, it's a variation for "very large deredere".
- Megadere (Western): A term for characters who have a strong adoration for their love interest and will not be afraid to give them large displays of affection and tell them how much they love them.
Differences From Other Archetypes
The main difference from every other dere type is the appearance of another major personality side that conceals their romantic and lovestruck feelings. These other dere types will slowly reveal their feelings over time as they overcome those obstacles, whereas a deredere always has them on full display. For example, a tsundere has the harsh and distant "tsun" side, a dandere has the silent and shy "dan" side, a kuudere has the emotionless and cold "kuu" side, and so on.
Similar Japanese Archetypes
- Deretsun: A term for characters that are normally sweet, kind and loving like a deredere, but have a hidden irritable side that comes out around their love interest.
- Genki: A term for characters who are very energetic, cheerful and outgoing. Many deredere characters fall under this.
- Idol: A term for a character that is a popular singer or performer that many people look up to and idolize. They want to spread love to everyone watching them.
- Moe: A term for characters that are the embodiment of being "cute" and innocent who give off feelings off strong affection.
Characters with this Personality
See Deredere/Anime Characters to see characters from anime media.
See Deredere/Western Characters to see characters from western media.
Gallery
References
- ↑ What is Deredere. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2023/09/24).
- ↑ Trait: Deredere. Visual Novel Database (2011/03/31).
- ↑ Trait: Deredere Heroine. Visual Novel Database (2009/03/01).
- ↑ What is Deredere. Nico Nico Pedia (2009/05/17).
- ↑ The Reason Why a Strict Female Boss Will Deredere to Me When She Returns to High School. Square-Enix (2023/01/07).
- ↑ The Reason Why a Strict Female Boss Will Deredere to Me When She Returns to High School - Volume 1. Amazon (2023/01/07).
- ↑ The Reason Why a Strict Female Boss Will Deredere to Me When She Returns to High School - Volume 2. Amazon (2023/07/06).
Dere Types | |||
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | Standard |
Bakadere ♥ Biridere ♥ Bokodere ♥ Butsudere ♥ Darudere ♥ Deredere ♥ Dorodere ♥ Erodere ♥ Gandere ♥ Goudere ♥ Gundere ♥ Himedere ♥ Hinedere ♥ Kamidere ♥ Kichidere ♥ Kiredere ♥ Kiridere ♥ Kuudere ♥ M Dere ♥ Nyandere ♥ Onidere ♥ Ojoudere ♥ Rindere ♥ Roshidere ♥ S Dere ♥ Shindere ♥ Teredere ♥ Tsundere ♥ Undere ♥ Usodere ♥ Utsudere ♥ Uzadere ♥ Wandere ♥ Yandere ♥ Yoidere ♥ Zondere ♥ | |
Variations |
Deretsun ♥ Tsun-Aho ♥ Tsundora ♥ Tsun-Pure ♥ Tsunshun ♥ Tsuntere ♥ | ||
Western | Standard |
Bocchandere ♥ Byoukidere ♥ Dandere ♥ Kanedere ♥ Kekkondere ♥ Nemuidere ♥ Oujidere ♥ Smugdere ♥ Teasedere ♥ Thugdere ♥ | |
Variations |
Ahodere (Western) ♥ Kidere ♥ Mayadere (Western) ♥ Megadere (Western) ♥ | ||
Other |