Top 10 Tsundere Anime [Updated Best Recommendations]

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They look at you. They slit their eyes, an upper lip turns up, and their whole expression sours before they say “It’s not like I really even care about you anyway!” You know it. We know it. That character is a full-blown tsundere. Tsundere were originally something created for archetypes for harems and eroge. Playing coy had a slight factor, but now the idea is so convoluted that it has flooded into all sorts of anime. Tsundere originally were characters tied to a romance where they failed to be honest with themselves or their feelings and rather than shut down, an emotional explosion pushes out vitriol that you wouldn’t normally expect. Yes, this is an ode to all of the tsundere waifus and husbandos we have had, have currently, and will have in the future. In this top 10, you will find anime with prominent tsundere characters all to varying degrees of likability. However, if you want more or are pressed that your waifu or husbando isn’t on this list, this article is an update and you can find more below it. Let’s go!


10. Imouto Sae Ireba Ii. (A Sister’s All You Need)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: October 2017 - December 2017

Itsuki Hashima is actually a successful light novel author with a twist: he has a thing for little sisters to the point that they are major roles in all of his stories. A bit of a chuunibyou mixed with eccentric is what he is, and of course, he is surrounded by people who live and care for him like Nayuta, a fellow author and smitten with Itsuki; Haruto, a fellow successful author and resident tsundere; Miyako, a college friend who is sweet; and Chihiro, Itsuki’s “younger brother” who helps take care of him. They spend their days playing lots of board games and talking about ideas for novels.

The tsundere star of this show is Haruto. Or rather, it’s his sister, who is hardcore tsundere towards her brother. Haruto comes at things rather straight-laced, and while he does try his hardest with people including his sister, she pretends to want nothing to do with him while being madly in love with him. Think like Kirino from Oreimo.


9. Hidan no Aria (Aria of the Scarlet Ammo)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: April 2011 - July 2011

With Japan becoming more and more violent, a special school is set up to train students to be Butei or armed detectives. Kinji Tooyama is a dropout student though who has a fantastic ability, but covers it up by attempting to study logistics. When his life and story draws attention of a special Butei killer, he has to be more careful. Then one day, he finds himself with his back against the wall until a short, red-haired girl named Aria Holmes Kanzaki—the best student in the school—saves him and then demands to be his partner?! What is going on?

Aria is a lot like what we have to come to know and expect out of our tsundere characters. Short, angry, and usually a red, or close to red, hair color. She constantly makes demands and is overflowing with propped-up confidence that she can only backup in specific situations. She is very demanding of Kinji and her overall role as main character for the series—as well as the queen of tsundere Rie Kugimiya voicing her—is what earned her her spot here.


8. Steins;Gate

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: April 2011 - September 2011

Rintarou Okabe is a self-proclaimed mad scientist who is researching future gadgets. Together in his small apartment in Akihabara that he calls a lab, he works with Daru and Mayuri. After a few incidents though, Rintarou manages to not only increase his lab members, he actually creates something unexpected, a microwave that can send things back in the past. Faced with horrible tragedy, Rintarou makes a decision to go back in time to prevent it from happening, but as he goes back, he realizes how hard it will be to circumvent everything.

Steins;Gate, while a dramatic, sad anime, gives us an excellent tsundere in Kurisu aka Christina who—spoiler alert—we wouldn’t have seen here had she not become a massive romantic interest. While failing to be true to herself—even when she does, she fails miserably—Kurisu bursts out almost always at Rintarou lashing him with her tone and words. True, she does have feelings for him, but her explosion of tsundere-characteristic violence as well as how quick she is to accuse him of being a pervert, has landed this amazing show on our list.


7. Masamune-kun no Revenge (Masamune-kun’s Revenge)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 2017 - March 2017

Masamune Makabe has got it going on. He has a rocking body, has good looks, is well-to-do, and is all-around a popular guy. He has a dark secret though. Masamune was fat when he was a child. The only person he liked, a rich girl named Aki Adagaki, mocked him and called him “piggy”. Hellbent on revenge, he hatched a plan all while slimming down, and getting good looks and good grades. It all takes a turn though when Aki Adagaki ends up in a situation with him and the maid, Yoshino, finds out all of it. Masamune’s going to make Aki love him and then crush her heart, just like she had done countless times towards others to give her a taste of her own medicine.

Masamune-kun no Revenge actually gives us two tsundere. The main is Aki, who wants nothing to do with Masamune at first. Not only does she turn him down at every pass he makes, she more or less blows him up with her curtness and attitude. As Masamune spends time trying to work his way into her heart though, Aki resists nonstop until the very end being violent and harsh. Masamune, too, lies telling himself that he does not want her, and lies to himself developing his own tsundere complex towards his true feelings as the story goes on. A definite watch for a fun adventure down tsundere lane.


6. Toradora

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: October 2008 - March 2009

Ryuuji may be a nice guy, but his inability to reconcile with the faces he makes and his overall appearance means that everyone thinks he is some sort of delinquent. When he crosses paths one day with another girl in his school, Taiga Aisaka, it’s on. Taiga is noted for being very violent and is nicknamed the Palmtop Tiger due to her small height but violent attitude. After this odd encounter, both realize that the other has a crush on their best friends. They agree to help each other out, but don’t realize what sort of position it puts them both in.

Toradora is the second and final repeat here from the old list because of how great an example it is of the tsundere character archetype. While the story has a different level of acceptance, a great example of how a tsundere thinks is showcased in Taiga. She is one of those “punch first; ask questions later” violent tsundere who doesn’t really care what others think. And even as she berates and lashes out at Ryuuji, she refuses adamantly to be honest with herself and her own feelings. If you want to see the tsundere archetype play out in perfect stereotypical fashion, Toradora is a must-see.



5. Zero no Tsukaima (The Familiar of Zero)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: July 2006 - September 2006

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière is a mage at a prestigious academy. However, she has an issue casting magic and can very rarely successfully do it. When it comes time to summon a familiar, her classmates all summon fantastical things, but Louise accidentally somehow summons a human named Saito Hiraga. Furious, Louise decides to make him act like her familiar in this new world to him, and makes him work as her slave doing all her chores and eating off of the ground. Although she is nicknamed “Louise the Zero,” Saito teaches her a lot about what is in her and what she has to offer in this life.

Much like another entry on this list, Louise has that typical reddish hair (pink, but close enough) that we often see with the massive tsundere characters. She is incredibly bossy and has an extremely short temper. It is always her who lashes out in anger over the smallest things. And while she does harbor feelings for Saito, she will fight them nonstop and abuse him physically true to her tsundere roots.


4. To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (A Certain Scientific Railgun)

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: October 2009 - March 2010

Academy City is made up of 85% students, many of whom are espers. The city is researching espers and the strongest are referred to as “Level 5’s.” Mikoto Misaka is one such user known as “The Railgun”. Together with her roommate Kuroko, who is in love with her; Ruiko, a level zero esper (no powers); and Kazari, a fellow low level esper; the four girls spend their days studying and upholding peace as members of Judgement, a patrol force. Rumors are on the rise of a level-upper system that can make your power develop further. As it is being investigated, more darkness comes to light showing a seedy underbelly within this city. It’s up to these four girls to put a stop to it.

Originally a spin off of To Aru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index), Railgun focuses on resident tsundere queen Mikoto. Incredibly powerful, she has no issue going headfirst into battle, but seeing or interacting with Touma shuts her down so fast or puts her in a violent rage. The same is true for cute things. The poor girl fails to even be able to enjoy her love of frogs and cute things due to her shyness and tsundere nature. Kuroko’s jealousy also shines through to make poor Mikoto embarrassed further sometimes leading to even funnier outbursts.


3. Eromanga-sensei (Eromanga Sensei)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: April 2017 - June 2017

Masamune Sagiri takes care of his sister in their home while also going to school and being a light novel author. His sister though, is nothing easy. Even though they met a few years ago, Sagiri has not spoken nor come out of her room in almost a year after their parents died suddenly. He does have something good in his life though, his artist is the amazingly talented Eromanga Sensei. It just so happens too, that this sensei is none other than Sagiri and he never knew about it. She is about to start coming out of her shell, but that doesn’t mean that she isn’t going to be tsundere about it!

Sagiri is our classic tsundere and why she is so high on this list. From her constant yelling of “dame” (that’s wrong/lewd/bad), she makes demands and orders from Masamune constantly who has to be the bigger person all of the time. He’s not even allowed to come into her room unless she allows him—crazy when you realize it’s just the two of them in the house, and her jealousy reaches a boiling point, leading to more outbursts, when she finds out that Masamune is spending time with Elf Yamada, a fellow rival author. Sagiri is such a wonderful example of tsundereism and we had to put this show high enough to reflect that.


2. Yuri!!! on ICE

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: October 2016 - December 2016

Yuuri Katsuki was a rising star in the ice skating world till he was crushed in the Grand Prix. Dejected, he returns home to figure out what to do with his life. He’s now pudgy and unmotivated. That is until a video of him performing a routine by champion Victor Nikiforov blows up. Suddenly, Yuuri is back in the spotlight and Victor himself shows up at Yuuri’s house?!? He offers to mentor Yuuri who accepts almost immediately. However, another fan of Victor’s, a Russian Yuri, is gunning to get Victor to be his own master. Can Japanese Yuuri capture a win on the ice?

And you thought only girls could be tsundere? Tsk, tsk, how little you know. Yuri Plisetsky is our moody male tsundere here on the ice. Yuri will stop at nothing to get the attention and affection from Victor. He is sweet and earnest around Victor while being vicious, cold, and mean towards Yuuri. His harsh berating is somehow not enough to deter Yuuri from not only getting back on the ice, but pushing himself to go beyond his own limits to protect both his role with Victor but his relationship with him as well.


1. Lucky Star

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: April 2007 - September 2007

Cult hit Lucky Star follows the lives of four friends; Konata—an otaku—twins Tsukasa and Kagami, and Miyuki. Their daily lives bounce from non-sequiturs about anime and games, to studies, to food, to animals, and then back to anime. While Konata may have a mildly perverted father, he means well and takes care of Konata while she tries to avoid everything related to school and max out her game and anime time.

Kagami is notorious for being a tsundere queen. With her strict tone, she is constantly admonishing Konata for her negligence when it comes to her studies and failure to do her homework. A pure tsundere, Kagami often has issues speaking directly and clearly about how she feels about things and it’s very easy to catch her off guard where her face floods with red, her emotion turns to rage, and she shuts down. A member of the purple-hair masterace, Kagami is the complete opposite of her sister Tsukasa, who means well but is a bit slow on the upswing. Still though, Kagami is almost completely tsundere through the TV anime and she doesn’t turn over a massive leaf until the OVA which you will have to watch to see that comedic scene play out!


Final Thoughts

With that, our update on top 10 tsundere anime comes to a close. Sure, there are others that can be considered, but after careful consideration, these were the top 10 tsundere anime that we wanted to feature at this time. Of course, this is not the end all, as there are many, many anime with tsundere characters out there, but what are your thoughts? Be sure to let us know your top tsundere in the comments below. Till next time!

Imouto-Sae-Ireba-Ii-wallpaper-2-1-500x500 Top 10 Tsundere Anime [Updated Best Recommendations]

Editor/Translator

Author: Nagareboshi

American by birth; international by choice. I am trying to bring attention to one of my favorite causes; me. I translate by day and write by night. Aspiring polyglot. My dream would be to be the personal translator for Amuro Namie. Other than that, my hobbies include languages, weightlifting, sleeping, karaoke, GOOD coffee and music. When I’m not doing any of the above, I am most likely laughing hysterically at Willam Belli videos or EV farming. I ain’t gunna Rupologize for it neither. Waifu are Shirai Kuroko & Euaerin.

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Original Article Below

Have you ever wondered, “Does that girl in science class like me?” You don’t know because she is always mean to you. Well, what would you do if later that year she took you by the shirt and kissed you? You would be confused. But, in anime, that happens all the time. It even has a special word for that kind of woman. It is Tsundere.

Let me take you through the Top 10 Tsundere Anime so you’ll know what to do with that science lab fling. Each anime in the list has good elements of the Tsundere style, if not in the main plot line in several of the characters.

10. SKET Dance

  • Episodes: 77
  • Aired: April 2011 – September 2012

Have you ever run across a problem in school that the teacher can’t or won’t help you with? Well, the members of the Living Assistance Club at Kaimei High School are there to help you. The Living Assistance Club, aka Sket Brigade, is out to help students with all of their problems, no matter how big or small they are. After all, SKET stands for Support, Kindness, Encouragement and Troubleshooting.

The character that brings the Tsundere style alive in this anime is the President of the Student Council little sister Saaya. What does she do? Well, you’ll have to watch it to see.


9. Steins;Gate

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: April 2011 – September 2011

Here we have an anime that deals with time texting, a method of time traveling, Steins;Gate. In Stines;Gate the main character, mad scientist Rintarou Okabe, accidently invents a method of time traveling by messing around with his microwave. The anime takes a turn when something happens that the mad scientist can’t change, no matter how hard he tries.

The mad scientist has an assistant who, just like Okabe, pays more attention to science than anything else. But, more can’t be said without giving too much away.


8. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: October 2011 – December 2011

Starting at a new school is always awkward. No one knows this better than a transfer student who is a little different from everyone else. Hasegawa Kodaka finds his new school a little trying and it doesn’t help that his hair is blond, which makes people think he is a trouble maker. Though, luckily for Hasegawa, he is able to find a friend who, just like him, stands out a little. They soon create a club called Rinjinbu, or The Neighbors’ Club. Through the clubs activities, they are able to learn how to make friendships and long term relationships.


7. Toradora! (Tiger x Dragon)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: October 2008 – March 2009

Have you ever loved someone, but didn’t know how to approach them? Well, in Tiger x Dragon, this is what happens to Ryuji and Taiga in Tiger x Dragon. Ryuji has a crush on Taigas’ friend and Taiga has a crush on Ryujis’ friend, yet both of them are unable to confess their love. Throughout the anime they help each other get closer to the one they love. If you’re worried about the same old clichés, don’t. Tiger x Dragon stays away from these overly used plot lines. Each character has their own reasons for their actions.


6. Hayate no Gotoku! (Hayate the Combat Butler)

  • Episodes: 52
  • Aired: April 2007 – March 2008

If you have ever been forced to do something, just because you owe a little money, then you can feel the pain Hayate endures every day. He was sold to the Yakuza to pay for is parents debts and his life just gets crazier from then on. Hayate’s organs are on the line, so he attempts to kidnap this young girl, Nagi, and ransom her for big money. This is derailed when she confesses her love to him and another group of kidnappers tries to kidnaper Nagi. Hayate is able to thwart their plans and save the girl. Upon returning her to her family, Hayate is given the position of a Butler to pay his debts off.


5. Bakemonogatari

  • Episodes: 15
  • Aired: July 2009 – June 2010

Bakemonogatari is an odd one for this list. Unlike the normal everyday life, Bakemonogatari takes the idea of Tsundere anime to a fantasy realm of vampires, ghosts, myths and lore. Though, Koyomi starts the series out as a normal high school student and is dragged into this crazy world after he is attacked by vampires. One of the characters in Bakemonogatari is able to generate stationary, how this happens, I don’t know.


4. Nisekoi (Nisekoi: False Love)

  • Episodes: 20
  • Aired: January 2014 – May 2014

It seems like all of the Tsundere anime are located in or around schools. Nisekoi is no exception to the rule. Raku Ichijou is a high school student. His life is almost anything but normal. The reason, well, he is the heir to the local Yakuza.

Raku’s life is shaken up when a childhood promise comes back in the form of a blond haired, blue eyed 17 year old girl, Chitoge. Well, it would be perfect, if their chemistry was anything less like acids and bases… for those who don’t know, it’s somewhat explosive…. in a bad way.


3. Love Live! School Idol Project

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: January 2013 – March 2013

We all know what it feels like to leave school forever, but for most of us, that school is still standing after graduation… unless your senior prank went way over board. This is not the story for Otonokizaka High School, it’s due to be shut down in three years due to low enrolment. However, 9 crazy girls come together to put this school back on the map. How? Well, they form an idol group and plan to become an overnight sensation. Sounds like a solid plan.

The schools location might help them, since it’s in the middle of three amazing areas in Tokyo; Akihabara, otaku central, Kanda, historical area and Jinbo, a quiet reserved area.


2. Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai (OreImo)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: October 2010 – December 2010

The younger sister, an otaku dream and a real life nightmare, for one high school student, it is hell. Kyousuke is your average high school student who has a little sister who, for the most part, acts like evil incarnate. So, Kyousuke keeps his distance from his demonic sister, which is a little hard when you live in the same house.

Kyousukes’ “Keep Away” plan works for the most part, until a DVD arrives one day. The DVD is an adult video game, that deals with little sister love, or moe. Kyousuke doesn’t know that it’s Kirino game, until she barges into the room and demands the video back. It turns out that this demonic little sister is a closet otaku, which isn’t that bad for Kyousuke.


1. Toaru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index)

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: October 2008 – March 2009

Technology and Magic, two things that I would have loved to have in high school. Kamijou Touma is another high school student, living in an Academy City. His school has a combination of magic and science in their curriculum. Sound nice. It turns out that Touma has no magical powers, or none that are recognized by scans. His life changes when a young girl, name Index, arrives in his life.

Index, unlike Touma, is able to use magic and she holds the information from 103,000 forbidden magical books in her head. With her power, Touma is thrust into the arena with powerful espers and magicians.


Tsundere anime comes in many different forms. Most of the characteristics that define a Tsundere anime are those who are in the anime. The anime on this list each have a one or two characters that embody the essence of a Tsundere character.

Now, what will you do with that girl in your science lab?

Imouto-Sae-Ireba-Ii-wallpaper-2-1-500x500 Top 10 Tsundere Anime [Updated Best Recommendations]

Writer

Author: Zack Ringler

My name is Zack Ringler, just like it is written on all of my articles. I come from America, Indiana to be precise. I work for the Board of Education in Utsunomiya Japan. Heard of it? Didn’t think so. I am a teacher, writer and game designer with my first game “Moonshine Run” going on Kickstarter later this year. You can learn more about me on my facebook by looking up my name or just adding /zringler to the end of the facebook URL. Hope you like what you read, later.

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