What is Himedere? [Definition, Meaning]

Rakudai-Kishi-no-Cavalry-wallpaper What is Himedere? [Definition, Meaning]

What is Himedere? - If you kneel before me, I might tell you.

Let’s face it: there are a lot of –dere types in anime. The most popular is tsundere, a personality that has marked character development easing from hard-to-get to lovey-dovey. You’re probably saying, “Yes, I know what tsundere is. I came here to find out about himedere.” Great! You’re in the right place.

Let’s start with a definition. As you probably guessed, it has something to do with princesses. The “hime” part of himedere means “princess,” so the easiest way to describe himedere is a princess-y tsundere, or sometimes a princess-y kuudere. She’ll usually speak in a haughty way and expect you to do everything for her. She’s a princess after all. You should be holding her up on a pedestal and singing her praises. From her attitude to her accessories to her perfectly placed hair, she oozes rich and beautiful. It’s no wonder you were attracted to her. She shines like the royal gems she’s wearing—or pretending to be wearing.

Just because she’s a princess doesn’t make her Princess Peach. If you were all-in on your princess but forgot about the “tsundere” part of the equation, you’re in for a hell of a ride! Himederes are demanding. Forget the whole trying to look good for the public. They already think they’re adored by the masses. They have no trouble putting you in your place. What’s your place? Running errands for them, waiting on them like a butler, and never, ever touching them. She just can’t sully her precious skin with commoner filth. She will constantly remind you of her elite status and let you know how high up the food chain she is compared to you.

That sounds horrible. Why even try? Oh, don’t worry, my friend. If you prove your worth with your superior skill, undying affection, or just stupid luck, the himedere will fall into your lap, maybe literally. Somewhere along the story, the himedere will eventually open her heart to you, and you’ll have the shiniest best girl in town.


Where can I find a himedere?

The easiest place to look is wherever you think you could find a real princess. That’s right. A good number of himederes are actually princesses. That personality has to come from somewhere, right? It might be more accurate to say that a lot of himederes are former princesses and have lost some of their status. After all, what are they doing mingling with the commoners anyway? Even if she’s lost their status, she hasn’t lost her pride. She’ll keep up the strong and sophisticated act to keep you at arm’s distance so that, hopefully, you won’t learn about her dethroning. Once you do though, be ready for a wonderful change in personality!


Ange from Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo (Cross Ange: Rondo of Angels and Dragons)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: Oct. 2014 – Mar. 2015

Ange, or formerly Angelize Ikaruga Misurugi, first princess of the Misurugi Empire, is a definitive himedere princess in the ecchi, action, mecha, fantasy genre mish-mash Cross Ange. After being stripped of her royal status and dignity for lacking the ability to control magical technology, Ange is forced to join a mecha military army of rough and tumble girls who fight dragons. Ange takes on a cold demeanor to protect herself both physically and mentally. She throws away her royal name, but her royal upbringing comes out in the way she speaks and carries herself. In true himedere fashion, Ange warms up to the sweetest guy on the planet, while simultaneously royally denying the biggest piece of garbage in the multi-universe, and we love her for it. You go girl!

Himedere became even more popular in 2015, with two new anime princesses: the hot-blooded Stella Vermillion in Chivalry of a Failed Knight and cool-headed Julis-Alexia von Riessfeld in The Asterik War. Both are talented princess from their respective countries trying to make a name for themselves on a big stage of duel fights. These two himes are initially extremely combative to their male protagonists. Stella orders Ikki to stop breathing, while Julis is ready to give a full beat down to Ayato, a newbie at the school. Stella might be a little faster to the punch line than Julis, but both girls find themselves warming up to their dueling partners as the major romances in both series. At any rate, himederes with real hime credentials won’t be leaving the ecchi or harem genres any time soon.

「クロスアンジュ 天使と竜の輪舞」第1弾PV


Not all himederes are “real” princesses.

Does a himedere have to be princess? No, sometimes a himedere is a more of a societal princess, an elite or socially well-off person. This includes Sanzenin Nagi from Hayate the Combat Butler (2007), who is a snobby tsundere but secretly has feelings for her butler. You could even include our favorite tsundere gangster princess Kirisaki Chitoge from Nisekoi (2014). Much like the real princess type of himedere, the social princess type can also be former elites, such as Aoyama Mio in The World Only God Knows (2010), who keeps up the elite daughter act even after she lost it all. These types of himederes aren’t hard to find, usually with a servant in tow, but some himederes are straight-up pretending, as we’ll soon see below.


Azuki Azusa from Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko (The Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat)

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: Apr. 2013 – Jun. 2013

Azuki Azusa, from the harem comedy The Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat, was bullied at her previous school. She decides to pretend to be an elite, taking on several part-time jobs to fund her rich girl act. Her social princess façade is broken, and she develops feelings for our main man Yoto, but we can easily see why people would mistake her for an elite princess. Beyond having popular girl looks and the style to match, Azuki is sure to be disappointed in your commoner’s date. Still, as a tried and true himedere, she’ll over look your minion status once she gets a good look at your beautiful personality.

As such, some himederes have little reason for their hime act, and they simply have princess syndrome. They demand the best in everything, are egotistical, and can be quite narcissistic. They act like God’s gift to the world, or at least God’s gift to you. Still, you can’t hate them, because they’re so darn cute! This princess-y attitude is well described in the song “World is Mine” by Hatsune Miku, a virtual singer, or vocaloid. In the song, Miku-tan proclaims that she is the number one princess in the world. If you want to know exactly what modern himederes want, this song would be a good place to start your research.

Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat - Official Trailer


Sometimes guys can be a little himedere too. What is oujidere?

Just as there are tsundere guys, there can be guys with a little himedere in them, or should we say a little oujidere in them? “Ouji” is Japanese for “prince,” and just like himedere, it describes a princely tsundere, or more commonly, a princely kuudere. They’re arrogant and annoying, but a true prince charming is lurking behind those haughty sneers and holier-than-thou glares. Be it true royalty like Prince Raj from Snow White with the Red Hair (2015), or the social elite like Ootori Kyoya from Ouran High School Host Club (2006), these turn-around guys could be princes that dreams are made of. Sometimes they are just mean bad boys, like Sata Kyouya from Wolf Girl and Black Prince (2014), but there’s a good reason why these guys get the girl in the end. Eventually, we see they have hearts of gold.


Akashi Seijuro from Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season (Kuroko’s Basketball 3rd Season)

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: Jan. 2015 – Jun. 2015

Oujideres aren’t exclusively for shoujo romances, mind you. Be it “King of the Court” Kageyama Tobio in the on-going Haikyuu!! (2014) or Mr. Emperor’s Eye Akashi Seijuro from Kuroko no Basket, oujideres are popping up everywhere and learning to bare their souls to everyone they care for. Kageyama learns that his superior skill doesn’t make him above the team and soon becomes the setter of Karasuno’s dreams.

For Akashi, though, this guy is the final boss super villain of Kuruko no Basket. A social elite with obsessive perfectionism, he ruled the Generation of Miracles, and now he rules the best high school team in the country, Rakuzan. Like any ruling emperor, Akashi is always making people kneel before him and using his less talented teammates as pawns. Akashi totally deserves his royal moniker and perpetual captain status, but he’s not exactly Mr. Nice Guy. Akashi refuses to change his haughty ways. It isn’t until Kuroko and Seirin High School show him a thing or two that he realizes the madness brewing inside him. He reverts to the sweet, caring, and still extremely competent young leader we always knew he could be.

【公式】TVアニメ「黒子のバスケ」第3期番宣CM 30秒ver.


O, himedere, himedere, whereforeart thou, himedere?

Himederes carry all the appeal of a tsundere or a kuudere with the added bonus of a princess demeanor! After you can get past their get-away-from-me-maggot exteriors, you can be guaranteed some royal-level affection. They know what they want and how to keep themselves in top condition, and they’ll probably know all that about you too. Based on anime logic, she’s probably intelligent, educated, well-mannered, and worldly. Add in those cute anime looks and high-class style, and who could say no? She belongs on that pedestal, and we’re going to be first in line to hold it!

Well, you came here looking for answers on the mystical creature that is the himedere. Here’s everything you need to know and probably some extra stuff too. Tsunderes may always have your heart, but there must be a little room in there for the himederes… Or is it that you love himederes already but didn’t know it?! As this gap moe trend continues, look forward to more himederes and oujideres to come!

Rakudai-Kishi-no-Cavalry-wallpaper What is Himedere? [Definition, Meaning]

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Author: Eris

I watch a lot of anime. If you do too, we could be friends.

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