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The terms "tsundere", "yandere" and "kuudere" are most often used when describing female characters. However, all the definitions of them start with "a person, who...", which kind of suggests that these terms should be applicable to male characters as well.

So, can they be used to describe a male character, and if they can't, are there any other equivalent terms that can be used instead?

Logan M
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SingerOfTheFall
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    `Oranyan` is the term used for male tsundere. I'm not sure if there are other terms used for kuudere and yandere but all three are also applicable for male characters, though they are more common in females. – xjshiya Apr 23 '13 at 23:51
  • Note that "unisexual" and "unisex" may have opposite meaning. The common meaning of "unisexual" is "of or relating to 1 sex" (the less common being "unisex"). It doesn't change the meaning of the question, but it might be confusing in the answer. – nhahtdh Apr 24 '13 at 02:00
  • Thanks for posting this Singer, its one I have been wondering just never got around to asking! – Zilvarael Apr 24 '13 at 02:30

2 Answers2

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The dere family along with tsundere (unapproachable outside, sweet inside), yandere (sweet outside, crazy inside) kuudere (cold outside, sweet inside), and dandere (asocial outside, sweet inside).

All of these terms are used to describe traits, rather than the characters themselves, so they are used asexually. However, because the terms (most prominently with tsundere, since it is the most popular trope of the family) are attributed mostly to female characters, people usually attribute the terms as female traits.

StarPilot
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кяαzєя
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As far as I could find, all 3 of the terms are unisex. These terms are rarely used for males and mostly used for female characters.

Tsundere is a Japanese character development process that describes a person who is initially cold and even hostile towards another person before gradually showing his or her warm side over time.

Yandere A common term in otaku fandom, a yandere is a person (usually female) romantically obsessed with someone to the point of using violent means to get them in their arms. Often seen with a sharp weapon and a psychotic grin.

Kuudere A character type, mostly of a female character, who is normally cold and unassuming but later reveals a softer and kinder side. See Tsundere.

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Dimitri mx
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  • It sounds like it was unisex the first time I read, but now it doesn't seem so. Is it your point that all 3 term are unisex (genderless) or unisexual (of one sex only)? – nhahtdh Apr 24 '13 at 02:58
  • @nhahtdh Unisex it can be used for woman and man as it only describes traits rather than a specific gender. still they mainly use it for females – Dimitri mx Apr 24 '13 at 10:56