Kuudere Explained
is a Japanese term for a character who appears to not have emotions. They are often stoic and expressionless, and they remain calm in stressful situations.[1]
In contrast to and characters, whose archetypes revolve around change in their behavior, kuudere characters often keep the same core traits throughout a narrative. Other characters traits include being aloof, being level-headed, and serving as the voice of reason during conflict.
The word is derived from the words and .[2] The term refers to one of four popular Japanese character types, the others being tsundere, yandere, and dandere.[3] Rei Ayanami of Neon Genesis Evangelion is thought to have played a major role in the popularization of kuudere.[4]
Relation to tsundere
In his 2008 paper on the tsundere character archetype, Professor Junichi Togashi of Daito Bunka University mentioned that tsundere characters who do not use standard tsundere expressions could be classified as kuudere.[5]
In the book "Basic Knowledge of Modern Terminology 2007", it is stated that sunao kuuru (素直クール) ('honest cool') can be thought of as the opposite of tsundere. The term is used to refer to characters who casually mention strange topics in a calm and irreverent manner, causing embarrassment to the listener. This term has since been used to refer to both kuudere and tsundere characters.[6]
Examples in media
See also
Further reading
Notes and References
- Web site: Ayars . Samantha . Authenticity vs. Cultural Conformity: The Interpretation of Norse Literature for a Japanese Audience . University of Oslo . 2 February 2023. 18–19.
- Web site: Tsundere, Yandere, Kuudere, Dandere - Meaning. Japanese with Anime . 3 February 2023 . 21 July 2016.
- Web site: Eisenbeis . Richard . How to Identify Popular Japanese Character Types . Kotaku . 3 February 2023 . August 20, 2013.
- Web site: Robert Hutton. How Neon Genesis Evangelion Changed Anime Forever. Screen Rant. 5 September 2021. 2 November 2021. 19 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219162919/https://screenrant.com/neon-genesis-evangelion-influence-impact-anime/. live.
- Web site: ツンデレ属性と言語表現 ―役割語的アプローチとケーススタディ― *1 冨樫純一(大東文化大学). 3 February 2023.
- Book: 現代用語の基礎知識2007. 2007. 自由国民社.
- Book: Kokoro . Kaiya . Starting Out: Complete Anime Lifestyle Guide . 25 January 2015 . SunCloud Design.
- Web site: クーデレ美少女アニメキャラ . VOYAGE MARKETING . 3 February 2023 . 2017-07-16.
- Web site: 10 Strongest Anime Kuudere, Ranked. Ashley. Hagstrom. Comic Book Resources. 29 January 2022.
- Web site: 鈴丸みんた「タカラのびいどろ」TVドラマ化 クーデレな先輩と天然後輩のBL . Takara's Treasure by Minta Suzumaru gets a drama adaptation, features a BL story between a cool senior with a kind heart and a naive junior . ja . . 2024-05-14 . 2024-08-04.