What is a Yandere? Everything You Need to Know

• Yanderes are fictional characters who are obsessed with the object of their affection. They may commit violent acts on behalf of their obsession.
• Yandere comes from the Japanese words “yanderu” (to be sick) and “deredere” (affectionate/lovey-dovey).
• Some yandere characters play a relatively harmless role in the narrative, while others are fanatical and violent.

What does yandere mean?

A yandere is a lovesick fictional character who is obsessively devoted to someone. In manga, anime, and other forms of fictional media, a yandere character has a singular focus on the object of their affection and obsession. Throughout the story, their goal within the plot revolves around the person that they're obsessed with. The term “yandere” is actually a combination of the Japanese words “yamu (病む),” which means “to fall ill,” and “deredere (デレデレ),” which means “being lovestruck.” When put together, these words accurately describe the typical yandere character—a person who is mentally/emotionally unwell in regard to their romantic interest and/or object of their obsession. The yandere character is different from the tsundere archetype. Where yandere characters are obsessed with the objects of their affection, tsundere characters switch between being harsh and cold, and warm and affectionate. In some shows and movies, yandere characters are used as genuine love interests, with their obsessive, possessive tendencies simply being a constant part of their personality. In other cases, yandere characters are used as a means of surprising the audience.

Yandere Personality Traits

Obsessive Yandere characters are generally consumed with their obsession and are constantly thinking about them in some form. Nearly everything they think or do is for the sake of said person, even if it’s entirely irrational (or even violent). Example: Juvia from Fairy Tail constantly thinks about Gray, to the point where all other women appear as romantic rivals in her eyes.

Two-faced Yandere characters often put on a cute and innocent persona at first, only to reveal a much more disturbed psyche beneath the surface later on. Some characters may even be shy, timid, or quiet from the get-go. Example: Yuri from Doki Doki Literature Club is extremely shy and insecure, only to reveal a side of herself that’s fanatically and dangerously obsessed with the main character.

Violent From maiming to straight-up torture, yandere characters can demonstrate a whole spectrum of violence on behalf of their beloved—this might involve injuring or even killing. Yandere characters often do not care who they have to hurt (or how many people, for that matter) due to their obsession. Example: As an child, Lucy from Elfen Lied kills her friend/love interest’s family.

Possessive Yandere characters are often extremely possessive over their love interest, and unwilling to believe that said love interest can go on without them. Because of this, yandere characters can be extremely territorial over their love interest to the point of keeping them as a possession. Example: Yuno from Future Diary drugs Yuki and “cares” for him in a locked room.

Yandere Examples

Yuno Gasai from Future DiaryThe world of Future Diary revolves around 12 individuals chosen to participate in a battle royale to determine who becomes the new God. The catch? Each of them has a cell phone diary that gives them unique glimpses of the future. Yuno, a classmate of the protagonist, Yuki, is obsessively in love with him and determined to see him win the supernatural contest. In fact, her diary gives her an exclusive glimpse at everything that happens to/around Yuki. Throughout the series, Yuno hacks and slashes her way through both the innocent and the guilty with a singular focus on being with Yuki.

Misa Amane from Death Note A great example of a benign yandere, Misa is obsessed with Light, the main character, and is determined to get him to like and appreciate her. A few of her iconic quotes from the series reflect as much, including “I would never dream of living in a world without Light” “I’ll do anything for Light” or “I’m sure you’ll [Light] fall in love with me for real one day.”

Shuu Tsukiyama from Tokyo Ghoul In the already violent and gore-ridden universe of Tokyo Ghoul, Shuu is absolutely obsessed with getting a taste of half-ghoul Ken Kaneki, the protagonist of the franchise. This obsession defines him throughout the series, to the point that his character becomes deeply depressed after Kaneki vanishes.

Himiko Toga from My Hero Academia In a world defined by “quirks” (superpowers), Toga is a villain whose ability allows her to turn into someone else if she drinks enough of their blood. A major catch of this power? She has to know how the person’s quirk works, and she has to have a deep interest in the individual beforehand. Throughout the series, Toga is obsessed with protagonist Izuku Midoriya.

Monika from Doki Doki Literature Club In the video game Doki Doki Literature Club, you play as the high school protagonist who ends up joining his school’s literature club on behalf of Sayori (the MC’s in-game best friend). The seemingly innocent and light-hearted game rapidly transforms into a horrifically violent nightmare, where it’s revealed that Monika, the club’s president, is pulling all the strings to be with you. In fact, the game breaks the fourth wall as Monika acknowledges the physical player rather than the in-game avatar. The game will actually edit the other character files from the game on behalf of Monika.

Types of Yanderes

Benign While still obsessive, a benign yandere displays their devotion through non-violent means, like making food/meals for their obsession. They may also revolve their thoughts, interests, and passions around said obsession rather than developing unique qualities and preferences for themselves. Example: Misa from Death Note

Fanatical The fanatical yandere has a constant need to be plugged into their obsession’s life and free time—in their mind, there’s nothing out there that’s more important. In a love interest capacity, this obsession may manifest in the yandere constantly thinking or wondering about their love interest and inquiring what their love interest was up to. In a shock value capacity, this obsession reaches a new level of delusion (e.g., the yandere creates a doll that resembles the object of their obsession). Example: Haruna from Durarara!!

Stalker A stalker yandere follows their target around (without said target realizing it). They might even break into their target’s space and rifle through their belongings as a means of “getting to know them better” or “getting closer” to them. Example: Joe from Netflix’s You

Protective A protective yandere acts on behalf of their obsession, often offering violent means of protection on behalf of this individual. This yandere may perceive totally harmless statements and actions as threatening against their obsession, and then act accordingly. Example: Satou from Happy Sugar Life

Similar Archetypes

Yangire The term “yangire” is a mishmash of the Japanese words “yanderu” (to be ill) and “gire” (to snap). While a yangire is capable of the same violence that a yandere is, their drastic change in behavior has nothing to do with an obsession/love with someone else. In some ways, yangire could be considered a synonym for words like “psychopath.” Future Diary has great examples of both yandere and yangire characters—Yuno Gasai, a textbook yandere, and Takao Hiyama, a yangire, Yuno’s psychopathic homeroom teacher who dies at the beginning of the series.

Yeredere Yeredere characters have the classic obsessive qualities of a yandere without any of their violent tendencies. Think of them as the characters who do all sorts of chores and favors for their love interest, like making them meals, sending them gifts, and so on. Chizuru Honshou from Bleach is a good example of a yeredere, with deuteragonist Orihime being the object of her obsession.

Bucchigire On the flip side of a yeredere, bucchigire characters have all the violent tendencies of a yandere without any of the romantic, lovey-dovey motivations. The word comes from a combo of the Japanese words “buccha,” or butcher, and “gire,” or “to snap.” Inosuke from Demon Slayer is a great example of a bucchigire character. This term rose in popularity thanks to the 2022 anime series of the same name.