Category:Yanderes

Yandere (ヤンデレ) is a character archetype in Japanese media, blending two words: yanderu (病んでる), meaning "sick" (often referring to mental illness), and dere dere (でれでれ), meaning "lovestruck." Yandere characters typically begin as sweet, caring, and innocent, but their devotion to a love interest escalates into extreme, often violent or obsessive behavior. This can include acts like eliminating romantic rivals out of jealousy.

The archetype originated in Japanese media, including anime and manga, during the 1980s but gained prominence in the early 2000s. While most common in romance or horror genres, yandere traits can occasionally appear in other genres. The yandere archetype evolved as a variation of tsundere, another character type. Unlike yandere, tsundere characters exhibit a tough or cold personality that softens into affection over time.