26+ Types of Anime Girlfriends They Don’t Tell You About!

Herman Carter - Masters in AI Ethics & Society
Updated on: 05/06/2024

BY Herman Carter - Masters in AI Ethics & Society

Fact Checked By Sean

Updated on May 6, 2024

FACT CHECKED BY Sean

After watching hundreds of anime I learned that there are a lot more anime girl types than most people know. Here’s a full breakdown. 👇🏼

One of the anime I’ve been watching recently is called; “The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You.”

100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You cover

A mouthful… I know.

Anyway, it’s about this guy who gets blessed by god with (guess what) 100 girlfriends. The fun thing about this story is that each new girlfriend he acquires is completely different.

One is aggressive, the other sweet, shy, nerdy, crazy – you name it. There are a bazillion types of anime girlfriends and in this post, I am going to tell you:

What each type of anime girlfriend is
What the most popular anime girlfriend types are

STEP 1: SELECT YOUR STYLE

Realistic

Anime

In a Rush? quick overview of every Type of Anime Girlfriend

I’ve summarized all the type of anime girlfriends in the tables below. If you want the full breakdown feel free to skip this part and continue reading the article. 🙂

Type	Traits	Famous Characters	Anime
Tsundere	Cold, then warm and loving	Asuka Langley Soryu, Taiga Aisaka	Neon Genesis Evangelion, Toradora!
Yandere	Loving but mentally unstable	Yuno Gasai, Misa Amane	Future Diary, Death Note
Kuudere	Cool, calm, and collected	Rei Ayanami, Mai Sakurajima	Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
Dandere	Quiet and reserved	Hinata Hyuga, Shoko Komi	Naruto, Komi Can’t Communicate
Deredere	Purely loving and energetic	Tohru Honda, Ochaco Uraraka	Fruits Basket, My Hero Academia

Type	Traits	Famous Characters	Anime
Kanedere	Loves money, potentially loving	Erina Nakiri, Kaguya Shinomiya	Neon Genesis Evangelion, Toradora!
Oujodere	Princess-like, elegant	Euphemia li Britannia, Charlotte Pudding	Future Diary, Death Note
Himedere	Demands royal treatment	Aki Adagaki, Charlotte Pudding	Masamune-kun’s Revenge No Revenge, One Piece
Kamidere	God complex, confident	Satsuki Kiryuin, Esdeath	Kill la Kill, Akame ga Kill!
Sadodere	Sweet and sadistic	Hayase Nagatoro, Himiko Toga	Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, My Hero Academia

Type	Traits	Famous Characters	Anime
Nyandere / Anime Cat Girl	Cat-like charm, loving	Ichigo Momomiya, Blair, Atla	Tokyo Mew Mew, Soul Eater, The Rising of The Shield Hero
Inudere / Anime Puppy Girl	Loyal, puppy-like affection	Raphtalia, Shigure Kosaka, Elizabeth	The Rising of The Shield Hero, Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple, Gintama
Megadere	Grand gestures, intense affection	Juvia Lockser, Sakura Haruno, Misa Amane	Fairy Tail, Naruto, Death Note
Bakadere	Adorable airheads, innocent	Orihime Inoue, Aqua, Tohru Honda	Bleach, KonoSuba, Fruits Basket
Goudere	Boisterous, go-getter	Hestia, Albedo, Haruhi Suzumiya	Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Overlord, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Type	Traits	Famous Characters	Anime
Byoukidere	Sick/Ill but loving	Nagisa Furukawa, Neko Fujinomina, Hanako Ikezawa	Clannad, Masamune-kun No Revenge, Katawa Shoujo
Nemuidere	Sleepy yet affectionate	Rem, Suou Pavlichenko, Tsumugi Kotobuki	Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, Darker than Black, K-ON!
Mayadere	Starts as antagonist, becomes loving	Aki Adagaki, Annie Leonhart, Satsuki Kiryuin	Masamune-kun No Revenge, Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill
Kekkondere	Want to get married	Belldandy, Tohru Honda, Moka Akashiya	Ah! My Goddess, Fruits Basket, Rosario + Vampire
Kitikudere	Teasing but affectionate	Senjougahara Hitagi, Haruhi Suzumiya, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière	Monogatari Series, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, The Familiar of Zero

Type	Traits	Famous Characters	Anime
Hajidere	Shy but loving	Hinata Hyuga, Riko Kurahashi, Sawako Kuronuma	Naruto, Love Lab, Kimi ni Todoke
Yottadere	Always drunk, energetic	Vanessa Enoteca, Weda, Tsunade Senju	Black Clover, Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu, NARUTO
Bodere	Shy and violent	Esdeath	Akame Ga Kill
Bocchandere	Criminal	Ciel Phantomhive, Metori Saiko	Kuroshitsuji, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan
Hiyakasudere	Teasing, playful	Hitachiin Twins	Ouran High School Host Club
Shundere	Perpetually sad	Mei Misaki, Laymia	Another, Beelzebub

What is an Anime Waifu?

An anime waifu is a term used by fans to describe a female anime character they admire or have a strong affection for. It’s often a character they find attractive or connect with on a personal level.

What Does Dere Mean?

“Dere” refers to a set of archetypes in anime and manga that describe different types of characters’ personalities, especially in the context of love and romance. The term combines with other words to describe specific character traits, like “Tsundere” for characters who are initially cold but show a warmer side over time.

Learn More >>> Who’s Your Match? Take the Anime Waifu Quiz!

Fan Favorites: The Anime Girlfriends Everyone Loves

These anime girlfriends have stolen hearts and sparked debates across countless forums and fan pages.

They’re the ones you can’t help but love, even when they’re driving you nuts.

#1 Tsundere

Tsun Tsun (Cold) + Dere Dere (Loving)

First up in our hall of fame is the Tsundere.

I am 100% sure you know them – they start as cold as a winter in Siberia, throwing shade and sass like nobody’s business.

Then later you find out that deep down they are all lovey-dovey. It’s like they’re made of ice and fire simultaneously.¹

Famous Tsundere Girlfriends

Kana Arima (Oshi no Ko)
Jotaro Kujo (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Taiga Aisaka (Toradora!)
Rin Tohsaka (Fate/Stay Night)

#2 Yandere

Yanderu (Sick/Mentally Unstable) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Yandere Girlfriends are a wild mix of sweet and scary.

They seem all loving and kind at first, but there’s a twist – they’re a bit, well, crazy. Think of them as the ultimate protectors of love, sometimes going to extreme lengths for their affection..²

Famous Yandere Girlfriends

Yuno Gasai (Future Diary)
Misa Amane (Death Note)
Ayase Aragaki (Oreimo)
Satou Matsuzaka (Happy Sugar Life)
Sekai Saonji (School Days)

#3 Kuudere

Kuuru (Cool) + Dere Dere (Loving)

They are the cool, calm, and collected ones. They’re like a refreshing breeze on a hot day – composed, mature, and often a bit aloof.

But don’t let their cool exterior fool you; they’ve got a warm heart beating underneath.

Kuudure Girlfriends are less common than Yandere and Tsundere waifus.³

Famous Kuudere Girlfriends

Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Kanade Tachibana (Angel Beats!)
Yuki Nagato (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Mai Sakurajima (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai)
Mashiro Shiina (The Pet Girl of Sakurasou)

#4 Dandere

Danmari (Silent) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Dandere Girlfriends are my personal favorite. They are the quiet ones, often flying under the radar.

Their silence isn’t cold; it’s just their way of being thoughtful and introspective.⁴

Famous Dandere Girlfriends

Hinata Hyuga (Naruto/Naruto Shippuden)
Shoko Komi (Komi Can’t Communicate)
Yoshimoto Shizuka (The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You)
Yuki Nagato (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Sawako Kuronuma (Kimi ni Todoke)

#5 Deredere

Dere Dere (Loving)

Deredere waifus are 100% pure love and affection. They’re like a burst of sunshine on a cloudy day – always positive, cheerful, and full of love.

These Girlfriends wear their hearts on their sleeves, spreading joy wherever they go.⁵

Famous Deredere Girlfriends

Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)
Ochaco Uraraka (My Hero Academia)
Eru Chitanda (Hyouka)
Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess)
Mako Mankanshoku (Kill la Kill)

Hidden Gems: Unique and Lesser-Known Anime Girls

Ok, if you reach this point two possible thoughts are racing through that brain of yours.

This guy didn’t teach me anything new at all. BORINGGG
Wow I didn’t know there were that many waifu personalities.

I don’t care which thought you are having because this section is going to blow you away. Here are some lesser-known types of anime girls that you’ve most likely come across.

#6 Kanedere

Kana (Money/Gold) + Dere Dere (Loving)

These girls have a thing for the green – and no, not plants.

We’re talking cold, hard CASH. But hey, don’t judge too quickly. They might love money, but some of them have hearts bigger than their bank accounts.⁶

Famous Kanedere Girlfriends

Mina Carolina (Attack on Titan)
Erina Nakiri (Food Wars!)
Kaguya Shinomiya (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War)

#7 Oujodere

Oujo (Princess) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Oujoderes are your high-class, elegant types. Think of them as the princesses of the anime world.

They carry themselves with grace, but sometimes they can be a bit too high and mighty. Still, i think something is charming about their royal demeanor.⁷

Famous Oujodere Girlfriends

Ayeka Masaki Jurai (Tenchi Muyo!)
Euphemia li Britannia (Code Geass)
Charlotte Pudding (One Piece)

#8 Himedere

Hime (Princess) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Himederes are pretty much the divas of anime. They expect the royal treatment and aren’t shy about it.

Sure, they can be a handful, but their confidence and flair can be pretty endearing once you get past the tiara.⁸

Famous Himedere Girlfriends

Aki Adegaki (Masamune-kun’s Revenge)
Euphemia li Britannia (Code Geass)
Charlotte Pudding (One Piece)

#9 Kamidere

Kami (God) + Dere Dere (Loving)

And then we got, Kamideres. These girlfriends are all about self-confidence, sometimes tipping into a god complex. They’re the ones who walk into a scene like they own it.⁹

Intimidating? Maybe.

Interesting? Definitely.

Famous Kamidere Girlfriends

Medusa Gorgon (Soul Eater)
Esdeath (Akame ga Kill!)
Satsuki Kiryuin (Kill la Kill)

#10 Sadodere

Sado (Sadistic) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Sadodere girlfriends are a unique blend of sweet and spicy. They’ve got a loving side, sure, but they also have a bit of a… Sadistic streak. ¹⁰

It’s like they enjoy teasing and playing games with guys that like them.

Famous Sadodere Girlfriends

Hayase Nagatoro (Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro)
Mami Nanami (Rent-A-Girlfriend)
Himiko Toga (My Hero Academia)
Akiko Yosano (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Quirky and Cute: Eccentric Anime Girl Types

I think I could better name this the “Awww” girlfriends, since that’s the sound you’ll be making when you come across one of them.

They are super, super, super, SUPER cute.

*WARNING* you might want to grab a bucket because they are drool-worthy wifey material.

#11 Nyandere / Anime Cat Girl

Nyan (Meow/Sound of a Cat) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Nyandere characters are the purr-fect mix of cat-like charm and loving personality.

They’re the ones who might throw in a ‘meow’ in conversation or have cat-like mannerisms. Cute, right?¹¹

Famous Nyandere Girlfriends

Ichigo Momomiya (Tokyo Mew Mew)
Blair (Soul Eater)
Atla (The Rising of The Shield Hero)

#12 Inudere / Anime Puppy Girl

Inu (Dog) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Then we got the Inudere girls – they are all about that loyal, puppy-like affection. They’re the kind who show their love with enthusiasm and a tail-wagging eagerness. ¹²

Famous Inudere Girlfriends

Raphtalia (The Rising of The Shield Hero)
Shigure Kosaka (Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple)
Elizabeth (Gintama)

#13 Megadere

Mega (Great/Large) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Megadere waifus takes love and affection to the next level. They often make grand gestures and have big feelings. ¹³

Think of them as Derderere’s but on steroids.

Famous Megadere Girlfriends

Juvia Lockser (Fairy Tail)
Sakura Haruno (Naruto)
Misa Amane (Death Note)

#14 Bakadere

Baka (Idiot) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Bakadere girls are adorable airheads.

They might not be the sharpest tools in the shed, but their heart is always in the right place. Their innocent and clumsy nature is just part of their charm.¹⁴

Famous Bakadere Girlfriends

Orihime Inoue (Bleach)
Aqua (KonoSuba)
Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)

#15 Goudere

Gou Gou (Boisterous) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Goudere characters are the boisterous, go-getter types. They’re all about making a big impression and often go over the top to show their love. ¹⁵

They’re the life of the party and the heart of the romance.

Famous Goudere Girlfriends

Hestia (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?)
Albedo (Overlord)
Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

Deep and Complex: The Anime Girls with Layers

Sooo I took the liberty of naming some of the most underrated anime waifus. The ones with cool stories and complex background.

#16 Byoukidere

Byouki (Sick/Ill) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Byoukidere characters are those who, despite being sick or ill, radiate a loving aura.

They’ve got this loving side that shines through, making them some of the most resilient and heartwarming characters you’ll meet.¹⁶

Famous Byoukidere Girlfriends

Nagisa Furukawa (Clannad)
Neko Fujinomina (Masamune-kun No Revenge)
Hanako Ikezawa (Katawa Shoujo)

#17 Nemuidere

Nemui (Sleepy) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Nemuidere girls are the ultimate sleepyheads, but there’s something super cute about their drowsy demeanor.¹⁷

Famous Nemuidere Girlfriends

Rem (Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World)
Suou Pavlichenko (Darker than Black)
Tsumugi Kotobuki (K-ON!)

#18 Mayadere

Maya (Deception) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Mayaderes starts on the wrong foot, maybe as the antagonist, but they flip the script when they fall in love. ¹⁸

These are some of my favorite girlfriends because they start off as a villain and turn into an epic hero.

Famous Mayadere Girlfriends

Aki Adagaki (Masamune-kun No Revenge)
Annie Leonhart (Attack on Titan)
Satsuki Kiryuin (Kill la Kill)

#19 Kekkondere

Kekko (Fine/Good) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Kekkonderes have one job: finding a soulmate and get married. Period. There’s nothing stopping them from finding that one person and settling down.¹⁹

This often leads to them being slightly more sexual anime characters than others on this list.

Famous Kekkondere Girlfriends

Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess)
Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)
Moka Akashiya (Rosario + Vampire)

#20 Kitikudere

Kitiku (Torment) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Kitikuderes might tease and torment a bit, but it’s all in good fun. They show their love in unique ways, keeping things interesting and always keeping you guessing.²⁰

Famous Kitikudere Girlfriends

Senjougahara Hitagi (Monogatari Series)
Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière (The Familiar of Zero)

Rare Finds: Specialized Anime Girl Types

Some anime girlfriend types s are so rare that there are only a handful of characters across each manga, series, game, etc..

#21 Hajidere

Haji (Shyness) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Hajidere girls are the shy ones, the kind who blush and stumble over their words. Especially when they are talking to someone they like…²¹

It’s like they’ve got this whole ‘shy but loving’ vibe down to an art.

Famous Hajidere Girlfriends

Hinata Hyuga (Naruto)
Riko Kurahashi (Love Lab)
Sawako Kuronuma (Kimi ni Todoke)

#22 Yottadere

Yotta (A Lot/Many) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Yottaderes are the life of the party, often seen with a drink in hand.

They’re the ones who can party all night and still be the first ones up in the morning, ready to go again.²²

Famous Yottadere Girlfriends

Vanessa Enoteca (Black Clover)
Weda (Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu)
Tsunade Senju (NARUTO)

#23 Bodere

Bo (Violent) + Dere Dere (Loving)

Bodere’s are the type of anime waifus who are even more shy than Hajidere’s. The only difference is that they are extremely violent to mask their shyness.²³

Famous Bodere Girlfriends

Esdeath (Akame Ga Kill)

#24 Bocchandere

Bocchan (Young Master) + Dere Dere (Loving)

They are the type of waifus you don’t want your future son to date. Often, Bocchan girls are members of criminal organizations like the Yakuza or some other mafia.²⁴

Famous Bocchandere Girlfriends

Ciel Phantomhive (Kuroshitsuji)
Metori Saiko (Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan)

#25 Hiyakasudere

Hiyakasu (Tease) + Dere Dere (Loving)

She knows you are attracted to her and she’s not afraid to tease you about it. Hiyakasudere waifus are teasing yes. ²⁵

But often, the reason they do this is because they want your special attention

Famous Hiyakasudere Girlfriends

Hitachiin Twins (Ouran High School Host Club)
Nino Nakano (The Quintessential Quintuplets)

#26 Shundere

Shun (Sadness) + Dere Dere (Loving)

I am ending this list in a sad way (literally). Shundere girls are sad ALL THE TIME. Many anime fans think the reason Shundere’s are sad is because something happened to them.²⁶

This is not true.

They are sad because it’s just how they are

Famous Shundere Girlfriends

Mei Misaki (Another)
Laymia (Beelzebub)

Wrapping Up…

As you can see there are tons and tons of different types of anime girlfriends. Although this list is a behemoth, I’ve only scratched the tip of the iceberg by naming the most popular ones.

Wanna hear something cool?

New waifu types are popping up! Anime (girlfriends) are getting increasingly popular so creators are becoming more and more creative as well.

Some types that have been added over the recent years are;

Bosudere (bossy type)
Borudere (sweet but living in poor conditions)

Not to mention that people are actually bringing their favorite anime girlfriends to life with the power of AI.

They are creating images of their waifu which they then upload to an AI chatbot platform to role play with her.

But that’s a story for another time. 😉

sources

Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Tsundere. The Dere Types. Tsundere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). yandere. The Dere Types. yandere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Kuudere. The Dere Types. Kuudere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Dandere. The Dere Types. Dandere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Deredere. The Dere Types. Deredere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). kanedere. The Dere Types. kanedere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Oujodere. The Dere Types. Oujodere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Himidere. The Dere Types. Himidere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Kamidere. The Dere Types. Kamidere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Sadodere. The Dere Types. Sadodere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Nyandere. The Dere Types. Nyandere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Inudere. The Dere Types. Inudere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Megadere. The Dere Types. Megadere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Bakadere. The Dere Types. Bakadere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Goudere. The Dere Types. Goudere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Byoukidere. The Dere Types. Byoukidere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Nemuidere. The Dere Types. Nemuidere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Mayadere. The Dere Types. Mayadere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Kekkondere. The Dere Types. Kekkondere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Kitikudere. The Dere Types. Kitikudere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Hajidere. The Dere Types. Hajidere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Yottadere. The Dere Types. Yottadere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Bodere. The Dere Types. Bodere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Bocchandere. The Dere Types. Bocchandere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Hiyakasudere. The Dere Types. Hiyakasudere ↩︎
Wiki, C. T. D. T. (n.d.). Shundere. The Dere Types. Shundere ↩︎

Did you enjoy this article? Meet the author:

Herman Carter - Masters in AI Ethics & Society

Herman is a seasoned freelance writer holding a Master's degree in AI Ethics & Society from the University of Cambridge. He also moonlights as a comedian and can make even the most serious AI crack a smile.

Learn More About Me Here

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