Tsundere

Tsundere (ツンデレ) is a Japanese character development process which describes a person who is initially cold and even hostile towards another person before gradually showing their warm side over time. The word is derived from the terms Tsun Tsun (ツンツン), meaning to turn away in disgust, and Dere Dere (デレデレ) meaning to become 'lovey dovey'. Originally found in Japanese bishōjo games, the word is now part of the otaku moe phenomenon, reaching into other media such as maid cafes, anime, manga, novels, and even mass media. The term was made popular in the game Kimi ga Nozomu Eien.

Terminology
Like nekomimi, tsundere is considered a moe-inspiring character trait. The concept has received increasing attention in Japan, with a tsundere cafe opened in Akihabara and tsundere-themed products released (like Tomy Co.'s portable television set), and the concept increasingly reflected in recent anime, from an extended discussion of the meaning of the concept and its origin on the Internet in Lucky Star's Lucky Channel segment to merchandise for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya classifying the characters according to tsundere-ness. Another accepted definition of tsundere is a girl who has a combative attitude toward others but is also kind on the inside. She usually plays out as having an attitude toward the main character, usually a male, and often criticizing him in one way or another, but as the series progresses she eventually warms up to him or falls in love with him.

Comiket organiser Ichikawa Koichi has described Lum Invader of Urusei Yatsura as being both the source of moe and the first tsundere. Other anime & manga featuring tsundere include The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Love Hina, Naruto, Genshiken, Toradora!, Kagami Hiiragi of Lucky Star, Hitagi Senjōgahara of Bakemonogatari, and Saber of Fate/stay night. Characters that are not strictly classified as tsundere can also exhibit tsundere-like traits, such as Holo of Spice and Wolf. Rie Kugimiya is considered a voice actress who specializes in tsundere characters. Kugimiya has voiced such characters as Shana from Shakugan no Shana, Louise from The Familiar of Zero, Taiga from Toradora! and Nagi from Hayate the Combat Butler. The Germany character from the bishonen series Hetalia: Axis Powers is portrayed as being tsundere, and is paired with a "loveable loser" in Italy. Tsundere has become a common theme in maid cafes.