The world of Japanese animation is home to thousands of diverse characters across many genres, and with all this material to work with, it's vital for fans to use special terms to categorize different sorts of characters. The "dumb but lovable" type may be called a himbo, while some kind and mature girls are considered the classic "big sister" type, even if they don't actually have siblings.
Then there are the -dere types, with "dere" meaning affection, and this suffix can be used in terms such as tsundere, kuudere, yandere and certainly dandere. What does it mean for an anime character to be a dandere, and who are some notable examples of this beloved character type? Most anime shows have at least one dandere in them, after all.
Danderes Are Shy, Quiet & Like To Blend In
The primary attribute of a dandere character is that he or she is quiet and reserved, and they are generally very shy. Such characters speak very little of their own volition and can easily spend a whole day without having a real conversation with anyone around them. They might even avoid other people, such as dashing out of class the moment the bell rings.
Unlike kuudere characters, who simply don't want to chat, a dandere is actually afraid to talk, which is a crucial difference between the two. Danderes are happiest if they can blend into a crowd of people so no one pays particular attention to them. Shiori Shinomiya from The World God Only Knows is an example -- a typical "shy library" girl" who only feels understood by books.
Danderes Get Anxious When Speaking One-On-One With Somebody
Danderes are mainly defined by their shyness and minimal communication, and this can manifest in a number of ways. Not only do danderes prefer to blend into crowds, but they may also experience acute anxiety if they find themselves in a one-on-one conversation. Typically, this is an exchange that the other party initiated, and the dandere must either find a way to reciprocate or escape the situation somehow.
The dandere's anxiety may be expressed in a variety of ways, from avoiding eye contact to trembling or stuttering, or even simply fleeing. Shoko Komi from Komi Can't Communicate is an example of an anxious dandere who quickly falls apart if someone expects her to have a conversation with them, whether it's a classmate, teacher or coffee shop barista. Komi is slowly working on this and making fine progress though.
Danderes Are Afraid Of Saying Something Foolish
Danderes are often naturally shy and modest, and that is why they usually avoid conversations and opening up to other people. That, and their social anxiety means they'd much rather not chat with anyone during their everyday lives. Danderes are also afraid of making a social faux pas or saying something foolish, and they expect everyone to laugh at them or mock them.
To a dandere, every conversation is a disaster waiting to happen, and the dandere can't take back anything that comes from their mouth. So, danderes play it safe and keep quiet -- that way, nothing bad can happen. Characters such as Shoko Komi and Miku Nakano from The Quintessential Quintuplets are choosy with their words and often worry that they just said or did something ridiculous (although they're usually wrong about that).
Danderes Are Often Insecure Or Have Low Self-Esteem
Some danderes have very little faith in themselves. Perhaps they made a serious mistake in the past, or they have internalized substantial verbal or emotional abuse and now act accordingly. In other cases, the dandere falls short in terms of combat prowess, grades in school, athletic ability or workplace competence, so they become insecure about themselves and become withdrawn.
Whether or not the dandere actually does fall short of expectations is a different matter, because in a dandere's own eyes, they are not worthy, and they will cling to this narrative tightly. Hinata Hyuga in Naruto is a notable example -- an unassertive ninja who didn't believe in her own strength until Naruto Uzumaki gave her a pep talk to snap her out of it. Slowly but surely, Hinata learned to love herself.
Danderes React Poorly To Criticism & Bullying
Cruel words might haunt a dandere character not just in the past, but in the present as well. Due to their weak social skills and lack of confidence, danderes are vulnerable to teasing, harassment, criticism and bullying, and they fall apart if anyone verbally attacks them for any reason. Even gentle, good-natured teasing or ribbing is devastating to a dandere, who can't tell the difference between that and true bullying.
To a dandere, all criticism leveled at them is justified, and their insecurities tell them so. An example is the shy student chef Megumi Tadokoro -- a gifted but meek girl from the Food Wars! anime who quickly falls apart if anyone tries to intimidate her. Thankfully however, she later got over this.