Top 30 Yandere Characters in Anime
On one hand, Yandere characters in Anime are cute, they are endearing, kind and loveable. On the other hand, they can flip a switch and become murderous and violent in a second. While we love to love these characters, they are ones to watch out for. However, they do offer the element of surprise, which is what you want out of a good anime!
If you have a love for all things Yandere, here are the top 30 to have a look at.
1. Lucy – Elfen Lied
Also known as Kaede, Lucy was one of the first proper Yandere to hit the anime scene. Lucy was tested upon and put through ruthless torture by government organizations. She was forced to use her powers to torment subjects. She manages to escape her captors and tormentors, but in the process is injured. This injury causes her to gain a new personality – Nyu. Nyu is childlike and gentle, whereas Lucy can be violent and homicidal. The switch between these two happens in a snap, and those who expect the childlike personality of Nyu can be hit with the sadism of Lucy in an instant.
2. Mikasa Ackerman – Attack on Titan
Mikasa is gentle and kind. She is the adoptive sister of Armin. Through her past she has an unbreakable bond with Eren and helps him whenever he needs her. Her timid and genius mind does not attest to her incredible fighting skills and physical strength. She lives her life to protect Eren, and her kindness becomes obsolete when he is in danger.
3. Sekai Saionji – School Days
Sweet and cheerful are perfect words to describe her. She even goes out of her way to help her crush and hopefully-sweetheart, Makoto, try and get close to the girl that he is after – Kotonoha. While they are mostly positive, her emotions rule her and this can cause her to be quite a loudmouth and erratic at times. Even though she is small and cute, she can ruthlessly turn down any suitors who are not Makoto. She stands her ground, but is cute at the same time.
4. Anna Nishikinomiya – Shimoneta
Anna is the daughter of revered and respected parents. They enforce strict public laws and are incredibly influential. As a result of this, Anna takes on a similar responsibility. She is the president of the Student Council, but is soft spoken and naïve. However she is strong, headfast and determined. She used any means possible – sometimes even seen as lewd or obscene – to get rid of any materials within the school. Her soft spoken manner is no match for her strong sense of just getting things done.
5. Megumi Shimizu – Shiki
She is pretty and full of life. She feels her village keeps her down and so desperately longs for a life in the city. Her one-sided crush on Natsuno sees her daydreaming about him constantly. She is sweet and ambitious, but do not get on her wrong side.
6. Tsukiyama – Tokyo Ghoul
Tsukiyama is a fourth-year student studying Social Welfare at the Department of Human Sciences, he is also the infamous Gourmet Ghoul. He comes across as a gentleman, an intellectual and a man with opulent taste for the finer things in life. This façade very convincingly hides the darker side of his personality. He is narcissistically minded, he is disturbed and dark. When he takes on the form of a ghoul, his arrogance of being strong shines through. He like only eating the finest of specimens and prides himself as being at the top of the food chain. His high-life and opulence are no match for his sadistic and cunning darker side.
7. Katsura Kotonoha – School Days
Katsura is as shy and quiet as they come. She is beautiful, and this pushes away many females. It has also caused her to be shy and wary of boys. Her more reserved and cautious personality does not speak to her actual strength when push comes to shove. She is strong at heart, and her beauty hides this well.
8. Alois – Black Butler
Earl Alois Trancy, as he is more formally known. He is the head of the household and should be referred to as “Your Highness”. He is rather young, only 14 years old, so he looks childlike and weak. In reality though he is unpredictable and is demanding. He has a deep connection with his butler Claude, but pushes him to his limit as well. He has serious mood swings which often result in violence, after he is easily angered and pestered. He also tends to use harsh and foul language in these moods. Though through these darker traits, he has a cheerful disposition that many fall prey to.
9. Yuno Gasai – Future Diary
Yuno Gasai is unique and attractive. She has long pink hair and big pink eyes. Her hair is often pulled back in pigtails with the front locks adorned in bows. She is incredibly sweet and very feminine. Sometimes she can even be shy when around boys like Yukiteru. Below this mask of gentleness is a dark, cold and calculating character that will do anything and use anyone to get what she wants. She even resorts to violence and cruelty to achieve her goals, often leading to death and destruction. She is still super cute to look at though!
10. Ayase Aragaki – Oreimo
Sweet and friendly, Ayase is friends with Kirino and works alongside her as a model. She has an incredible hate for being lied to, and often becomes angered and violent if she suspects that someone may be lying to her. She has a distaste for anime, and from the news she believes that anime leads to otaku becoming criminals. She changes friendships and loves because of this view, altering her life.
11. Belarus – Hetalia Axis Powers
The story of Belarus and her brothers Ukraine and Russia is very complicated. She is young and naïve and is in a way, in love with her brother Russia who does not return the favour. Lithuania loves her however, but she quite openly hates him. She comes across as docile and very youthful, but beneath this there is a harsh and mad woman. Some claim that she is bipolar. She lashes out violently, even breaking all Lithuania’s fingers when out on a date. She carries a knife around and is a big fan of the occult. Her sweet and innocent looks in no way define her wild personality.
12. Takami Minatsuki – Deadman Wonderland
Minatsuki is the youngest of three – Yoh Takami and a Deadman Hummingbird. She has a dark past and upbringing. She seems to many to be a little girl who has no taste for violence and turns her back on her past. However, this is not the truth. She is an incredibly twisted individual who takes pleasure in seeing others writhe in pain. To show her violence and sadism – she uses blood from her ears to create whips to strike and restrain victims. These are her Branch of Sins. She is one of the more evil characters around, but hides it very well behind her appearance.
13. Misa Amane – Death note
Misa is a famous model. She is small and beautiful. Though she is one of the possessors of her own Death Book. She supports Light in his quest to rid the world of evil, using his Death Book. She cuts her lifespan in half twice to receive the Shinigami Rem, the ability to know someone’s name by just looking at their face. By having their name, she can end their life by writing it down in her Death Book. Her relationship with Light is not even, he simply uses her to fulfil his own goals. But her lust for death and power over life and death make her a dangerous character.
14. Shouko Kirishima -Baka to Test – Summoning the Beast
Shouko comes across as soft-spoken and reserved. She is the class representative and is highly intelligent. She is completely infatuated with Yuuji. This infatuation brings out the crazy in her. She is very assertive and possessive. When she sees him looking at girls, she would often poke his eyes to blur his vision. She has resorted to chains and locks to keep him with her, and even tasers him if she feels he is unfaithful. At one point her craziness drives her to submit a marriage certificate for the two of them, which is ultimately unsuccessful because she is underage. She is a good example of how a mix of love and possessiveness can lead to a bad end.
15. Nadeko Sengoku – Bakemonogatari
Nadeko is the main character of the show Nadeko Snake. She is shy and unassuming. She hides behind her bangs while fall down to almost cover her eyes. When she pushes them aside one day, she reveals a glare that resembles a serpent and thus she shows the whole other side to her personality that nobody could ever have imagined.
16. Seijuurou – Kuroko no Basket
He is the captain of the Generation of Miracles and wields great power. Akashi holds power and a winner’s mentality, but also shows respect and reverence to his team and followers. During middle school, he developed a split personality which does not have any tolerance for those who stand against him or belittle him. He gains a new rule that only those who follow him or earn his respect can look him in the eyes. He goes from respectful and thoughtful to harsh and violent, thanks to his two vastly different sides.
17. Shion and Mion Sonozaki – Higurashi: When They Cry
Shion is the second born of the Sonozaki family. Her and her twin, Mion, often swap places to attend family meetings in preparation to lead the family. However the twins ended up swapping roles on the day that Mion, the first born, was to receive the branded demon tattoo. This left the wrong sister permanently branded as the leader. Mion uses skill and a little cheating to win games at the club and even adopts a tomboy personality. This however cannot be seen through her formal and responsible role as the headship of the family. Her severity comes through when she forces Shion to rip off three of her own fingernails, even though her love for her as a twin remains.
18. Asakura – The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
So Ryoko Asakura first appears as a social and intelligent high school student. She even runs as class president. Little does anyone know, before revealing it herself, that she is actually a Data Overmind Humanoid Interface. She has murderous intentions and is definitely not as perky and sweet as she seems. Her once popular and happy demeanour is replaced with darker intentions. She is Yuki’s back up, and just like him, she battles to feel and empathize with humans. She does however possess social skills that help her fit in and helps hide in the crowd. She kills without thought and is a mastermind calculator.
19. Revy – Black Lagoon
Revy is also sometimes known by her full name Rebecca. She is very secretive about her past and is one of the main fighters for the Lagoon Company. She was raised in Chinatown and is half American-Chinese. She grew up as a thief and a murderer, setting her up for a life similar to this. She is secretive and dark, as well as ruthless and unwavering when killing on a whim. She is a great shooter and will threaten anyone who steps in her way.
20. Rolo – Code Geass
Rolo works for the Britannian Secret Intelligence Service. He is quiet and reserved and doesn’t attract attention or friends. He spends his time in the background listening and learning. He can be blunt when he needs to be, but his withdrawn personality hides his ruthless killer instinct who is detached when it comes to taking human life. He is very attached to Lelouch, which is a complete contrast to his attitude towards killing, and shows his softer, loyal side. Sometimes even possessive.
21. Medusa – Soul Eater
In disguise, Medusa is supportive and kind. But in true form she is manipulative and heartless. Mother to Crona and witch, she manipulates Crona to believe that is okay to take any soul they wanted to, and even goes as far as to plant a spell in Crona’s mind when Crona begins to falter. She resides at Shibusen as a nurse and teacher, but she does it to have access to records and to study the students to see which ones can become Kishin, demon gods. She will use anyone and any means to accomplish what she wants and feels nothing when doing so. She is quite terrifying when not in disguise, and has thousands of snakes ready to follow her commands, all hiding in her body.
22. Rena Ryuuguu – Higurashi: When They Cry
Rena is the definition of cute. She even obsesses over cute things and collects all the cute things she can find. She is kind and naïve, and is happiest when out collecting and treasure hunting. Her famous phrase when seeing something she likes is “I wanna take it home!” But when she is in this mood she becomes stronger and faster, all in a light-hearted way. Mion, Rena’s friends, does warn that even though she is adorable, she can be scary when angered and should not be crossed.
23. Haru – My Little Monster
Haru is known for showing up out of nowhere and popping up in situations unexpectedly. He is very passionate with helping others out and goes out of his way to please. However, he is a trouble maker and has incredible strength. His bad temper does get the better of him at times, but he does learn to deal with it. His calm and passionate demeanour make way for his outbursts and strength, which nobody wants to be on the receiving end of.
24. Mika Hirama – Durarara!!
While sitting next to Seiji and Mikado during the Raira Academy entrance exams, Mika falls in love with Seiji. As soon as the exams are done, she beings collecting information about Seiji. Things escalate when Seiji saves Mika and a friend Anri from a group of bullies, but this only fuels Mika’s obsession with Seiji and she starts stalking him. Her passive demeanour and quietness keep her obsessive nature hidden below and nobody quite knows the extent this quiet girl will go to in order to possess what she wants, or who she wants.
25. Griffith – Berserk
Griffith is revered for his intelligence and is incredibly charismatic. He is the leader of the mercenary group the Band of the Hawk and leads well. He is very handsome and knows how to lead well. At the other end he is very skilled with the sabre and considers himself invincible. This legendary status made him a favorite of the Midland King, who used him in the century long war with the Empire of Chuder.
26. Hotogi Shirayuki – Aria The Scarlet Ammo
The perfect girl – she is head of the volleyball cub, gardening club, handicraft club, she is the student council chairman and is really beautiful. She does have one major flaw though. She is incredibly jealous and she becomes a complete berserker that will attack any female who tries to approach Kinji, who she loves. She even tries to kill Aria when she learns her and Kinji are living together. She possesses a Japanese sword that she named Irokane Ayame, and that is her weapon to avenge her jealousy.
27. Kaede Fuyou – Shuffle
Kaede is a beautiful girl. She grew up with Rin after their parents died in a car accident. She takes care of Rin, doing his housework and cooking all his meals. She is polite and modest, and more often than not she is very soft-spoken. Throughout the series she shows signs of psychosis and violence after being shocked by sudden news. After the death of their parents, she blamed Rin for her mother’s death and abuses him, which he lets her do to stop her from falling deep into a depression. She atones for this by looking after Rin, and now has a romantic love towards him that he does not feel. She can be harsh and almost psychotic, but her soft-spoken passiveness and loyalty keeps this hidden.
28. Lindo – Dance with Devils
Lindo is an exorcist, and a vampire. He is the older brother of Ritsuka Tachibana. His role as an exorcist and his reputation as a vampire make him seem foreboding and powerful, however his love for his sister is really remarkable, and he will do anything to protect her, even throwing his own life away to save hers.
29. Nina Einstein – Code Geass
Nina is smart and a bookworm. She is a student council member at the revered Ashford Academy. Although through her studies, she has a xenophobic attitude towards Elevens and feels intimidated by Suzaku. She develops an almost obsessive desire on the Third Princess Euphemia and then looks to Euphemia for emotional support. Her smart mind and researched knowledge doesn’t stop her feelings towards Elevens and does not stop her unrelenting obsession for the Third Princess Euphemia.
30. Levi Ackermann – Attack on Titan
Levi Ackermann is a popular anime character. He is sometimes awkward and can have OCD tendencies to things around him and does not like being touched as he might get dirty. His past is one of tragedy and suffering, he loses his mother and best friends, and this pushes him to his anti-social behaviour. He is sarcastic and can be funny, but despite his awkwardness he is fiercely loyal and will do anything to protect those he cares for, especially his squad members and does feel deep emotions for them.
There should be more than enough Yandere characters to choose from. Fall in love with heir sweet dispositions and kind hearts, and watch as the smallest of ticks throw them into a frenzy of jealousy, violence and sadism.
Yandere characters show us how sometimes the most unassuming of people can be the most dangerous, and at our core we are all human who have emotions that override even the kindest of hearts.
