Anime used to be so niche. Fans had to scour video stores, trade tapes, and do all sorts to get a copy of Ninja Scroll, or uncensored, Japanese episodes of Dragon Ball Z. Now it’s so commonplace its slang has spread to other media. One popular term is ‘tsundere’- someone who’s hard and hostile on the outside (tsun) but is actually quite loving or gentle on the inside (dere).
It’s become such a familiar trope that people have found tsundere types in all sorts of media, including on Microsoft’s consoles. They may not be from anime, nor stammer face-saving insults like “b-b-baka!”, but these tsundere characters can be found in Xbox games.
5 Bastila & Juhani — Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The KOTOR series went beyond Microsoft’s console, but the first game made its debut on the Xbox in July 2003. The PC, Max, and smartphone versions may have their fans, but the Xbox version gave everyone their first taste of what KOTOR would offer. Like giving the player two tsundere characters in one go!
The Jedi master Bastila Shan is brash and rude to the player and the party, more interested in proving herself to the Jedi Council than anything else. She does warm up to them over time, then closes back up if anyone else notices. Likewise, Juhani is a fiery Cathar alien with rage issues that has little time for others. But if the player is patient with her, she'll show a sweet side that's willing to repay all the kindness the player gives her.
4 Lili — Psychonauts
Double Fine’s cult classic platformerPsychonauts also went multi-format back during its 2005 release. However, it popped up first on the Xbox. The game has become so closely associated with the console that the PS2 version was left all but forgotten. The game told the story of Raz, a boy with psychic abilities who flees to a summer camp to become a spy, or ‘Psychonaut’.
He’s joined by Lili Zanotto, one of the camp’s top students. She initially acts rather snotty towards him, being thoroughly unimpressed with his skills and cutting him down with her comments. But in truth, his sudden arrival rekindled her interest in the camp. Behind the snark was love at first sight, which gradually comes out until she declares her love for Raz outright. How sweet.
3 Garron Paduk — Gears of War series
Be they human, alien, monster, or otherwise, tsundere characters (and ‘-dere’ characters in general) largely tend to be female. But it's not hard to find male equivalents once people know what to look out for. In the case of Garron Paduk from the Gears of War games, it's done in a tough, manly, militaristic way. At least that's how it's supposed to come across.
The gruff, Gorasni soldier is the farthest thing people would imagine from the trope. He’s an old, brutal hunk of muscle covered in scars. Nonetheless, he likes to keep tabs on his frenemy Baird. No matter how many times he claims each conversation is their last, Paduk always answers Baird’s call, with the two sending each other supplies and test subjects for their new weaponry. It goes to show bromance can still bloom on the battlefield.
2 Whisper — Fable
The Fable series, or at least the first two games, used to be one of the reasons to get an Xbox. If people didn’t like the sci-fi shooting antics of Halo, they had the original Fable: a fantasy tale about an orphaned boy choosing to become a hero or villain to avenge the death of his parents and the sacking of his village. Whichever path the player chooses, they’ll butt heads with Whisper, a staff-wielding woman who becomes their rival.
She doesn’t think much of the supposed Hero of Oakvale, referring to them mainly as ‘Farmboy’. Though even when she’s trying to outdo them at quests, she’s actually quite fond of her rival. Still, there's a morality system in place. The 'Hero' will eventually fight her in the Arena, where they can spare her and keep the friendship going, or kill her for an easy 10,000 Gold. Be fair or be harsh: it's up to the player.
1 Silk Fox — Jade Empire
Medieval European settings in the fantasy genre are a dime a dozen. So, anyone left cold by Fable back in the day may have preferred Jade Empire. Its Chinese mythological setting was more unique, as players had to help the last surviving Spirit Monk rescue his guardian Master Li from the evil Sun Hai, the ruler of the Jade Empire. They’re helped in their quest by Silk Fox…eventually.
At first, she mistakes the Monk for one of Sun Hai’s mooks and tries to kill them. Even after they’ve cleared the air, she can be haughty and rude towards the Monk and the party. As the game progresses, she softens toward the Monk and can become their friend…or more than friends. Considering she turns out to be Sun Hai's daughter in disguise, and heir to the Empire, she's a good connection to build.