With the term meaning "lovestruck" or "lovey-dovey," the deredere archetype is quite the mixed bag among fans of JRPGs. The personality type, which consists of hyperactivity and never-ending cheer, can either make characters into cherished bundles of joy or nasty nuisances that are universally panned.
Although many deredere characters can be annoying, there is no shortage of those that are iconic in both personality and development. Moreover, while this archetype can be applicable to male characters, there is an abundance of women that fall into this category as well. Always upbeat and cheerful, these ladies are sure to put a smile on the faces of players.
9 Elise (Fire Emblem Fates)
A troubadour from Fire Emblem Fates, Elise is quite possibly the most accurate representation of the deredere archetype. She is upbeat and innocent, enacting childish shenanigans and showing immense affection towards her siblings, especially towards Corrin.
While Elise may always have a smile on her face, her past makes these traits of hers even more valuable. Because her mother conceived her in order to win over Garon's favor, Elise received little parental affection growing up. But rather than succumb to darkness, Elise decided instead to seek out true happiness for herself.
8 Lailah (Tales Of Zestiria)
Like Elise, Lailah also has an upbeat side to her; she likes making puns and has a fascination with enemies that curl up into balls. In addition, Lailah displays a sense of responsibility, demanding the most from both herself and the people around her.
As a centuries-old Seraph, Lailah acts very sisterly towards the party and takes her duties very seriously. During her journey with Sorey, it is Lailah that usually imparts her knowledge and wisdom toward him in order for him to succeed at becoming a shepherd.
7 Miumi Miclairno Mizuki (1bitHeart)
The albino Miumi Miclairno Mizuki is one of the very first people whom Yoshi Nanase, who happens to be a deredere himself, befriends. She is also friends with the Sky-Sea-Run athlete Natsukage Suoh, who is responsible for teaching her how to speak Japanese; Miumi, in turn, helps Nanashi figure out why Natsukage's performance in Sky-Sea-Run has become more aggressive.
Being half-Japanese, Miumi expresses delight at anything related to Japanese culture, even speaking broken Japanese in the English version of 1bitHeart. Naturally, her favorite things to receive from Nanashi are stuff related to Japanese culture, such as takoyaki or manga.
6 Selphie Tilmitt (Final Fantasy 8)
Having transferred from Trabia Garden to Balamb Garden, Selphie is one of two hyperactive party members that are playable in Final Fantasy 8, the other being Zell. She can be seen as a foil to the main character Squall; while the latter is a brooding loner who uses physical attacks, Selphie is a cheery social butterfly who specializes in magic.
Outside of battle, Selphie maintains a childlike attitude, from her trying to spread her "Booyaka" catchphrase to her obsession with trains. Even when visiting the graves of her friends of Trabia Garden, she retains a positive mindset despite being devastated at their deaths.
5 Estelle Bright (The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky trilogy)
Throughout the Trails in the Sky trilogy, Estelle maintains an upbeat personality, possessing a go-getter mentality towards her goal of becoming a Bracer. Although her goals are admirable, Estelle still acts somewhat sheltered as she is very ignorant about how the world works.
As the game progresses, Estelle becomes a much more determined individual. Where she would have once jumped into situations headfirst, she eventually learns to think things through. As a result, her fellow party members soon acknowledge her as a source of radiance, and it is her cheerfulness that allows them to continue forward.
4 Kotone Shiomi (Persona 3 Portable)
Although Persona 3 saw her as a silent protagonist, Kotone's personality is mainly portrayed through the dialogue options provided to the player. Many of the dialogue choices reveal that Kotone is emotionally dynamic; she can make jokes and sarcastic one-liners and is overall upbeat and kind.
Kotone tremendously cares for her friends to the point that she breaks down when she does not have them by her side. In fact, when Kotone dies in Aegis' arms, it is possible for a select few of her friends to be beside her.
3 Mae (Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia)
Easily the biggest of Mae's traits is her constant introspection. She is a competitive and cheerful person who has also managed to cheer up those around her. Mae also has a fierce but friendly rivalry with Boey, whom she also likes to relentlessly tease.
Perhaps due to her need to improve herself, much of Mae's self-doubt revolves around her maturity and appearance, even comparing herself to others at times. Despite these insecurities, however, Mae strives to be someone the rest of the party can rely on, exuding both happiness and confidence while doing so.
2 Rikku (Final Fantasy 10)
The last party member to join, Rikku stands out as one of the most cheerful and childish playable characters in Final Fantasy 10. This is in stark contrast to the rest of the party members, all of whom (except Tidus) are very stoic and mature.
For the majority of the game, Rikku serves as the energetic fireball of the party, always making sassy remarks and one-liners in battle. Although she opposes Yuna's pilgrimage the most, Rikku still remains by her side and encourages Yuna to enjoy life, something she would continue to do in Final Fantasy 10-2.
1 Xiangling (Genshin Impact)
The daughter of the owner of Wanmin Restaurant, Xiangling's most discernible trait is her child-like love of food. Although she is a capable chef, many of her ingredients are very strange, such as lizards and slimes, much to the disgust of the people around her.
Although her passion for cooking is second to none, Xiangling is notorious for destroying much of the equipment in her father's restaurant. She can also be easily scared, especially by her friend Hu Tao and her pranks. In battle, Xiangling is classified as a Pyro character, perhaps in reference to her speciality at cooking spicy food.