Deredere is a term in anime that refers to a character that is bright, charming, and full of positivity. They can also be impossibly cute beyond reason and maybe even a little clumsy at times with all of their energy. They can be like shining beacons of hope, like a sun, in even the bleakest of situations.
That does not mean deredere characters are perfect. Even the most upbeat characters have flaws of their own. What makes them special though is that they often put their troubles aside while they help the group out. Every anime and game is different but that is a general idea. The following will take a look at eight males from something of the biggest JRPGs around. For the sake of variety, only one character per series will be highlighted.
8 Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Sora from Kingdom Hearts is the ultimate deredere video game character. No matter what happens to him throughout the series, he is always smiling. He knows that his friends will always have his back, so much so that Sora calls them his power.
Friends truly can be magical, even in real life. Sometimes bonds are much stronger than magic, and the Kingdom Hearts games prove it. All that being said, Sora does have flaws as he isn’t perfect. He can be too trusting which has led him down some gnarly paths throughout the many worlds he visits. Sora still manages to survive though.
7 Sylvando (Dragon Quest 11)
Dragon Quest 11's Sylvando is the life of the party, which makes sense since he was a traveling entertainer before joining the hero’s quest. One of the best moments in Square Enix's JRPG involves Sylvando convincing the protagonist to dress up and lead a marching band.
This happens during the latter portion of the game when things look bleak, and the idea of the parade is to raise everyone’s spirits and it works. Sylvando is a great party member beyond being a shining beacon of hope but that one example highlights his big personality. There is no one like Sylvando in this franchise.
6 Tidus
Tidus hails from Final Fantasy 10. He is a lot like Sora in that he is a bit absent-minded. That might be why Tidus appears in the first Kingdom Hearts. Although a goof, Tidus isn’t as naively innocent as Sora. He has a dark past and he often cries about it, literally.
Even though he can be mopey in the game’s story, Tidus’ spirit is still strong with the deredere energy. He will never back down from a fight especially if it’s to rescue Yuna. His love knows no bounds in this RPG series.
5 Mr. Drippy
Mr. Drippy is from the first Ni no Kuni game. He is the companion to Oliver, the main hero. He’s like the instructor and also the motivator of the group. Technically he is like a Familiar as well, although he can’t be used in battle. He doesn’t fight but he knows a thing or two that will help the party out in battle. Oliver is kind of a sad boy having lost his mother and all; conversely, Mr. Drippy is like twelve suns compared to him. Mr. Drippy’s accent also helps keep things lively. He is the best friend/stuffed animal a boy could ever hope for.
4 Teddie
Teddie is from Persona 4 and he comes in two forms. The first time the party meets him, he looks like a giant stuffed bear. Except for the zipper on his head, most players probably assumed that was all Teddie was going to be, a stuffed bear. There was a secret inside though, and a rather shocking one.
Teddie might be the prettiest character to ever come out of a bear. Forms aside, Teddie’s positivity and bear puns helped keep up the team’s spirit. Teddie is one of the most positive characters in the Persona series.
3 Max
Max is one of the main characters from Dark Cloud 2. This epic RPG begins humbly with Max just trying to become a good inventor. Then, one day, a circus rolls into town and everything goes topsy-turvy from there. Time travel is just one of those wild things.
Even in a universe where his planet’s resources are being drained across time and space, Max keeps a stiff upper lip. He may not be adorably cute, but his tenacity more than makes him a proper deredere character.
2 Mallow
Mallow might be a bit more obscure of a character since he only appeared in one game, Super Mario RPG. It’s still one of the best RPGs of all time, though. Mallow is a bit like Tidus; as a child character, he can be a bit of a crybaby. His tears literally bring rain clouds around.
As winey as Mallow can be, he is cute and tries to see the good in everyone. He has a childlike wonder that gets him into trouble. Thankfully, Mario is always there by his side to help the little fluff ball out of tough jams.
1 The Prinnies
There is no one Prinny character to hone in on in the Disgaea series. Prinnies are like the mascots of the franchise. They look like penguins but, in truth, they are stitched together souls. When people who have sinned on Earth die, they go to the underworld, become a Prinny, and then go to heaven after they atone for their sins.
Even though they’re all supposed to be bad people, they couldn’t be more helpful and cheery. That’s because their memories get wiped. Their catchphrase is “dood” which can get stuck in a player's head while playing this strategy RPG series. So, while there is no one Prinny to highlight, as a race, they are beyond deredere.