Dorodere
“Don’t worry. I don’t plan to use my friendship with her against you in any way.”
– Mami Nanami, who is currently planning to use her friendship against you
Meaning: Dorodere comes from the expression “dorodoro” (“twisted” or “muddy”) and “deredere” (“to be strongly in love”).
Explanation: At first glance, especially in contact with the potential object of feelings, dorodere characters appear affectionate, flirt a bit, and often make ambiguous remarks. However, this is not out of actual love, but only to get the attention of the respective person.
In truth, “love” is often a concept that dorodere characters do not fully grasp and frequently only use as a tool to achieve their own goals. Therefore, they often have a twisted “love/hate” relationship with the object of their feelings. Dorodere characters desire attention and want to ensure that their target person is in love with them. In doing so, they often gain confirmation that they are better than others (usually female) and simultaneously ensure that their partner will never get over them.
These characters are not very common in anime series, but they leave a lasting impression – because they are usually hated by the community. One of the most famous dorodere characters is Mami from “Rent-A-Girlfriend” – a dorodere poster child that has generated many hate messages and dark memes.
Occasionally, dorodere characters undergo a transformation throughout the narrative when confronted with true love, which they begin to understand. However, this is rare.
Example characters:
- Mami Nanami (Rent-A-Girlfriend)
- Nana Hiiragi (Talentless Nana)
- Shiro (Deadman Wonderland)
