The yandere is one of anime's most popular yet controversial character "-dere" archetypes. By combining the word "yanderu," meaning "mentally ill," with "deredere," which means "lovestruck," yandere represent a violent, all-encompassing type of attraction that can only be described as toxic, unhealthy, and doomed to end in bloodshed.
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Though there are lots of likable yandere throughout anime, there's no denying that their behavior is downright disturbing and wouldn't be acceptable in real life. Whether it's regular old abusive behavior or threatening the life of their loved one, yandere aren't exactly the type of life partner that anybody should strive for.
This article mentions self-harm and domestic abuse. Please read at your own discretion.
10 Azusa Mukami Is Violent & Abusive
Diabolik Lovers
Asuza Mukami from Diabolik Lovers abused Yui for the entirety of the series. Asuza constantly put Yui through mental, physical, and emotional pain in the name of "love." Asuza literally strangles Yui and sucks her blood, even forcing her to eat food she hates.
On top of that, he's also a raging masoch*st who thinks that self-harm is the peak of pleasure and forces Yui to join in. Asuza claims that he genuinely loves Yui, but has no idea how to express his feelings other than through cruelty.
9 Toga Associates Bloodshed With Companionship
My Hero Academia
Due to the nature of Toga's Quirk in My Hero Academia, her definition of companionship is stained with blood. By drinking someone's blood, Toga's Quirk allows her to assume their appearance for a period of time. She claims that when someone loves another person, they want to turn into them, and that's what she thinks her Quirk represents.
Toga is currently obsessed with Izuku and Ochaco. She thought Izuku was attractive the first time she saw him bruised and bloodied. Meanwhile, she just thinks that her and Ochaco could understand each other since they're both "in love."
8 Toma Drugged His Love Interest
Amnesia
Toma from Amnesia comes off as a calm, levelheaded guy who just wants to care for his loved ones. However, his idea of caring for someone is much more twisted than the general public's definition. Toma literally drugged his love interest to make her sleep all day and force her to stay by his side.
The love interest, understandably upset, was then thrown in a cage. Toma told her that it was for her own good. He even filled it up with stuffed toys, claiming the decor would make her feel more at home.
7 Shuu Tsukiyama Is Obsessed With Kaneki
Tokyo Ghoul
Shuu Tsukiyama from Tokyo Ghoul, often referred to as the "Gourmet," is a flashy yandere who is obsessed with Kaneki since he's a one-eyed ghoul. Pulling out all of his best charms, Shuu always comes off as charismatic before he lures his "prey" to the Ghoul Restaurant to be eaten by ghouls with peculiar tastes.
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Shuu's obsession with Kaneki started after the first time he caught a whiff of his unique blood and wanted to eat him. He even kidnapped someone else to lure Kaneki in. Shuu's since become an ally for Kaneki, but his past shouldn't be forgotten.
6 Minatsuki Takami Enjoys Watching People Suffer
Deadman Wonderland
Minatsuki Takami from Deadman Wonderland wasn't always a sad*stic yandere. That behavior started after her mom chose to save her garden during an earthquake instead of her. Since then, Minatsuki developed a hatred for society and became a compulsive liar who loves watching people suffer.
Always stirring the pot and making everything worse, Minatsuki loves getting into people's heads and putting them through hell. Minatsuki also killed her father and gaslights her brother into blaming himself for everything terrible that's happened.
5 Megumi Shimizu Killed Whoever Got Close To Natsuno
Shiki
Megumi Shimizu from Shiki ritualistically stalks Natsuno. She's one of the titular shiki, a human corpse reanimated by a dead spirit possessing it. They can only survive on human blood. Shiki are like vampires, but even creepier somehow.
This makes Megumi even more fearsome. Megumi's obsession with Natsuno carried over from when she was in love with him as a human. Now, she uses her undead form as a means of watching him in the window and even murders people for getting too close to her beloved Natsuno.
4 Yukako Yamagishi Kidnapped Koichi
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable
Fans were confused to say the least when Koichi still chose to be with Yukako Yamagishi at the end of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's fourth part, Diamond Is Unbreakable. Considering the hell she put him through, fans really wish that their relationship didn't become canon.
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After all, Yukako literally kidnapped and humiliated Koichi in an attempt to make him love her, tried to remake her entire face to become more attractive to him, and lit a girl's hair on fire for getting too close to Koichi. That's certainly not safe behavior.
3 Kotonoha Katsura Was Violently In Love With Makoto
School Days
Kotonoha Katsura fell in love with a terrible guy who slept with every girl in the entire school and acted surprised when she wasn't special to him. Throughout School Days, Makoto wound up with a harem of obsessed women since he slept with basically any girl who interested him. No one's obsession quite compared to Kotonoha's, though.
Kotonoha was Makoto's first girlfriend. She was a complete loner before meeting him, so she quickly latched onto him. However, she never quite let go and became violent towards anyone who tried "stealing" Makoto from her.
2 Even Yuki Was Afraid Of The Lengths Yuno Gasai Went To Protect Him
Future Diary
Yuno Gasai from Future Diary is one of anime's most notorious yandere. Throughout Future Diary, she helped Yuki achieve his goal of winning the death game without killing anyone. Yuki was afraid of how obsessed with him she was, but exploited her love to achieve his goal in the end. Their relationship was toxic all the way around.
Every contestant in the death game has a diary that they're supposed to use to eliminate their competitors. Yuno's diary, however, solely revolves around Yuki, and she uses it to kill anyone who wants to hurt him.
1 Satou Matsuzaka Kept Shio Locked Up
Happy Sugar Life
Satou Matsuzaka from Happy Sugar Life didn't have an easy upbringing, but that doesn't excuse her twisted yandere behavior. Satou is attached to Shio, a young girl who was abandoned by her mother. Though it seems like she's just looking out for her, Satou is actually keeping her locked up and claiming it's for the sake of "protecting" her.
Satou's generally respected by her coworkers and everybody who knows her, but it's only because she's so good at manipulating others and hiding her true nature. She will kill and blackmail anybody to keep Shio under her thumb.
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