“Tsundere” Characters That Come to Mind? 3rd Place: England from “Hetalia”, 2nd Place: Aisaka Taiga from “Toradora!”, 1st Place is… <2026 Edition> [#Salt Day]

January 11th is “Salt Day.” It’s a memorial day based on the legend that Uesugi Kenshin sent salt to his rival Takeda Shingen, saving the people of his domain. This anecdote is widely known as the proverb “sending salt to the enemy.” On the other hand, in recent years, aloof and cold attitudes are increasingly called “salt response.” But in the anime world, that “salt-like” tsun behavior suddenly turning sweet is the very appeal of tsundere.

Therefore, Anime! Anime! conducted a reader survey titled “When you think of ‘tsundere’ characters?” continuing from last year. During the survey period from December 12th to 18th, we received responses from 890 people. The gender ratio was about 40% male and 60% female, with more females. The age group was centered on young people, with about 50% under 19 years old and about 20% in their 20s.

Both Tsun and Dere at Full Power! Popular Heroines Take First and Second!!

First Place

First place goes to Nakano Nino from Gotoubun no Hanayome. The support rate was about 10%, making it the top for five consecutive years.

Readers commented: “Towards Fuutarou, she’s tsuntsun in the first half and deredere in the second half. Her tsundere level is so intense you might doubt if it’s the same person! The way she falls for someone she initially disliked is irresistibly adorable!” and “The dere face she shows only to Fuu-kun is just too cute. The voice acting by Taketatsu Ayana-san, a master of tsundere, is simply amazing.” Many fans were captivated by her transformation throughout the series.

Furthermore, “The confession during the motorcycle ride is one of the series’ standout scenes. Seeing that scene made me a Nino fan,” and “She becomes so aggressively proactive that not only Fuutarou but I, following the serialization, was constantly swept along.” Her active approach, referred to as the “love runaway train” in the story, also boosted her popularity.

Second Place

Second place is Aisaka Taiga from Toradora!. The support rate was about 9%, rising from last year’s 4th place.

The heroine of this series, Aisaka Taiga, is nicknamed “Palmtop Tiger” due to her small stature and strong personality. Readers said: “As the theme song says, she’s a contrary person who can’t be honest! The rush after realizing her feelings for the protagonist, Ryuuji, was so fittingly high school-like,” “Among the many tsundere characters voiced by Kugimiya Rie-san, Taiga is my favorite,” and “She looks fierce, but her actually naive and easily hurt side is great.” Votes came from fans who enjoyed the love story while watching its progression.

Third Place

Third place is Igirisu (England) from Hetalia Axis Powers. The support rate was about 5%, dropping from last year’s 2nd place but keeping a top three spot.

Comments included: “The character setting that elevates the image of ‘British people as sarcastic black humorists’ into the tsundere attribute is too brilliant,” “He’s currently a gentleman but a former delinquent (pirate), and on top of that, tsundere—I was done in by this gap,” and “England’s alias is Arthur Kirkland. Tsundere lines like ‘It’s not like I did it for you or anything’ suit him so well, and I love Sugiyama Noriaki-san’s tsundere voice.”

Other Comments!

Jack Howl from Disney Twisted Wonderland: “He’s a tough lone wolf, but when it counts, he’s a reliable first-year who helps out. In the anime, he left an impression despite few appearances. I’m looking forward to his full activity in Season 2 ‘Episode of Savanaclaw.'”

Hayami Rinka from Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: “Her codename given by classmates is ‘Tsundere Sniper.’ She’s even said the classic tsundere line ‘Don’t get the wrong idea,’ and she’s just downright cute.”

Tsunderella from Ahare! Meisaku-kun: “She’s a character based on Cinderella, and after 12 noon, her personality switches from tsun to dere. The setting where her makeup comes off and she becomes almost a different person is also the best.”

Arima Kana from Oshi no Ko: “The way she can’t show her true feelings to Aqua is too cute. I also love how quickly she shifts from tsun to dere.” Votes came for this title as its third season started airing.

In the 2026 edition, characters with a large gap between tsun and dere ranked high. Among reader comments, many touched on the voice actors’ performances, showing that memorable line delivery greatly enhances the charm of tsundere characters.

Don’t miss the top 20 on the next page!

Top 10 Rankings

“When you think of ‘tsundere’ characters? 2026 Edition”

1. Nakano Nino – Gotoubun no Hanayome
2. Aisaka Taiga – Toradora!
3. Igirisu (England) – Hetalia Axis Powers
4. Inda Karane – Kimi no Koto ga Daidaidaidaidaisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo
5. Haibara Ai – Meitantei Conan
6. Louise – Zero no Tsukaima
7. Shana – Shakugan no Shana
8. Soryu (Shikinami) Asuka Langley – Shin Seiki Evangelion
9. Sakura Haruka – WIND BREAKER
10. Misaka Mikoto – Toaru Kagaku no Railgun

(Response Period: December 12 to 18, 2025)

Next Page: Rankings up to 20th Place

Written by Takahashi Katsunori

_

Source