10 Best Kuudere Characters In Anime, Ranked

Kuudere characters in anime are some of the calmest, rarely showing emotions and instead remaining in a constant state of stoicism. While a tsundere character in anime might hide their true emotions, kuuderes aren’t hiding anything — they really are that calm. Kuudere characters aren’t devoid of emotion, however. There are rare moments where a kuudere character will break, showing a brief flash of feeling. These moments are usually more fulfilling because of their stoicism, highlighting how important the situation must be if it made a kuudere care.

Kuuderes always make for some of the best side characters in anime. They’re reliable, predictable, and are usually the last people to end up in a panic. They come in all shapes and sizes, showing that no matter who or where a character is, they too can be as cool as the other side of the pillow.

10 Kei Tsukishima

Haikyu!!

Tsukishima Kei is harder to break emotionally than physically and that’s saying something. He’s the tallest of all Karasuno’s players, a statistic that matters a lot in volleyball. While he’s a monster on the court, he’s a very soft-spoken young man off of it. Outside some rudeness early in the series, Tsukishima doesn’t show much animosity towards anyone. He’s a normal guy that doesn’t like working all that hard, which sounds like the majority of boys his age.

While Tsukishima normally doesn’t show emotions, he has one of the best moments in the series when he finally gets a block off on the unblockable Ushijima. He celebrates loudly in a moment of pure elation, making everyone around him nearly cry tears of joy. Bokuto told Tsukishima that he’d have his one moment where he falls in love with volleyball. He just had to fight in one of the best volleyball matches in all of Haikyu!! to make it happen.

9 Shinei Nozen

86: EIGHTY-SIX

Shinei Nozen is the most stoic character in the world of 86: Eighty-Six. He’s an incredibly gifted pilot and a menace on the battlefield. Shin is not only tasked with defeating his enemies; he also has to bear the weight of his fallen comrades on his shoulders. He’s the only person strong enough to survive this war, making it his job to bring the spirits of his comrades with him. Shin has such a great burden to bear, he doesn’t show any emotion.

It’s not surprising that he’s a kuudere character. He’s seen more battlefields than most other anime characters and has had to finish off most of his comrades himself as well. If he hasn’t finished them off, he can probably hear the echoes of their voices while their minds are trapped by the enemy. It’s a harrowing existence for the Reaper of the 86 that doesn’t look like its getting much better.

8 Jotaro Kujo

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Jotaro Kujo is the most straightforward kuudere character. He isn’t interested in most things outside his direct goal. If he has a problem with someone, he’ll probably just punch them. One of his greatest strengths is his calmness under pressure. There are plenty of moments in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure where Jotaro’s panic would have been the end of him and his friends. Instead, the JoJo draws on his inner stoicism to figure out the solution to just about any problem.

It’s odd how stoic Jotaro is considering his bloodline. Every other JoJo has at least some hot-blood in them, causing them to throw themselves into situations they should probably stay out of. While he’s not a great father like most other JoJo’s, he’s still willing to do what he can and try to get his daughter out of prison. And he’ll do it without changing his facial expression once.

7 Aquamarine (Aqua) Hoshino – Oshi no Ko

The Starchild Can’t Let Anyone Know the Truth

Aqua Hoshino has an odd existence, and it might add to his overall stoicism. In his past life, he was a doctor who was a huge fan of Ai Hoshino but was stabbed to death protecting her secret. He was then reincarnated as her son, retaining all of his old memories. When he was just a baby, his mother, Ai, was murdered in front of him. Since then, he’s spent his days tracking his mother’s killer down. He doesn’t have too many genuine feelings outside pure contempt for the man who took Ai from him.

When he’s around other people, Aqua says whatever he needs to keep the conversation moving. He isn’t focused on anything outside his goal and doesn’t have the emotions to care about much else. Once Aqua finds his dad, the man who had his mom killed, maybe he’ll open up more.

6 Ai Hayasaka

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Ai Hayasaka is one of the most lovable side characters in anime. She’s adorable, diligent, and a great friend to Kaguya. While Kaguya acts like a Kuudere, putting on a brave, stoic front at school, Ai is the genuine article. She really is as cool as she appears to be and doesn’t have to put on an act to show it. She’s always there for Kaguya and can be collected when her boss/friend is freaking out. If it wasn’t for Ai, Kaguya wouldn’t have made nearly as much progress with President Shirogane.

Ai Hayasaka is a treat every time she’s on-screen. She’s featured in most of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War’s humorous moments and never changes her facial expression during them. With her help, Kaguya definitely has an advantage over Shirogane in their war of love.

5 2B

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a

2B is the ideal YoRHa soldier. She’s tasked with not showing her emotions and excels at it. She’s so good at being a kuudere character it’s no wonder her partner, 9S, will do anything just to see her smile. The world of Nier: Automata is about as bleak as it gets. The YoRHa units are fighting a losing battle across the planet, and it doesn’t look like things are getting much better. When 2B gets to spend time with 9S, however, she shows the smallest hints that she might be having fun.

Their chemistry is a huge reason to watch Nier: Automata Ver1.1a. 2B is one of the best androids in anime and her kuudere nature only makes her more interesting. She’s one of the strongest fighters in Nier, is smart enough to see through the machine’s abilities, and is even willing to let 9S take her shopping when the war finally reaches a conclusion.

4 Shoto Todoroki

My Hero Academia

Shoto Todoroki has both ice and fire powers, so maybe it makes sense that his emotions are always somewhere in the middle. He’s never hot-headed or cold-blooded. Instead, Shoto is the kuudere the Todoroki family desperately needs. His father and brother are close to being deemed medically insane. His mother is deemed medically insane early in the series, so it’s no surprise Shoto turns his emotions down for the people around him.

Shoto is another incredibly reliable kuudere character. He’s selfless, unlike his father and brother, and really only wants the best for the people around him. He understands the pain his brother went through and is stoic enough to fight him in battle when he knows he probably can’t win. If the Todoroki family ever has a chance of coming back together, Shoto will be the key.

3 Sasuke Uchiha

Naruto

Sasuke is one of the first famous kuuderes in anime. When he was a child, he was prone to fits of anger and even carried himself with an air of arrogance. After his entire clan was slaughtered, his emotions became muted and rarely came out. He left Konoha to avenge his family, and even after the job was done, barely returned. Even as a father in Boruto, Sasuke is one of the last characters to show emotions.

It’s sad that Sasuke keeps to himself so much. Maybe if he hadn’t been overwhelmed by such an absurd tragedy at a young age, he’d be more expressive. Even though he doesn’t choose to smile too often, he’s still a force for good in Boruto. He’s gotten over his anger and hatred, and is finding meaning in his new life.

2 Mikasa Ackerman

Attack on Titan

Mikasa is another character whose family was killed in front of her at a young age. When she was a little girl, human traffickers broke into her house and killed her mom and dad. She’s been quiet ever since, only speaking when its absolutely necessary. It’s hard to see what Mikasa is thinking. She doesn’t give any hints on her face and doesn’t focus on anything outside of her mission or Eren. Like Sasuke, she still has the strength and wherewithal to get the job done.

When Eren started to end the world, Mikasa knew it was her job to stop him. She loved Eren more than just about everything else in her life, but even she knew that ending him was the only decision. She ends Eren by decapitating him, sharing a pretty romantic yet gross kiss at the very end.

1 Frieren

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End took the world by storm. It became one of the most popular and beloved series of the Fall 2023 anime season, and even earned the #1 Top Anime spot on myanimelist.com. Frieren is king for a myriad of reasons: the story is fresh, the side characters are rich, and above all else, Frieren is the best. Frieren is one of the best elves in anime, one of the best moms, and one of the best kuudere characters all at once.

Frieren has lived for a very long time, especially compared to all the humans and dwarves around her. She rarely shows her emotions because not many things stir them. She’s seen past her enemy’s abilities and already has a pretty good idea of how most fights she’s involved in will go. While this may sound boring, it’s anything but. Frieren’s constant stoicism is one of the best reasons to watch Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. She’s a rock to rely on in hard times, and an even better teacher to boot.