We previously published a post talking about what it meant to be otaku. It went over so well that we decided to tackle another term familiar to anime and manga fans: tsundere. If you have never heard of it before, you are about to learn all about this character trait.

A person considered tsundere seems to be cold and off-putting when you first meet. But once you get to know that person, he or she proves to be amiable, pleasant, and even warmhearted.

There are a lot of tsundere folks out there. You find them a lot at anime conventions. You can encounter them online as well. The thing to remember is to never judge a book by its cover. You really have to get to know someone before you can even begin to understand that person's personality.

Here are five reasons a person might come off as tsundere:

1. Natural Personality

Believe it or not, there is nothing wrong with being tsundere. There is nothing abnormal about it. It is a normal and natural character trait that some people just possess. It's no different than being naturally outgoing or jovial. It is no different than having a personality that tends toward intellectual pursuits. It's just who the tsundere person is.

We find it kind of funny that some of our original anime artwork could be described as tsundere. Some of our characters seem quite cold and impersonal. Perhaps they are. But then again, they are just characters. If they existed in real life, you might find them to be the warmest and friendliest people you ever met.

2. Past Experiences

Some people are tsundere because past experiences have taught them to be cautious with strangers. Maybe you have a person who has experienced a couple of bad relationships. You might have another who comes from a dysfunctional family. Past experiences definitely have a way of shaping how we see the world. Here's the thing, we anime fans come from all walks of life. Our common love of all things anime and manga doesn't necessarily change the past experiences that shape the present.

3. Social Awkwardness

Moving on, you may bump into someone wearing an anime sweatshirt from Umai. You expect that person to be as friendly and outgoing is you, only to discover that there's a bit of social awkwardness instead. There are people who are tsundere only because being put into new social situations is uncomfortable. It takes a while for the awkwardness to disappear. Once it does, you are dealing with an entirely different person.

4. Genuinely Dislike

Unfortunately, there are times when we experience tsundere people who seem that way due to a genuine dislike. Someone might be cold and off-putting toward you because they generally don’t like you. If that's the case, don't beat yourself up over it. It is impossible to be friends with everyone. There are always going to be personality conflicts and other issues between people.

5. Genuine Misunderstanding

Finally, some people appear to be tsundere when they really aren't. They seem that way because we misunderstand what we are observing in the moment. For example, consider encountering someone who just lost their job. In that moment, tsundere is exactly how they feel. But give them an hour or so to take it all in and they will be back to their normal, fun-loving self.

There are lots of reasons people come off as tsundere. Regardless, it is all okay. We are all different people with different personalities and viewpoints. It takes all of us to make the world go around.