Despite their often questionable behavior, Yandere characters are popular among anime fans. Yandere is a term used to label characters whose love is so overbearing that they often hinder the very person they wish to serve and protect. With wildly unpredictable and sometimes violent tendencies, these lovesick characters are willing to go to great extremes for their loved ones to prove their devotion -- typically acting against their loved one's best interest, in spite of their admiration for them, to the point of causing ill health.
If you're intensely devoted to the archetype, here are five Yandere-featuring anime you'll love to death.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Code Geass is a must-watch for any Yandere lover as it stars an entire family of them. In an alternate reality of high-stakes warfare in an occupied Japan, people are willing to go to extreme lengths for the one they hold most dear. The lead antihero, Lelouch vi Britannia, is a Yandere for his little sister, Nunnally. While he wages a full-scale war and commits murder in the name of Nunnally, he actually contradicts her true desire for peace.
Similarly, Rolo acts as a Yandere toward Lelouch, killing someone he cherishes because he thought he was helping him. With Lelouch's two older sisters also sharing a Yandere relationship, fans are sure to enjoy this violently unpredictable family.
Future Diary
Yuno Gasai is the antiheroine and protagonist in Future Diary. Suffering from a tragic childhood where her mother kept her locked away, she later locks up her parents in revenge which causes their deaths. Given her dark and twisted past, Yuno later clings to her fellow classmate, Yuki Amano, after he mentions that they should get married in the future. She becomes lovesick and obsessed with him to the point of breaking out in psychotic rage and violently threatening anyone who tries to harm him or steal his heart. Yuno's behavior and reputation has led many fans to dub her the "Yandere Queen."
Death Note
Another anime starring antiheroes, Death Note is known for its ensemble cast of psychotic characters. While Light Yagami is in possession of the Death Note that gives him the power to kill anyone he wants just by knowing their name and face, he's surprised to discover he isn't the only person who has one. Misa Amane has her own Death Note, and she becomes obsessed with Light and his Kira persona. While she's quick to commit evil deeds for Light's sake in the hopes that he'll love her back, her actions often threaten to expose his identity as Kira.
Dance With Devils
In Dance With Devils, Lindo is Ritsuka's overbearing cousin who's willing to do anything to ensure her safety. Ever since they were children, he's protected Ritsuka with his life and she feels grateful toward him. However, when Ritsuka unknowingly gets involved with a group of devils, Lindo goes as far as locking her up in her room to keep her away from them, despite her wishes. With strong supernatural elements centering around an ancient feud between devils and vampires, Dance With Devils offers several personality archetypes as well as Lindo's Yandere.
Higurashi: When They Cry
Keiichi Maebara moves to the small and quiet village of Hinamizawa in Higurashi: When They Cry. He becomes best friends with four girls from school as he learns more about the village's dark and mysterious past. However, Keiichi soon discovers that murders have accompanied the village's annual festival for their patron god, Oyashiro. When tragedy and paranoia grip the village, Keiichi's friends begin to exhibit troubling and unexpected behavior. As Hinamizawa Syndrome takes hold of the friend group, characters like Shion and Rena gradually develop into Yandere.
