Summary

  • Dandere anime characters are relatable underdogs that viewers can identify with, so fans resonate with the character's realistic flaws and vulnerabilities.
  • Anime fans are protective of shy characters, and may even shield them from being mistreated in online communities.
  • Shy characters in anime represent realistic personal growth, with danderes overcoming self-esteem and social skill struggles. Sometimes, they use hobbies or goals to facilitate that growth, as Shoko Komi from Komi Can't Communicate and Hitori Gotoh from Bocchi the Rock! did.