Mean popular girl/boy

The Mean Popular Girl (known as the "Alpha Bitch" or "Queen Bee") is a stock character in most TV shows or movies or video games that take place in a high school setting. They're usually portrayed as a teenage girl who is popular among the school but is often mean and prissy to less popular girls, mostly towards the main female protagonist. She is usually very attractive and often has sidekicks following her everywhere.

Male variants of that cliché also exist too where they're called The Mean Popular Boy (known as "Alpha Bastard").

Tsundere characters are also part of the range from the cold "silent treatment" to the hotheaded "kindergartener who pushes you into the sandbox." The reasons behind a Tsundere's behavior vary widely, but usually boil down to the conflict between their feelings of affection towards a love interest, and their reaction to having those feelings. Though in most examples the reason has something to do with a Madonna-Whore Complex or at least a fear of Slut-Shaming. Truth in Television for many teenage girls: as they both try too hard to be attractive and also try to look like they aren't trying. In an adult though, this type of behavior is generally seen as distastefully immature. The tsun ツン in the Japanese word tsundere ツンデレ comes from the word tsuntsun つんつん, which is a mimetic word for "irritable" or "grumpy," meaning someone is tsuntsun when they become hard to approach and to talk with.

Basically, when you're tsuntsun you just refuse to hear what others have to say. You'll go "hmph!" and turn away. The idea of tsundere characters is that they go "hmph!" and turn away, but eventually they turn back.

People can be tsuntsun just for a while, one isn't necessarily always tsuntsun. It's like being happy or sad. Also, being tsuntsun is completely different from being tsundere. Someone who is tsuntsun is just grumpy, tsuntsun has nothing to do with romance cliches.

That means tsundere ツンデレ is actually short for tsuntsun deredere as two abbreviations in one.

The term was originally used to describe characters who began with a harsh outgoing personality, but slowly revealed a soft and vulnerable interior over time, which made this a plot trope as much as it is a character trope. Over the years the character archetype has become flanderized, and is now generically associated with a character who flips between the two emotional states at the slightest provocation, and usually at a specific person rather than a general sociability problem. The former is usually referred as Classic Tsundere and the latter as Modern Tsundere. A Tsundere, especially a classic one, is usually a Tomboy with a Girly Streak.

The tsuntsun can range from the cold "silent treatment" to the hotheaded "kindergartner who pushes you into the sandbox." The reasons behind a tsundere's behavior vary widely, but usually boil down to the conflict between their feelings of affection towards a love interest, and their reaction to having those feelings.

A Himedere also refers to a character who wishes to be treated like a princess by the person she loves, even if she is not actual royalty. This word is an abbreviation of "hime", which means "princess", and "deredere" (デレデレ), which means "lovey-dovey". A himedere can be truly befriended by the few who can see past their ego. Sometimes the himedere takes their companions for granted and chooses to treat them unfairly. Those who tolerate her either let the himedere walk all over them or retaliate eventually, but there is usually a sense of loyalty or a strong bond that is difficult to break.

This type of character is one who has traits of a stereotypical, snooty princess, and comes off at first as arrogant, self-centered, and vain. Still, they have the capacity for love and friendship and often will soften over time, learning a valuable lesson in the process.

Himedere characters are very similar to Tsundere characters and have a similar personality. They will both be arrogant and insult their love interest, acting like they're not interested when they actually care about them. The difference between the two is how himedere characters have a princess and superior complex, acting sometimes like a diva and very demanding to other people.

There is also a male version of this dere called Oujidere, which is exactly the same but with a prince complex instead.

Himedere character's behavior is like a spoiled brat but with a princess complex. The kinder and more mature version of this dere are Oujodere characters, who act like a gentle, kind and fair princess and don't demand others to treat them differently if they really are royalty.

The Alpha Bitch (Female Examples)

 * Chloé Bourgeois (Miraculous Ladybug: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir)
 * Lila Rossi (Miraculous Ladybug: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir)
 * Chris Hargensen (Carrie)
 * Foxy Loxy (Disney's Chicken Little (2005))
 * Sarah (Ed, Edd n Eddy)
 * Connie D’Amico (Family Guy)
 * Carla and Melanie (Growing Up Creepie)
 * Nina Harper (Braceface)
 * Paige Logan (Grossology)
 * Gale (Angry Birds Stella Toons)
 * Margaret Robinson (The Amazing World of Gumball; not popular, but she is really sadistic)
 * Brooke (Kick-Ass)
 * Lois Griffin (Family Guy)
 * Gem Stone (Sabrina, The Animated Series)
 * Cassandra (Sabrina's Secret Life)
 * Miss Prissy (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies)
 * Meredith Baxter-Dimly (Bratz)
 * Blaire Lily (Unfriended)
 * Mackenzie Hollister (Dork Diaries)
 * Jeannie (Tom and Jerry)
 * Nanette Manoir (Angela Anaconda)
 * Wave the Swallow (Sonic Riders)
 * Savannah Shane (All Grown Up!)
 * Katie Killjoy (Hazbin Hotel)
 * Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon (My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic; prior to character development)
 * Brittney Wong (Star vs. the Forces Of Evil)
 * The Ashleys (Recess)
 * Trina Riffin (Grojband; prior to character development)
 * Jade West
 * Gretta Keene (IT)
 * Sour Sweet (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls)
 * Amelia (My Life Me)
 * Mandy (Totally Spies!)
 * Applejack (PONY.MOV)
 * Mertle Edmonds (Lilo & Stitch, primarily Lilo & Stitch: The Series)
 * Bonnie Rockwaller (Kim Possible)
 * Princess Morbucks (The Powerpuff Girls)
 * Katherine Sanders (Lizzie McGuire)
 * Brit and Tiff Crust (My Life As A Teenage Robot)
 * Trinket St. Blair (Pepper Ann)
 * Lu (Mike, Lu & Og) (She's not popular, but she is mean)
 * Gaz Membrane (Invader Zim) (Like Lu, she's not popular, but she is also mean and also the IZ crew's most favorite character)
 * LaCienega Boulevardez (The Proud Family) (Mostly in earlier episodes)
 * Sasha (Camp Camp)
 * Brandy Harrington (Brandy & Mr. Whiskers)
 * Nutz (Fuzzy & Nuts)
 * Three (Numberblocks, especially in series 1 and 2)
 * Regina George (Mean Girls; prior to character development)
 * Pacifica Northwest (Gravity Falls; prior to character development)
 * Wonder Woman (2011)
 * Susan Heffley (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (Movie))
 * Libby (Sabrina the Teenage Witch)
 * Dawn Swatworthy (The Buzz on Maggie)
 * Paulina Sanchez (Danny Phantom)
 * Muffy Crosswire (Arthur)
 * Heather (Total Drama)
 * Vicky (The Fairly OddParents)
 * Miss O (Letter People)
 * Courtney (Total Drama)
 * Josee (Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race)
 * Icy, Darcy and Stormy (Winx Club)
 * Chanel Oberlin (Scream Queens; prior to character development)
 * Sonya "Chanel #2" Herfmann (Scream Queens)
 * Sadie "Chanel #3" Swenson (Scream Queens; prior to character development)
 * Libby "Chanel #5" Putney (Scream Queens; prior to character development)
 * Amity Blight (The Owl House; prior to character development)
 * Angelica Pickles (All Grown Up!) (To some extent)
 * Chloe and Zoey (Horseland)
 * Craig Yoshida (Re-Animated; is a male example)
 * Maddie Van Pelt (Every Witch Way)
 * Portia Gibbons (The Mighty B!)
 * Miranda Killgallen (As Told By Ginger)
 * Princess Amber (Sofia the First)
 * Pansy Parkinson (Harry Potter)
 * Beaver (Franklin)
 * Princess Porcina (My Little Pony)
 * Brittany Miller (Alvin and the Chipmunks)
 * Amy (Total Drama Pahkitew Island)
 * Jamie Russo (The Amazing World of Gumball; she is not popular, but she is mean.)
 * Gwen Wu (The Mighty B!)
 * Minou (Life's a Zoo)
 * Burdine Maxwell (Bratz)
 * Ronnie Anne Santiago (The Loud House; prior to character development and spin-off series)
 * Carol Pingrey (The Loud House; prior to character development)
 * Theresa Falcone (Fugget About It)
 * Bebe Bluff (Doug)
 * The Biskit Twins (Littlest Pet Shop 2012 series)
 * Rainbow Dash (PONY.MOV)
 * Taylor (Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race)
 * Rose Wilson (Teen Titans Go!)
 * Courtney Gripling (As Told By Ginger)
 * Susan (Regular Show)
 * Daisy Duck (Mickey Mouse Shorts)
 * Fiona Fox (Sonic Archie Comics)
 * Natalia (Regular Show)
 * Wildernessa (Craig of the Creek; prior to character development)
 * Eliza (Craig of the Creek)
 * Rhonda Wellington Lloyd (Hey Arnold!)
 * Nyusha (Smeshariki)
 * Patty Farrell (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
 * Turmoil (SWAT Kats)
 * Aunt Grandma (Uncle Grandpa)
 * Juniper Montage (Equestria Girls)
 * Chun-ni (Miracle Star)
 * Jasper (Steven Universe; prior to character development)
 * Babs Seed (''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic; prior to character development)
 * Milk Chan (Super Milk Chan; mainly in regards to her Americanized Anime Network dub characterization)
 * Kuromi (Onegai My Melody; to some extent, usually averted outside of Onegai My Melody)
 * Angeline (Dear Dumb Diary)
 * Tammy (Bob's Burgers)
 * Missy Trillin (Middle School: My Brother Is A Big Fat Liar)
 * Rachel Wilson (The Amazing World of Gumball)
 * Petula Woolwright (Littlest Pet Shop: A World Of Our Own)
 * Yuki Yoshida (''The Amazing World of Gumball; prior to character development)
 * Spoiled Rich (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
 * Becca Sparkles (Talking Tom and Friends; prior to character development)
 * Sweetie Pom Pom (Littlest Pet Shop: A World Of Our Own)
 * Cozy Glow (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
 * Joyce Kinney (Family Guy)
 * Verosika Mayday (Helluva Boss)
 * Gina Jabowski (Paradise PD)
 * Lightning Lex (SuperMansion; prior to her development)
 * Miette (Pokemon)
 * Tiffiny Turlington (Brandy & Mr. Whiskers)
 * Panty Anarchy (Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt)
 * Stocking Anarchy (Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt)
 * Fluttershy (PONY.MOV)
 * Trixie Tang (The Fairly OddParents)
 * Dana Bernstein (Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World)
 * Yoko Kamiya (Tokimeki Tonight)
 * Eris (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy)
 * Dawn Bellwether (Zootopia)
 * Shenzi (The Lion King (2019))
 * Lt. Fox Vixen (Squirrel and Hedgehog)
 * Quinn Fabray (Glee)
 * Santana Lopez (Glee)
 * Kitty Wilde (Glee)
 * Bree (Glee)
 * Missy Meanie (Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide)
 * Miu Kazashiro (Kamen Rider Fourze)
 * The Dazzlings (Equestria Girls)
 * Rarity (PONY.MOV)
 * Rouge the Bat (Sonic X)
 * Ai Ebihara (Persona 4)
 * Amy (Cuties)
 * Angelica (Cuties)
 * Dora the Explorer (Dora Gets Grounded)
 * Poodle (Almost Naked Animals)
 * Zeta the Sorceress (Shimmer and Shine)
 * Captain Chantel DuBois (Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted)
 * Miss Green (The Betty Boop Movie Mystery)
 * Tammy (Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats)
 * Darke Katt (Sabrina Online)
 * Sara (Bear Nuts)
 * Bruma (El Arca De Noe)
 * Panthy (El Arca De Noe)
 * Lady Tremaine (Cinderella (1950))
 * Popuko (Pop Team Epic)
 * Tricia Holmes (6Teen)
 * Green Puppy (Blue's Clues) (usually averted since she's one of Blue's friends from her school)
 * Pinkie Pie (PONY.MOV)
 * Amy Rose (Sonic X)
 * Kanon Mizushiro (Jewelpet Sunshine)
 * Weiss Schnee (RWBY; prior to character development)
 * Glitter (Hamtaro)
 * Sparkle (Hamtaro; prior to character development)
 * Ami Kawashima (Toradora; prior to character development)
 * Tenjouin Saki (To Love-Ru)
 * Motoko Minagaw (Fruits Basket)
 * Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa)
 * Hiyoko Saionji (Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair)
 * Darla Sherman (Finding Nemo)
 * Tracy (Angelo Rules)
 * Sara (Sonic the Hedgehog)
 * Sarina Shizukume (Magical Girl Site) (One of the WORST examples)
 * Rouge the Bat (Sonic Archie Comics)
 * The Celestial Dragons (One Piece)
 * Veronica Lodge (Archie comics)
 * Paula Fox (PaRappa The Rapper)
 * Kimmy Mysner (Sym-Bionic Titan)
 * Vexy (The Smurfs)
 * Hatta Mari (Looney Tunes)
 * Trisha Cappelletti (Most Popular Girls In School)
 * Cooch (SuperMansion)
 * Flower (Battle for Dream Island)
 * Saranoia (Yin Yang Yo!)
 * Lucy (Woolfoo)
 * Nestor's Momma (Scaredy Squirrel)
 * Non-Gau (Majokko Megu-chan)
 * Phyllis (Animal Crossing)
 * Sugar (Total Drama Pahkitew Island)
 * Vert (Hyperdimension Neptunia; while she does treat Blanc like garbage by making her mad, she's one of the rare examples of a mean popular girl who's written well)
 * Diana Cavendish (Little Witch Academia)
 * Chi-Chi (Life's a Zoo)
 * Cleopatra (Clone High)
 * Elodie (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes!)
 * Amalia Sheran Sharm (Wakfu; prior to character development)
 * Kazooie (Banjo-Kazooie; since she's usually a fan-favorite to all Banjo-Kazooie friends, she's another example of a mean popular girl who's written well)
 * Elisabeth "Sissi" Delmas (Code Lyoko)
 * Sumire Kanzaki (Sakura Wars)
 * Holly Lingerbean (Shantae: Half-Genie Hero)
 * Sandy's Sisters (Bubble Guppies)
 * Mami Nanami (Rent-a-Girlfriend)
 * PostCrush (Equestria Girls)
 * Peach (SuperMarioLogan)
 * Mackenzie Zales (Most Popular Girls In School)
 * Juri (Street Fighter IV/V)
 * Anko Uehara (Great Teacher Onizuka)
 * Sunny (Derpixon)
 * Akira Kogami (Lucky Star)                                                                                                                                                    *Saya Takagi (Highschool of the Dead)
 * Karen (SuperMarioLogan)
 * Nancy (SuperMarioLogan)
 * Bobbie (Life's a Zoo)
 * Sharpay Evans (High School Musical; prior to character development)
 * Vana Glama (Sidekick)
 * Funny (Funny Pets)
 * Brittany Matthews (Most Popular Girls In School)
 * Yukari Takeba (Persona 3)
 * Jessica Gordon (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants)
 * Quinn Morgendorffer (Daria)
 * Violet Nylund (Barbie Presents Thumbelina)
 * Ashlynn Torescu (Barbie Presents Thumbelina)
 * Coral, Opal, and Jade (Trollz)
 * Melissa O'Malley (The Life and Times of Juniper Lee)
 * Pretty (Kaeloo)
 * Gorgeous Gurinder (Horrid Henry)
 * Suzy Johnson (Phineas and Ferb)
 * Bambi (Robotboy)
 * Cleo De Nile (Monster High; prior to character development)
 * Nefera De Nile (Monster High)
 * Amanita Nightshade (Monster High)
 * Karen Lilica (Fairy Tail)
 * Minerva Orland (Fairy Tail)
 * Penny Peterson ('Mr. Peabody and Sherman; prior to character development)
 * Lois Lane (DC Super Hero Girls (2019))
 * Naoka Ueno (The Silent Voice)
 * Miki Kawai (The Silent Voice; when she is faking her innocence)
 * Penelope Lang (Atomic Betty)
 * Suzi (Camp Lakebottom)
 * Jessica the Ice Witch (Dora the Explorer; prior to character development)
 * Brooklyn (Lizzie)
 * Melody (Teenage Fairytale Dropouts)
 * Mizuchi (Beastars)
 * Poppy Reardon (Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures)
 * Tammy (Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures)
 * Gloria Vaughan (Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures)
 * Shimmer (Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow)
 * Anna Maria (Blood+)
 * Students of Honnouji Academy (Kill la Kill; prior to character development)
 * Nui Harime (Kill la Kill)
 * Reika Tamaki (Ojamajo Doremi)
 * Libby Chestler (Sabrina the Teenage Witch)
 * Cordelia Chase (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, underwent a great deal of character development on this show and Angel).

The Alpha Bastard (Male Examples)

 * Squilliam Fancyson (SpongeBob SquarePants)
 * Dale Gribble (in a few episodes of King of the Hill where he teams up with Bill and Boomhauer to bully Hank)
 * Duncan (Total Drama)
 * Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter)
 * Skeebo (Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures)
 * Von Vultur (Looney Tunes)
 * Chandler McCann (The Loud House)
 * Dash Baxter (Danny Phantom)
 * Mario (Luigi's Day Off)
 * Mr. Resetti (Animal Crossing)
 * Alejandro (Total Drama)
 * King Xavier (Craig of the Creek)
 * Toman Napitupulu (Craig of the Creek)
 * Juandissimo Magnifico (''The Fairly Odd Parents)
 * King Dice (Cuphead)
 * Dr. Starline (Sonic IDW Comics)
 * Losyash's clone (Smeshariki)
 * Lord Betrayus (Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures)
 * Little Wiz Jr. (The Proud Family)
 * Spike (PONY.MOV)
 * Big Tex Arkana (Buddy Thunderstruck; prior to character development)
 * Remy Buxaplenty (The Fairly OddParents)
 * Patrick Star (SpongeBob Squarepants Season 6-8)
 * Mr. Krabs (SpongeBob SquarePants)
 * Foxy (Fazbear and Friends)
 * Little Bill (Little Bill Gets Grounded)
 * King Dedede (Kirby: Right Back at Ya!)
 * Vector the Crocodile (Sonic X)
 * Fat Cat (Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers)
 * Gideon Gleeful (Gravity Falls)
 * Logan Reese (Zoey 101)
 * Reggie Van Dough (Richie Rich's Christmas Wish)
 * Bully Bill (Super Mario Logan)
 * Kopatych's father (Smeshariki)
 * Escargoon (Kirby: Right Back at Ya!)
 * Tokkori (Kirby: Right Back at Ya!)
 * Kamina (Gurren Lagann; later died)
 * Sheen (The Bedfellows)
 * Donald Trump (Our Cartoon President)
 * Peter Griffin (Family Guy)
 * Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia; prior to character development)
 * Shingo Shoji (Initial D)
 * Tails the Fox (Sonic TDI series)
 * Goro Akechi (Persona 5)
 * Gart Default (Robot & Monster)
 * Jake Oswalt (Life's a Zoo)
 * John F. Kennedy (Clone High)
 * Drake (The Pebble and the Penguin)
 * Joseph (SuperMarioLogan)
 * Dr. D (Life's a Zoo)
 * Chick Hicks (Cars)
 * King Pig (Angry Birds/Angry Birds Toons; prior to character development)
 * Master Frown (Unikitty!) (not popular, but mean, until he redeemed himself in "The Birthday to End All Birthdays", a 2-part series finale)
 * Jackson Storm (Cars 3)
 * Marcus Goode (Big Nate)
 * Nolan (Big Nate)
 * Randy Betancourt (Big Nate) (popular, but poor; but not as bad as Nolan and Marcus Goode, until he redeemed himself in "Big Nate: Blast Off")
 * Flash Thompson (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
 * Gettemhult (Phantasy Star Online 2)
 * Seifer Almasy (Final Fantasy VIII)
 * Mitchell Peterson (Ready Jet Go!; prior to character development)
 * Arcangelo (Neo Yokio)
 * Jacques Schnee (RWBY)
 * Shadow The Hedgehog (Sonic Boom)

Why This Cliché Sucks

 * 1) It’s basically a carbon copy of the Bully cliché, but female.
 * 2) They’re just there to go up to the main protagonist and bully them for the sake of their characters, serving no purpose other than to pad a scene out.
 * 3) They are more annoying and hateful than hilarious.
 * 4) They don’t have or show any motive or reason to bully the female protagonist, making their vendetta against the main character unjustifiable and unnecessary.
 * 5) What makes their mean-spirited attitude towards the main character more unreasonable is that the main character didn't do anything mean to them, in fact, in some shows like the C-Students pilot and Pixel Pinkie, the main female characters were trying to be nice to them, so that makes the Alpha Bitch's hatred towards the protagonist more pathetic.
 * 6) They usually get absolutely no character development whatsoever.
 * 7) When these so-called “side antagonists” do serve a purpose, they just cause problems and conflict for the protagonist to get the plot going in the direction that the writer wants it to.
 * 8) Some of them are so chatty and talkative that you wish they could shut up.
 * 9) They are pretty much Karma Houdini's, meaning that they get no consequences for actions.
 * 10) They often stand out victorious from humiliating their victim protagonist.
 * 11) Tsundere girls are more aggressive and violent than boys, they can beat up very harder is more like bullying than lovable. Which is NOT cute!
 * 12) Himedere girls are extremely spoiled and bratty royal princesses. Which is also NOT cute!
 * 13) Jealously is also part of the horrible cliché (especially girls). For example when the boy falls in love with another girl, which causes the girl to get extremely toxic to him. And of course, anime girls' jealousy is more dangerous than cartoon girls.

Redeeming Qualities

 * 1) Some of them are loved by fans and aren't (or less) mean-spirited.
 * 2) Most of them do get comeuppance from the characters.
 * 3) Not all of them are mean-spirited to the point of doing physical abuse.
 * 4) Although it's a minority, some of them do get character development, such as Amity Blight, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Regina George, Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez, Kitty Wilde, Miu Kazashiro, The Dazzlings, Chanel Oberlin, Chanel #3, Chanel #5, Pacifica Northwest, Ronnie Anne Santiago, Wildernessa, Chloé Bourgeois, Penny Peterson, Ami Kawashima, Katsuki Bakugo, Numberblock, John F. Kennedy, and Diana Cavendish.
 * 5) Some of them do have a reason to dislike the main protagonist. For example, in Clone High, JFK hates Abe Lincoln because he took his girlfriend (Cleopatra) away from him.
 * 6) Tsundere is a Japanese term for a character development process that depicts a person who is initially cold (and sometimes even hostile) before gradually showing a warmer, friendlier side over time.
 * 7) Himederes demand to be treated like royalty by their loved ones, they can really be princesses or only think that they are in a higher position to others, and consequently, that they should be treated as such and admired by those they think are inferior to them.

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