Taro Yamada, often called Senpai or Senpai-kun, is a central character and Ayano Aishi's love interest at Akademi High School in Yandere Simulator.

== Appearance == Taro is an 18-year-old with fair skin, dark gray eyes, and short black hair with a distinctive fringe and side strands. While designed to look like a generic male anime protagonist, YandereDev ideally wishes him to be slightly taller than the average Japanese man.

His official art depicts him with a slender build. He typically wears the chosen school uniform but is also seen in a black sweater with a white button-up and tan pants when with Amai and Kizana, and a black apron with yellow outlines when cooking. His student profile describes him as canonically average height.

== Personality == Taro is intentionally portrayed as plain and average, with Info-chan unable to uncover any dark secrets about him. He is primarily a loner who prefers nature over human company but is friendly to those who approach him. Though an introvert, he is not shy, generally gentle, and considerate. However, he becomes enraged if he witnesses and unmasks a masked killer, potentially leading to a Game Over. Ayano's perception of his freak-out is exaggerated. YandereDev describes Taro as "smart" for entering Akademi at 16 and being in his third year.

Initially, Taro is not popular, but girls will develop affections for him throughout the game, and even popular students might notice him. He seems oblivious to Osana's flirting. His personality is designed to evolve based on the disappearances of people around him. Depending on Ayano's actions, Taro may develop PTSD, a personality complex, a nervous disorder, or social anxiety. In future updates, Taro will have a sanity meter that drops with rival deaths, particularly Osana's or Hanako Yamada's. If he suspects Ayano is responsible for any rival's death, he might become aggressive or reject her. His sanity can be restored over time (if no murders occur) or by receiving gifts, which could lead him to become obsessed with his "admirer." His current sanity will influence his daily routine and personality.

If many rivals die shortly after speaking with him, he may believe he is cursed. If he constantly rejects rivals due to the player's sabotage, he will worry about never finding a partner. If rivals are eliminated via matchmaking, he might feel less appealing than other boys. If rivals mysteriously stop attending school without explanation, he will assume they are delinquents. If rivals are framed for murder, he may question if all women are murderers. If rivals frequently commit suicide, he might conclude that all women are suicidal. If rivals are befriended and agree to stay away from him, he will worry that no one will ever be interested in him.

== Trivia ==

• Taro Yamada's name is the Japanese equivalent of "John Doe," a placeholder name for an unknown individual, and can be rendered with various kanji meanings such as "many bright" or "big son." His name will appear on the Student Info screen and in-game social media, though it won't be spoken aloud.
• Taro Yamada was once shown to have written a book titled "How to Hentai without Hentaing." This book appeared in the Early May 2015 build of the game but was later removed, with YandereDev declaring it non-canonical. It was reintroduced with a different cover in the Late December 2016 build and could be found in a safe in Mission Mode. However, as of the April 2021 builds of the game, it was removed again due to YandereDev disliking the feature.
• His character model is based on "Taichi Hayami" from the Unity Assets store.
• While still older than Ayano (as "Senpais" are always older), his birthday might be March 31st, the same day as hers.
• He has an unrevealed career path, though YandereDev stated he might become an author after graduation.
• Taro can likely cook simple meals, despite telling Amai he cannot, and his favorite food is sushi.
• He has never bought a panty shot from Info-chan.
• Taro is allergic to cats, a detail confirmed by YandereDev.
• His hobbies include reading classic Japanese literature, calligraphy, bonsai, origami, and he knows how to play the piano.
• If he had a girlfriend, he would reject Mida Rana's advances.
• In a zombie apocalypse, he would be as useless as his sister.
• Taro watched Life Note, a parody of Death Note, out of curiosity. Should he find such a notebook, he would read the rules but ultimately be deterred by the "cannot go to heaven or hell" rule, returning it to the Shinigami.
• In a timeline with different-gendered rivals and a different-gendered protagonist, Taro would be bisexual.

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