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[–] Maxite ago 

1) Are the descriptors / character tropes overused?

2) Do they stick characters into a 'box' of non-unique traits or do they provide a good initial framework?

Almost certainly. Writers will almost always use some sort of preliminary character archetype when designing a character. What differentiates using an archetype from whether or not it's a cookie-cutter or being in a box is whether or not the archetype is used as a foundation to expand upon, or is simply left to stand on its own. In the majority of cases, the archetypes are left to stand on their own -- though there are some shows that will point this out and then illustrate the consequences humorously (Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei being a good example).

Do these / can these character tropes apply to people in real life?

These are almost always a flanderization or gross simplification of reality. A tsundere is a cheap bitch, a yandere is a cheap psychopath, and a kuudere is a cheap introvert.

Now, could you describe actual humans in terms of these tropes? Almost certainly, but there would definitely be a lot of nuance and subtlety lost.

Saying someone is a tsundere is suggesting, at the simplest, that they have a rough external demeanor and a softer, gentler internal mannerism. Based on common depictions, it also suggests that they are prone to violent outbursts (since that is the "comedic" trademark of a tsundere).

Alternatively, you could just say that someone is an abusive bitch / bastard, and a very similar picture is painted, but one which is a bit more broader since it doesn't cover internal and external demeanors.

4) Which of these tropes do you like / dislike, and why?

I have a love-hate relationship with all of them, but let's take a jab at yandere.

A yandere is literally a cheap psychopath. In almost all cases, they are motivated by love (or sexual attraction), and thus act with an extreme hostility towards anything that threatens the illusion of their love. Again, in the majority of cases they are shown to have great volatility, and aren't afraid to be volatile to the person (or object) with whom they are attracted to.

It sounds nice on paper. It even makes for some pretty interesting works. But it relies on such exaggerated effects and demeanors that subtlety isn't a thing -- and a psychopath can play both the volatile and the subtle angles. Death Note would be a very different (and very much so worse) show if Light was a yandere instead of being a psychopath. Code Geass would suffer similarly with Lelouch being a yandere. Not having your moral compass pigeonholed to a goal of romance or love, and not being pigeonholed toward always doing extreme actions and allowing for subtlety and a variety of motives allows for better character building, and thus a better story.

So they have their purpose, but once you add on complexities to these archetypes, they stop becoming a *-dere and become something more real and much more intriguing.