Let’s take a look at some examples of ISFP anime characters! Feel free to discuss these choices, but keep it polite. ISFP stands for Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving. People of this type need their time alone, are more interested in practical applications than ideas, rely on their feelings and personal values, and require a laid-back lifestyle where they can be spontaneous.

As far as cognitive functions, an ISFP primarily uses Fi and Se. The first one (introverted feeling) meaning that their rich internal minds are focused on how to live according to their values and emotions. The second one (extroverted sensing) refers to the way they take in the outside world according to their literal senses.

The strengths of the ISFP, according to 16personalities.com, include being sensitive, imaginative, passionate, curious, and often artistic. Their weaknesses include being extremely independent, unpredictable, easily stressed, and too competitive, with self-esteem that tends to fluctuate.

My personal perspective is that the ISFP has a strange mix of qualities. On the one hand, they are bold, stubborn, and individualistic. On the other hand, they are sensitive, caring, and idealistic. More than anything, they are determined to be their true selves, even if others perceive them as overly emotional. Now that you have a feel for ISFP personalities, let’s dive into the anime character examples.

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Akira Fudo (Devilman Crybaby)

Akira shows the dichotomy of the ISFP tendencies quite well. He is part Devil, seeking adventure, thrills, and sensory pleasure. But he is also a gentle, loving young human who is quick to cry and has great capacity for empathy.

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Blue (Wolf’s Rain)

Blue is one of the most interesting characters from the underrated masterpiece anime Wolf’s Rain. She grew up thinking she was a dog, only to be awoken by a special encounter that made her realize she is more of a Wolf. (Wolves in this universe have a lot of special abilities, including having an illusionary human form.) Blue is extremely loving and forgiving toward her loved ones, and she forms new attachments easily. At the same time, she’s rough, strong-willed, and sassy. She loves being her newfound self.

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Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

The textbook ISFP, Eren fights with all his might for a world where he can feel free. He’s rough around the edges and easy to rile up, but in general, he cares about others and has high moral standards. Eren has an undying thirst for adventure, self-expression, and individual freedom. By the end of the series, this young man is an insane emotional wreck and has caused terrible atrocities. But his actions stemmed from his love for his friends and his home island. They are, to him, more valuable than the entire rest of the world.

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Haru (Beast Stars)

Haru is the female protagonist and main love interest in Beast Stars. Like most ISFPs, she’s mostly laidback and soft-hearted – but she’s also incredibly stubborn about her self-expression and independence. Despite being slut-shamed and bullied, Haru found personal empowerment through her sexuality. When she finds someone she likes, she quickly forms emotional connections. The last thing I’ll mention is that Haru is amazingly courageous. Though she’s a small, defenseless rabbit, she lives life on the edge, even getting involved with large carnivores.

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Haruka Nanase (Free!)

One of the quieter ISFPs on this list, Haruka is a bit distant with others, and may seem at first shy and weak-willed. But in reality, his willpower and determination are not to be taken lightly. Haruka is a good friend once he gets to know a few close companions. He likes to do things his own way in the fashion that best suits him – for example, he can only perform well in freestyle swimming, as opposed to a more structured type of sports.

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Hatsuhara Sohma (Fruits Basket)

Hatsuharu, often just called Haru by his friends, is another great example of an ISFP anime character. Through no fault of his own, he was cursed by the Cow Zodiac Spirit, so he sometimes transforms into an animal. A cow can be a peaceful, sleepy grazer sometimes and and a raging, fuming bull at other times. Likewise, Haru has two distinct sides. Normally, he’s quiet, wistful, and gentle. But if “Dark Haru” gets triggered, the beast awakens, and he becomes hyperactive, impulsive, and sometimes angry or horny.

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Kallen Kozuki (Code Geass)

Kallen is an iconic character not only due to the ridiculous fan-service of her body in Code Geass, but also due to her memorable, fiery personality. She’s stubborn as a mule, courageous, strong-willed and independent. Kallen can be sensitive and forms attachments easily. Very often, her emotions are a chaotic mess. Not even she can make sense of them. But that’s part of the beauty of this feisty girl. To Kallen, freeing her people from tyranny is a top priority – but even more important than that, she needs to make sure she never feels boxed in.

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Mirai Kuriyama (Beyond The Boundary)

Though more of an introvert than many on this list, Mirai shares similar qualities and personality traits. In a quiet sort of way, she’s stubborn and expressive, always calling out things she finds unpleasant. Mirai might be on the border of ISFP and ISFJ, since she very much values duty and loyalty. But at the end of the day, Mirai needs self-expression and the ability to be who she is – otherwise, the weight of duty will crush her spirit.

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Rin Okamura (Blue Exorcist)

Rin is an obstinate, short-fused boy, and yet he tries his best with whatever is assigned to him. He could never be happy with a normal life, so he’s thrilled to start training as an exorcist. Driven by the desire for vengeance on Satan and the other demons who caused the death of his father-figure, Rin is clearly emotionally oriented. This boy’s feelings emotions are pure and simple, and he can be truly caring. However, having to conceal his true self is frustrating for him, and one of the reasons for his quick temper.

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Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill)

Here is the ultimate example of the ISFP’s complete refusal to conform to standards and norms that others want to place upon them. Ryuko is a proponent of “rules are made to be broken.” She needs to find herself and connect with others who will accept her without trying to change her. I’ve written a character analysis of Ryuko if you are interested in knowing more.

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Shirou Emiya (Fate/Stay Night: UBW)

Here’s an unpopular opinion to rile you up: Shirou Emiya is an awesome and admirable young man. Despite being hated by the majority of Fate / Type Moon fans, Shirou holds his ground as someone who is strong, caring, stubborn, altruistic, and most of all, faithful to himself. It’s no use trying to change Shirou. He’ll still press on with his own strong ideals and dreams.

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Simon (Gurren Lagann)

Here is an interesting case where the ISFP main character is very popular, mostly thanks to the way the show frames him to match the main themes of living freely and with your own sense of style. Despite its great popularity, Gurren Lagann (and indeed Simon) occasionally rubs me the wrong way by going overboard with the ideas to the point of absurdity. But that’s basically the point of the show. Despite being laidback most of the time, Simon is a passionate person who will stop at nothing to free himself and his friends.

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Taiga Aisaka (Toradora!)

The beloved heroine of Toradora exemplifies the stubbornness, independent spirit, hidden sweet sides, and intense emotional nature common to the ISFP. She’s also adorable.

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Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)

For season one, Thorfinn was the archetypical angry ISFP looking for revenge. More than some others on this list, however, this boy was metaphorically eaten alive by his insane hatred. However, Vinland Saga season 2 tells the story of Thorfinn’s change into a wise, pacifistic adult who no longer has room in his heart for hate. Thorfinn’s personality type did not change; he is still an emotional creature more than anything else. It’s just that now, instead of hate, he has positive, humanistic ideals.

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Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Yuji is the protagonist of the popular shounen fighting anime, Jujutsu Kaisen. I haven’t seen this anime yet, but several friends have recommended it to me. According to the Personality Database, Yuji is an ISFP. Despite not knowing the character yet, I included him here as a reminder to myself to watch Jujutsu Kaisen soon.

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Zenitsu Agatsuma (Demon Slayer)

In the two seasons of Demon Slayer that I’ve seen so far, Zenitsu seems to be an ISFP type. He’s something of an outlier, because the average ISFP is fairly quiet most of the time and characterized by boldness or courage. On the other hand, Zenitsu is a loudmouthed coward. Nevertheless, he is clearly a user of Fi (introverted feeling) and Se (extraverted sensing.)

It’s helpful to think of this boy as a turbulent-type ISFP. In other words, he still has a lot of issues to work through before he can find the type of freedom and self-expression that will make him happy and at ease. Even if Zenitsu is always a little bit afraid, I hope he finds a way to become more stable as he grows up.

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Thank you for reading!

PATREON

(Original post updated on June 23, 2023.)