Welcome to Anime Rants! Today we have an analysis of the personality types of characters from the anime Penguindrum. This has definitely been done on several other websites, but for my version, I have included some pretty detailed notes about my conclusions. Please remember that it’s impossible to be completely accurate in giving fictional characters MBTI types. So if you disagree with my findings, feel free to discuss, but please don’t be rude. Also, here is a chart with the types and functions for your reference.
Note: A few characters have been left out either due their roles being extremely minor or the fact their types are impossible to guess. The following supporting characters are omitted: Hikari Utada, Hibaru Isora, Shirase, Souya, and Ringo’s parents.
Warning: Penguindrum spoilers may be present in this article.
Chieme Takakura: ISFJ?
Chieme is the wife of Kenzan Takakura and mother to Kanba, Shouma, and Himari. Only Shouma is her biological offspring, but she is equally loving to all her children. Like her husband, Chieme is fed up with a society that mistreats children; she works toward destroying that society by force. Mrs. Takakura only has a few appearances in Penguindrum, and even fewer lines. Guessing her type is difficult. I think she would need to be a very supportive as well as practical type to be there for her husband Kenzan and believe in their cause so much. ISFJs are known for being reliable providers and loving people with good skills, so I think this fits.
Himari Takakura: ISFJ (The Nurturer)
Himari is the adorable younger sister of Kanba and Shouma. Since she is prone to illness and frequently hospitalized, she does not attend school during the series. That’s one reason why she formed a bond with Ringo so quickly. The two are good friends. Himari loves her brothers dearly and does a lot of the cooking and cleaning while they are gone. She has good practical skills, and enjoys knitting. Kind-hearted and patient, Himari will always do her best to care for her brothers and improve her capabilities.
Without a doubt, Himari sounds the textbook assertive variant of the ISFJ type. Looking at this type’s dominant functions (Si and Fe) may not be helpful, since I have yet to understand or describe Si. But if we use the letter typing method, we still get ISFJ. Himari is introverted, able to tolerate being alone most of the time, and happiest with small groups of family and close friends. Her practicality and sensibility suggest that she’s a Sensing type. She is also most definitely a Feeler, always concerned with others’ feelings and needs. Finally, Himari is judging type, being thorough and organized in whatever she seeks to accomplish.
Note: You will notice that later on this list is Ringo, another ISFJ. Himari and Ringo are quite different, so do they really share the same personality type? I think so. There is a lot of room for individual variation within each of the 16 types. We’ll discuss this further when we get to Ringo’s entry.
Kanba Takakura: ESTP (The Doer)
Kanba is one of the two Takakura boys and a main character in Penguindrum. Even though he’s the same age as Sho, he acts like the older brother. Kanba is stubborn but logical, often angry, and willing to do extremely dangerous things to protect his family.
The primary functions of an ESTP are Se (extroverted sensing) and Ti (introverted thinking). Se suggests a strong connection to physical reality, practical concerns, and taking action. Ti alludes to an interest in logical decision-making even at the cost of others’ values, feelings, or rights. This thinking is done internally and is not always as objective as the Ti user believes. ESTPs are known to be risk-takers and have a reputation for being defiant. They can also be very charming, however, since they know how to negotiate with others and are not shy with people. ESTPs can be frustrating because even though they are usually very intelligent people, they still take absurd risks and are sometimes intolerant or impatient.
This description of the ESTP is a great fit for Kanba. He is indeed popular and confident, but also prone to anger and impulsivity. At first, I thought Kanba might be ENTP, but now it’s pretty clear that he would not be an intuitive type. He’s far more interested in the here-and-now, the sensations of reality, than intellectual pursuits or theoretical debates.
Keiju Tabuki: ISFP (The Artist)
Tabuki is the homeroom teacher for Shouma and Kanba, as well as good friend of Ringo’s family. When he was a child, Tabuki had a profound connection with Momoko, and was severely traumatized by her sudden death. As an adult, he decided to date and then marry Momoko’s other best friend, Yuri. Tabuki is an awkward, unusual, and creative man whose inner darkness ultimately loses to his strong loving nature.
This man would definitely be an introvert, and although he seems fairly balanced between Intuition and Sensing, I believe he leans slightly more toward the latter. As a caring and highly emotional person, Tabuki is a Feeling type. He is more spontaneous, pensive, and lacking in direction than most Judging types, so he is probably a Perceiver. This leads us to conclude that Tabuki is an ISFP.
Kenzan Takakura: IXTJ
Kenzan is the father of the Takakura children and husband to Chieme. He had strong convictions about the corruption of society, especially in its mistreatment of children. These convictions eventually became fanaticism, and Kenzan abandoned his moral high ground to become a terrorist. Even late in the series, this man is still plotting terror attacks and pressuring his son Kanba to join in. Despite being morally indefensible, Kenzan has a few sympathetic qualities, like his immense love for his children.
It’s tough to give a type to this character because his appearances are pretty brief and because he’s such a twisted person. So as I give my guess, please remember that criminals and terrorists can come from any type, not just Kenzan’s. I think Kenzan would either be INTJ or ISTJ. Personally, ISTJ sounds right to me, because even though this type is usually very sensible, they are also perfectionists who can be easily angered at the corruption of the world. Though stern, ISTJs make good parents, and believe in the value of family and community. However, since Kenzan seems to be one of the main strategists of the terror plans, INTJ is equally likely.
Mario Natsume: INFP (The Idealist)
Mario is the younger brother of Masako and heir to the Natsume family. Much like Himari, this boy is frail and sickly. For reasons that are not entirely clear, his life was in danger, and he was only kept alive by the power of the penguin hat and the Princess of the Crystal. Mario is not given much screen time or many appearances, like most of the supporting characters on this list. If I had to guess his type, however, I would go with INFP. The boy seems very gentle, quiet, thoughtful, and uninterested in being strong and “manly” like his grandfather wanted. It’s likely that Mario has a compassionate heart and a nonconfrontational nature.
Masako Natsume: ESTJ (The Guardian)
Masako is an important female character who mostly acts as an antagonist to the Takakura’s attempts to secure the Penguindrum. She has a special interest in Kanba and is jealous for his attention, even to the point of attacking his former girlfriends. The only time we really see Masako’s softer side is in her powerful protective love for her little bother Mario.
Among the easiest on this list to type, Masako is almost certainly an ESTJ. People of this type are commanding, pragmatic, reliable, capable, and responsible, with a propensity toward aggression and impatience. They usually value things like duty, honor, and leadership. These traits all neatly match up with Masako. To be sure, let’s also look at the two top functions for ESTJ, explain them, and see if they are true for Masako.
Extroverted Thinking (Te) and Introverted Sensing (Si) are the primary and secondary functions for ESTJ. Te refers to logical and relatively objective decision-making. Such things as personal biases and feelings of others will be discounted in favor of doing what makes the most sense for achieving the desired result. Masako definitely uses Te, going after what she wants in a logical and intelligent, if heartless, way.
I don’t have a very good idea of how to describe Si, but Masako is clearly more sensing than intuitive, so Si makes senses. Sensing types are practical action-takers with good common sense, useful skills, and solid connection to physical reality. Masako uses her athletic body and special weapons to charge in and fight rather than relying on clever mental strategies like an ENTJ. Additionally, an ENTJ uses original and often risky plans and ideas, while an ESTJ like Masako makes sure she has a feasible plan with an advantage ahead of time. It’s now clear that ESTJ is the right type for Masako.
Momoka Oginome: INFJ (The Protector or The Advocate)
Momoka is the mysterious and enchanting young girl who tragically died in a terrorist attack. She had strong bonds with Yuri and Tabuki, and she is Ringo’s older sister. Momoka has an astounding supernatural ability which I don’t have time to describe here. We only get brief glimpses into the girl’s personality, but even those small hints tell us a lot. Momoka was loving, passionate, altruistic, thoughtful, and courageous. Though usually more gentle-natured, she always spoke her mind, and once she decided to do something she would never back down. There was an atmosphere of mystery and wonder around her at all times.
So what about Momoka’s personality type? I think she triggers all the red flags of a classic INFJ, the rarest of the 16 personalities. Like Momoka, people of the INFJ type are known for being unique, altruistic, hard to get to know, and intelligent and contemplative. Their insights into others’ minds and hearts can be almost alarming, and they possess a deep well of love for those they like and trust.
This definitely sounds like Momoka, but to be sure, let’s look at the two dominant functions for INFJs. They are introverted intuition (Ni) and extroverted feeling (Fe). The former can be explained as way of constantly processing information on a subconscious level. Those with the Ni function are constantly thinking, and all their silent thoughts and observations lead to their spontaneous awareness of truth and brilliant ideas. As for Fe, this is the function most concerned with openly loving others, protecting people, and trying to understand them.
Does this reflect Momoka? Yes. She sacrifices herself to save others in many cases, and it’s not for the glory, but for the sake of fellow humans. She quickly understands and starts to love Tabuki and Yuri, becoming the light of their lives. Although there isn’t as much distinct evidence for Ni in Momoka, she’s certainly more like an intuitive type than a sensing one. Furthermore, she’s introverted, and unlikely to be an ENFJ. So the best bet for Momoka’s type is definitely INFJ.
Princess of the Crystal: ENTJ (The Commander)
Although she has no name in the spoken lines of the anime, the mysterious entity dwelling within the penguin hat is usually referred to as Princess of the Crystal by fans. We know few facts about her for sure, but it seems like she’s either an extraterrestrial, or someone from the separate dimension called “The Place Beyond Fate.” This is also the world where Sanetoshi comes from, so I think that’s more likely than the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Anyway, the Princess of the Crystal is after the mystic power of the Penguindrum for unknown reasons. She doesn’t know its true form, but she believes it’s probably Momoko’s Diary.
As payment for extending Himari’s life, this otherworldly Princess demands for the Takakura boys to fetch her the Penguindrum. In terms of personality, the Princess is like a humorous caricature of an ENTJ. People of this type are known for being unusual but successful leaders and extremely intelligent problem-solvers who can be just as impatient and intolerant as ESTJs. Compared to the ESTJ, they are less practical and traditional. The Princess of the Crystal is beyond the usual stern and demanding ENTJ mannerisms; she’s just plain insulting. She verbally abuses the Takakuras and uses quite vulgar language in general. Possessing the confidence and no-nonsense attitude of an ENTJ, the Princess also has no regard for traditional propriety, and doesn’t give practical instructions. She has no qualms about threatening Himari’s life to get her way. Thus, it seems she is an exaggerated version of an ENTJ.
Ringo Oginome: ISFJ (The Nurturer)
Ringo is a main character in Penguindrum who becomes Himari’s best friend and develops a certain fondness for Shouma. For most of the series, she harbors an unhealthy love for Keiju Tabuki, stalking him and trying to hook up with him despite the huge age gap and Tabuki’s engagement to Yuri. Ringo is a psychologically fascinating character whose mental and behavioral problems were informed by emotional trauma, difficult family dynamics, and her own overly loving and romantic nature. She believes she’s the reincarnation of her sister, who died on the day of her birth. To make her parents happy and have self-worth, Ringo thinks she must become her sister, and part of that entails being with Tabuki. She is so emotionally confused and disturbed that she has become selfish and impatient with others.
Now, if you recall, Himari is an example of an assertive (stable) variant of ISFJ. She’s ultimately a content person who stays mentally healthy as long as she has her brothers. Ringo, on the other hand, is a turbulent (unstable) ISFJ. She actually has a lot in common with Himari, but her behavior and mental state are much more chaotic. Both girls have a great wealth of love to pour onto their few selected loved ones. They both have good practical skills and enjoy things like fashion and cooking. They are hopeless romantics who try their best to see the bright sides of life. Additionally, both place great value in things like family, community, loyalty, and being helpful.
Using the single-letter method, we get more solid evidence of Ringo’s MBTI type. She is introverted, though a bit more interested in socializing than Himari. A feeling type, she is highly sensitive and has the desire to love and support others. Ringo is also a judger, who follows through on her plans and uses systems of organization to stay on track. So the only remaining question is whether Ringo is sensing or intuitive, ISFJ or INFJ. I believe that compared to an intuitive type, Ringo is more interested in physical experiences and concrete goals. She’s not especially practical for an ISFJ, but she’s still more practical than intellectual, if that makes sense. Therefore, Ringo is probably an ISFJ.
Sahei Natsume: ESTJ (The Guardian)
Sahei is Masako’s grandfather as head of the Natsume family for a long. He disowned his son, Masako’s dad, after some kind of disagreement. Then Sahei turned his attention to Mario, his small grandson. He tried to force Mario to become the new family head, and treated any weakness with punishment and rage. He treated Mario horribly and wasn’t especially helpful or supportive to Masako, either. After dying from food poisoning, he temporarily returned, possessing Mario’s body. Masako defeated him for good after that.
It’s likely that Sahei is an ESTJ: the same type as Masako, despite their differences. He leads the family businesses and is involved with important public figures and many large corporations that effect the country. Able to balance social obligations and business, he’s capable, dedicated, and strong-willed. But he’s also arrogant and unreasonable, which are common weaknesses of the ESTJ.
Sanetoshi Watase: INTJ (The Scientist or The Mastermind)
Sanetoshi is a mysterious entity who lives in a lonely separate dimension from the living world. His true intentions and alignment aren’t revealed until very late in the series, but he is generally classified as an antagonist. He does, however, help the Takakura brothers immensely by administering magical medicine to extend Himari’s life. There are important details about Sanetoshi that I have forgotten since my last re-watch of Penguindrum, so this is the extent that I can explain his role and history at present.
INTJs are usually very intelligent, strategic thinkers. In fiction, they have a reputation of being villains or anti-heroes. The stereotypical INTJ is an evil mastermind who can win any mental game and places his goals above anyone’s wellbeing. This is obviously an exaggeration of INTJS in reality. Still, it’s true that INTJs are intelligent and goal-oriented people, and perhaps it’s their independent nature and seriousness that can make them seem unfriendly. The dominant and secondary functions for INTJ are introverted intuition (Ni) and extroverted thinking (Te).
Does this reflect Sanetoshi’s character? I think so. Sanetoshi has a plan he is working on from beginning to end. Everything he does is in line with that strategy. He is perceptive and gives heavy insights about the world, suggesting a sharp mind. He is logical but thinks outside of the box for ideas. And despite a charming exterior, he’s pretty quiet, rarely giving straight answers.
More introverted than extroverted, Sanetoshi is usually quiet. When he does speak, his words are eloquent but brief. He is able to survive a solitary existence without losing his mind, although it’s clear he longs for someone like him. Sanetoshi has no interest in leadership and works best from the shadows. With an interest in abstract concepts and a contemplative, insightful nature, this man is an intuitive type. We can see that Sanetoshi has little empathy, and as long as it logically follows, he will disregard values and ethics to get his way. This makes it highly unlikely that he is an F. Finally, Sanetoshi is a thorough person who plans ahead rather than “winging it.” If we put it all together, Sanetoshi is an INTJ.
Shouma Takakura: INFP (The Idealist)
An important main character, Shouma is the brother of Kanba and Himari. From my perspective, he’s always been the central protagonist of Penguindrum. He adores his sister and is very close with his brother. However, Shouma hates his absent parents because of their crimes against humanity. This suggests he is a very humanistic person who thinks a lot about ethics. The fact that he can’t forgive his parents also implies that he has a highly emotional nature. In the series, Shouma spends a lot of time with Ringo to try to convince her to give him Momoka’s Diary, which he believes is the mystical Penguindrum. The point of acquiring the Penguindrum is to save Himari’s life.
There’s a stereotype in fiction, and especially in anime, where INFP boys are disliked for being sensitive, anxious, timid, or noncommittal. But Shouma is an example of an INFP boy who is generally well-liked by fans, and who conquers fears and obstacles with persistence and courage. INFPs are called idealists because a) they are the type most concerned with doing the right thing, and b) they have a very rosy outlook on life when they are happy and stable. The INFP is very emotional, sensitive to criticism, and dislikes impersonal analysis. These are some of the factors that predispose INFPs to becoming mentally and emotionally unhealthy. But even an extremely depressed INFP can find good in life; in others if not in themselves or the world. Though this type is nonconfrontational and lacking in long-term drive, they will fight for what they truly believe is right, and can find stability in places where they are loved for who they are.
I’m going to continue my rant about INFPs before getting into the evidence that this is Shouma’s type. The two main functions of INFP are introverted feeling (Fi) and extroverted intuition (Ne). Fi describes an outlook on life based on internal notions of personal values and feelings. Both Fe and Fi mean that someone is very empathetic, but Fi is more about following values and Fe is about being externally loving and helpful to everyone. Similarly, Ni and Ne both use intuition, but while Ni is an internal, largely subconscious thought process, Ne is external and intentional information gathering and processing. So, does Shouma use Fi and Ne?
Shouma’s actions and thoughts throughout Penguindrum do support the idea that Fi is his main function. He is driven by his ideals, and breaks apart easily when something disturbs them. Even so, he somehow keeps up the good fight, helping others and defending the good in life. As for Ne, I can’t think of clear examples where Shouma uses it. However, he is intuitive and actively seeks to understand things. He certainly can’t be a sensing type. And Fi is so powerful that is must be the dominant function. The only types who are Fi dominant are ISFP and INFP. So it’s pretty clear Shouma is the latter.
Tsubasa Yuuki: ESFP (The Performer)
Tsubasa is an actress and singer who partnered with Yuri in their most successful musical play. She comes across as confident, excitable, romantic, charismatic, and a little bit unusual. Later in the series, Tsubasa and Yuri are implied to have slept together multiple times. But eventually Yuri tires of Tsubasa and unceremoniously dumps her. Tsubasa then seeks a violent revenge.
ESFP is the likely choice for Tsubasa. This type is known for shining in the spotlight and being wonderful entertainers. Like Tsubasa, they are confident and concerned with parading their personal aesthetic. A turbulent ESFP can be overcome with emotions and act in unreasonable ways. Granted, this goes for a lot of types, but ESFP is the best choice because of Tsubasa’s other similarities.
(Doctor) Washizuka: ENFJ?
Dr. Washizuka is a minor character in Penguindrum as the physician for Himari. He has always seemed incredibly kind to me. He’s also very rational, not believing in the supernatural. He had trouble wrapping his head around the fact that Himari revived after being declared dead. There really isn’t enough information to guess the personality type for Dr. Washizuka, but my gut suspects he would be something like ENFJ.
Yuri Tokikago: ENFJ (The Giver or The Protagonist)
The actress and singer Yuri is an important female character in Penguindrum. She begins dating Tabuki and is soon engaged to him, much to the frustration of Ringo. Although Yuri probably cares about Tabuki on some level, she married him without romantic feelings, hoping that the two people who knew Momoka best could recover together and become a family. But Yuri could never forget Momoka no matter how she tried. She even sexually assaulted Ringo, saying it was because she was just so similar to her sister. Yuri eventually sought revenge on the Takakura kids because of their parents’ involvement in the terror attack. Things went downhill from there.
Since Yuri is a severely disturbed person, it wasn’t easy to try finding out her type. Even now I don’t know if I got it right, but ENFJ is the answer I arrived at. Let’s use the single letter method to see if it fits. Yuri is certainly an extrovert, enjoying her time in the spotlight as a widely admired singer and actress. She has all the social graces and comes across as warm and friendly. While Yuri does have appreciation for the senses, I think she is more intuitive than sensing. She’s clever, contemplative, and can think abstractly. Yuri seems slightly more F than T, since her major decisions are often rooted in emotions and lacking in logic. Finally, this woman must be a judger, since she’s driven, thorough, and plans head most of the time.
If we put all this together, we get ENFJ. But to me at first, this seemed odd. ENFJs are supposed to the selfless Givers who want to love and guide people, working for causes that benefit humanity. Well, as I reminded myself later, that’s is only the stereotype for an ENFJ. Like anyone of any type, ENFJ people can have major emotional hang-ups and flaws that warp them into selfish people. This is definitely what happened with Yuri. So I think it still makes sense for her to be an ENFJ.
Yuri’s Father: ISTP?
Yuri’s father appears in only one episode, but makes a powerful impact as a cruel sociopath who abused Yuri in horrible ways. It’s likely that he would have killed her if the abuse continued for much longer. But Momoka saved Yuri by altering fate and erasing the terrible man’s existence. Yuri’s Father said that the abuse was the only way to make Yuri pretty, since he believed she was a cursed and ugly child. He also once made reference to the fact that he hated his wife, who left him, and it made him sick to see Yuri looking too similar to her mother.
Other than the above paragraph, we know nothing else about Yuri’s father. It’s hard to give a guess for his type since we have so little to go on. My guess would be ISTP because the man is a highly skilled artist and sculptor. An ISTP would also be pretty introverted, and we know that Yuri’s father spends almost all his time making statues in his art tower. Just to restate, this is a guess, so don’t quote me on it.
With that, my list of Penguindrum characters and their MBTI types is complete. I hope it was enjoyable. If you have thoughts to share, feel free to comment. Thank you so much for reading, and have a great day. 🙂
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