Guest post by Andrew, ENTJ

Pokémon Anime Franchise

Introverted Feeling (Fi): James is deeply emotional, but is not particularly good at expressing his emotions.  When he developed a crush on a girl as a child, he told her how he felt in a letter instead of to her face.  Later, when her micromanaging behavior became too much for him to handle, he ran away from home instead of talking through his issues with her.  Although a member of Team Rocket, he strives to balance his own values and sense of morality with the transgressions he is obliged to commit (e.g. insisting on a moratorium on stealing Pokemon while staying with his grandparents).  As someone with few friends, James is very attached to the ones he has, especially Jessie, Meowth, and his Pokemon, and would go through thick and thin to support them.

Extroverted Sensing (Se): As a bungling member of Team Rocket who is deeply in debt to his boss, James sometimes looks back longingly at the luxurious lifestyle he had as a young boy.  He has a large collection of bottle caps that he would often sell to make a quick buck, and he would always seem to replace his collection despite his always-desperate financial position.  Although a poor Pokemon battler, James is skilled one of the variants (Pokeringer); he is adept at reading the movements of both Pokemon and clouds to win victories.

Introverted Intuition (Ni): When set to a task, James can usually see it through to completion.  This usually involves setting a trap for Ash’s Pikachu or another valued Pokemon that he is trying to steal, or of working some cover job in order to infiltrate Pokemon League competitions.  Even though Jessie can disguise herself easily and effectively, James can always see through her disguises.  By the Best Wishes series, he also starts to get flashes of prudence; he starts to recognize when to retreat from a fight in order to avoid a painful and humiliating “blast-off.”

Extroverted Thinking (Te): James always struggles to control his life and surroundings, and it is a frequent source of anxiety to him that Jessie, whose personality is much bigger than his, insists on controlling their operation.  When the going gets tough and his misfortune is even more pronounced than usual, he usually gives up, sinking into a deep depression, rather than working his way out of trouble.  He does occasionally stand up for himself and what he believes in (even to Jessie), but he does so infrequently enough that those who know him best think it strange when he does.  He can sometimes make tough decisions for his Pokemon even when nobody is completely comfortable with them; he has often resolved to release one of his beloved Pokemon, or to leave it in the care of someone else, for its own good.

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Note: James’ nostalgia for his former life is not an indicator of Si.  He only misses the fine things he had or experienced in his former life. However, his parents, grandparents, and his Growlithe are usually absent from his thoughts when James is reminiscing; he only thinks about them when he is around them, or when he has heard some news of them.