Fruits Basket Personality Types Part 4: Akito Sohma
Akito is an incredibly fascinating and well-written character. I think one of the things that makes her hard to analyze is that we see her at her most unhealthy through most of the series. It's really only at the end, after she's accepted Tohru's friendship, that we see who she really might be under all her trauma.
Wound: Akito lost her father at a young age, and her mother rejected her. She was told from the very beginning that she was born to be loved, and was put in a position of great power (and thus responsibility) without understanding how to wield that power responsibly. She wasn't really parented, and was at the center of a power struggle between the part of the family that remained loyal to her father (and thus her) and the part of the family that believed her mother should be in charge. Then, she lost her bond with Kureno.
Wounding message: Being the God is what makes you special and guarantees you love, not being yourself.
Core fear: Abandonment, loss of bonds/love
Defense mechanism: stoke fear in others and make them dependent on her
Strengths: willingness to grow, humility (at the end), kindness (per Shiki in Another)
Challenges: domineering, manipulative, threatening, abusive, moody, needy, dependent on reassurance, possessive
When healthy: humble, kind, diligent, conscientious, accepting of responsibility, tolerant of difference
When unhealthy: cruel, intimidating, controlling, vindictive, demanding, possessive
Here's what connects when I go back to the Enneagram post:
Wound: could be 2, 4, 5, 7, or 9
Wounding message: could be 2, 3, 7, or 8
Core desire: could be 2, 3, 4, or 9
Defense mechanism: 2, 5, or 8
Strengths: We don't see many of Akito's strengths, only hearing about them in Another, but I saw some connections with 2.
When unhealthy: 1, 2, or 4
It's surprising at first that Akito connects most strongly with 2, since we rarely see her treat others with kindness, but on closer inspection (and when letting go of common misconceptions), it actually fits her quite well.
Akito has an obsessive need to be loved and needed. As an Enneagram 2, she goes to 8 when she's unhealthy (which is most of the series), and 4 when she's healthy (which is only at the very end and in Another). It's no wonder she's so aggressive, demanding, and possessive through the series - that's very typical for unhealthy Twos!
Twos are in the Heart center, and they tend to repress their sadness and shame. According to Personality Path, Twos tend to have a narrow and explosive expression of anger when they feel undervalued or unappreciated - something we see quite often in Akito.
Twos will tend to lean more towards some aspects of Ones or Threes.
The Enneagram Institute refers to 2w1s as "The Servant," and 2w3s as "The Hostess." That doesn't provide a ton of clarity on Akito for me, so let's look at another source.
Truity describes the two wings like this:
2w1: Enneagram Two wing One types are Twos who share many of the same traits as the Type One Perfectionist. These Twos may appear more quiet, studious and reserved. This type strives to serve others and can struggle with criticism.
2w3: The 2w3 type is a Two who shares several of the same characteristics as the Type Three. They tend to be more sociable and ambitious than other Type Twos. They tend to be strong communicators and focus on building deep relationships. They can also be competitive and self-critical like a Type Three.
I'm still not feeling very certain about this, but I think Akito sounds slightly more like a 2w1 than a 2w3.
Again, this is challenging to determine for Akito. Here's how Enneagram Explained describes the three subtypes of Two:
SP 2s are the Countertype of type 2 as they react in an opposite way with their vice (pride). They are more timid in connecting with others; less prone to being helpers/givers. They tend to appear childish or childlike in order to be taken care of.
SX 2s focus on charming and attracting strong intimate relationships. They are a bit more passionate and emotional than the other type 2s and often try to be physically appealing to others.
SO 2s focus on charming groups and communities and being influential within these groups. They tend to be generous and offer support, advice, and help in order to be seen as needed by the group.
I see aspects of Akito in all three of these, but maybe most strongly in SP.
I think it's pretty clear that Akito's Tritype would include both 2 and 8, but her Head type is a little harder to figure (much like Tohru). I think the 2-5-8 Tritype (The Strategist) is the best fit, as described on Katherine Fauvre's website:
If you are a 258, you are caring, knowledgeable and protective. You want to be helpful, wise, and straightforward. You can take charge, be direct, and to the point but prefer to be relational. You are naturally empathetic and focused on people but need time on your own to follow your own pursuits undisturbed. You are both introverted and extroverted. Sometimes, you can be direct, move towards others, and ‘over' give or pull away to be alone and recharge. This can be confusing to others.
I'm not very certain about this, though, so I encourage you to look through the different tritypes!
E vs. I: I see Akito as strongly I.
S vs. N: I feel least confident about this, but am leaning toward S.
T vs. F: I suspect Akito is F.
J vs. P: Akito strikes me as strongly J.
Type Dynamics: Without working out what an ISFJ's type dynamics are (since that's my most likely guess for Akito), I see Akito's Type Dynamics as Si Fe Ti Ne.
Si: Akito craves predictability and uses sensory data about the past to inform her actions in the present. I think this is why she struggles so much with change (and why it's so powerful when she embraces it!).
Fe: Akito externalizes her feelings. She wants the outside world to align with her values and struggles when it doesn't.
Ti: Akito can be a bit black-and-white, and seems to have an internal logic that is consistent, even if it's hard to explain or doesn't make sense to most people.
Ne: Akito can sometimes catastrophize the future (like at the second New Year, when she saw a similarity in Yuki's eyes that reminded her of Kureno when his curse broke, and she immediately hit him over the head with the vase). She externalizes these connections, which may not make sense to others.
This is actually the Type Dynamic of ISFJ! Woohoo!
Now, let's check the description for ISFJ:
ISFJ: Quiet, friendly, responsible, and conscientious. Committed and steady in meeting their obligations. Thorough, painstaking, and accurate. Loyal, considerate, notice and remember specifics about people who are important to them, concerned with how others feel. Strive to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home.
It's hard, because we don't get to see a lot of Akito at her best, but this is more or less how I imagine her to be once the curse breaks. Also, "remember specifics about people who are important to them" is something we see Akito do quite often. ISFJs are also sometimes called "The Protector," or "The Defender." I'm not quite sure this is fitting for Akito, but maybe it aligns with her strong expression of Enneagram 8 ("The Challenger") through the series.
Enneagram: SP 2w1 (The Giver/The Servant)
Tritype: 2-5-8 (The Strategist)
MBTI: ISFJ (The Protector/The Defender)
To me, this summary describes someone who is capable of being kind and giving, but has a fighting side that can come out when they (or people they love...or ancient bonds) are threatened. They are diligent and hardworking, and their tendency to both withdraw and cling/dominate can be confusing. This description seems possible for Akito, though she's a very complex character and there's probably a lot more to dig into for her!
What do you think? Did I get it right or wrong? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Fruits Basket Personality Types Series: Enneagram | MBTI | Tohru | Kyo | Yuki | Haru | Kisa | Momiji | Hatori | Ayame | Rin | Hiro | Ritsu | Kureno | Shigure | Kagura | Kazuma | Saki | Arisa | Machi | Kakeru | The Hondas | Kaibara Students