Sojiro Sakura
ISTJ
Functional Order: Si - Te - Fi - Ne
Spoiler warning This article will cover Sojiro’s analysis with precise reference from both P5 and P5R plot and his confidant.
Perceiving Functional Axis
Introverted Sensing (Si) / Extroverted Intuition (Ne)
Enjoying a peaceful life may be a bit of a stereotype for high Si users, but this is to a certain extent very true for Sojiro. He retired from his work with the government to run a small café in the backstreets of Jongen-Jaya, and the man makes no secret of how much he likes his new life there. Everything he does is highly methodical (if not repetitive) and based on routine: he opens and closes his café at the same hour, serves customers, makes coffee and curry the usual way and knows every small detail of his customer’s lives and how they like their coffee. He has acquired and treasured every bit of knowledge about them and the job in general, and uses this experience to run his business. He’s not very fond of sudden changes, either, and tends to stay away from both novelties and arguments, much preferring watching everything from afar. Much like many Si doms, especially the more mature ones, it’s not like he’s completely against new things and habits, but he needs time to process the new information, adapt and accept the changes in his life, especially if they’re unpredicted. This passive attitude of his can be seen at various points in the game, starting with his initial dismissiveness towards protagonist, and following with his complete uninterest in the Phantom Thieves (at least until they become a major threat to society) and at last with the year Futaba spent as a shut in. ISTJs, being introverts, are way more cautious then ESTJs, who being E with dominant Te are more prone to take immediate action, rather than studying the situation and proceeding with little steps. This isn’t to say Sojiro has an imbalanced stack, though. He remains a middle-aged man, this meaning his functions are globally very well developed. His Ne, in fact, is way more present and working than what one could find in a teenager (e.g. Makoto, who is the same type). Being a dominant Si means that Sojiro needs time to adapt, but this isn’t to imply that he can’t confront unexpected circumstances. This happens many times throughout the game: he receives pressures both from Sae and Futaba’s uncle regarding Futaba and Wakaba, he discovers that both the teenagers he’s responsible for are Phantom Thieves (with protagonist being none other than the leader) and his life and business are threatened by Shido’s men. But despite everything, Sojiro can always stay calm and find a way to solve the situation at hand. He’s very accepting of Futaba’s abrupt change of heart, doesn’t sell the Thieves once he discovers their identities and, in the end, menages to work with Sae to find a solution for everyone.
Judging Functional Axis
Extroverted Thinking (Te) / Introverted Feeling (Fi)
Sojiro highly values practical skills and capable hands, in general. He’s very clear with protagonist that his staying isn’t for free, and that he needs to help him running the shop from time to time. He can be grumpy and bossy, especially at first, and is comfortable in giving orders and teaching as long as it’s a field of his competence. He’s initially rigid and judgemental with protagonist, and never loses a chance to remind him to follow the rules and avoid being a burden for society and the others around him (a nice combo of his SiTe). Once he learns protagonist is a guy willing to follow his lessons, though, his mind starts to change, and the more protagonist can be useful in the shop and help Sojiro out, the more trust Sojiro places in him. This is Te at its finest: a clear understanding of how someone or something may be helpful to solve a problem, and thus finding a concrete set of actions aimed to maximize the outcome. However, Sojiro isn’t a cold hearted man who uses people as a tool. His relationship with protagonist starts somewhat as a business exchange, but slowly evolves into something deeper. Sojiro’s Fi, in fact, can be clearly seen starting from after Futaba’s arc. What were hints of a hidden soft spot for protagonist and his friends, turn out to be straight and deep affection for ‘that punk’ and his group - to the point that, in the ideal bad ending of Royal, Sojiro offers protagonist to stay with him another whole year in order to let him complete his studies at Shujin. He’s not a sentimental man, yet it’s clear how much he cares for both his daughter and the Thieves, in the end practically adopting the whole group and sheltering them from danger when they most need a safe space to be in. This, though, stems from feelings that are very personal and need time to develop and come out - and even then, Sojiro doesn’t like to be overly sentimental, and tends to brush everything off and grumble about ‘these group of teens driving crazy a poor old man.’