Ouran High School Host Club Personality Types: Tamaki Suoh
I've been on a bit of a Tamaki appreciation kick lately, so here's a look at his personality! I think there are three types that stand out as highly likely for Tamaki; I'll be curious to see which of those wins out (or if my guess missed the mark altogether!)
Wound: Tamaki grew up with his mother in France. Though his parents loved each other, and his father visited, he and his mother were not permitted to live in Japan with his father, nor were his parents allowed to marry. He eventually moved to Japan to become his father's heir as part of a deal requiring his mother to sever contact in order to receive financial security. His grandmother resents him due to his illegitimate status.
Wounding message: you are only part of the family because we needed you to become the heir.
Core desire: to make his own family where he matters, to bring joy to the host club guests
Core fear: not being needed
Defense mechanism: aggressive people-pleasing, stepping into leadership roles
Strengths: Tamaki is optimistic, genuine, caring, bright, energetic, friendly, honest, and charming
Challenges: Tamaki is immature, loud, obnoxious, needy, demanding, emotionally turbulent, competitive, and lacks self-awarness
When healthy: Tamaki is more "real", like when he helped Haruhi after a host club guest threw her belongings into the school fountain, or when he took a moment to honor Haruhi's mother when the host club came to visit her at home
When unhealthy: he tends to force superficial harmony and steamroll others into his own opinions
Looking at all of this, here's what connects when I go back to the Enneagram post:
Defense mechanism: 2, 3, 4
When healthy: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, or 8
Tamaki is an Enneagram 2.
Ah, this *was* among my guesses! I thought he would be a 2 or a 7, or maybe a 4.
Twos live in the Heart center, and tend to repress Sadness/Shame.
The Enneagram Institute calls 2w1s "The Servant" and 2w3s "The Host/Hostess."
Omg. Even if it weren't incredibly funny that Tamaki's wing makes him "The Host", I do actually think 2w3 is a better fit!
EnneaApp describes 2w3s like this:
Commands attention for self through establishing personal connections
Enjoys making others feel better, and is generally very skilled at this
Develop personal talents to attract; humorous; more direct about desires
Can be seductive for personal gain, doesn't question their own motives
More extroverted/image-oriented/self-promoting/ambitions than 2w1
Kagura Sohma from Fruits Basket is another example of a 2w3.
What with his role in bringing the Host Club together, I suspect Tamaki is a SO 2. After reading the descriptions on EnneaApp, I think SO 2w3 is the best fit:
Pride is tied to ambitious social positioning: who you know, where you're seen
Seek attention either for personal efforts, or via affiliation with powerful others
Feel attracted to people who are on their way up; ambition involves association
Infallible instinct for who is important, can sense/backup a winner immediately
Public image is crucial; strive to be valued for warmth/friendliness/expertise
A "master networker," can arrange meetings and bring various people together
Seek approval by being charming, upbeat, competent, and entertaining graviously
Known by reputation/the letters after their last name; strive for social influence
Unconsciously align interests with those of a mentor, employee, or public figure
Wields influence indirectly; has a large circle that can be called upon anytime
May marry someone influential or groom their children to become achievers
Can be flamboyant; can act provocative or obnoxious when feeling ignored
Sense of pride is easily deflated by others; can be pushy in pursuit of prestige
May confuse being noticed with being loved; driven by fear of being insignificant
Tamaki is the first major character I've covered in my "Personality Types" series who's a SO 2, but I did list Yusuke, a minor character from Fruits Basket, as a SO 2w3!
While 2 is Tamaki's heart type, and I'm quite sure 7 is his head type, his gut type is a little harder to place. I don't think his gut type is 9, but I could see either 8 or 1.
After reading the descriptions of 2-7-8, "The Free Spirit", and 2-7-1, "The Teacher", on Katherine Fauvre's website, I think 2-7-8 is a slightly better fit:
If you are a 278, you are caring, innovative and protective. You want to be helpful, loving, and straightforward. You are independent and assertive with a heart of gold. You have a ready smile, a rapier wit, and a twinkle in your eye. You are fun-loving and enjoy people and adventures, nurturing those in your circle of care. You use your charming disposition to create an upbeat, positive, and action-packed environment. You follow your own muse but enjoy the attention and energy of a group of your choosing.
This is the same tritype as both Kyoko Honda and Kimi Toudou from Fruits Basket! Though, if 2-7-1, he would share his tritype with Momiji Sohma.
Rather than looking at Tamaki's Type Dynamics (mostly because I talked myself in circles trying to do so), I'd like to look at each letter pair first.
I was struggling mostly with the order of his Type Dynamics, but also with the S/N and J/P letter pairs. I ended up going with N, because I think Tamaki is a bit more of an abstract, big picture thinker who makes unexpected connections, and J because I think, between F and N, he strongly extroverts F, where he could introvert N.
This would make his MBTI ENFJ, "The Teacher", which is the same as Kyoko Honda again, as well as actual teacher Mayuko Shiraki. His type dynamics would therefore be Fe Ni Se Ti.
Here's how the Myers & Briggs Foundation describes ENFJ:
Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Find potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.
Oh, yeah. That's a great fit!
Enneagram: SO 2w3 (The Giver/The Host)
Tritype: 2-7-8 (The Free Spirit)
Tamaki is defined by his outgoing nature, his penchant for leadership, his sense of fun, and his ability to see the potential in everyone.
What do you think? Did I get it right or wrong? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
