Rintaro Okabe
ESFP Functional order: Se - Fi - Te - Ni
Spoiler warning This article will cover Okabe’s analysis with precise reference to the plot. Also, please note that:
this article only refers to the anime adaptation of S;G, as none of us mods has still played the visual novel.
this article only refers to Stein’s;Gate classic, as only ENFP mod have seen the movies and the Zero. If you have further comments or want to discuss about it, leave a comment or contact us!
Perceiving Functional Axis
Extroverted Sensing (Se) / Introverted Intuition (Ni)
Even if Okabe is interested in science, he is not the stereotypical rational, analytical and meticulous scientist but rather an impulsive and reckless one. As a Se dominant, he puts acting before thinking, as noticeable during the entire show. When he first experiments with D-Mails, Okabe is not concerned about the implication of his actions and he begins to bend space and time over and over. The main events of Steins;Gate often are a consequence of Okabe’s hazardous actions: he only stops because reality becomes so twisted that he loses his friends both metaphorically and literally speaking. Okabe then denies himself proper reflection through Fi and goes in a Se/Te loop: he becomes so narrow-minded in his pursuit of a solution that he starts a new trial and error cycle with even more dangerous possible outcomes, with the only goal of saving Mayuri in mind. He is so focused on this very thing (inferior Ni) that he puts aside every feeling he has trying to save Mayuri, as he clearly says: he is so lost in his goal and so shut off of what he’s feeling that in one timeline he doesn’t act and simply waits for Kurisu to message him about Mayuri’s death, looking at the clock to check the precise hour.
Generally speaking, Okabe needs to see the practical results of his tests with his own eyes, and the whole process of saving Mayuri steams from acting in the moment with the clues he has in every timeline, and adjusting his plan with the information he finds. Kurisu, as an INTP, seeks solutions through sound and demonstrable theories. Okabe is instead the first to act directly on problems.
Obstacles emerge due to his underdeveloped introverted functions. Ni in particular, as the inferior one, has the potential to be suppressed by dominant Se. Okabe in fact finally stops and reflects on how his actions are twisting time and space only near the end of the show, and specifically thanks to Suzuha and Kurisu herself. This encourages him to build a vision of the future based on his moral code. Okabe takes time to visualize the best and meaningful outcome and then he applies a plan with his dominant Se. A natural inclination towards action, balanced with a clear goal in mind and aligned with his feelings is what solves the problem and break the cycle.
Judging Functional Axis
Introverted Feeling (Fi) / Extroverted Thinking (Te)
Okabe is strongly motivated by personal goals, and he states clearly near the end that he wants to find a solution to the time paradoxes created by D-Mails not for a greater cause but because he cares deeply for Kurisu and he can’t accept a world without her. Thus, if he needs to save the world to be with her, he will do it.
The show reveals how tremendous are the consequences of time travel as a powerful asset in a geopolitical context; a world war begins in some timelines, but this does not concern Okabe, he can’t see it as a personal and relevant problem. The threat of a global conflict is outmatched by the death of his friends and that’s what matters to him. However, Okabe isn’t just a self-centered individual unaware of other people’s feelings or humanity as a whole - or at least, not completely. In fact, when Okabe finally finds a clear and sound solution, it involves not only Kurisu but, even if indirectly, the entire society too. He understands how he feels, what he cares about and -using his inferior Ni- he comprehends the consequences of his actions and how they could harm not only his friends but also the world.
His auxiliary Fi is opposed by tertiary Te. Due to an imbalance in this axis, Te bypasses Fi and leads Okabe into a loop. A healthy, developed tertiary Te should help building a concrete and direct approach to a goal with logical and efficient steps to achieve it. However, what Okabe does is acting recklessly without taking into consideration how his actions will affect his feelings, his friends and the world in general. It’s only when he defines a plan, envisioned through inferior Ni and aligned with his auxiliary Fi, that he is finally able to use Te properly (and this can be found in what future-Okabe tells him: “you had to fail once, because that failure is what fueled my determination to build a proper plan and find a solution that works”). Thus, Okabe supports his goal with a concise and practical set of actions and follows them through dominant Se.
Also typed as: ENTP
Typing Okabe as an ESFP may seem unusual, as he is considered an ENTP by the majority of the community. We are always open to new ideas and to reconsider our analysis but, as we noticed while confronting our conclusion with external topics and points of view, it seems pretty clear how Okabe is often typed as an ENTP based on stereotypes rather than cognition (“the usual nerd”). Saying that Okabe is an xNTP based on his love for science or his social awkwardness alone is a stereotype, and it doesn’t address his type properly.
Okabe is a doer at his core, and he doesn’t show signs of dominant Ne. He never seeks new ideas or abstract options, he rather follows his gut and reacts to the environment. He tends to lowkey focus on one bigger goal rather than on many options at once - defeating the Organization at first, saving Mayuri later on (inferior Ni rather than dominant Ne). He is so focused on the present and on the thing he’s doing right then, that he never, ever considers the very possibility that saving Mayuri by deleting all the previous D-Mails will mean sacrificing Kurisu. And even if the problem is related to time traveling and science, Okabe acts much more than he stops and thinks - that’s Kurisu who does that.
Regarding Fe and Fi, Okabe doesn’t seek social harmony as Mayuri nor he cares about what people think about him as Kurisu. ENTP implies tertiary Fe and, as stated above, Okabe’s feelings are always directed inward, he thinks about the people he cares about, the person he loves and his friends. Fe is all about creating and nourishing social harmony and Okabe does the opposite, in a cycle of time travels that leads him to put in danger not only his friends but also the entire humanity.
So, even if Okabe may superficially seem a textbook ENTP and the stereotypical mad scientist, we will always follow an approach based on cognition, so this article tries to assess Okabe’s type regardless of behaviors. And looking at cognitive preferences, Okabe results as a pretty common ESFP protagonist, the “reckless and stupid but deep down a good person” type.
For further reading:
Characters type spotting guide by mbtinotes: https://mbti-notes.tumblr.com/spotting#fiction
