Spy X Family: Loid Forger (ISTJ)

Spy X Family is an incredibly entertaining anime that had Ryan and I eagerly awaiting the weekly episode release. Spy X Family has three main characters: Yor, Anya, and Loid Forger. We intend to type Yor once she gets more development, and possibly Anya as well. But for now, until season 2 is released, we’ll just analyze the personality of the show’s main protagonist: Loid Forger. While we noticed that many believe Loid Forger to be an INTJ, we saw greater evidence for ISTJ. Naturally, we will be laying out the case for ISTJ below.

Si:

“I need to consider all the variables, come up with an iron clad plan, and execute that plan to perfection, which means that I need to make a list of every question the interviewer could possibly ask then have them memorize each perfect answer, or create a system to feed them the right ones.”

“We could get some personnel from HQ to manufacture such an incident, but considering the risks, that’s not an option I’m eager to pursue.”

“I just followed a recipe. It made the most sense.”

Loid is extremely cautious and prefers situations to be predictable. He may be a spy, but he relies heavily on predicting how things might play out, and then preparing for each and every possibility. This leads him to be extremely meticulous and careful when it comes to considering all the variables. He desires to eliminate any amount of risk, which leads to him to eliminate some options while over-preparing for others. For instance, when preparing Anya for the interview, he makes a list of every question the interviewer might ask, and then tries to get Anya to memorize each one.

Loid relies on concrete information, which surfaces in a couple of different ways. For instance, when complimented on a meal that he made, Loid just states that he followed the recipe, because that made the most sense. He’s not really shown reading between the lines, or being comfortable with guesswork. This is likely why his reminders to Anya to say sorry to her classmate, that he hides all across campus, aren’t subtle in the least.

Loid has a keen eye for details. When going undercover at the zoo, he very quickly memorizes the names and defining features of all the penguins. He‘s able to walk out amongst the penguins and identify each one by name, much to the shock of another employee. He claims to be able to do so after simply a cursory glance at the penguin chart. While this is mostly due to the fact that Loid has an unrealistically good memory, the types of information he gravitates toward memorizing seems sensory and detailed in nature. This points to Si influencing his information intake.

Te:

“You know all you did was knock over the mop bucket.”

“I never expected her to earn a Stella this way. An excellent result.”

Loid presents with a cold, business-oriented demeanor. In episode one, he harshly breaks off his fake relationship, once the mission is over, not in the least bit concerned with the feelings of the person he’d essentially conned. He tells her that she isn’t smart enough for him. Later on in the series, he sees someone being robbed and says, “she should have been more careful.”

Loid focuses on results, which is why he’s prone to being critical. For instance, when Anya excitedly declares that she had helped them clean, Loid feels the need to point out that all she had actually done was knock over the mop bucket. Similarly, when she “helps” with the cooking, he proceeds to point out what she actually did, objectively speaking, like get flour everywhere and stop to eat peanuts. Effort doesn’t really matter to him, if the person doesn’t achieve results.

Initially, Loid struggles to work with Anya, because he’s not naturally in tune to the feelings of others. His dedication to his mission and his current objective often drives him to try to push Anya too hard. At one point, Yor has to help him realize that Anya needs positive affirmation and praise to encourage her.

Fi:

“But it’s strange, I feel like when I’ve thwarted a terrorist attack. I’m proud of her.”

Loid believes deeply in what he’s doing as a spy. He wants to create a world where children won’t have to cry. To that end, he discards his identity and any semblance of a normal life. In spite of his business-like demeanor, Loid is a kind individual, capable of showing compassion and relating to others. He grows to care about Yor and Anya as the series progresses, to the extent that he begins to see Anya as his daughter. He almost blows the mission in her defense when one of the interviewers is verbally hurting her. His protective instincts kick in, and he ends up shattering a table as a result.

Toward the end of the series, Anya saves a boy from drowning. The results (a Stella award) thrill Loid, but he also realizes that he feels proud of her. He views the emotion as strange, but instantly recognizes the feeling, tying it back to how he feels when he’s thwarted a terrorist attack. This supports tertiary Fi, due to his immediate ability to recognize the emotion while still being caught off guard by its presence.

Ne:

“What? You want us to go today? And I’m handling part of it?”

Loid’s inferior Ne surfaces quite clearly. Generally speaking, he dislikes surprises and acting on the spur of the moment. When Franklin insists on booking the castle and ropes Loid into part of the preparations, Loid appears flustered at the last minute nature of the event.

However, his inferior Ne surfaces most prominently in his tendency to speculate about every possible outcome a situation might have. He needs to be prepared for each and every possibility, and struggles to narrow down these options to the most likely ones. The way he prepares for the school interview makes this abundantly clear. I’ll give another example though, since I mentioned this in the dominant Si section. When they show up for the interview, Loid packs multiple sets of cloths for each of them, just in case. There is no realistic reason why they might need that many sets of clothes, but when fate deals them a wildcard (via the stampede), Loid is ready.