27+ Remarkable ISTP Anime Characters and Villains

People with the ISTP personality combine a logical mind and a desire for action.

Unsurprisingly, it’s not uncommon for anime characters to belong to this personality type, especially in action-packed series, movies, and video games.

Whether they’re protagonists or antagonists, one thing is for certain: ISTP anime characters are a force to be reckoned with!

If you’re interested in learning more about these characters, look no further!

In this article, we’ll analyze 28 ISTP anime characters that perfectly represent the Virtuoso personality. So, let’s dive right in!

4 Typical ISTP Anime Characters

First things first, let’s explore a few typical ISTP anime characters—Levi Ackerman, Guts, Spike Spiegel, and Winry Rockbell—to get a general idea about what they’re like.

#1. Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)

Levi Ackerman is without doubt among the most popular ISTP anime characters. As a Survey Corps captain, he displays many qualities associated with the ISTP personality type. For instance, he remains level-headed in the face of danger and generally despises authority figures unless they’ve earned his respect.

Most ISTP leaders prefer to give their subordinates the freedom and flexibility to make decisions on their own, and so does Levi. And, although he usually seems aloof and intimidating, those dear to him know that he’s also sensitive, loyal, and caring despite his cold exterior.

#2. Guts (Berserk)

Guts is a typical unhealthy ISTP anime character. He lacks direction in life and seeks to find his purpose, yet it doesn’t come easily to him. Also, he quickly flies into rage and has no trouble mercilessly killing dozens of people. As an inferior extraverted feeling (Fe) user, he disregards emotions and believes that showing them is a sign of weakness.

That said, Guts’ personality is rather complex—even though he might initially appear as a one-dimensional character. As such, he’s often considered one of the best ISTP anime characters ever created.

#3. Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)

Spike is an ISTP anime character who fits this personality type to a T, and it’s not just because of his interest in guns, ships, and similar. As an introverted thinking (Ti) user, he leads his life in a way that makes sense to him regardless of what others think. Although he takes it easy most of the time, when he puts his mind to something, you can bet he pours his soul into it.

Fun fact: Bruce Lee, whose philosophy inspires Spike, is one of the most famous ISTPs in history!

#4. Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Winry is a great example of a mature and healthy ISTP anime character that isn’t created based on a shallow stereotype. Sure, she’s a mechanic—a popular profession among ISTPs—but her personality is much deeper than that.

Simply put, Winry is a Virtuoso with a well-developed Fe cognitive function. She’s kind, helpful, and compassionate to the point where she’s commonly mistaken for a Fe-dominant personality type, such as ESFJ. However, at the end of the day, she approaches everything—be it work or interpersonal relationships—from a logical standpoint.

7 Female ISTP Anime Characters

It’s no secret that ISTP women are rather unconventional both in real life and in fiction, which makes them intriguing.

So, here are some of the most prominent female ISTP anime characters you might find interesting:

#1. Touka Kirishima (Tokyo Ghoul)

Touka starts off as a rather troublesome teen, getting into fights with other ghouls and generally acting recklessly. Cold and independent, she doesn’t mind doing things by herself. However, thanks to her friends and Ken, her husband, she eventually becomes much softer.

Although Touka is capable of self-sacrifice, she only does something at her own expense when it makes logical sense to her. A prime example of this is when she eats human food during pregnancy to ensure the wellbeing of her baby, even though it harms her.

#2. Akiko Yosano (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Akiko is another female ISTP anime character with a fairly well-developed Fe. Although she deeply cares about human life—so much so that she’d destroy anyone who disregards it—she has a logical approach toward most situations. She’s also capable of maintaining her composure even under extreme stress.

Like most ISTPs in anime, she’s generally calm but easily provoked. Since she can be rather impulsive when angry, it goes without saying that it’s best not to test her limits!

#3. Celestia Ludenberg (Danganronpa)

Since extraverted sensing (Se) is the auxiliary ISTP cognitive function, Virtuosos are known for their adaptability. This perfectly fits Celestia, as she believes that your chances of survival depend on how adaptable you are. Needless to say, she has no trouble spotting changes in her environment and adjusting her actions accordingly!

Also, as a strong Ti user, Celestia tends to categorize things into different groups to make better sense of them. A good example of this is how she treats people: she ranks them based on their usefulness.

#4. Gin Akutagawa (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Since Gin is a relatively minor character, typing her isn’t the easiest task. However, more likely than not, she’s an ISTP.

Gin is quiet and struggles to connect with her co-workers. Although she’s reserved, she’s prone to short but intense rage attacks. She generally makes logical decisions, usually based on what benefits her brother or the Port Mafia. While this shows Ti, her assassin skills and ability to spot changes in her brother’s mood from his facial expressions reveal that she’s a strong Se user.

#5. Minene Uryuu (Future Diary)

Minene is a tomboy with strong survival instincts who despises religion and thus becomes a terrorist.

However, her focus on clearing the world of God and religion doesn’t come from her personal values, which might indicate an introverted feeling (Fe) personality. Instead, this hatred for religion stems from her subjective logic—Ti—as when she was a child, religious extremists made her life a living hell.

#6. Krul Tepes (Owari no Seraph)

As an ISTP anime character, Krul often pushes feelings and emotions aside to focus on facts and logic. She quickly understands what’s going on and gets to the bottom of things not only because of her dominant Ti but also her well-developed tertiary introverted intuition (Ni). Private and secretive, she strategically keeps some information to herself.

On top of that, Krul has strong leadership skills. Rather than just instructing others what to do, she doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. She, like most ISTPs, leads by example.

#7. Annie Leonhart (Attack on Titan)

Annie is another ISTP anime character from Attack on Titan. She’s rather reclusive, not showing much interest in connecting with others and generally preferring to do things on her own. While she’s very intelligent, like most ISTPs, she isn’t interested in theoretical discussions and prefers to take action.

Annie also has great combat, problem-solving, and analytical skills, which allows her to adapt her battle tactics to the specific situation.

8 Male ISTP Anime Characters

Now that we’ve discussed female ISTP anime characters, it’s time to take a look at some male Virtuosos in the anime world!

So, here are the most popular male ISTP anime characters:

#1. Jotaro Kujo (Jojo’s Bizzare Adventures)

Jotaro is a textbook ISTP. Calm and taciturn, he often appears disinterested and manages to keep his cool during any crisis. However, when it comes to family and friends, he’s loyal and kind, even if he doesn’t usually feel comfortable displaying affection.

Logical and methodical, Jotaro makes it a point to analyze the powers of his enemies to spot their weak points, which allows him to outsmart them. As a strong Ti-Se user, he draws a lot of insights from the environment and thinks on his feet.

#2. Ash Lynx (Banana Fish)

With a genius IQ score of 200, it is unquestionable that Ash is highly intelligent in spite of his lack of a high school diploma.

Sadly, due to childhood trauma, Ash bears a “me vs. the world” mentality. This is also likely the reason why he seems to be stuck in a Ti-Ni loop, yet it’s undeniable that his Se is also very strong. He’s grounded in the present moment, which allows him to react to changes within seconds without getting caught up in pondering about potential consequences.

#3. Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket)

Kyo is an ISTP anime character who undergoes major personality development after meeting Tohru, an ESFJ. As a Fe-dominant personality, she helps him develop his inferior function and emotionally mature. In her presence, stubborn, quick-tempered, and insensitive Kyo grows into a selfless and affectionate individual.

Despite his emotional maturity, however, Kyo remains competitive and action-oriented, pouring his blood, sweat, and tears into training to defeat Yuki.

#4. Saitama (One-Punch Man)

Saitama, the protagonist of One-Punch Man, is a typical male ISTP anime character. He quits his regular job to focus on physical training. Eventually, he becomes so strong that he can knock out enemies with a single punch.

Like a typical ISTP, Saitama is detached, often to the point of appearing cold. He remains calm under stress and shows little to no emotions in nearly all situations. As a powerful fighter, he loves the thrill of combat and dreams of meeting a worthy opponent.

#5. Ritsuka Uenoyama (Given)

Ritsuka has “ISTP anime character” written all over him. It’s hard to ignore his inferior Fe, as he struggles to deal with people’s emotions, to put it lightly. Oftentimes, he dismisses other people’s feelings and lashes out at them.

That said, he’s logical, analytical, and hard-working—but only when it comes to his interests. While he often naps in class, his passion for music enabled him to become a celebrated guitarist despite his young age.

#6. Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)

Zoro has two main modes: sleeping and training. This alone is a dead giveaway that he’s an ISTP anime character. On top of that, he’s a sensible and reserved individual with a no-nonsense attitude.

Like many ISTPs, Zoro strives to master his skill, which is swordsmanship. Besides his physical strength, he’s also a great problem-solver who stays calm in the toughest of situations. This allows him to use his sense of logic and rationality to come up with effective (and often unconventional) solutions.

#7. Kishibe (Chainsaw Man)

To say that Kishibe is apathetic would be an understatement: his face doesn’t display much emotion, neither when he’s hunting devils nor when he’s sad or surprised. Still, he isn’t completely emotionless. He shows care and compassion in a few cases, such as when he was concerned about Denji and Power’s safety.

Other than that, he’s quite blunt, practical, and action-oriented, just like a typical ISTP.

#8. Shinei Nouzen (86/Eighty-Six)

Shinei, the leader of Spearhead Squadron, is yet another ISTP anime character with remarkable leadership abilities.

His combat skills are outstanding—he’s usually the only survivor in battles. As a Ti-Se user, he’s rational, quick-witted, and highly aware of his surroundings. This, coupled with his ability to stay calm under pressure, helps him beat his opponents.

That said, Shinei can be kind to a fault. Showing little regard for his safety, he doesn’t think twice before risking his life for others.

3 My Hero Academia ISTP Anime Characters

My Hero Academia is packed with action and adventure, so it’s no surprise that this anime features quite a few ISTP anime characters, including:

#1. Dabi

Dabi is an excellent example of an unhealthy ISTP anime character from My Hero Academia. He holds a grudge against his father, which turns him from a laid-back, positive boy into a sadistic and harsh man who shows no respect for others.

Dabi’s inferior Fe makes him view people as nothing but pawns in his game. He doesn’t hesitate to put them in dangerous situations to achieve his goals. He doesn’t even value the life of his allies, which only proves how cruel he is.

#2. Shota Aizawa

Despite his laziness and apathy, Shota—also known as Eraser Head—is a rational and demanding teacher. He has high expectations for his students and often pushes them to their limits to improve their results. He also doesn’t hesitate to fire them, seeing it as a way to boost their motivation. Needless to say, his teaching methods are rather unorthodox.

#3. Kyoka Jiro

Realistic and logical, Kyoka is clearly an ISTP anime character. Although she’s typically cool and reserved, she’s no stranger to emotional explosions. Still, she approaches most situations from a logical standpoint and doesn’t let her feelings cloud her decision-making.

While most fictional ISTPs in anime are nonchalant and disengaged, Kyoka secretly cares what others think of her. Because of this, she’s easily embarrassed, especially when it comes to her passion for punk rock.

3 Hunter x Hunter ISTP Anime Characters

If you’re a fan of Hunter x Hunter, we have great news for you—this anime has no shortage of Virtuosos. So, let’s check out the most popular ISTP anime characters from this show!

#1. Ging Freecss

Ging is an ISTP anime character whose Ni is so strong that it leads some anime lovers to think that he might belong to an intuitive personality type. However, mature Virtuosos, too, can be future-oriented and focused on potential and possibilities. Still, it’s undeniable that Ging is more driven by experiences than ideas.

Besides that, Ging is highly intelligent, logical, observant, and grounded. He’s also rather withdrawn, preferring to be alone or talk to people one-on-one instead of in larger groups.

#2. Machi Komacine

Although Machi is very intuitive, it’s hard to deny that she perfectly represents the ISTP personality type. She often draws intuitive insights from the details in her physical environment, which shows that she has well-developed Se and Ni. However, unlike dominant Ni personality types, such as INTJ, she often doubts her intuition.

On top of that, Machi usually seems cold, but this isn’t to say that she’s heartless. For example, she’s extremely loyal to Chrollo, an INFJ anime character.

#3. Feitan Portor

Feitan is a classic ISTP villain who, like Machi, is extremely devoted to Chrollo.

As an interrogator, he doesn’t speak much but is an expert at getting others to open up to him in ruthless ways. His job requires him to be cruel, and he has no problem with this since he genuinely enjoys torturing people. Despite his sadistic personality, Feitan once expressed pity for his victims, which shows that he still has some empathy left in him.

3 ISTP Genshin Impact Anime Characters

Ever wondered what fictional Virtuosos are like in video games? If so, check out these three ISTP anime characters from Genshin Impact:

#1. Shenhe

Self-reliant and individualistic, Shenhe is an ISTP anime character with a tragic background. Her father nearly sacrificed her life to bring her deceased mother back to life, which changed her personality forever and made her become bloodthirsty.

Although Shenhe has a calm and reserved nature, she’s prone to anger outbursts, similar to most ISTPs on this list. She also favors rationality over emotions, usually acting in line with her logical understanding of situation.

#2. Cyno

Due to his serious nature and a strong sense of duty, Cyno resembles an ISTJ. More likely than not, however, this is just a façade. If you take a closer look at his personality and behaviors, it becomes difficult to see him as anything but an ISTP anime character.

Cyno is highly focused on the present moment, believing that being aware of your surroundings is essential to avoiding dangers. He has also expressed his preference for staying in the moment, stating that it’s impossible to change the future or predict the present. Needless to say, he’s a logical and practical individual who quickly adapts to changes.

#3. Traveler

Although Traveler is a playable character whose personality can change drastically based on the dialogue options you choose, it’s safe to say that they’re an ISTP. Virtuosos usually mind their own business and don’t like to be involved in other people’s personal matters, which sounds a lot like Traveler. Not to mention, they’re the complete opposite of chatty.

Final Thoughts

And that’s the end of our list of ISTP anime characters!

Hopefully, you found this exploration of fictional Virtuosos in the anime world interesting, amusing, and useful.

If there’s one thing you should take away from this article, it’s that ISTP anime characters are rather well-balanced when it comes to their intellectual and physical prowess. They’re resourceful, practical, and logical, but they’re also prone to laziness. And, despite their short-tempered and stoic natures, they often have a heart of gold and are incredibly loyal!