OK, so I've seen him typed as ISTJ, even ENFP (Disagree with this totally! 
) online, but I'd like to offer my take on it at this point (need to re watch the BW seasons). After which, I may go back through and edit this, depending on if I feel there's anything I should add or change.
The MBTI function theory sites 1 and 2 that I use to help type
) online, but I'd like to offer my take on it at this point (need to re watch the BW seasons). After which, I may go back through and edit this, depending on if I feel there's anything I should add or change.The MBTI function theory sites 1 and 2 that I use to help type
Cilan ISFJ
I'll be honest, I'm still wavering a bit between ISTJ and ISFJ, but leaning to the later for now till I re watch, and here's why:
Dominant Si
Cilan is always describing things from a very sensory place, referring to tastes, and he seems to really notice smells too (Clash of the Connoisseurs!), figuring right away that it was a grass/poison type. I honestly don't understand the ENFP thing, Cilan seems way to detail oriented to be Ne dom. Freaking out after a leaf falls in his cooking pot (Ash and Trip's Third Battle), and paying close attention to detail when he solves the crime in the episode "Cilan and the Case of the Purrloin Witness". There's another point in Purrloin, he's terrified of them because of whatever happened to him, all of them! They've become an archetype in his mind, something to fear (a very Si dom thing to do). He never tried to assume, "hey that one did that, but this one might not, it's a totally different Purrloin", the way I think that an Ne dom might. He also tends to repeat things, like his different sayings for his "tastings" and detective times, that seems more in line with an Si routine.
Auxiliary Fe
When you think about how great Cilan is at getting a sense for people and Pokemon, the Fe seems very clear to me (why I vote ISFJ over the more widely claimed ISTJ, the feeling function seems way higher to me). This is very, very apparent in the episode "The Path that leads to Goodbye!" Cilan sees very clearly, how the argument is going to turn out, and was concerned with trying to mediate softly between Iris and Ash, when he felt it appropriate. One could argue Ni-Fe here, but the way he talks, coupled with instances from other episodes speaks highly of Si-Fe to me. He was also very good at knowing how to handle Chili in the episode "A Call for Brotherly Love" Knowing how Chili needed to cool down, and the food he likes to eat when upset. This kind of people oriented detail, is much more in keeping with Si-Fe, as Ni-Fe is less detail focused, and more abstracting. Cilan also seems concerned with maintaining bonds with people too.
Tertiary Ti
Cilan tends to go with what seems logical to him at the time, which may or may not be right in the episode "Cilan and the Case of the Purrloin Witness", Cilan was quite on point with his analysis of what happened, but in the episode "The Mystery of the Missing Cubchoo!", they were all over the place. Cilan also has a very logical side, and tries to logically explain stuff. He also is usually pretty good at seeing his own mistakes, and going out of his way to make up for them (Fe), and is good at working out problems one step at a time, which leans me to Ti.
Inferior Ne
Cilan tends to bawk at things that aren't grounded in fact, like in the episode "A Night in the Nacrene City Museum!" But also showed interest in such things, at least as far as trying to explain it logically (Ti-Ne) in the episode "A UFO for Elgyem". He also tends to be rather anxious when uneasy, which also seems to hint at Inf Ne.
I'll be honest, I'm still wavering a bit between ISTJ and ISFJ, but leaning to the later for now till I re watch, and here's why:
Dominant Si
Cilan is always describing things from a very sensory place, referring to tastes, and he seems to really notice smells too (Clash of the Connoisseurs!), figuring right away that it was a grass/poison type. I honestly don't understand the ENFP thing, Cilan seems way to detail oriented to be Ne dom. Freaking out after a leaf falls in his cooking pot (Ash and Trip's Third Battle), and paying close attention to detail when he solves the crime in the episode "Cilan and the Case of the Purrloin Witness". There's another point in Purrloin, he's terrified of them because of whatever happened to him, all of them! They've become an archetype in his mind, something to fear (a very Si dom thing to do). He never tried to assume, "hey that one did that, but this one might not, it's a totally different Purrloin", the way I think that an Ne dom might. He also tends to repeat things, like his different sayings for his "tastings" and detective times, that seems more in line with an Si routine.
Auxiliary Fe
When you think about how great Cilan is at getting a sense for people and Pokemon, the Fe seems very clear to me (why I vote ISFJ over the more widely claimed ISTJ, the feeling function seems way higher to me). This is very, very apparent in the episode "The Path that leads to Goodbye!" Cilan sees very clearly, how the argument is going to turn out, and was concerned with trying to mediate softly between Iris and Ash, when he felt it appropriate. One could argue Ni-Fe here, but the way he talks, coupled with instances from other episodes speaks highly of Si-Fe to me. He was also very good at knowing how to handle Chili in the episode "A Call for Brotherly Love" Knowing how Chili needed to cool down, and the food he likes to eat when upset. This kind of people oriented detail, is much more in keeping with Si-Fe, as Ni-Fe is less detail focused, and more abstracting. Cilan also seems concerned with maintaining bonds with people too.
Tertiary Ti
Cilan tends to go with what seems logical to him at the time, which may or may not be right in the episode "Cilan and the Case of the Purrloin Witness", Cilan was quite on point with his analysis of what happened, but in the episode "The Mystery of the Missing Cubchoo!", they were all over the place. Cilan also has a very logical side, and tries to logically explain stuff. He also is usually pretty good at seeing his own mistakes, and going out of his way to make up for them (Fe), and is good at working out problems one step at a time, which leans me to Ti.
Inferior Ne
Cilan tends to bawk at things that aren't grounded in fact, like in the episode "A Night in the Nacrene City Museum!" But also showed interest in such things, at least as far as trying to explain it logically (Ti-Ne) in the episode "A UFO for Elgyem". He also tends to be rather anxious when uneasy, which also seems to hint at Inf Ne.
