Off-topic post: The four temperaments

While I’m currently taking a short break from my projects (I plan to start episode 3 of Innocence Seekers: April Light at the end of the week), I’ve decided to dedicate this blog post to the four temperaments and their use in storytelling. One thing to note, though, is that the temperaments are not necessarily fixed (particularly when dealing with characters as young as those in Innocence Seekers), and are often relative (see this analysis for more details). However, they are a useful tool to create a believable cast of characters in any story, so as a writer I feel it is important to at least know about the temperaments.

In ancient times, it was believed that behaviour was controlled by four “humours”: blood (sanguine), yellow bile (choleric), black bile (melancholic) and phlegm (phlegmatic). It was believed that a temporary imbalance in these humours caused illness, and treatments were devised to restore this “balance”. While, of course, science has shown this to be completely false (although blood is composed of four “humours”: plasma (corresponding to “phlegm”), red blood cells (“blood”), white blood cells (“yellow bile”) and platelets (“black bile”)), the temperaments remain a useful tool in personality profiling. Of course, no single person fits entirely within to a single temperament (which is why I said that temperaments are relative) and real life people often possess traits of all four temperaments. Here I will list the four temperaments:

Sanguine

The sanguine temperament, in general, represents people-oriented extroversion. Characters with this temperament are considerably cheerful and talkative, and are often quite unpredictable and eccentric. They are known to be friendly, forgiving, and optimistic, but gullible (traits also associated with the phlegmatic temperament), and are also known to be quite confident and adventurous, but impulsive and egotistical (traits also associated with the choleric temperament). This temperament is associated with air (including the air signs of the Western Zodiac, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius).

List of characters in my projects with this temperament (note that characters may also fit in other temperaments):

  • Chelsea Allen, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Catherine Allen, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Haruka Kazesawa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Sakura Hanazono, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Yayoi Miyana, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Wakaba Harumi, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Shion Masaki, Yume ni Aruku
  • Mie Sakawa, Yume ni Aruku Futatsume
  • Sayo Moede, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower

List of characters in Manga Time Kirara-related works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Run Momoki, A-Channel
  • Anne “Hanako” Hanakoizumi, Anne Happy
  • Koyume Koizuka, Comic Girls
  • Miki “Nodamiki” Noda, GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class
  • Miyako, Hidamari Sketch
  • Cocoa Hoto, Is the Order a Rabbit?
  • Karen Kujo, Kiniro Mosaic
  • Yui Hirasawa and Ritsu Tainaka, K-On!
  • Nene Sakura, New Game!
  • Yuki Takeya, School-Live!
  • Yuzuko Nonohara, Yuyushiki

List of characters in other works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Mashiro Mitsumine, Engaged to the Unidentified
  • Kyōko Toshinō and Sakurako Ōmuro, YuruYuri

Choleric

The choleric temperament, in general, represents task-oriented extroversion. They are often natural-born leaders, strong-willed, passionate and full of determination. They are known to be confident, but arrogant and crude (traits also associated with the sanguine temperament), and also known to be hard-working and capable of planning well, but inflexible, strict and just being uncooperative in general (traits also associated with the melancholic temperament). This temperament is associated with fire (including the fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius).

List of characters in my projects with this temperament (note that characters may also fit in other temperaments):

  • Cecilia, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Amelia, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Natsumi Hinawa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Himawari Higasa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Akari Kuritani, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Mizuki Kuwaumi, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Benio Shinokura, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Yae Shizuka, Yume ni Aruku
  • Miyu Tsunezumi, Yume ni Aruku Mitsume
  • Teru Umuro, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower
  • Hinata Amamori, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower
  • Kana Asahina, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower

List of characters in Manga Time Kirara-related works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Nagisa “Nagi” Tennōji, A-Channel
  • Hibiki Hagyū, Anne Happy
  • Ruki Irokawa, Comic Girls
  • Hiro, Hidamari Sketch
  • Maya Jōga and Rize Tedeza, Is the Order a Rabbit?
  • Azusa Nakano, K-On!
  • Kyōko Sakura, Puella Magi Madoka Magica
  • Kurumi Ebisuzawa, School-Live!

List of characters in other works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Benio Yonomori, Engaged to the Unidentified
  • Chinatsu Yoshikawa and Ayano Sugiura, YuruYuri

Melancholic

The melancholic temperament, in general, represents task-oriented introversion. They are very thorough, analytic, conservative, perfectionistic, faithful and selfless. They make good leaders and are practical and punctual, but inflexible and snobbish (traits also associated with the choleric temperament), and are also known to be polite, thoughtful and sensitive, but shy and insecure (traits also associated with the phlegmatic temperament). This temperament is associated with earth (including the earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn).

List of characters in my projects with this temperament (note that characters may also fit in other temperaments):

  • Natasha Benson, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Akimi Chimachi, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Sumire Shiba, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Yuri Shirakawa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Hiyori Kigawa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Inori Akagawa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Aoi Higasa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Tomoe Arafuna, Yume ni Aruku
  • Sayoko Naritomo, Yume ni Aruku Futatsume
  • Rikka Norii, Yume ni Aruku Mitsume
  • Mitsuki Hagami, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower
  • Suzuka Kurase, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower

List of characters in Manga Time Kirara-related works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Tōru Ichii, A-Channel
  • Ren Ekoda, Anne Happy
  • Tsubasa Katsuki, Comic Girls
  • Sae, Hidamari Sketch
  • Chino Kafū, Is the Order a Rabbit?
  • Miki Naoki, School-Live!

List of characters in other works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Hakuya Mitsumine, Engaged to the Unidentified
  • Yui Funami and Himawari Furutani, YuruYuri

Phlegmatic

The phlegmatic temperament, in general, represents people-oriented introversion. They are calm, humble, discrete, thoughtful, compassionate and sympathetic, and also possess a flexible will. They are known to be polite, reserved and quiet, but timid, easily embarrassed and may be stubborn (traits also associated with the melancholic temperament), and are also known to be pleasant, easygoing and fairly idealistic, but teasing and forgetful (traits also associated with the sanguine temperament). This temperament is associated with water (including the water signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces).

List of characters in my projects with this temperament (note that characters may also fit in other temperaments):

  • Mutsuki Miyana, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Madeline, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Fuyuka Mizutani, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Michiru Kurosawa, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Mirai Aooka, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Uzuki Miyana, Innocence Seekers: The Black Rose
  • Nanako Masaki, Yume ni Aruku
  • Mutsue Norii, Yume ni Aruku Mitsume
  • Amane Tabata, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower
  • Nazuna Hisaizumi, From the Scattered Petals, to the Blooming Flower

List of characters in Manga Time Kirara-related works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Yūko Nishi, A-Channel
  • Botan Kumegawa, Anne Happy
  • Kaoruko Moeta, Comic Girls
  • Yuno and Nazuna, Hidamari Sketch
  • Megumi “Megu” Natsu and Chiya Ujimatsu, Is the Order a Rabbit?
  • Madoka Kaname, Puella Magi Madoka Magica
  • Yūri Wakasa, School-Live!

List of characters in other works I believe to be this temperament:

  • Kobeni Yonomori, Engaged to the Unidentified
  • Akari Akaza and Chitose Ikeda, YuruYuri

I may update this later, or shift this post to a page.

P.S. Today is Michiru’s birthday, so it’s time for me to tell you a bit about her. Truth be told, she’s apparently a closet masochist, and didn’t actually mind having Yayoi bully her (she only told her to stop when Yayoi got into a fight with Akari over it).

P.P.S. It’s also the birthday of Japanese voice actress Rumi Ōkubo, as well as the birthday of Yuzu Iizuka of Sakura Trick.

P.P.P.S. It didn’t occur to me that the main character of Yūnon Nagayama’s Myu~Con!, Nonoka Misaki, looks a lot like Megu of Is the Order a Rabbit?. See this image for a comparison.

P.P.P.P.S. Urgh, I hate typos.


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