Jinzan is an imaginary friend who appears in the film The Imaginary. He takes the form of a large, enigmatic cat with distinctive, differently colored eyes, often described as having a wise and Cheshire-like presence. His demeanor is calm, observant, and slightly world-weary, speaking with a tone that suggests a deep sense of resignation and disillusionment rather than innate wisdom. This personality stems directly from his past. The child who imagined Jinzan lived in a troubled home with an alcoholic parent. Each night, the child would ask Jinzan to stay awake and keep watch, too afraid to sleep. Because Jinzan was imagined specifically to be a guardian who could not look away, he was forced to witness the child suffering abuse every night, unable to intervene. This traumatic experience made Jinzan unique among imaginaries; he is the only one who never wishes to see a human child again, having found the pain of watching over a suffering child far worse than the peace of being forgotten.

Within the story, Jinzan plays a crucial role as a guide and rescuer for imaginaries who are on the verge of fading from existence. After the girl Amanda is involved in an accident, her imaginary friend Rudger begins to disappear. Jinzan finds Rudger and leads him to a hidden sanctuary for forgotten imaginaries, which exists within a human library where the creative energy of books helps sustain them. Unlike most other inhabitants of the library, who long to return to playing with children, Jinzan has intentionally chosen a different path. He acts as a lookout, venturing out into the human world to find other fading, forgotten imaginaries and bringing them back to the safety of the library before they vanish completely. In this capacity, he interacts with the community of imaginaries in the library but remains somewhat apart from them. He shares a notable connection with Emily, the de facto leader of the group, as both work to protect the other inhabitants. His key relationship develops with Rudger, as Jinzan is initially motivated purely by duty. However, as the story progresses, Rudger's unwavering determination to return to and help Amanda begins to affect him. Despite his deep-seated aversion to humans, Jinzan is moved by Rudger's plight and ultimately chooses to take a great personal risk, diving into human imagination to help him. This decision represents a significant moment of development for Jinzan, as he overcomes his cynical isolation born of past trauma. In terms of notable abilities, Jinzan enjoys great freedom of movement compared to other imaginaries, a peculiarity of his nature that allows him to travel between the imaginary and human worlds effectively, which makes him perfectly suited for his self-appointed rescue missions.