Sun Tzu and Anime: 100 Girlfriends Who Really Really Love You

Fri Jan 09 2026

Sun Tzu and Anime: The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Character Analysis

The New Year is here, so let’s kick it off with more of Sun Tzu’s exceptional wisdom rating anime’s true legends.

As a quick refresher, here’s how the rating system works. Sun Tzu cited Five Essential Factors to be Mastered for Victory: Morality, Weather, Terrain, Good Leadership, and Preparation. All under consideration can receive 0-10 points in each category. However, he also cited Five Fatal Failings of Leadership: Recklessness, Cowardice, A Hasty Temper (Anger for simplicity), Delicacy of Honor (DOH), and Caring Too Much About the Troops (Over-caring). All under consideration can lose 0-10 points in each category. At the end, the scores are tallied, and the results reveal how effective a character is in Sun Tzu’s eyes, with the best aiming for 40 or better.

This time, we’re checking out a new classic: the protagonist and his first six soulmates from The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You. As always, to keep things fair, we’ll analyze them in the order they were formally introduced, plus we’ll restrict things to the 1st season to keep everything streamlined.

Character Analysis: Rentaro Aijo

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Rentaro Aijo

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	10	He’s an incredible person: generous, compassionate, and willing to go the extra Light Year to make someone happy…which only makes his being rejected 100 times much more curious.
Weather	7	He’s very capable, although he did have some initial trouble during the night infiltration arc.
Terrain	6	He’s okay, yet lost sight of Shizuka at the waterpark, and is very clumsy at times, particularly during the kissing arc.
Good Leadership	7	He is not very assertive at first, yet soon becomes quite a negotiator, plus gains some neat diplomacy skills. However, he still occasionally goes rogue, like when he first tried to follow Kaede into her family’s estate.
Preparation	9	He’s an amazing planner, like when he tried to get around who’d get his first kiss. He also transcribed two entire volumes of Shizuka’s favorite book series for her reading app, and even spent an entire night gathering four-leaf clovers to win over Kaede and Karene.
Total	39

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-8	Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates his soulmates, and he’s slightly impulsive, usually when he’s embarrassed or confused, like when he nearly succumbed to Shizuka during the kissing arc.
Cowardice	-2	He’s a tad shy and indecisive initially, and he completely froze when Hahari kicked him off her estate. Still, he made a great comeback, hence the much lower rating.
Anger	-3	He’s got a slight temper, yet it takes a lot to trigger it, most infamously when he saw the boys flirting with Kaede and Nano at the waterpark.
Delicacy of Honor	-3	He’s a tad vain, yet not enough to worry.
Over-caring	-9	Major red flag. He loves all his soulmates, and not just to save their lives too—he legitimately loves each one, and they’ve since become what drives him.
Total	-25

Final Assessment

Score: 14 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)

Character Analysis: Kaede Hondo

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Kaede Hondo

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	6	She’s a great person, but has a deep selfish streak, and she can get really venomous when she’s jealous, like when she went overboard during/after the bouquet toss.
Weather	7	She’s pretty good, although she isn’t always observant at night, something that nearly cost her during the infiltration arc.
Terrain	5	She’s okay, yet very clumsy at points, like when she accidentally fell out the window, nearly killing herself and Rentaro when he went to grab her.
Good Leadership	5	She’s pretty assertive, yet shut down when her mom intervened; she recovered afterward, but still ends the season more follower than leader.
Preparation	5	She’s capable, particularly during her many efforts to win Rentaro’s attention, but mostly winds up winging things.
Total	26

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others, especially Rentaro and her mom, and she’s extremely impulsive, usually when angry or jealous, something that’s most often seen in her constant spats with Karane.
Cowardice	-4	She’s a tad shy initially, plus completely froze when her mom barred her from seeing Rentaro, yet made a great recovery afterward, hence the lower rating.
Anger	-7	Slight red flag. She’s a hothead, as well as easily triggered, most often during her rivalry with Karane; she also had a major meltdown when the guys flirted with her at the waterpark.
Delicacy of Honor	-5	She’s pretty cocky at times, most infamously when she tried cooking for Rentaro, then got into a spat with Karane over who the better chef was.
Over-caring	-10	Epic red flag. She’s hopelessly in love with Rentaro, so much so that, when her mom tried to stop her from seeing him, she almost killed herself; she’s also very close to the other soulmates.
Total	-35

Final Assessment

Score: -9 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Karane Inda

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Karane Inda

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	7	She’s a great person at heart, as well as a very loyal friend, although she can get really vicious when she’s angry, embarrassed, or jealous.
Weather	8	She’s very capable, although she was a tad clumsy during the night infiltration.
Terrain	8	She’s got a keen eye, yet isn’t always aware of her immediate surroundings, like when she and Rentaro were tandemly climbing the wall…and got into an awkward clinch.
Good Leadership	5	She’s good here and there, such as when she helped stop the Vice Principal from attacking Rentaro, yet still tends to vary between lone wolf and follower.
Preparation	6	She’s got some great cooking and improv skills, but often ends up winging things due to her impatience.
Total	34

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others, particularly Rentaro, and is extremely impulsive, often violently overreacting when she’s angry or embarrassed…hence her long history of punching the latter.
Cowardice	-8	Serious red flag. She’s secretly shy and insecure, something that fuels her overreactions; furthermore, she was so embarrassed by her new swimsuit she kept covered throughout most of the waterpark arc.
Anger	-10	Epic red flag. She’s got an explosive temper, one that takes almost nothing to trigger, namely if she’s frustrated or embarrassed, like when the lie detector chair kept catching her…so she jumped up and began pummeling it.
Delicacy of Honor	-5	She’s very cocky initially, although being with Rentaro and getting to know the other girls greatly tempers such, hence the lower rating.
Over-caring	-10	Epic red flag. She’s hopelessly in love with Rentaro, plus very close to his other soulmates.
Total	-42

Final Assessment

Score: -8 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Shizuka Yoshimoto

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Shizuka Yoshimoto

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	10	She’s an angel, so sweet and gentle that, during the infiltration arc, even a trained attack dog wanted to protect her versus hurt her.
Weather	5	She’s okay, yet so frail and flimsy she often needs help; she also doesn’t function well at night, something that cost her during the infiltration.
Terrain	5	She knows the library well, and she’s got some great movement skills, yet her frailty often cripples her, like when she was literally left spinning on the Lazy River at the waterpark.
Good Leadership	3	She has a few good points, but is so timid she’s more follower than leader.
Preparation	7	She memorized an entire book series, plus knows the library like the back of her hand, yet usually winds up winging everything else.
Total	30

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-7	Slight red flag. She constantly underestimates others, and has a slight impulsive streak, usually when she’s embarrassed or scared, like when she tried to warn him about the other girls trying to sneak a peek…only to accidentally stumble on him herself.
Cowardice	-10	Epic red flag. She’s one of anime’s shyest girls, so timid she can only speak through quotes (either pointed out or through her phone’s app) from her favorite books; she also constantly freezes, and tends to panic when she’s nervous or unsure.
Anger	0	She doesn’t get angry, so no worries here.
Delicacy of Honor	-2	She’s a tad vain at times, yet not enough to really worry.
Over-caring	-10	Epic red flag. She’s obsessively in love with Rentaro, plus desperately relies on the other soulmates to maintain herself.
Total	-29

Final Assessment

Score: 1 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Nano Eiai

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Nano Eiai

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	8	She’s very icy at first, yet soon proves very generous and a truly loyal friend, namely when protecting Kaede at the waterpark and during the infiltration.
Weather	10	Due to her keen mind, observational skills, and strength, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	8	She’s highly capable, given how she deduced the Hondo home’s entry point and how to silently open the lock, although she’s a tad clumsy.
Good Leadership	5	She’s got great potential, yet ultimately tends to vary between lone wolf and follower, mostly the latter toward the end of the season.
Preparation	9	She’s very studious, given how she’s at the top of her class, and she’s also an incredible planner, like when she helped get everyone into Kaede’s home undetected.
Total	40

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-7	Slight red flag. She completely underestimated Rentaro, and can be very impulsive when she’s annoyed or distracted, most infamously when the latter first approached her, causing her to write out the Pi equation to refocus…only to end up filling two dry erase boards and multiple sheets of paper in desperation.
Cowardice	-6	She’s surprisingly shy and insecure, plus she’s also afraid of heights.
Anger	-4	She’s got a temper, although it takes a lot to really make her snap, such as when the boys flirted with her and Kaede at the waterpark.
Delicacy of Honor	-3	She’s very smug at first, mainly judging things on their practicality versus having fun, yet meeting Rentaro tempered most of that, hence the lower rating.
Over-caring	-9	Major red flag. She’s hopelessly in love with Rentaro, plus she’s also very close to the other soulmates.
Total	-29

Final Assessment

Score: 11 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)

Character Analysis: Kusuri Yakuzen

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Kusuri Yakuzen

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	7	She’s very sweet, but her selfishness often inadvertently causes a lot of problems, not to mention makes her come across as shallow.
Weather	5	She’s okay in her larger form, but her smaller form is pretty frail, making her painfully vulnerable, particularly during the infiltration.
Terrain	5	She’s observant and knows the school well, yet her smaller form’s frail and often clumsy nature makes her very awkward, namely during the kissing arc.
Good Leadership	3	She’s got potential, particularly during the bouquet toss, but ultimately is more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation	5	She’s very creative, especially in the chemistry lab, yet often misses warning signs and (for reasons unknown) wears diapers rather than using the bathroom.
Total	25

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-10	Epic red flag. She constantly underestimates others, namely Rentaro and his girlfriends, and is extremely impulsive when crafting her many formulas, most infamously when she supposedly made an immortality potion…only to have it shrink her instead.
Cowardice	-2	She’s a tad shy and insecure at times, yet not enough to worry.
Anger	-2	She’s got a slight temper, but not enough to worry here either.
Delicacy of Honor	-7	Slight red flag. She’s very cocky, particularly with her formulas, something that often costs her and those around her, like when she accidentally triggered the kissing arc by not specifying which beaker contained which formula.
Over-caring	-8	Serious red flag. She’s completely in love with Rentaro, not to mention very close to the other soulmates.
Total	-29

Final Assessment

Score: -4 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Hahari Hondo

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Hahari Hondo

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	5	She’s a good person at heart, but was extremely venomous toward Rentaro initially, not to mention nearly destroyed Kaede with her selfishness.
Weather	5	She’s observant, yet completely disregarded any thought of a night rescue, leaving her home dangerously vulnerable.
Terrain	5	She thoroughly planned her estate’s security, but carelessly missed several spots, allowing Rentaro and company to sneak in.
Good Leadership	1	She’s got some great skills, yet sadly used them to demonize Kaede and Rentaro, making her actions a keen example of what not to do.
Preparation	4	She’s a good planner, particularly with the lie detector chair, but mostly ends up winging everything else.
Total	20

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-10	Epic red flag. She constantly underestimates others and is extremely impulsive, especially when it came to “protecting” Kaede, although she also went overboard with Rentaro after falling for him.
Cowardice	-5	Losing her first love understandably left her badly shaken, as well as reluctant to let Kaede fall for someone so she couldn’t experience that same heartache. Thankfully, Rentaro helped her heal, hence the lower rating.
Anger	-5	She’s a hothead, not to mention easily triggered, although falling for Rentaro tempered most of that, hence another lower rating.
Delicacy of Honor	-3	She’s initially very smug, completely convinced she can’t be wrong; thankfully, nearly losing Kaede and falling for Rentaro humbled her, hence still another lower rating.
Over-caring	-10	Epic red flag. Her overprotective nature nearly killed Kaede and Rentaro; furthermore, she’s so in love with the latter she ends up taking a major role on the school board to be near him.
Total	-33

Final Assessment

Score: -13 (Nightmare scenario)

Reviewing the Results

This was a really messy lot, filled with everything from jealousy to paralyzing timidity, all of which contributed to the never-ending litany of problems they encountered. Then again, it all harkens back to what’s been said from the beginning: if you listen to Sun Tzu, you’ll win; if you ignore him, you’ll lose.

Article by:Andrew Nickerson

Andrew's originally from Massachusetts, and has studied military history/tactics/strategy for almost 30 years. He has a BA in History (English minor) from UMASS Lowell and JD from Mass. School of Law. He can be found on Twitter (@AndrewNickers19) daily, analyzing characters via Sun Tzu.

Fun Fact: Andrew's a huge fan of anime music. He particularly recommends Crescent Love (Brighter than the Dawning Blue), Dream Riser (Girls Und Panzer), and the fight theme to Zoids: New Century.