Sun Tzu and Anime: Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Character Analysis
Sun Tzu and Anime: Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Character Analysis
April is here at last, so let's welcome the new month with more of Sun Tzu's exceptional wisdom rating anime's greatest characters.
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 looking at a classic: the protagonist and his primary companions from Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero. As always, to keep things fair, we'll analyze them in the order they were formally introduced.
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Character Analysis: Akatsuki Ousawa
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Akatsuki Ousawa
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Akatsuki Ousawa
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | Despite his twisted sense of humor and perverted nature, he's an incredible person, considering he willingly took on the title "Rogue" out of remorse for heroic knight Leone's giving his life to save his, then later brought Myuu to Earth to end a war. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to his strength, experience, and keen eye, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 9 | He's highly agile and very potent, especially after gaining the magical motorcycle Sleipnir. However, he sometimes gets caught off-guard, most infamously during Swimsuit Tag at the beach. |
| Good Leadership | 8 | He's surprisingly capable, given how easily he solves others' various issues, then later helped evacuate students during the battle with Phil/Zahak, yet still goes rogue at times. |
| Preparation | 9 | He's incredibly smart, an expert with Linked Energy Manipulation, and can easily read others, although he still occasionally wings things. |
| Total | 44 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates foes, namely Kyoya and Phil, and is extremely impulsive, especially when "catching the fairer sex off-guard" as Listy called it. |
| Cowardice | 0 | He's utterly brazen, so no worries here. |
| Anger | -8 | Serious red flag. He's a hothead, plus easily triggered, most often when he encounters injustice or his pride is insulted, something that never truly abates despite numerous close calls. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -8 | Serious red flag. He's extremely cocky, another trait that remains steady throughout the series; he's also very proud, which badly cost him against Phil/Zahak. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. He cares very deeply for those around him, especially Listy and Myuu, and is very protective of women, given his famed aesthetic: "I never ignore a girl's tears." |
| Total | -31 |
Final Assessment
Score: 13 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Listy El Da Shellfeed
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Listy El Da Shellfeed
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Listy El Da Shellfeed
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a wonderful person and devoted ally, although she can be selfish when it comes to Akatsuki, like when she sent her personal guard to stop him from leaving Alayzard. |
| Weather | 5 | She's observant, yet fairly frail, something that badly crippled her during the Council meetings. |
| Terrain | 7 | She's got great instincts, given how easily she predicted the Dark Clan's counterattack, although she's a tad clumsy at times, most infamously when Garious' onslaught forced her to flee her homeland. |
| Good Leadership | 6 | She's a great diplomat, but her lack of assertiveness before the Council cost Alayzard and Earth dearly. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's a good organizer, yet wasn't the least bit prepared for Baram's plot or how far Akatsuki would go to protect her. |
| Total | 31 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She badly underestimated her fellow rulers, particularly Emperor Volk's capitulating to Baram's proposal, and is a tad impulsive, like when she slapped Akatsuki for kissing her. |
| Cowardice | -6 | She's very indecisive at times, plus badly froze before the Council and when the Dark Clan attacked. |
| Anger | -4 | She's got a temper, but it takes a lot to make her snap, something only Akatsuki and Baram managed to pull off. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -5 | She's very proud, although some of it was tempered when Akatsuki defeated Phil/Zahak, hence the slightly lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. Despite dismissing him in the first episode, she's in love with Akatsuki, hence her boldly defending him before Baram, then later praying for his help when the Dark Clan attacked. |
| Total | -31 |
Final Assessment
Score: 0 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Myuu
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Myuu
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Myuu
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | Despite being the daughter of a Dark Lord, she's very sweet and a dedicated friend, especially with Chikage, Kuzaha, and Haruka. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her keen senses, experience, and magical skill, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's okay, namely when she's airborne, yet isn't very observant, something that repeatedly costs her around Akatsuki; she's also pretty clumsy, something the latter hinted at by teasing her about automatic doors. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | She's got potential, given how she helped stall the berserker cockatrice and Phil/Zahak, but her lack of assertiveness leaves her more follower than leader. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's well-versed in magic and Alayzard's lore, yet was completely unprepared for Earth's culture and technology; she also badly bombed her Babel exams. |
| Total | 32 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She perpetually underestimates others, particularly Akatsuki, and is very careless, like when she famously claimed shopping "wasn't rocket surgery." |
| Cowardice | -5 | She's initially shy and insecure, a flaw that badly cost her against Phil/Zahak. Thankfully, Chikage, Kuzaha, and Akatsuki were able to temper such, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, and easily triggered, most often by Akatsuki's perverted antics, although she also snapped at Phil/Zahak. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -3 | She's a tad vain, yet not enough to worry. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. She's in love with Akatsuki, despite frequent denials, plus very protective of Chikage, Kuzaha, and Haruka. |
| Total | -32 |
Final Assessment
Score: 0 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Haruka Nanase
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Haruka Nanase
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Haruka Nanase
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Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 6 | She's got a good heart and is a devoted companion, yet is very caustic toward Akatsuki, thanks to all the times he humiliated her. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her agility, keen eye, and knowledge of Wind Magic, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's got good senses, but is extremely clumsy, something that constantly costs her around Akatsuki, then almost killed her during the battle with Phil/Zahak. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | She's got some good instincts, namely when stopping the terrorists and organizing the ranking matches, yet her stiff nature and occasional non-assertiveness leaves her jumping between follower and lone wolf. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's very smart and a skilled planner, considering she literally wrote several manuals on counterterrorism, but her inflexibility leaves her winging most things. |
| Total | 30 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She always underestimates foes, particularly Akatsuki and Kyoya, and tends to impulsively overreact when she's angry or embarrassed, like when she blew up on the former after Sleipnir shocked her. |
| Cowardice | -7 | Slight red flag. She often freezes around Kyoya, plus slowly gets more nervous and insecure around Akatsuki throughout the series. |
| Anger | -8 | Serious red flag. She's got a violent temper, one that's on a hair trigger, most often when Akatsuki humiliates her or she's frustrated, such as when the terrorists held the little girl hostage. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -6 | She's very cocky at first, although experience and getting to know Akatsuki and his friends humbled her a tad, hence the slightly lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. Although she denies it, she's in love with Akatsuki, plus very close to her fellow student council members. |
| Total | -37 |
Final Assessment
Score: -7 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Chikage Izumi
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Chikage Izumi
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Chikage Izumi
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a wonderful person and loyal friend, yet can get a tad selfish, especially with her yuri preferences; she can also get caustic when she's mad, like when she yelled at Kuzaha over Myuu's shopping trip. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to her keen sense, agility, and command of water magic, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | She's very capable, particularly with ambushes, but sometimes gets caught off-guard, something that nearly killed her twice fighting Phil/Zahak. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | She's got potential, most famously when protecting Myuu against the berserker cockatrice, yet is ultimately more lone wolf than leader. |
| Preparation | 7 | She's well trained in magic and a skilled archer, but still wings some things. |
| Total | 38 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She constantly underestimates others and is extremely impulsive, like when she seduced a girl in the gym's storage room, then tried to do the same with Myuu at the manga cafe. |
| Cowardice | -2 | She sometimes freezes around Akatsuki, yet not enough to worry. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, plus easily triggered, mostly when defending her friends, although she also snapped at Phil/Zahak. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's very cocky, something that remains steady throughout the series, as well as very proud, which badly backfired on her during the latter half of the Phil/Zahak battle. |
| Over-caring | -5 | She respects Akatsuki, plus is very close to Myuu and Kuzaha. |
| Total | -29 |
Final Assessment
Score: 9 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Kuzaha Doumoto
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Kuzaha Doumoto
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Kuzaha Doumoto
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a tad gruff at first but, after Akatsuki brings her out of her shell, reveals she has a good heart and is a great friend. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her keen eye, experience, and skill with Earth magic, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | She's very adept with traps and using golems to move/fight, yet can be clumsy, like when Akatsuki broke out of her pit at the beach. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | She's driven and organized, but is ultimately more follower than leader. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's smart, a skilled fighter, and great with magic, yet wasn't prepared for Akatsuki's nature, most infamously his boasting about "lighting a fire" under the Student Council's feet. |
| Total | 36 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -7 | Slight red flag. She often underestimates others, especially Akatsuki and Chikage, and can be very careless, such as when she chased after Myuu by herself during the Phil/Zahak battle. |
| Cowardice | -4 | She's very indecisive at first, plus sometimes freezes under pressure, but Akatsuki's lecture and befriending Myuu tempered some of that, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -5 | She's got a short temper initially, yet experience and gaining new friends calmed her, hence another lower rating. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -4 | She was very stiff at first, but Akatsuki, Myuu, and Chikage slowly helped her relax, hence yet another lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She looks up to Akatsuki, and is very close to Myuu, Chikage, and Haruka. |
| Total | -27 |
Final Assessment
Score: 9 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Motoharu Kaidou
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Motoharu Kaidou
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: Motoharu Kaidou
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 7 | He's a great person and loyal friend, but can be really venomous when he's angry, most infamously when he killed the last terrorist in the hotel for claiming to be part of Crimson Twilight. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to his strength, agility, and magical skill, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | He's highly mobile and did a great job stalling Phil/Zahak, yet isn't very good at stealth, considering Akatsuki knew he was tracking him during the ranking matches. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | He's got some good organizational skills, most famously during Swimsuit Tag, but ultimately tends to jump between lone wolf and follower. |
| Preparation | 8 | He's very crafty, namely when introducing Akatsuki to Sleipnir and spotting the conversion field failure, yet still sometimes wings things. |
| Total | 38 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -7 | Slight red flag. He badly underestimated Akatsuki, and can be very impulsive, like when he followed Akatsuki to Alayzard at the end. |
| Cowardice | -3 | He freezes a few times around Akatsuki, but not enough to worry. |
| Anger | -5 | He's got a temper, yet only really snaps twice, and both times required a lot to trigger him. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. He's very cocky, plus extremely proud, something that nearly killed him in his numerous attempts to ride Sleipnir. |
| Over-caring | -4 | He respects Akatsuki, is a very devout member of Crimson Twilight, and surprisingly protective of his fellow students. |
| Total | -26 |
Final Assessment
Score: 12 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Reviewing the Results
This cast was quite unique: exceptional combat skills that floundered in the face of everything from carelessness to ego. It's no doubt a huge part of why they all have severe highs and lows...but that all harkens back to what's been said all along: if you follow Sun Tzu, you'll win; if you ignore him, you'll lose.
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Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Characters: Victory Factors Analysis
| Character | Morality | Weather | Terrain | Leadership | Preparation | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akatsuki | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 44 |
| Listy | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 31 |
| Myuu | 8 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 32 |
| Haruka | 6 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 30 |
| Chikage | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 38 |
| Kuzaha | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 36 |
| Motoharu | 7 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 38 |
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Characters: Fatal Failings Analysis
| Character | Recklessness | Cowardice | Anger | DOH | Over-caring | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akatsuki | -8 | 0 | -8 | -8 | -7 | -31 |
| Listy | -8 | -6 | -4 | -5 | -8 | -31 |
| Myuu | -9 | -5 | -7 | -3 | -8 | -32 |
| Haruka | -9 | -7 | -8 | -6 | -7 | -37 |
| Chikage | -8 | -2 | -7 | -7 | -5 | -29 |
| Kuzaha | -7 | -4 | -5 | -4 | -7 | -27 |
| Motoharu | -7 | -3 | -5 | -7 | -4 | -26 |
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Characters: Final Scores
| Character | Final Score | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Akatsuki | 13 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Listy | 0 | Nightmare scenario |
| Myuu | 0 | Nightmare scenario |
| Haruka | -7 | Nightmare scenario |
| Chikage | 9 | Nightmare scenario |
| Kuzaha | 9 | Nightmare scenario |
| Motoharu | 12 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
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.