Sun Tzu and Anime: Hundred Character Analysis

Fri Dec 05 2025

Hundred Character Analysis

The holiday season is here, so let’s ward off the chill with more of Sun Tzu’s exceptional wisdom revealing the effectiveness of favorite anime casts.

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 associates from Hundred. As always, to keep things fair, we’ll analyze them in the order they were formally introduced.

Character Analysis: Hayato Kisaragi

Hundred: Hayato Kisaragi

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	10	He’s a wonderful person: selfless, an incredible big brother to sister Karen, and driven to “protect his friends’ happiness.”
Weather	10	Thanks to his strength, training, and his Hundred (especially its Full Body Armament mode), this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	6	He’s capable, yet has a serious clumsy streak, especially in his many odd moments with Amelia, Claire, and Sakura.
Good Leadership	5	He’s shaky initially and, although he improves with experience, is still more follower than leader.
Preparation	6	He’s able to learn to fully control his Variant powers and his Hundred, but still winds up winging everything else.
Total	37

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-8	Serious red flag. He often underestimates others, most infamously Vytaly and the Hunters, and has a slight impulsive streak, usually when pressured or nervous, something that badly cost him in the Maid Café.
Cowardice	-5	He’s pretty shy and indecisive, especially with girls, but gets a little better toward the end, hence the lower rating.
Anger	-3	He’s got a slight temper, yet not enough to worry; admittedly, he snaps twice, but that was due to his Variant power, not him personally.
Delicacy of Honor	0	He’s very modest, so no worries here.
Over-caring	-7	Slight red flag. He dotes on Karen, loves Emilia, and cares a lot for his peers, something he emphasized when facing Krovanh by saying, “I’d do anything to keep them smiling.”
Total	-23

Final Assessment

Score: 14 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)

Character Analysis: Emilia Gudenberg AKA Emile Crossford

Hundred: Emilia Gudenberg AKA Emile Crossford

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	6	She’s got a good heart, yet can turn venomous when she’s jealous, especially toward the end of the series.
Weather	10	Thanks to her training, experience, and her Hundred, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	7	She’s very capable, like when she stopped Nakri by pinning her weapons to a cliff, but has a bad clumsy streak, most infamously when she got caught off-guard fighting the Trenta-class Savage.
Good Leadership	6	She’s got great potential, like when she talked down Nesat with her “Why do you have eyes to begin with?” comment, yet often goes rogue when in jealousy mode.
Preparation	8	She learned to control her Variant power and wield over a dozen different weapons, yet still occasionally wings things.
Total	37

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others, especially Hayato, and is extremely impulsive, mostly when either jealous or angry, like when she confronted Claire during initiation.
Cowardice	-4	She’s pretty shy with Hayato at different points, although time with him emboldens her, hence the slightly lower rating.
Anger	-8	Serious red flag. She’s got a violent temper, one that’s easily triggered by any girl getting close to Hayato, along with rogue BFF Claudia’s antics.
Delicacy of Honor	-6	She’s pretty cocky, as well as fairly vain, all based around her wanting to win over Hayato.
Over-caring	-9	Major red flag. Her love for Hayato makes her one of anime’s jealous girls, as well as willing to forsake her royal lineage to be with him.
Total	-36

Final Assessment

Score: 1 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Fritz Gantz

Hundred: Fritz Gantz

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	8	He’s a really nice guy, although his constant teasing of Retia is a little weird.
Weather	10	Due to his training, Hundred, and sniper skills, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	8	He’s pretty good most of the time, yet got caught off-guard at the beach by Ratia, as well as by the Hunters during the anti-Savage operation.
Good Leadership	4	He’s pretty good during the final battle with Vytaly, but is still more follower than leader.
Preparation	6	He’s really good at training and adapting to new foes, yet still winds up winging most other things.
Total	36

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-8	Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates others, and has a bad habit of impulsively patting Retia on the head despite knowing it sets her off.
Cowardice	0	He’s very bold, so no worries here.
Anger	0	He doesn’t get angry, so no worries her either.
Delicacy of Honor	-5	He’s pretty cocky at first, although experience quickly tempers that, hence the lower rating.
Over-caring	-3	He cares about Retia and his teammates, although not enough to really worry.
Total	-16

Final Assessment

Score: 20 (Capable, yet moderately flawed)

Character Analysis: Retia Saint-Emilion

Hundred: Retia Saint-Emilion

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	7	She’s a great person and a loyal friend, yet has a slight selfish streak, like when she unleashed her force energy during the volleyball match.
Weather	9	Thanks to her strength, training, and her Hundred, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	6	She’s pretty good, but can sometimes lose sight of things in battle, like when she got flanked by Emilia during the practice match.
Good Leadership	5	She’s got a few good points, particularly at the Maid Café during the Festa, yet is still more follower than leader.
Preparation	5	She can train and adapt fairly well, but still winds up winging everything else.
Total	32

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates foes, a flaw that nearly got her killed fighting the Hunters, and is extremely impulsive, like when she blurted out Hayato’s presence at Orientation.
Cowardice	-3	She’s a tad insecure at first, but experience and getting admitted to selections tempered most of that, hence the lower rating.
Anger	-8	Serious red flag. She’s a hothead, plus easily triggered, Fritz being the most common cause by his constantly patting her on the head, thus earning the riposte, “I’m not a kid!”
Delicacy of Honor	-7	Slight red flag. She’s very cocky, something that never truly goes away; in some cases, like when facing Vytaly’s drones, it actually makes things worse.
Over-caring	-3	Despite her bluster, she cares about Fritz, hence why she stomped his foot when he joked about “living out his own personal harem fantasy”.
Total	-30

Final Assessment

Score: 2 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Liddy Steinberg

Hundred: Liddy Steinberg

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	8	She’s a tad gruff, but is a great person and very loyal companion, namely with Erica and Claire.
Weather	10	Thanks to her training, strength, and her Hundred, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	8	She’s quite capable in combat, yet does have a slight clumsy streak, like when she accidentally slipped outside Claire’s pool.
Good Leadership	7	She’s got a keen eye for coordination, especially when facing Vytaly’s drones/replicants, but tends to go rogue when her pride’s insulted.
Preparation	7	She’s very good at planning and organizing, particularly when helping arrange the Festa, yet still wings some things.
Total	40

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others and is extremely impulsive, most often when she’s angry or insulted, flaws that nearly got her killed fighting the Trenta-class Savage.
Cowardice	0	She’s very bold, so no worries here.
Anger	-8	Serious red flag. She’s got an explosive temper, and is easily triggered, especially when someone insults Claire or her own fighting skills, something she paid for dearly when facing Emilia.
Delicacy of Honor	-8	Serious red flag. She’s very proud, something that repeatedly costs her, most infamously when Krovanh defeated her in the anti-Savage operation.
Over-caring	-6	She’s infatuated with Claire, something she covered well…until she argued with Erica over who’d get to help apply Claire’s sunblock on the beach.
Total	-31

Final Assessment

Score: 9 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Erica Candle

Hundred: Erica Candle

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	5	She’s got a good heart, yet has a seriously twisted side that manifested at the Maid Café.
Weather	9	Due to her multi-purpose glasses, keen instinct, and Hundred, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	5	She’s okay, but is a tad clumsy, plus not always very observant, something that nearly killed her fighting the Trenta-class Savage.
Good Leadership	7	She’s very organized and has a good sense of foresight, yet isn’t always assertive, like when she couldn’t stop Liddy challenging Emilia.
Preparation	7	She’s quite studious, particularly when analyzing Vytaly’s first drone, yet still wings a lot of things.
Total	33

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others and is extremely impulsive, like when arguing with Liddy over Claire’s sunblock.
Cowardice	-5	She’s a tad shy, plus she froze when Emilia took her picture at the Maid Café.
Anger	-5	She’s got a temper, although thankfully it doesn’t appear too often.
Delicacy of Honor	-3	She’s a tad vain, yet not enough to worry.
Over-caring	-7	Slight red flag. She’s in love with Claire, something she drops hints about throughout the series, like when the latter saved her from the Trenta-class Savage, leaving her all smiles.
Total	-29

Final Assessment

Score: 4 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Claire Harvey

Hundred: Claire Harvey

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	6	She’s a great person, loyal ally, and a wonderful big sister. However, she gets viperish when she’s angry or jealous, like when she caught Sakura in Hayato’s room and cried, “Sakura Kirishima, stop trespassing this instant or I’ll lock you up and throw away the key!”
Weather	5	She’s very capable under most conditions; unfortunately, because her Hundred (even in Full Body Armament mode) is primarily beam-based, her effectiveness drops when it’s raining, something that cost her when facing the Hunters.
Terrain	5	She’s got a keen eye, yet has a serious clumsy streak, most often around Hayato…often leading to very awkward moments.
Good Leadership	4	She’s great at using different forces, namely during Vytaly’s final onslaught, but has a bad habit of either going rogue or refusing help in a pinch.
Preparation	7	She’s very good at organizing, like with the Festa or tracking Sakura after she vanished, yet mostly wings everything else.
Total	27

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others, particularly her brother, and is extremely impulsive when she’s angry or embarrassed, something she frequently displayed during the anti-Savage operation.
Cowardice	-7	Slight red flag. She’s secretly shy and very insecure, particularly around Hayato, something that progressively worsens throughout the series.
Anger	-7	Slight red flag. She’s a hothead, plus easily triggered, her brother being the most constant source, namely when it comes to his hidden agenda.
Delicacy of Honor	-8	Serious red flag. She’s extremely proud, so much so she often refuses help or overreacts in crises, even though it nearly gets her killed fighting both the Savages and Hunters.
Over-caring	-6	She’s very protective of her sister, not to mention completely infatuated with Hayato, the latter factor a huge part of why she ended up in a literal three-way wrestling match with Emilia and Sakura.
Total	-37

Final Assessment

Score: -10 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Sakura Kirishima

Hundred: Sakura Kirishima

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	6	She’s a great person, giving and generous, although she’s got a selfish streak that often causes her to wander off on “flights of fancy.”
Weather	10	Due to her training, keen eye, and Hundred, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	7	She’s very capable, given her Field Control-type skills, yet has a slight clumsy streak, like when she slipped in her hotel bathroom.
Good Leadership	5	She’s got some good points, such as when she arranged for Karen to sing with her at the Festa, but is ultimately more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation	5	She’s great at songwriting, cooking, and organizing concerts, but still winds up winging everything else.
Total	33

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-9	Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others and is extremely impulsive, like when she suddenly disappeared so she could invite Hayato to the Zwei Islands’ Grand Canyon.
Cowardice	-7	Slight red flag. Despite her bluster, she freaked out when Hayato got close, and had a huge meltdown when a Savage responded to her voice.
Anger	-4	She’s got a temper, but it doesn’t appear often enough to worry.
Delicacy of Honor	-7	She’s very cocky, most infamously seen when she requested Hayato be her bodyguard, then asked if he wanted to marry her.
Over-caring	-7	Slight red flag. She fell for Hayato after he stopped the Trenta-class Savage, then her feelings grew exponentially when she learned he was the boy she’d met in Gudenberg.
Total	-34

Final Assessment

Score: -1 (Nightmare scenario)

Character Analysis: Claudia Lowetti

Hundred: Claudia Lowetti

Victory Factors

Factor	Score	Reasoning
Morality	4	She’s not all bad, but her selfishness and petty jealousy make her hard to work with, as Hayato and Emilia learned when she joined them in the anti-Savage operation.
Weather	10	Thanks to her training, strength, and Hundred, this isn’t an issue.
Terrain	7	She’s pretty skilled, yet isn’t always very observant, like when she didn’t spot Vytaly’s planes flying toward Little Garden until it was too late.
Good Leadership	3	She has a few good points, but is ultimately more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation	5	She can train and adapt very well, yet usually winds up winging everything else.
Total	28

Fatal Failings

Failing	Score	Reasoning
Recklessness	-10	Epic red flag. She constantly underestimates others and is extremely impulsive, especially in her drive to bring Emilia back home. Worse, she’s very careless, such as when she ended up revealing Emilia’s identity at the end.
Cowardice	-2	She’s a tad insecure, yet not enough to worry.
Anger	-8	Serious red flag. She’s got an explosive temper, one that’s constantly triggered by Emilia’s refusal to return home…and thus redirected at Hayato, whom she blames for such.
Delicacy of Honor	-8	Serious red flag. She’s very cocky, which led her to challenge Hayato, then try to trick Emilia by claiming he and Claire snuck off together during the anti-Savage operation.
Over-caring	-10	Epic red flag. Her obsession with Emilia is beyond insane, not to mention makes her constantly throw tantrums when she can’t convince Emilia to return home.
Total	-38

Final Assessment

Score: -10 (Nightmare scenario)

Reviewing the Results

This was a unique set, with plenty of room to improve, hence their constant issues and failings on the battlefield and off. Then again, that’s all part of the lesson: follow Sun Tzu, and you’ll win; ignore him, and you’ll lose.

Hundred Characters: Victory Factors Analysis

Character	Morality	Weather	Terrain	Leadership	Preparation	Final Score
Hayato	10	10	6	5	6	37
Emilia	6	10	7	6	8	37
Fritz	8	10	8	4	6	36
Retia	7	9	6	5	5	32
Liddy	8	10	8	7	7	40
Erica	5	9	5	7	7	33
Claire	6	5	5	4	7	27
Sakura	6	10	7	5	5	33
Claudia	4	10	7	3	5	28

Hundred Characters: Fatal Failings Analysis

Character	Recklessness	Cowardice	Anger	DOH	Over-caring	Final Score
Hayato	-8	-5	-3	0	-7	-23
Emilia	-9	-4	-8	-6	-9	-36
Fritz	-8	0	0	-5	-3	-16
Retia	-9	-3	-8	-7	-3	-30
Liddy	-9	0	-8	-8	-6	-31
Erica	-9	-5	-5	-3	-7	-29
Claire	-9	-7	-7	-8	-6	-37
Sakura	-9	-7	-4	-7	-7	-34
Claudia	-10	-2	-8	-8	-10	-38

Hundred Characters: Final Scores

Character	Final Score	Assessment
Hayato	14	Great potential, yet deeply flawed
Emilia	1	Nightmare scenario
Fritz	20	Capable, yet moderately flawed
Retia	2	Nightmare scenario
Liddy	9	Nightmare scenario
Erica	4	Nightmare scenario
Claire	-10	Nightmare scenario
Sakura	-1	Nightmare scenario
Claudia	-10	Nightmare scenario

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.