Sun Tzu and Anime: Iceblade Sorcerer Character Analysis
Sun Tzu and Anime: The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Character Analysis
Spring is in the air, so let's celebrate the coming season with more anime legends getting rated by Sun Tzu's exceptional wisdom.
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 analyzing a recent hit: the protagonist and his primary companions from The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World. As always, to keep things fair, we'll look at them in the order they were formally introduced.
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Character Analysis: Ray White
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Ray White
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Ray White
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | He's an amazing person: generous, charming, and very forgiving, the latter a key factor in saving those around him, especially Albert, Amelia, and Rebecca. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to his strength, training, and potency as the Iceblade Sorcerer, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | He's nimble and extremely capable, given how he snuck around a rival academy in a cardboard box for hours undetected. Yet, he can be careless, particularly when using his famed Lily disguise. |
| Good Leadership | 7 | He's a gifted strategist, tactician, and diplomat, plus very skilled at deception/manipulation. However, he sometimes goes rogue under pressure, like when he sensed something off with Rebecca at the festival, and doesn't always give clear instructions. |
| Preparation | 7 | He's well-trained, has great improv skills, can adapt very quickly, and did a wonderful job training Amelia. Still, his naivete cost him when he first arrived at the Academy, plus occasionally gets him into awkward situations, such as when he accidentally walked in on Rebecca changing. |
| Total | 42 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates others, particularly foes, and is often careless when complimenting girls, something that inadvertently leaves many swooning…and others ticked off. |
| Cowardice | -3 | He was initially crippled by PTSD, so much so he wasn't sure he deserved to be happy. However, meeting everyone tempered much of that, hence the far lower rating. |
| Anger | -3 | He gets angry a few times, but not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -4 | He's got a few cocky moments, plus has some issues with pride, yet not enough to worry here either. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. He cares very deeply for his friends, particularly after losing a close comrade in battle. That loss drives him to go the extra mile for everyone…and nearly got him killed saving Albert from Grady and Rebecca from herself. |
| Total | -25 |
Final Assessment
Score: 17 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Albert Allium
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Albert Allium
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Albert Allium
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 7 | Initially, he was extremely caustic to Ray, calling him "withered wizard" because of his "ordinary" (commoner) background. However, getting saved/forgiven by Ray during the Grady incident transformed him into a wonderful person and great friend. |
| Weather | 7 | He was a tad sloppy at first, yet grew far more observant toward the end, particularly after the Magic Chevallier. |
| Terrain | 7 | He was very clumsy initially, namely in the forest arc, but subsequently grew more capable, although he still needs some work. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | He has a few good points, particularly when organizing the festival, but is still more follower than leader at the end. |
| Preparation | 5 | He's got great magic and swordsmanship skills, yet still winds up winging most other things. |
| Total | 31 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. He constantly underestimates foes, especially Ray, and is very careless, something that cost him during the Magic Chevallier and the festival. |
| Cowardice | -4 | He was venomous at first, then grew extremely insecure after Ray saved him; however, time and "using a new perspective" tempered much of that, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -2 | He had a violent temper at first, one which was easily triggered by any mention of Ray, but his slow maturing calmed him, hence another lower rating. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -2 | He once had severe pride issues, so much so Grady used them to manipulate him into challenging Ray, yet being forgiven resolved nearly all of that, hence yet another lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -5 | He greatly respects Ray, and is very close to his other classmates, namely the original trio he first hung out with. |
| Total | -22 |
Final Assessment
Score: 9 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Amelia Rose
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Amelia Rose
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Amelia Rose
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 7 | She's a great person, especially since she wants to be known for her own accomplishments versus her family name, yet has a deep selfish streak regarding Ray. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her skill, training, and Butterfly Effect spell, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's got a keen eye, but constantly gets caught off-guard, most infamously while trying to hide from Ray when he was training her. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | She's a natural diplomat, and managed to charm her classmates into doing a Maid Café at the festival, but frequently goes rogue when she sees Ray complimenting other girls. |
| Preparation | 7 | She's bright, a skilled sorcerer, and was able to survive the Ainsworth Boot Camp. Still, she wasn't the least bit ready for Ariane's full power, and often winds up winging things outside of combat. |
| Total | 33 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She constantly underestimates foes, and is extremely impulsive, particularly when she's jealous, often punching/kicking Ray when he's talking to other girls. |
| Cowardice | -2 | She's terrified of spiders, plus suffered from extreme insecurity due to her need to live up to her family's image—at one point, she even called herself "a bird in a cage". Thankfully, meeting Ray and reconciling with Ariane cured nearly all of that, hence the much lower rating. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, plus easily triggered when she's jealous or frustrated, something that worsens as the series progresses. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's extremely proud and very cocky, both of which remain fairly steady regardless of circumstances. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. She's in love with Ray, very close with his friends and Ariane…and has a rather creepy habit of cuddling Elisa. |
| Total | -33 |
Final Assessment
Score: 0 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Elisa Griffith
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Elisa Griffith
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Elisa Griffith
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Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | She's an angel: gentle, sweet, and selfless, something that makes her irresistible to many. |
| Weather | 6 | She's capable, especially with her knowledge of Wind magic, yet her frailty often holds her back, like when she had trouble keeping up with her teammates in the forest. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's got a keen eye, but isn't very mobile due to her height and lack of stamina, something that cost her in the forest and during the final battle. |
| Good Leadership | 2 | She's got potential, most notably when helping Amelia, but is so non-assertive that she's more follower than leader. |
| Preparation | 4 | She's smart and well-versed in Ainsworth's teachings, but mostly wings everything else. |
| Total | 27 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She's always underestimating others, especially Ray, and can be very impulsive, like when she lost it upon learning the latter loved Ainsworth as much as she does. |
| Cowardice | -7 | Slight red flag. Thanks to a long history of getting bullied over her Half-Elf ears, she's painfully shy and insecure. She also tends to freeze under pressure, although she gets a tad better toward the end, hence the slightly lower rating. |
| Anger | 0 | She doesn't get angry, so no worries here. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -2 | She's a tad vain, but not enough to worry. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She's in love with Ray, plus very close to her friends, and completely obsessed with Ainsworth. |
| Total | -25 |
Final Assessment
Score: 2 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Evie Armstrong
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Evie Armstrong
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Evie Armstrong
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 10 | He's a great guy: kind, accepting, and one of the best male friend characters of recent memory, particularly given how easily he bonds with others. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to his training, strength, and magic skill, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 9 | He's very agile, at one point literally doing calisthenics on the wall while watching Ray tend the Gardening Club's new plot. Sadly, he can be clumsy, like when Abby and Carol lit into him during the Ainsworth trek. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | He's got great potential, particularly when organizing the cheering for Amelia, but is ultimately more follower than leader. |
| Preparation | 7 | He's disciplined and studious, although he still occasionally wings things in combat. |
| Total | 40 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -7 | Slight red flag. He constantly underestimates Ray, more so post-Chevalier, and he sometimes impulsively misinterprets situations, such as the latter's odd comment about ensuring Amelia got plenty of rest. |
| Cowardice | -3 | He freezes a couple of times, yet not enough to worry. |
| Anger | -2 | He's got a slight temper, but it takes a lot to make him snap. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -3 | He's got some pride, mostly involving his physicality, yet not enough to worry here either. |
| Over-caring | -5 | He greatly respects Ray, plus is very close to both his new friends and Ainsworth. |
| Total | -20 |
Final Assessment
Score: 20 (Capable, yet moderately flawed)
Character Analysis: Rebecca Bradley
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Rebecca Bradley
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Rebecca Bradley
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 5 | She's very sweet and dotes on her sister Maria, but tends to push others away so they won't worry about her, something that causes many issues post-Chevalier. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her keen eye, outdoors skills, and Sorcerer's Eyes, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's capable, but is often caught off-guard, most infamously by Lucas during the Magic Chevalier; worse, resonating with Ray leaves her very unsteady, something that cost her during the festival. |
| Good Leadership | 3 | She's okay as Student Council President and when she's gardening, but tends to go rogue when she's confused or scared, a mistake that almost got her killed by Bernstein. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's bright, well-trained, and very intuitive about plants (namely magical ones), yet completely botched her "engagement", and wasn't the least bit ready for the burden of her Crois power. |
| Total | 28 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -10 | Epic red flag. She constantly underestimates others, especially Ray and her sister Maria, and she's extremely impulsive at times, most infamously when she couldn't help fondling Ray's biceps. |
| Cowardice | -2 | She's secretly shy and extremely insecure, something that builds to leviathan proportions as her Crois power builds. However, Ray's good nature, forgiveness, and sealing away her power tempered most of that, hence the much lower rating. |
| Anger | -2 | She gets angry a few times, but it takes a lot to really make her snap. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -4 | She's got some pride issues, yet not enough to really worry. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She's completely in love with Ray, not to mention very protective of Maria. Furthermore, she's very close to Ray's friends and Gardening Club VP Dina. |
| Total | -25 |
Final Assessment
Score: 3 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Claris Cleveland
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Claris Cleveland
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Claris Cleveland
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a tad eccentric, but at heart is a wonderful person, particularly after befriending Ray and Elisa. |
| Weather | 8 | She's very capable outdoors, although she has a few problems in the dark, something that cost her when the Grim Reapers snatched her at the Chevalier. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's okay, yet extremely clumsy, a problem that plagues her since the beginning, when she literally ran into Ray in the hall. |
| Good Leadership | 3 | She has a few good points, yet mostly tends to vary between follower and lone wolf. |
| Preparation | 4 | She knows bugs and is great with lightning magic, but ultimately winds up winging everything else. |
| Total | 28 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -10 | Epic red flag. She constantly underestimates others, namely Ray, and tends to impulsively overreact when she's angry, embarrassed, or happy, like when she spotted the giant bug in the forest and cried, "It's so cute!" |
| Cowardice | -8 | Slight red flag. Despite her bluster, she's shy, insecure, and often freezes under pressure, most infamously when she tensed up after introducing herself to Ainsworth. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, as well as easily triggered, such as when she yelled at Ray for carrying her around after saving her at the Chevalier. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -2 | She's got some pride issues, but not enough to worry. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She's in love with Ray, plus very close to his other friends, especially Elisa. |
| Total | -34 |
Final Assessment
Score: -6 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Ariana Olgron
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Ariana Olgron
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Ariana Olgron
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Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a great person and a wonderful big sister, although she can get a tad gruff in a fight, most infamously when she fought Amelia at the Chevalier. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to her training, strength, and Ogre spell, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | She's highly potent, given her speed and the ease with which she defeated Albert at the Chevalier, yet can be clumsy, especially when facing Amelia's Butterfly Effect. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | She's capable, particularly with her little sister, but is ultimately more lone wolf than leader. |
| Preparation | 6 | She's well-trained, disciplined, and a potent sorcerer, yet was completely stunned by Amelia's spell and Ray's magical skill. |
| Total | 36 |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She badly underestimated Amelia and Ray, and tends to impulsively overreact when she's confused, like when the latter caught her off-guard in his Lily disguise. |
| Cowardice | -4 | She froze both times she encountered Ray, and felt extremely guilty over straining her friendship with Amelia; thankfully, reconciling with the latter tempered much of that, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -4 | She's got a temper, but it takes a lot to really set her off. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's very cocky, something that never truly wanes even after meeting Ray and losing to Amelia. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She's fascinated by Ray, is very close to her dad and sister, and is equally close to Amelia, particularly post-Chevalier. |
| Total | -31 |
Final Assessment
Score: 5 (Nightmare scenario)
Reviewing the Results
This was an interesting set: potent fighters, each slowly maturing while handling at least one issue holding them back. It's always nice seeing characters grow like this…which all harkens back to what's been said since the beginning: listen to Sun Tzu, and you'll win; ignore him, and you'll lose.
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Characters: Victory Factors Analysis
| Character | Morality | Weather | Terrain | Leadership | Preparation | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| Albert | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 31 |
| Amelia | 7 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 33 |
| Elisa | 10 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 27 |
| Evie | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 40 |
| Rebecca | 5 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| Claris | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 28 |
| Ariana | 8 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 36 |
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Characters: Fatal Failings Analysis
| Character | Recklessness | Cowardice | Anger | DOH | Over-caring | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray | -8 | -3 | -3 | -4 | -7 | -25 |
| Albert | -9 | -4 | -2 | -2 | -5 | -22 |
| Amelia | -9 | -2 | -7 | -7 | -8 | -33 |
| Elisa | -9 | -7 | 0 | -2 | -7 | -25 |
| Evie | -7 | -3 | -2 | -3 | -5 | -20 |
| Rebecca | -10 | -2 | -2 | -4 | -7 | -25 |
| Claris | -10 | -8 | -7 | -2 | -7 | -34 |
| Ariana | -9 | -4 | -4 | -7 | -7 | -31 |
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Characters: Final Scores
| Character | Final Score | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Ray | 17 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Albert | 9 | Nightmare scenario |
| Amelia | 0 | Nightmare scenario |
| Elisa | 2 | Nightmare scenario |
| Evie | 20 | Capable, yet moderately flawed |
| Rebecca | 3 | Nightmare scenario |
| Claris | -6 | Nightmare scenario |
| Ariana | 5 | 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.