Sun Tzu and Anime: NAKAIMO - My Little Sister Is Among Them! Character Analysis
Summer is blazing away, so let's use some of that heat to fuel more of Sun Tzu's exceptional wisdom rating anime's greatest.
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 classic trope: the protagonist and his primary love interests from Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru!. As always, to keep things fair, we'll analyze them in the order they were formally introduced.
Character Analysis: Shougo Mikadono
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Shougo Mikadono
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Shougo Mikadono
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 10 | He's an amazing person: generous, forgiving, and selfless, especially considering his wish to uncover/acknowledge his mysterious half-sister despite the potential ramifications to his family's business. |
| Weather | 7 | He's pretty capable, although he sometimes doesn't function well at night, particularly during the supposed phone calls from his half-sister. |
| Terrain | 3 | He's okay, yet isn't very observant, and is constantly getting caught off-guard, like when he got lost en route to the academy. |
| Good Leadership | 8 | He's surprisingly efficient, given how he saved Mei's café and outmaneuvered his internal opposition, although he occasionally goes rogue while seeking out his half-sister. |
| Preparation | 7 | He's a great planner, student, dancer, and detective, but his naivete with girls left him very vulnerable to all the shenanigans awaiting him at the academy. |
| Total | 35 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates others, and was very careless while pursuing his half-sister, something that nearly cost him during the Nayuri Dano arc. |
| Cowardice | -7 | Slight red flag. He's often cowed by his mom, and tends to freeze under pressure, such as when he looked away rather than answer Rinka's question about her being "high-handed." |
| Anger | -4 | He's got a temper, but only snaps twice, and it took a lot both times. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -3 | He's a tad cocky, yet not enough to worry. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. He cares for all the girls in his life, a factor that slowly takes a huge toll because he doesn't want to hurt them. |
| Total | -29 | |
Final Assessment
Score: 6 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Konoe Tsuruma
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Konoe Tsuruma
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's very sweet and generous, but can be selfish about Shougo, hence her occasional spats with Miyabi. |
| Weather | 8 | She's very observant, yet sometimes has trouble at night, mostly when contemplating her relationship with Shougo. |
| Terrain | 4 | She's okay, but is extremely clumsy, considering she almost got hit by a car twice, then later had trouble with her cat costume at the café. |
| Good Leadership | 6 | She's driven and assertive, yet tends to go rogue when trying to win over Shougo. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's a great student and planned a really nice birthday surprise for Shougo, but ultimately wings just about everything else. |
| Total | 31 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She constantly underestimates others, and is extremely careless, like when she forgot about the distinctive clock chime behind her while calling Shougo in the park. |
| Cowardice | -3 | She was shy and insecure at first, yet got bolder after reconnecting with Shougo, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -6 | She's a hothead, plus easily triggered when she's annoyed or embarrassed, most often by Miyabi's teasing. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -4 | She's fairly vain, although she loosens up toward the end, hence another lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. She's hopelessly in love with Shougo, a feeling that slowly makes her more jealous as more girls pursue him. |
| Total | -30 | |
Final Assessment
Score: 1 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Miyabi Kanagi
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Miyabi Kanagi
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 6 | She's a good person and loyal friend, but is very selfish about Shougo, something that often makes her snap when anyone gets near him. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her speed, keen sense, and agility, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 9 | She's highly capable, especially while swimming, although she's a tad clumsy, such as when she didn't notice Konoe watching her and Shougo on their date. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | She's very aggressive, but is ultimately more lone wolf than leader. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's good at sports, yet wasn't the least bit prepared for Nayuri Dano's trap. |
| Total | 29 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Serious red flag. She constantly underestimates others, and is extremely impulsive when she's angry or annoyed, like when she accidentally got drunk at the party. |
| Cowardice | -5 | She's very insecure, but makes a comeback at the end, hence the lower rating. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, plus easily triggered, mostly by Konoe, although she also snaps at Rinka too. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -5 | She's very cocky at first, yet reconnecting with Shougo tempered some of that, hence another lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. She's infatuated with Shougo, which soon makes her very clingy at the end. |
| Total | -34 | |
Final Assessment
Score: -5 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Mana Tendou
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Mana Tendou
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's very sweet, but can be selfish when it comes to snacks. |
| Weather | 9 | She's very observant, yet gets a tad clumsy at night, most infamously when she botched her big entrance at the school dance. |
| Terrain | 5 | She's okay, but often gets caught off-guard, like when she kept getting shocked by the amusement park's attractions. |
| Good Leadership | 4 | She's a great morale booster, yet isn't very responsible, and tends to go rogue over random things. |
| Preparation | 4 | She can plan small activities, like her date with Shougo, but mostly wings everything else. |
| Total | 30 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -10 | Epic red flag. She perpetually underestimates others, has a lengthy impulsive streak, and is extremely careless about her Student Council work, hence her many spats with Rinka. |
| Cowardice | -2 | She freezes a few times, yet not enough to worry. |
| Anger | 0 | She doesn't get angry, so no worries here. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's very cocky, something that never really changes despite several embarrassing moments. |
| Over-caring | -3 | She cares about her friends, but is only after Shougo for the snacks. |
| Total | -22 | |
Final Assessment
Score: 8 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Rinka Kunitachi
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Rinka Kunitachi
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 8 | Despite her gruff exterior, she's a wonderful person and loyal friend, especially when she defied her prospective father-in-law to protect Shougo. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her keen senses, instincts, and keen eye, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | She's very capable, particularly when enforcing academy rules, yet sometimes gets caught off-guard, like when she got splattered at the amusement park's zombie attraction. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | She's very assertive, but her prospective father-in-law's greed badly shook her, leaving her more follower than leader by the end. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's a great student, cook, and dancer, but wasn't the least bit ready for Shougo's influence; she's also unfamiliar with amusement parks and arcades. |
| Total | 36 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -8 | Serious red flag. She constantly underestimates others, and tends to impulsively lash out when she's annoyed or embarrassed, most often when Mana focuses more on snacking than her duties. |
| Cowardice | -7 | Slight red flag. She's secretly very insecure, plus completely froze when her cat outfit malfunctioned at the café. |
| Anger | -7 | Slight red flag. She's a hothead, and easily triggered, usually by Mana, although so-called morality offenders are a close second. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's vain and extremely cocky, qualities that badly cost her while dancing with Shougo, then again when the latter bluffed her into admitting she staged the "sister" announcement over the PA. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She's in love with Shougo, something that slowly makes her pushier and more jealous during the series' latter half. |
| Total | -36 | |
Final Assessment
Score: 0 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Ikusu Mizutani
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Ikusu Mizutani
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 8 | She's a great person and loyal ally, although she can be very tactless, most infamously while "airing out" in Shougo's apartment. |
| Weather | 10 | Thanks to her strength, speed, and training, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 9 | She's extremely capable, particularly when foiling Shougo's opposition, but sometimes gets caught off-guard, like when Konoe and Miyabi accidentally walked in on her trying to seduce Shougo. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | She's aggressive and disciplined, yet ultimately is more lone wolf than leader. |
| Preparation | 6 | She's a great spy and detective, but knew nothing about sex and doesn't understand why her actions sometimes make others uncomfortable. |
| Total | 38 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She constantly underestimates foes, and was very careless when searching for the half-sister, particularly when she suggested using a dangerous sedative to get DNA samples. |
| Cowardice | 0 | She's very bold, so no worries here. |
| Anger | -3 | She's got a slight temper, but not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -7 | Slight red flag. She's very cocky, something that never really changes despite several close calls. |
| Over-caring | -7 | Slight red flag. She's infatuated with Shougo, plus so loyal to his family she disguised herself as a boy to work for his family business' internal security unit. |
| Total | -26 | |
Final Assessment
Score: 12 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Mei Sagara
Nakaimo: My Little Sister is Among Them: Mei Sagara
Victory Factors
| Factor | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Morality | 9 | She's a wonderful person and devoted friend, especially considering how far she went to protect the half-sister, yet can be selfish when it comes to Shougo. |
| Weather | 10 | Due to her brilliance, skill, and instincts, this isn't an issue. |
| Terrain | 8 | She's very capable, namely when baiting Shougo, but sometimes gets caught off-guard, such as when the latter ambushed her in her private nap space about her protecting the half-sister. |
| Good Leadership | 5 | As a prodigy, she's very crafty, yet badly neglected the café staff, and did a poor job trying to discard her phone. |
| Preparation | 5 | She's a great student and has some good tactical skills, but mostly winds up winging things. |
| Total | 37 | |
Fatal Failings
| Failing | Score | Reasoning |
|---|
| Recklessness | -9 | Major red flag. She completely underestimated Shougo, has a lengthy careless streak, and can sometimes be very impulsive, like when she inadvertently called Rinka "high-handed", then tried to excuse it by saying, "Don't worry about it. High-handedness is its own unique type of cuteness." |
| Cowardice | -5 | She sometimes freezes under pressure, plus slowly grows very indecisive as her feelings for Shougo clash with her need to protect the half-sister. |
| Anger | -2 | She's got a slight temper, yet not enough to worry. |
| Delicacy of Honor | -5 | She's very cocky at first, but time with Shougo tempered some of that, hence the lower rating. |
| Over-caring | -8 | Serious red flag. She's in love with Shougo, as well as so protective of the half-sister she made herself a villain to guard her. |
| Total | -29 | |
Final Assessment
Score: 8 (Nightmare scenario)
Reviewing the Results
This cast was a real mess: kind hearts and great minds undone by arrogance, anger, and rampant pettiness. Thus, it's no surprise why their respective plans either end up in flames or confusion—but that all harkens back to what's been said from the beginning: follow Sun Tzu, and you'll win; ignore him, and you'll lose.
Nakaimo Characters: Victory Factors Analysis
| Character | Morality | Weather | Terrain | Leadership | Preparation | Final Score |
|---|
| Shougo | 10 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 35 |
| Konoe | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 31 |
| Miyabi | 6 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 29 |
| Mana | 8 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 30 |
| Rinka | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 36 |
| Ikusu | 8 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 38 |
| Mei | 9 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 37 |
Nakaimo Characters: Fatal Failings Analysis
| Character | Recklessness | Cowardice | Anger | DOH | Over-caring | Final Score |
|---|
| Shougo | -8 | -7 | -4 | -3 | -7 | -29 |
| Konoe | -9 | -3 | -6 | -4 | -8 | -30 |
| Miyabi | -9 | -5 | -7 | -5 | -8 | -34 |
| Mana | -10 | -2 | 0 | -7 | -3 | -22 |
| Rinka | -8 | -7 | -7 | -7 | -7 | -36 |
| Ikusu | -9 | 0 | -3 | -7 | -7 | -26 |
| Mei | -9 | -5 | -2 | -5 | -8 | -29 |
Nakaimo Characters: Final Scores
| Character | Final Score | Assessment |
|---|
| Shougo | 6 | Nightmare scenario |
| Konoe | 1 | Nightmare scenario |
| Miyabi | -5 | Nightmare scenario |
| Mana | 8 | Nightmare scenario |
| Rinka | 0 | Nightmare scenario |
| Ikusu | 12 | Great potential, yet deeply flawed |
| Mei | 8 | Nightmare scenario |
