Sun Tzu and Anime: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon Character Analysis Part 2
The leaves are brightening as the temperatures fall, so let's warm up with more of Sun Tzu's genius rating anime 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 returning to the legendary Danmachi for a classic group: the protagonist and his primary companions from season one of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?. As always, to keep things fair, we'll analyze them in the order they were formally introduced, confining everything to the first season to prevent spoilers. Last time, we checked out the series' various deities, so we'll leave them out here.
Character Analysis: Bell Cranel
Danmachi: Bell Cranel
Danmachi: Bell Cranel
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
10
He's one of anime's nicest protagonists, as well as one of its most compassionate; the scene where he forgives Liliruca is still one of anime's greatest such moments.
Weather
10
Thanks to his speed, experience, and keen senses, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
7
He's quick, agile and highly capable, especially with his growing list of abilities. However, he sometimes gets caught off-guard, and can be clumsy, like when he accidentally ran into a wall while panicking over the Grimoire.
Good Leadership
4
He's got good people skills and is slowly improving with experience, yet mostly varies between follower and lone wolf.
Preparation
4
He's a quick study, but isn't a good planner, and wasn't the least bit ready for the intensity of the Middle Floors.
Total
35
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-10
Epic red flag. He constantly underestimates others, gets very impulsive when he's nervous or scared, and his innocence makes him extremely careless, hence Hestia's famed quote, "Bell isn't stupid, but he is definitely naïve."
Cowardice
-5
He's extremely shy and insecure, plus panics numerous times under pressure, yet made a nice comeback toward the season's end, hence the lower rating.
Anger
-4
He's got a slight temper, but not enough to really worry.
Delicacy of Honor
-6
He's very proud, something that cost him when Loki's Familia mocked him in the pub, then later left him moping when he got a flimsy second name.
Over-caring
-10
Epic red flag. His obsessive need to "catch up" to Ais is what drives him throughout the season; he's also extremely protective of Hestia, his friends, and companions.
Total
-35
Final Assessment
Score: 0 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Ais Wallenstein
Danmachi: Ais Wallenstein
Danmachi: Ais Wallenstein
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
10
She's a wonderful person: generous, kind, a loyal companion, and very caring toward Bell.
Weather
10
Thanks to her strength, skill, and training, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
8
She's quick and agile, most famously while dodging Loki's antics, but still got caught off-guard when Hermes tricked Bell into spying on her bathing.
Good Leadership
5
She's a solid fighter and tactician, yet tends to go rogue, such as when she raced off to help Bell after hearing he'd been attacked by the berserk minotaur.
Preparation
5
She's very well-trained, but wasn't the least bit ready for Bell's influence or how quickly he'd level up.
Total
38
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-7
Slight red flag. She badly underestimated Bell, and can sometimes get very careless, like when she didn't notice the latter's growing angst over her continually saving him.
Cowardice
-4
She froze a few times around Bell, but not enough to really worry.
Anger
-1
She's got a slight temper, yet not enough to worry here either.
Delicacy of Honor
0
She's surprisingly modest, so no worries once more.
Over-caring
-7
Slight red flag. She's falling for Bell, even if she's not very open about it; she's also very protective of others, hence her famously volunteering to destroy the escaped creatures during Monsterphilia.
Total
-19
Final Assessment
Score: 19 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Aina Tulle
Danmachi: Aina Tulle
Danmachi: Aina Tulle
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
8
She's a tad bossy, but ultimately a great person and very protective of Bell and her co-workers.
Weather
10
Thanks to her experience and keen senses, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
8
She's very familiar with Babel and the various Familia, but sometimes gets caught off-guard by various deities.
Good Leadership
8
She's assertive, and expertly handled the Monsterphilia and Soma Familia crises, yet sometimes goes rogue.
Preparation
8
She's a great planner and advisor, particularly when she helped Bell find new armor and had his party wear salamander wool cloaks in the Middle Floors, but still wings a few things.
Total
42
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-7
Slight red flag. She constantly underestimates Bell, and tends to impulsively overreact when she's angry or upset, such as when she yelled at the latter for running out of the dungeon covered in blood.
Cowardice
-3
She's a tad nervous, yet not enough to worry.
Anger
-5
She's got a temper, but only snapped twice, and both times took a lot to do so.
Delicacy of Honor
-4
She's a tad vain, most famously when she teased Bell about shopping with her, but not enough to really worry here too.
Over-caring
-7
Slight red flag. She's infatuated with Bell, something she hinted at when she told him she couldn't imagine losing him, then later when she sent Ais to save him from the Soma Familia ambush.
Total
-26
Final Assessment
Score: 16 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Ryu Lion
Danmachi: Ryu Lion
Danmachi: Ryu Lion
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
8
She's a tad gruff, but has a great heart and is a very loyal companion, both to Bell and Asfi.
Weather
10
Thanks to her strength, magic, and experience, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
9
She's incredibly quick, agile, and observant, yet got briefly caught off-guard in the final battle.
Good Leadership
4
She's aggressive and skilled with ambushes/manipulation, but ultimately is more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation
7
She's well-trained and a gifted scout, yet wasn't the least bit ready for Bell's kindness.
Total
38
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-9
Major red flag. She often underestimates foes, can get very careless, and is very impulsive, such as when she snapped at the Soma Familia member terrorizing Liliruca.
Cowardice
-2
She's very insecure about her dark past, but Bell's counseling helped assuage most of that, hence the much lower rating.
Anger
-8
Serious red flag. She's a hothead, plus easily triggered, usually by those who hurt her comrades, although she also snapped at Liliruca for stealing Bell's knife.
Delicacy of Honor
-7
Slight red flag. She's very cocky, an issue that remains pretty steady throughout the series.
Over-caring
-8
Serious red flag. She's very devoted to her friends, something that infamously led to her destroying the Familia that murdered her former comrades.
Total
-34
Final Assessment
Score: 4 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Liliruca Arde
Danmachi: Liliruca Arde
Danmachi: Liliruca Arde
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
6
She had a rough start, but soon became a great ally after Bell forgave her, although she constantly squabbles with Hestia and Welf.
Weather
10
Due to her training, experience, and senses, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
7
She's agile, observant, and knows Babel, yet still got blindsided by the Soma Familia and Middle Floor monsters.
Good Leadership
4
She's very assertive, but is ultimately more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation
9
She's a skilled crafter, tracker, supporter, magic user, knows the various Familia, and her plan to save the party in the Middle Floors was incredible. However, she still wings some things in combat.
Total
35
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-10
Epic red flag. She constantly underestimates others, is very careless, and gets extremely impulsive when she's angry or annoyed, factors that nearly got her killed several times.
Cowardice
-3
She has deep trust issues, plus cruelly manipulated/betrayed Bell (all due to her long history of mistreatment), but getting saved/forgiven by him resolved most of that, hence the vastly lower rating.
Anger
-10
Epic red flag. She's got a violent temper, and is easily triggered, usually by Hestia, although she also snapped at Welf when he complained about her using the Stink Bag.
Delicacy of Honor
-9
Major red flag. She's cocky and very vain, issues that never truly wane despite several close calls.
Over-caring
-10
Epic red flag. She fell hard for Bell after he saved her, which led to her becoming violently jealous of Hestia and Ais.
Total
-42
Final Assessment
Score: -7 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Welf Crozzo
Danmachi: Welf Crozzo
Danmachi: Welf Crozzo
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
10
He's a great person: generous, good-natured, and a very loyal ally.
Weather
10
Thanks to his strength, magic, and experience, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
8
He's got great instincts and is very observant, but was badly mauled in the Middle Floors.
Good Leadership
4
He's got some good tactical skills, yet ultimately is more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation
7
He's a skilled smith, swordsman, and magic wielder, but still wings some things.
Total
39
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-8
Serious red flag. He constantly underestimates foes, and can get extremely careless, like when he cast "Will o' the Wisp" so much he went "Mind Down".
Cowardice
-3
He's a tad insecure, yet not enough to worry.
Anger
-7
Slight red flag. He's a hothead, and easily triggered, usually when his friends are threatened, although he also snapped at the Babel shopkeeper for not giving him "decent shelf space."
Delicacy of Honor
-5
He's very vain about weaponry, hence his famously refusing to forge his family's legendary magic swords despite Hephaestus' warning, "Please don't make your companions pay for your stubbornness". However, the final battle humbled him, hence the lower rating.
Over-caring
-7
Slight red flag. He's very protective of his friends, which sadly led his recommending Bell and Liliruca leave him behind after he got injured.
Total
-30
Final Assessment
Score: 9 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Asfi Al-Andromeda
Danmachi: Asfi Al-Andromeda
Danmachi: Asfi Al-Andromeda
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
8
She comes across as icy, but is actually a great person and loyal friend.
Weather
10
Due to her training, keen eye, and experience, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
8
She's quick and agile, particularly when using her winged boots, yet got blindsided by Hermes several times, and was very clumsy in the final battle.
Good Leadership
4
She's assertive and has great tactical skills, but is ultimately more follower than leader.
Preparation
7
She's well-trained, a gifted item creator, and great logician, yet still wings some things.
Total
37
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-8
Serious red flag. She badly underestimated Hermes, and can get very careless in combat, something that nearly got her killed fighting Goliath.
Cowardice
-5
She freezes a few times in combat, and curiously didn't stop Hermes from setting up the ambush against Hestia and Bell.
She's a tad cocky, but not enough to really worry.
Over-caring
-3
She's loyal to Hermes, plus respects both Ryu and Bell.
Total
-25
Final Assessment
Score: 12 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Reviewing the Results
This cast was a real oddity: phenomenal combat and tactical skills, most of which were undone by indecision, anger, jealousy, and clumsiness. Thus, it's no surprise they're constantly faltering, but that all harkens back to what's been said all along: follow Sun Tzu, and you'll win; ignore him, and you'll lose.
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.
