Sun Tzu and Anime: The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Character Analysis: Part II
The leaves and temperature are starting to 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 earn 0-10 points in these categories. 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 these categories. 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 Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World to look at a very special group: the Grand Sorcerers. Since we met protagonist Ray White, the current Iceblade Sorcerer, last time, we'll skip him in favor of the others. As always, to keep things fair, we'll analyze them in the order they were formally introduced.
Character Analysis: Abbie Garnet
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Abbie Garnet, The Blaze Sorcerer
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Abbie Garnet
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
9
She's a tad gruff, but still an amazing person, phenomenal mentor, and loyal friend to her former comrades and students, especially Ray.
Weather
10
Due to her training, magical skill, and experience, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
8
She's very potent, especially when in full combat form, yet still occasionally gets caught off-guard, like when the Empire snuck spies and agents into the Magic Chevalier.
Good Leadership
8
She had an awkward start, but soon blossomed into an amazing administrator and tactician, namely thanks to her ability to handle difficult personalities.
Preparation
9
She's a brilliant sorcerer, exceptional swordswoman, and skilled planner, although she ended up winging the final battle.
Total
44
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-7
Slight red flag. She often underestimates others, especially Carol and Lydia, and was extremely careless during the Far East War.
Cowardice
-3
She's a tad indecisive, yet not enough to worry.
Anger
-4
She's got a slow-burn temper, but only snapped once, and it took a lot for her to do so.
Delicacy of Honor
-4
She's a tad cocky, yet not enough to worry here either.
Over-caring
-6
She's very close to her former comrades, and was so concerned about Ray that she initially didn't want him coming to the Academy, both because she wanted him to finish recovering from his Overheat and didn't want him oppressed by the students.
Total
-24
Final Assessment
Score: 20 (Capable, yet moderately flawed)
Character Analysis: Carol Caroline
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Carol Caroline, The Spellbinding Sorcerer
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Carol Caroline
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
7
She's very eccentric, so much so Ray famously called her an "insufferable lunatic", but ultimately has a wonderful heart and is very protective of her students, comrades, and Ray.
Weather
10
Thanks to her instincts, magic skill, and keen eye, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
10
Due to her experience, training, and potency, this isn't an issue either.
Good Leadership
6
She's a surprisingly good teacher and great with deception/manipulation, yet tends to go rogue at the oddest times, such as when she suddenly went down to the Magic Chevalier arena and broke into song.
Preparation
8
She's incredibly smart and is a sound magical analyst, yet still occasionally wings things.
Total
41
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-10
Epic red flag. She often underestimates foes, and is one of anime's most impulsive characters of recent years, most infamously when she went to interrogate the captive Grim Reapers…and started off by having them form a chorus line.
Cowardice
0
She's very brazen, so no worries here.
Anger
-3
She's got a slight temper, but not enough to worry.
Delicacy of Honor
-8
Serious red flag. She's cocky and extremely vain, something she flaunts during lectures and the Chevalier, including covering a brief absence by saying, "One word: date!"
Over-caring
-7
Slight red flag. She's very protective of her friends/students, and so concerned about Ray that (after he saved Rebecca) she burst into tears alongside Lydia.
Total
-28
Final Assessment
Score: 13 (Great potential, yet deeply flawed)
Character Analysis: Lydia Ainsworth
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Lydia Ainsworth, The Former Iceblade Sorcerer
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Lydia Ainsworth
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
8
She's a tad gruff, but is a wonderful person, loyal companion, and devoted mentor to Ray and his friends.
Weather
10
Thanks to her magical skill, experience, and potency, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
4
She's highly observant, plus has the largest area effect attack of all the Grand Sorcerers. Unfortunately, because she's in a wheelchair, her mobility is very limited.
Good Leadership
7
She's an exceptional strategist, teacher, advisor, and guardian. Still, she sometimes goes rogue, including defying orders to raise Ray when she was in the army.
Preparation
8
She's arguably the series' best magic scholar, especially with her revolutionary Two-Fold Code Theory, as well as extremely well-trained and a solid planner. Nevertheless, she wasn't the least bit ready for how far Eugenics would go to get its way.
Total
37
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-8
Serious red flag. She badly underestimated Ray, whose overheat summarily crippled her, and is very impulsive when she's angry or annoyed, like when she was getting teased by Carol and asked Abbie, "Seriously, do I have permission to hurt her?"
Cowardice
-4
She gets nervous about Ray, but not enough to really worry.
Anger
-7
Slight red flag. She's a hothead, and easily triggered, most often by Carol, although Eugenics is a close second, including one instance when she called the latter, "delusional pieces of trash."
Delicacy of Honor
-7
Slight red flag. She's very cocky and competitive, something that cost Ray when she nearly skewered him for scoffing at the idea of her wearing a maid outfit for his class maid café.
Over-caring
-8
Serious red flag. She's very close to her comrades, and is so over-protective of Ray she burst into tears twice after his two hardest bouts.
Total
-34
Final Assessment
Score: 3 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Lucas Forst
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Lucas Forst, The Peerless Blade Sorcerer
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Lucas Forst
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
0
He's cold-blooded and ruthless, barely acknowledging any Chevalier opponents other than Rebecca…and even then it was just barely.
Weather
10
Thanks to his magical power, skill, and experience, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
10
Due to his speed, strength, and training, this isn't an issue either.
Good Leadership
0
He's a consummate loner, and shows no inclination otherwise.
Preparation
5
He's well-trained and knows Ray's background, but is woefully naïve about his potency.
Total
25
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-10
Epic red flag. He perpetually underestimates others, especially Ray, and is extremely careless, particularly openly he flaunted his skills at the Chevalier.
Cowardice
-10
Epic red flag. He's a shameless bully, most infamously with his half-hearted dismissal of Ray after defeating Rebecca.
Anger
0
He doesn't get angry, so no worries here.
Delicacy of Honor
-10
Epic red flag. He's extremely cocky, considering he only entered the Chevalier to challenge Ray, claiming he was now the strongest Grand Sorcerer.
Over-caring
0
He's very selfish, so no worries here either.
Total
-30
Final Assessment
Score: -5 (Nightmare scenario)
Character Analysis: Lisolette Eden
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Lisolette Eden, The Sorcerer of Fabrication
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World: Lisolette Eden
Victory Factors
Factor
Score
Reasoning
Morality
8
She's wise and kind, yet can be selfish, considering her primary goal while saving Rebecca was to lure out Evan Bernstein.
Weather
10
Due to her power, skill, and experience, this isn't an issue.
Terrain
10
Not only is she extremely observant, but she can also create alternate existences, which was how she isolated Evan from Paratrogo.
Good Leadership
6
She's a gifted strategist and guide, plus masqueraded as Evan for years to cover his absence, yet ultimately is more lone wolf than leader.
Preparation
9
She's a skilled planner and tactician, plus has great adaptive skills, but missed a few small details in her plot that left Rebecca in the lurch with her fellow students.
Total
42
Fatal Failings
Failing
Score
Reasoning
Recklessness
-5
She underestimated Rebecca's classmates, and was a tad careless in the final battle.
Cowardice
0
She's very bold, so no worries here.
Anger
0
She doesn't get angry, so no worries here either.
Delicacy of Honor
-7
Slight red flag. She's very cocky, something she first showed by telling Paratrogo (after trapping him), "Really? Can't a pig like you ever stop with your grunting?"
Over-caring
-6
She loved Evan despite his being corrupted, and deeply respects Ray, whom she praised after defeating the former.
Total
-18
Final Assessment
Score: 24 (Capable, yet moderately flawed)
Reviewing the Results
This was an interesting group: skilled combatants/tacticians, all bearing deep flaws/scars. Thus, their actions were impressive, yet often caused needless turmoil…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.
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Grand Sorcerers: Victory Factors Analysis
Character
Morality
Weather
Terrain
Leadership
Preparation
Final Score
Abbie
9
10
8
8
9
44
Carol
7
10
10
6
8
41
Lydia
8
10
4
7
8
37
Lucas
0
10
10
0
5
25
Lisolette
8
10
10
6
9
42
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Grand Sorcerers: Fatal Failings Analysis
Character
Recklessness
Cowardice
Anger
DOH
Over-caring
Final Score
Abbie
-7
-3
-4
-4
-6
-24
Carol
-10
0
-3
-8
-7
-28
Lydia
-8
-4
-7
-7
-8
-34
Lucas
-10
-10
0
-10
0
-30
Lisolette
-5
0
0
-7
-6
-18
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World Grand Sorcerers: Final Scores
Character
Final Score
Assessment
Abbie
20
Capable, yet moderately flawed
Carol
13
Great potential, yet deeply flawed
Lydia
3
Nightmare scenario
Lucas
-5
Nightmare scenario
Lisolette
24
Capable, yet moderately flawed
Read Part I, where Sun Tzu rated Ray White and his classmates, to see how the students compare to their Grand Sorcerer mentors.
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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.
