Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” has influenced military strategy, business tactics, and even storytelling for centuries. Its timeless insights on deception, terrain, and morale find an unexpected but vivid reflection in the anime and manga series “Made in Abyss.” While the series is often celebrated for its lush art and harrowing adventure, it is also a masterclass in tactical thinking and psychological conflict. The Abyss itself functions as a dynamic battlefield where characters must apply strategic principles to survive, forge fragile alliances, and navigate profound betrayals. This exploration examines how the tactical genius and betrayals in “Made in Abyss” echo Sun Tzu’s teachings, revealing a rich layer of narrative complexity that keeps audiences enthralled.

The Abyss as a Strategic Battlefield

Sun Tzu emphasized that victory depends on understanding the terrain. “The natural formation of the country is the soldier’s best ally,” he wrote, and nowhere is this more literal than in the Abyss—a vertical chasm divided into layers, each with its own lethal ecosystem, gravitational anomalies, and psychological toll. Delvers who fail to adapt their strategies to each layer rarely return. The first layer, the Edge of the Abyss, appears deceptively manageable, but as Riko and Reg descend into the Forest of Temptation and beyond, they must constantly recalibrate their approach. This mirrors Sun Tzu’s classification of ground: accessible, entangling, and desperate. The deeper they go, the more “desperate ground” they face—places where survival demands immediate, decisive action with no room for error.

Environmental Hazards as Tactical Constraints

Each layer imposes a unique set of constraints that characters must factor into their plans. The Inverted Forest demands vertical climbing and resource management; the Great Fault is a sheer drop with unpredictable updrafts and aerial predators; the Sea of Corpses is a frozen wasteland where hypothermia and crystalline predators make direct confrontation suicidal. Reg’s extendable arm and incinerator become tools for environmental manipulation, not just weapons—used to create handholds, destroy obstacles, or signal for help. Riko’s knowledge of relics and cooking transforms mundane survival into a logistical operation. Their ability to read the environment and exploit its quirks exemplifies Sun Tzu’s principle: “He who knows the terrain and uses it will never be at a loss.”

Creatures as Adaptive Opponents

The fauna of the Abyss are not mere monsters; they are evolved predators that force tactical innovation. The Orb Piercer, with its near-invulnerability and ability to sense movement through vibrations, required Reg to abandon direct combat and instead use environmental cover and misdirection. The fight against the crimson splitjaw in the first layer taught Riko that even low-tier threats demand careful positioning. In each encounter, characters must quickly assess an opponent’s attack patterns, weaknesses, and sensory capabilities—exactly the intelligence gathering Sun Tzu prioritized. A classic interpretation of “The Art of War” stresses that knowledge of the enemy and self is the key to victory, and “Made in Abyss” dramatizes this through life-or-death improvisation.

Tactical Genius Among the Characters

The series presents a spectrum of strategic minds: from instinctual improvisation to cold-blooded calculation. Each major character embodies a different application of Sun Tzu’s doctrines, and their interactions become a dance of tactical wills.

Riko: The Strategist of Resourcefulness

Riko lacks physical strength and combat ability, yet she consistently outmaneuvers dangers through planning, cooking, and sheer determination. She echoes Sun Tzu’s maxim that “the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” Her use of relics—such as the Star Compass—as navigational tools, and her encyclopedic knowledge of Abyss flora, allow her to avoid fights altogether. When conflict is unavoidable, she acts as a commander, directing Reg’s superior firepower. Her decision to cook and eat dangerous creatures transforms potential threats into sustenance, a practical application of turning an adversary’s strength into a resource. This resourcefulness turns her into the squad’s best opportunity for survival, proving that intellect can overcome raw power.

Reg: The Weapon with a Heart

Reg’s tactical value is immense but reactive. His incinerator can eliminate almost any threat, but its limited charge forces careful rationing. This creates a recurring strategic tension: when to expend this ultimate weapon. Sun Tzu warned against prolonged campaigns, and Reg’s energy depletion acts as a clock that adds urgency to every mission. His extendable arms give him battlefield control, allowing him to reposition allies, ensnare foes, or create diversions. His ability to receive electric shocks and endure extreme environments makes him a flexible unit, but his emotional vulnerability often becomes a tactical liability. The series cleverly uses Reg’s loyalty as a tool that enemies like Bondrewd later exploit, demonstrating how even a powerful weapon can be neutralized if its psychological triggers are known.

Bondrewd: The Master of Deception and Sacrifice

Bondrewd the Novel, a White Whistle delver, embodies Sun Tzu’s most unsettling teachings. “All warfare is based on deception,” and Bondrewd’s entire operation at the Ido Front is a masterpiece of misdirection. He presents himself as a benevolent researcher while turning children into disposable cartridges for his advancement. His battle with Reg and Nanachi showcases layered tactical planning: he uses the environment of the Ido Front (the elevator shaft, the light sources, the multiple bodies) to split the party and neutralize their advantages. He employs psychological warfare by preying on Reg’s attachment to Nanachi and Riko, forcing the heroes to fight on emotional battlegrounds. Bondrewd’s use of the Zoaholic relic to inhabit multiple bodies renders him nearly immortal, turning his own life into a renewable asset. He is a living embodiment of the general who is “serene, inscrutable, and in complete control,” as Sun Tzu described.

Strategic Alliances and Their Fragility

Sun Tzu stressed the importance of forging alliances but also cautioned that “there are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged.” In the Abyss, trust is a currency that can evaporate instantly. Characters must constantly evaluate whether an ally is a permanent resource or a temporary convenience.

Riko and Reg: Symbiotic Survival

The partnership between Riko and Reg is the emotional core of the series and its most effective tactical unit. Their bond mirrors the ideal commander–warrior relationship: Riko provides strategic direction and Reg executes with precision. Sun Tzu’s ideal of an army where soldiers are “united in mind and body” is realized in their seamless coordination. Reg trusts Riko’s decisions even when they seem reckless, and Riko relies on Reg’s protection without micromanaging his combat instincts. This mutual dependence is tested during the mutilation scene when Riko’s injury forces Reg to perform a field amputation—a grim tactical decision that epitomizes Sun Tzu’s acceptance of necessary sacrifice to preserve the whole.

Nanachi: The Reluctant Ally

Nanachi’s introduction adds a layer of moral and tactical complexity. Initially a potential enemy, Nanachi’s knowledge of the Abyss’s fifth layer and its poisons becomes indispensable. The alliance with Nanachi is a calculated risk: the group gains invaluable medical and navigational expertise, but Nanachi’s trauma and guilt could compromise objectivity. Sun Tzu advised leaders to know their subordinates’ psychological states, and Riko instinctively understands that Nanachi needs purpose, not just protection. By offering companionship and a shared goal, Riko turns a broken survivor into a committed ally. The bond eventually becomes genuine, but it began as a pragmatic exchange of skills for safety.

Betrayals and the Dark Side of Strategy

Moral lines blur rapidly in the Abyss. Betrayal is not merely a plot twist; it is a tactical tool used by those who view attachment as a vulnerability. Sun Tzu wrote that spies and misinformation are essential, and in “Made in Abyss,” betrayal often takes the form of withheld truth or manipulated trust.

Bondrewd’s Ultimate Betrayal

Bondrewd’s treatment of children is more than cruelty—it is systematic betrayal dressed as paternal love. He manipulates orphans into believing they are joining a safe haven, only to convert their bodies into fuel for his experiments and ascents. This reflects Sun Tzu’s principle of subduing the enemy without fighting: by controlling hope, Bondrewd eliminates resistance before it forms. His betrayal of Mitty and Nanachi is particularly devastating because he used their own trust to create a living monument to suffering, subsequently discarding them when they lost utility. The horror is not in the violence alone but in the strategic dismantling of innocence.

Ozen the Immovable: A Mentor’s Brutal Test

Ozen’s betrayal is one of perception. She appears to threaten Riko and Reg, subjecting them to harrowing trials in the Seeker Camp. In truth, her actions are a test of their resolve and capability—a harsh lesson in Abyss realism. Sun Tzu noted that commanders must sometimes drive soldiers into desperate situations to bring out their highest potential. Ozen’s “betrayal” of kindness is ultimately protective; by forcing Riko to confront the possibility of death early, she eliminates naive optimism that would later prove fatal. The emotional whiplash for the audience and characters alike demonstrates how tactical lessons can wear the mask of cruelty.

Mitty and the Cost of Loyalty

Mitty’s transformation into an immortal, deformed Narehate is the series’ starkest illustration of betrayal as consequence. Nanachi’s decision to end Mitty’s suffering later becomes an act of mercy that also frees Nanachi from a cycle of guilt. This moment is a tactical turning point: Nanachi’s emotional burden is converted into fierce determination, making the character a more focused ally. The entire arc underscores Sun Tzu’s observation that a leader must know when to cut losses to preserve the fighting strength of the unit. Mitty’s fate is tragic, but it enables Nanachi to become a full participant in the mission rather than a caretaker of the past.

Applying Sun Tzu’s Principles to the Descent

Beyond individual episodes, the overarching journey of “Made in Abyss” mirrors a military campaign into hostile territory. Each decision to descend further is irreversible, raising the stakes and limiting retreat options. Sun Tzu’s warnings about deep penetration into enemy land become literal as the Curse of the Abyss makes ascent a fatal gamble. Let’s examine key doctrines and their manifestation in the series.

Knowledge of Self and Enemy

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” The story repeatedly rewards characters who invest time in understanding their own limits and the biology of adversaries. Nanachi’s expertise on the Curse and Bondrewd’s operation allows the team to devise countermeasures—like using Reg’s immunity to the Curse for vertical transport—that turn intrinsic weaknesses into tactical advantages. Conversely, characters who descend without adequate preparation, like many of the Red Whistles who vanish, pay the ultimate price. The series is a brutal meritocracy of preparation and intelligence gathering.

Deception and Misdirection

Reg’s use of his incinerator as a feint, hiding and suddenly revealing it to catch opponents off guard, is textbook Sun Tzu: “When able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive.” Bondrewd’s entire persona is a mask of civility over monstrous pragmatism, making enemies underestimate his ruthlessness until it is too late. Even Riko’s cheerful demeanor can be a form of misdirection, concealing a calculating mind that lulls adversaries into revealing their intentions. The Abyss rewards those who can project an image while holding true strategy in reserve.

Momentum and Timing

Sun Tzu wrote of the importance of the “strategic configuration of power,” the momentum that comes from seizing the initiative. The descent through the layers is a race against time and resources; hesitating in the Sea of Corpses leads to frostbite and death. The battle against Bondrewd shows the cost of losing momentum—the team’s initial hesitation allows him to set traps and regenerate bodies. Victory only comes when they synchronize their attacks and press the advantage without pause, culminating in Reg’s decisive, climactic use of the incinerator. Timing is everything, and the series treats every pause as a potential tactical disaster.

The Intersection of Strategy and Emotion

While Sun Tzu’s text is often read as coldly pragmatic, “Made in Abyss” insists that emotions are not the enemy of strategy; they are an integral part of it. The series demonstrates that love, grief, and rage can either undermine plans or, when channeled, become devastating weapons. The character arcs are about learning to integrate feeling with tactical thinking, not suppress it.

Emotional Resilience as a Tactical Asset

Riko’s refusal to despair after losing an arm is a moment of supreme psychological strength. A breakdown would have paralyzed the group; instead, she immediately focuses on survival and the next step. This mental fortitude aligns with Sun Tzu’s insistence that a leader must be “serene and inscrutable” to maintain morale. Nanachi’s transformation from tormented recluse to active team member is similarly an emotional rearming—grief processed into purpose. The series argues that the ability to manage one’s inner battlefield is as critical as any weapon.

The Strategic Use of Attachment

Bondrewd weaponizes love by making his victims love him. Prushka’s adoration for her adoptive father is turned into the fuel for his ascension, and her subsequent transformation into a White Whistle is a tragic yet powerful reinforcement of the bond. This manipulation shows the dark side of an otherwise virtuous sentiment. However, Riko’s team proves that genuine attachment, not fabricated affection, creates a resilient unit. Reg’s devotion to Riko becomes a source of near-invincible willpower, which even Bondrewd acknowledges. The contrast suggests that authentic bonds, while vulnerable to betrayal, ultimately provide more sustained tactical value than manufactured loyalty.

Conclusion: The Art of Survival in a Chaotic World

“Made in Abyss” is far more than an adventure tale; it is a layered study of how strategy, trust, and betrayal shape the human (and demi-human) experience in extreme environments. By reading the series through the lens of Sun Tzu’s ancient treatise, viewers can appreciate the intricate tactical choreography beneath the visceral horror and breathtaking beauty. The characters’ abilities to adapt alliances, read terrain, wield deception, and master their own emotions determine who survives and at what cost. Betrayals, from Ozen’s cruel test to Bondrewd’s systematic exploitation, reveal that the greatest dangers in the Abyss are not always the creatures but the minds of fellow delvers. Ultimately, “Made in Abyss” teaches that the art of war is not merely about defeating enemies; it is about preserving one’s humanity in the face of oblivion. For further analysis of the psychological dimensions, a deep dive into the psychology of betrayal can illuminate why these narrative moments resonate so powerfully. Meanwhile, fans seeking a comprehensive guide to the series’ locations and relics can explore the Made in Abyss Wiki. The series remains a testament to how ancient wisdom about conflict can illuminate even the most fantastical of modern stories, reminding us that the greatest battles are often fought within.