Tanya Degurechaff is a reincarnated human being in an all new world. Not only does she harbour new perspectives that have yet to be considered, she’s practically an adult reborn into the body of a child. From the moment she was born, Tanya is able to comprehend the need to quickly learn everything about her environment. Tanya has years upon years to acclimate to the situation, using the mind of a 40 year old man. When she joins the Military to secure her position that pays off even further.

It seems strange that the mind of a corporate salaryman would translate well into functioning in a Military. However, physical differences aside, is the ruthlessness and cold calculation of a businessman any different than that of a soldier? Using her experience in exploiting people and circumstances, Tanya is able to fully climb the ranks of the Military and twist people to her whims.

There are in fact multiple instances where her experience as a 40 year old man has come into play. Tanya is more capable of handling the brass of the Military due to her being subject to the decisions of a board of directors in her previous life. She understands the need to manage the expectations and needs of superiors and subordinates, and has it done to a simple science. Now instead of being the lost new greenhorn of the Military, Tanya acts like she has been there all her life!

Tanya is often toted over the internet to be one of the new lolis of the season. Already she has been made the Waifus of many enthusiastic fans. Who can blame them? Tanya’s not just adorable, she breaks the mould of adorable girls as well! We rarely see cute girls committing mass murder after all. So whether it be a Waifu or even an Imouto, fans are in love with her all over the place because of how cute and adorable she looks while ruining the lives of countless innocents.

That is her trick. Tanya is a little girl. What can one expect from her? Some tea and crumpets? Or perhaps a collection of plush toys? No one expects her to casually kill someone in cold blood at all. Neither could she be called manipulative. Everyone would simply dub her as a prodigy in intelligence and take her lack of morals as a lack of maturity. There is even an occasion where Tanya announces to the enemy that she is about to kill all of them, but they laugh it off because she has the voice of a little girl. They all died, by the way.

When it comes down to it, we cannot imagine a small girl her committing the vicious and heartless acts that she does. It is so easy to forget that there in that tiny body lies the mind and soul of a 40 year old salaryman. We prefer to see Tanya as a little girl, because who wants to make an Ossan into our Waifu. If we can’t do it, how could the characters in the show possibly see past her veneer without the knowledge that viewers have? Truly, Tanya takes catfishing to an all new level!

It is not uncommon to see shows or stories with reincarnated characters at all. In fact, they seem to be more and more popular these days. Regardless of what cheat or ability their God grants them in the brave new world, the single advantage that they all share upon reincarnation remains constant; a developed mind. From the start, they are fully aware of their surroundings and can make full use of that to learn all the relevant skills of that world.

However, herein lies the crux of the matter. Up till now, almost all these reincarnated characters either become heroes, or just some guy who wants to go on fun adventures. Tanya is not such a hero. From birth, she has had the mind of a 40 year old salaryman, and the lack of inhibitions that come with it. If something needs to be killed, Tanya would do so. If a subordinate gets in her way, they will be sent on a suicide mission under the façade of strategy.

There is a reason child soldiers are such an abhorrent thing. Not only are we making the future of our world partake in gratuitous violence, a child’s mind is also wholly unsuited to killing. In a particular scene where she tries to outright execute someone on the spot for insubordination, there are two responses. The viewers find it cool and awesome, because of how thrilling it is. However, Colonel Erich von Rerugen expresses horror and terror at a young child being capable of committing such acts with ease. Hence he coins the phrase at the end of Episode 1:

“She is a monster in the form of a little girl!”

In her past life, Tanya was a corporate salaryman that slogged through each day for the prospect of a more comfortable life. She wasn’t content with being at the lower levels of the echelon, and does everything she can to elevate her position in the company. Thus, Tanya is able to fire people with ease despite their heart rending pleas to give them a chance. Tanya was ambitious above all else as a salaryman, and she had wanted to go as high as she could.

Unfortunately, that was all snuffed prematurely when she died. However, when one life ends another begins. In her new life, Tanya is presented with the closest thing to a corporate ladder possible in a World War 2 scenario, the Military. Despite her initial apprehension of fighting or being in danger, Tanya wholeheartedly embraces the lifestyle because ambition is a trait that has become embedded in her character.

Now consider the above traits that were already discussed. While they provide an array of advantages and resources to her that no one else possesses, they are useless on their own. With the added factor of ambition, Tanya has a direction to point all these weapons of hers too. Someone wants to get in her way? Kill them. A soldier of equal rank as her is on friendly terms with her? Manipulate them into cowardice to get promoted over them. Nothing is safe when placed in the crosshairs of her ambition, including Being X!

The English name of the anime is The Saga of Tanya the Evil. Did they really mean that? Is she truly evil? Or is the title a reflection of how history will have remembered her by the end of show? Often times, pragmatism on the part of a character is perceived to be evil by everyone else. After all, to most good hearted people, an act that benefits you and no one else is nothing but evil. However, if we take a closer look at her actions, we can see that Tanya is certainly not evil, merely pragmatic and self-serving.

A pragmatist is able to consider their goal in the wider scope of things. Each action has its pros and cons weighed carefully by the pragmatist before fully committing to whatever it was. Similarly, Tanya does not recklessly cause mass mayhem simply because she likes killing people. There is always a reason for the steps that she takes. If she tries to execute a soldier for insubordination; it is not because she feels anger, but because Tanya is trying to secure her position as a leader.

What we must fear is not the feral beast provided with monstrous powers and abilities. They may be strong and difficult to kill, but they are easily predictable. There are many counter actions to such an entity. These beasts could be tricked off a cliff, leashed into service or simply be ganged up upon. A pragmatist that you have gotten in the way off? Wholly unpredictable and unstoppable. Good luck if you get in her way.