5. Insist on screening out the idiots. Either that, or make sure they become grunts. That way, they either transcend their grunt-hood and become anime heroes, or die as grunts. Whichever happens, idiots won't reach the higher ranks. (Anyone care to speak for the Admiral from Martian Successor Nadesico?)

4. Allow promotion based on ability, not dorkiness, dweebiness, kawaiiness ["cuteness" -Ed.], or anything else irrelevant to warfare. (Possible exception: Yurika of the Nadesico. 'Course, she did have the ability. She just also happened to be a ditz.) This would also stop idiots like the Admiral from Nadesico from making their way to the top. It would also bring in people like Ruri-chan who actually have brains.

3. Whether I'm good or evil, show no mercy to an enemy who is planning to foil my plans. Most especially, don't let a word of those plans reach said enemy's ears, if at all possible. This means no gloating just before I kill the enemy (do not send him to an imprisonment, from which he will undoubtedly escape) -- no matter how much I feel like gloating. I can always visit a psychoanalyst to deal with my narcissistic tendencies.

2. Put some women on staff and give them priority over the men in any situation where the men are likely to act stupid over women, particularly attractive enemy females, human or not. Vice versa for situations where the women are likely to act stupid over men. In fact, let's add some aliens with vastly different aesthetic tastes and mating habits, and non-anthropomorphized computers while we're at it.

1. Halt the production of humanoid mecha and replace them with something practical, darnit, like increased production of fighters or scout-ships. Or fund the development of non-humanoid robots with more practical designs -- two legs are so unstable -- for use in planetary missions. Satisfy the grunts by treating them to carefully doled-out episodes of Gekiganger if necessary, and sedate any who show signs of desiring to pilot a humanoid mech.

Remember: cool special effects are no substitution for practicality.

(Okay, I better escape now, before I'm mobbed by Eva-02, Gekiganger, a few Aestivalis, and...)