15 Smartest Shonen Anime Characters, Ranked
Anime has some of the smartest characters in history. Shonen, especially, has many genius-level characters who use their intellect to do amazing things. Many of these individuals use their brains to the extreme benefit or detriment of society. With brilliant strategists like Shikamaru Nara or certified geniuses like Dr. Gero, anime has it all.
The question of brain vs brawn has long been debated, but these anime characters have cast their vote. Several of these characters have even used their intelligence to do the impossible, like traveling through time. Many of these characters are just as important, if not more so, to the story as their less intelligent counterparts.
Eren Yeager Creates a Nearly Unstoppable Plan
Part of Eren's Brilliance Was His Reliance On His Companions
Eren Yeager stops at nothing to get revenge. To achieve his dream of getting revenge, he orchestrated a nearly unstoppable plan. Eren's ultimate goal is to exact revenge on Marley for his persecution of the Eldians. Certain Eldians even possess the fearsome ability to become giant monsters, called Titans. Eren even has access to special Titans known as the Attack Titan and the Founding Titan. Since he possesses the founding titan, Eren can communicate with every previous user of the founding titan. Eren uses this ability to create and execute a plan over many years. Eren even manipulates the events of his own life, to ensure the plan will not be affected.
Although Eren is not academically gifted, he is an amazing strategist capable of creating a nearly airtight plan. His ultimate plan, The Rumbling, is ultimately successful. Even though Eren is stopped by his former friends, he destroys much of the continent. Eren had the forethought and planning ability to construct a plan taking place over several years. To do that, Eren had to understand each part of his plan perfectly and ensure everyone fulfilled their assigned roles. Eren used his great levels of emotional intelligence and strategic skills to execute his plan. Without his friends and the rest of the survey corps, Eren could have taken The Rumbling much further, which lands him at the bottom of the list.
Attack On Titan
Original title: Shingeki no Kyojin. After his hometown is destroyed and his mother is killed, young Eren Jaeger vows to cleanse the earth of the giant humanoid Titans that have brought humanity to the brink of extinction in Attack on Titan.
Koichi Hirose Helps Catch a Killer
Koichi's Intelligence Grows With Him Throughout the Series
Koichi Hirose is a normal high school student until he gets caught up with Jotaro and Josuke. Jotaro and Josuke are powerful Stand users who always get into trouble. Kpichi does not start as a Stand user and becomes one through convoluted events. Although his stand is not exceedingly strong at its conception, Koichi uses his brain to increase the usefulness of his Stand. Koichi's Stand evolves with him as the series progresses, which is a testament to his growth as a character. Koichi's Stand can only slightly influence objects early on, but grows more powerful as Koichi does. Echoes might not be as strong as other stands, but Koichi uses his brain to make full use of his Stand's abilities.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: 5 Ways Koichi Is A Great Supporting Character (& 5 He's Disappointing)
Koichi grew a lot throughout Diamond Is Unbreakable. But while he impresses in some ways, he's disappointing in others.
Even without his Stand, Koichi is a great strategist. Using his detective skills, Koichi assists Jotaro in discovering a serial killer's true identity. Towards the end of the season, the killer tries to escape and is stopped by Koichi. The Killer, Yoshikage Kira, uses a deadly stand called Killer Queen to attack him. Koichi survives his confrontation with Kira using his intelligence. Using his wit and the power of his stand, Koichi escapes from many situations that would be deadly to regular people.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is an action-adventure anime series based on the manga of the same name. The story spans multiple generations of the Joestar family, each member confronting supernatural foes through the power of "Stands," spiritual manifestations of their fighting spirits. The series begins with Jonathan Joestar's struggle against the villainous Dio Brando and evolves through the exploits of his descendants.
Armin Arlert Is a Skilled Strategist
Armin's Superior Strategy Is the Key to Many Victories
Armin Arlert is a member of the survey corps along with his best friend, Erin Yeager. When Eren's fated plans finally begin to take shape, Armin is forced to turn against his friend. Without Armin's interference, The Rumbling could have been even more devastating than it already was. Armin deduces Erin's plans and creates a plan to counter them. Due to Eren's immense power, Armin is unable to do much but ultimately ends The Rumbling with the help of Mikasa and the rest of the survey corps. Armin's strategic ability is an asset to the survey corps throughout the series and The Rumbling wouldn't have ended without him.
Even though Armin possesses the ability to become a Titan, he would much rather rely on his intellect. Armin avoids confrontation wherever possible, and likes to come to peaceful solutions. Armin solves many of the series' greatest mysteries and is one of the greatest strategists in Anime. He has one of the greatest logical minds in shonen and puts it to good use often. Armin is responsible for helping to save the world and does so using his strategy and titan form.
Nagisa Shiota Has Been Taught by the Best
Nagisa Uses His Vast Emotional Intelligence to Gain an Edge![]()
Nagisa Shiota is one of the best users of deductive reasoning in anime. He is a member of class 3-E, the class tasked with killing Koro-sensei. Koro-sensei teaches his class several assassination techniques to defeat him. Nagisa quickly stands out as having an aptitude for assassination. He expertly assesses a situation and comes up with an idea to counter it. Several times throughout Assassination Classroom, Nagisa nearly kills Koro-sensei. Ultimately, Nagisa is the one to kill Koro-sensei at the end of the series.
Nagisa takes many of Koro-sensei's to heart and wants to be a teacher just like him. Nagisa learns a lot throughout the series and is always trying to improve himself. He has a huge aptitude for assassination but ultimately decides to become a teacher like his mentor. Nagisa suffers from extreme self-doubt, which is why he is unable to reach his potential at the beginning of the series. Thankfully, Koro-sensei guides Nagisa to success and he finally puts faith in his intelligence. Without Koro-Sensei, Nagisa might've strayed even further from his ultimate path. This is why Nagisa decides to become a teacher to honor Koro-Sensei.
Assassination Classroom (2013)
Original title: Ansatsu kyshitsu.
A powerful creature claims that within a year, Earth will be destroyed by him, but he offers mankind a chance by becoming a homeroom teacher where he teaches his students about how to kill him. An assassination classroom begins.
Nico Robin Has a Vast Knowledge of History
Robin's Knowledge Is Necessary to Acquire the One Piece
Nico Robin from One Piece has a rich understanding of history. She prefers to spend her free time reading and learning about the secrets of the world around her. Robin was born in Ohara, which makes her an immediate target of the world government. Oharans can read the ancient language of the Void Century, which is why they are hunted by the government. Robin is likely one of the last remaining Oharans and has escaped the government's clutches thus far. Fortunately, she becomes a member of the Straw Hat Pirates and is the crew's resident archaeologist. Robin is extremely helpful when it comes to discerning the secrets and history of an object.
Since Robin is from Ohara, she can read the mysterious language written on the Poneglyphs. The Poneglyphs are giant stone obelisks with instructions written in the ancient language of the Void Century. These obelisks are vital in discerning the location of the final island of the Grand Line, Laugh Tale. Robin is one of the few people capable of figuring out the location of the final island. Without her, the Straw Hats would be completely lost. She uses her vast intellect to the benefit of the crew many times throughout the show. Robin is one of the many reasons that the Straw Hats have gotten this far and will ultimately guide her crew to the One Piece.
One Piece
Follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named "One Piece".
Edward Elric Is a Master of Alchemy
Edward Uses HIs Great Memory to Become a Superior Alchemist
Edward Elric is one of the youngest men in history to master alchemy. However, this did not come without a price. In his youth, Edward and his brother Alphonse attempted to resurrect their mother using alchemy. The resulting experiment left Edward without several of his limbs and Al without a body. Fortunately, Ed saves his brother using his knowledge of Alchemy. Ed puts Al's soul in a suit of Armor so that he can remain alive. After this incident, Edward is known as the Fullmetal Alchemist as a testament to his injuries and his Alchemy mastery. Edward is so good at Alchemy that he replicates different attacks after seeing them for the first time.
Edward might be headstrong, but he is still one of the most intelligent anime protagonists. Edward has a rich knowledge of Alchemy and puts it to use whenever applicable. He uses his knowledge of alchemy to overcome his enemies time and time again. Although the story has multiple endings depending on the version, Edward is a genius in both. Without Edward and Al's help, the state alchemists would never have defeated the Seven Deadly Sins.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Two brothers search for a Philosopher's Stone after an attempt to revive their deceased mother goes awry and leaves them in damaged physical forms.
Kakashi Hatake Is Called the Copy Ninja for Good Reason
Kakashi Becomes Hokage Partially Due to His Intelligence
Kakashi Hatake is a skilled Jonin from the Hidden Leaf Village. However, he receives worldwide recognition in the ninja world. Even before becoming the Hokage, Kakashi was an asset to the Hidden Leaf. Using his gifted Sharingan, he replicates and counters the Jutsu of many powerful Ninjas. Kakashi is one of the best strategists in the series and has led Team 7 to success many times. He masters his Sharingan despite not being born with it and shows proficiency with most other techniques. Kakashi is a fearsome force on the battlefield, causing him to be acknowledged as a skilled ninja throughout the ninja continent.
10 Times Kakashi Proved He Was the Best Mentor
Kakashi is a ninja mentor with plenty of iconic moments. As one of the most beloved characters of all time, when did he shine as the best mentor?
Kakashi has taught some of the most capable ninjas in the series. There is no doubting why he was chosen to become the seventh Hokage. Kakashi is one of the most deadly Ninjas in the series because he combines both brain and brawn. Kakashi uses his genius-level intellect in combination with his arsenal of Jutsu to defeat nearly every enemy he comes across. He also possesses a deep emotional intelligence, which he uses to instruct Naruto and Sasuke. Without Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke would not be the successful ninjas they are today.
Naruto
Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja.
Shikamaru Nara Thinks Ten Steps Ahead
Shikamaru Can Outsmart Many of His Fellow Ninja![]()
Shikamaru Nara is the best battle strategist in anime. In a short time, he expertly assesses the skills of his allies and opponents. Several times throughout the series, both Naruto and the Hidden Leaf rely on Shikamaru's expert strategy. He is always thinking multiple steps ahead of his opponent, which makes him a terrifying adversary. Fortunately, Shikamaru uses his fearsome intellect for good and even defeats a member of the Akatsuki thought to be immortal. His intellect is also crucial in leading the Allied Shinobi Forces to victory during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Without Shikamaru, the war might have been lost.
Due to his efforts in the war and his success throughout the series, Shikamaru becomes the Hokage's advisor. Although he loathes the paperwork, the job puts his genius to good use. Shikamaru assists Naruto in saving the village many times throughout the sequel series. He uses his vast genius to make use of his fearsome shadow Jutsu. Shikamaru even becomes the Hokage when Naruto is incapacitated due to his jutsu mastery and overall intelligence. He is a fan favorite and is often considered one of the coolest and smartest characters from the show. Shikamaru Nara is not only one of the most intelligent characters in Naruto, but anime overall.
L Lawliet Is One of the Smartest Teenagers of All Time
L Is a Champion of Mind Games
L Lawliet is one of the most intelligent young men in Japan. He regularly aids the FBI catch devious serial killers using his superior intellect. However, when a mysterious serial killer begins killing people by the hundreds, L has seemingly met his match. L and the killer, Light Yagami, engage in several battles of wit that result in the unfortunate death of L. Despite his death, L still proves himself to be extremely intelligent. The only problem is that he is outplayed by Light Yagami. Sadly, Light discerns L's real name and uses the death note to kill him. Light is eventually outsmarted by one of L's students, Near.
Despite his defeat, L has still proven himself to be one of the most intelligent characters in anime. L is a master strategist capable of nearly exposing Light several times. If Light had not cheated and bribed a Shinigami to learn L's name, the confrontation might have gone differently. Thankfully, L plans for his demise and trains several successors. One of these successors ends Light's reign of terror permanently, but the fact that L wasn't able to survive Light's dark reign earns him a spot mid-list.
Death Note (2006)
Original title: Death Note: Desu nto.
An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.
Light Yagami Easily Outsmarts the FBI
Light Has Sociopathic Levels of Intellect
Light Yagami outsmarts the FBI countless times. He uses a mysterious book called a Death Note, to kill his enemies. Light initially uses the book to only kill the people he thought deserved it, but the power quickly goes to his head. Light quickly begins killing anyone who prevents his goal of becoming a God. Light meets many people that he uses and abuses during his power search. Light evades the police for a time, but the FBI enlists a skilled genius to defeat him. The genius is L Lawliet. While Light is ultimately the victor in his fight against L, the battle would leave him emotionally scared and paranoid.
A Complete Timeline of Light Yagami in Death Note
Everything changed for Light and the world once he got his hands on the Death Note.
Light Yagami is a genius, but his arrogance is his ultimate downfall. He proves he is a skilled strategist by evading arrest for so long. Light's ultimate fate remains unknown, but many fans theorize that he became a Shingami like the ones he once abused. Either way, Light proves throughout Death Note time and time again that he has a fearsome intellect and a knack for outsmarting his opponents.
Trafalgar D. Water Law Is Known as the Surgeon of Death
Law Defeats HIs Enemies With Surgical Precision
Trafalgar D. Water Law is also known as the surgeon of death. He used his brain to earn this nickname, as Law is an actual doctor. Law is even responsible for saving Luffy's life during the climax of Marineford. Aside from his medical knowledge, he is an expert strategist and even creates a plan to defeat Kaido. Although the plan is not executed as expected, it still works to beat Kaido. Law proves to be a powerful ally to the Straw Hats time and time again. Without him, Luffy might never have defeated Kaido. Thankfully, Law was there to put Luffy's muscles to good use against the Yonko.
While Law's current state in the Anime is unknown, it is unlikely that someone of his intellect would be defeated so easily. He is likely lying low and recovering from his fight against Blackbeard. Hopefully, Law can create a plan to defeat Blackbeard before the end of the series. Law may be an extremely smart character, but he is not the smartest character in One Piece. That honor belongs to Doctor Vegapunk.
Dr. Gero Creates Powerful Living Androids
Dr. Gero Turns Himself Into a Living and Breathing Robot
Dr. Gero creates deadly androids from living beings. Furthermore, Gero is even able to grow a sentient android from a single cell. He goes on to name the android Cell. Gero creates these androids by observing the Z fighters and their battles throughout the series up to the Saiyan arc. Cell goes on to become one of the most powerful adversaries in Dragon Ball Z. At his full power, Cell contends with Goku and Vegeta. Dr. Gero was able to create these robotic monsters by himself. He is even able to transform his own body into a machine, allowing him to theoretically live forever. Gero's life is cut short by his creations, who kill him once they are awakened.
Dr. Gero's intelligence is beyond anything seen in the real world. He somehow converts living tissues into powerful robots. Dr. Gero's androids give the Z fighters an extremely hard time. Cell, the strongest android, even defeats most of the Z fighters. Fortunately, Goku trains his son to become strong enough to defeat Cell. Without the Z Fighters, Gero's creations would take over the earth.
Dragon Ball Z (1989)
With the help of the powerful Dragonballs, a team of fighters led by the saiyan warrior Goku defend the planet earth from extraterrestrial enemies.
Bulma Unlocks the Secrets of Time Travel
Bulma Is a Certified Genius, Just Like Her Father
Bulma is one of the first charactersintroduced in Dragon Ball. Despite her age, Bulma is extremely smart, like her father. Bulma uses her intellect to create a device capable of tracking the Dragon Balls, which leads her to Goku. Bulma regularly helps Goku throughout his journey, providing technological solutions to his problems. However, Bulma was also able to crack one of the biggest science mysteries of all time. Bulma, in the future, discovers the secrets of time travel. This allows future trunks to travel to the past and warn the Z Fighters about the androids. Without Bulma, the earth surely would have been destroyed.
Although Dragon Ballis a world with futuristic technology, time travel was still considered to be nearly impossible. Yet, Bulma was able to figure it out and create a time machine capable of transporting a single person. Thankfully, Bulma is not evil, or she could likely create a more powerful android than Gero ever could. Bulma's feats in science make her one of the most intelligent characters in anime.
Senku Ishigami Recreates Society With Science
Senku Uses HIs Knowledge of Science to Restore the World
Senku Ishigami lives in a world where humans were turned to stone many centuries ago. Senku was born in the modern day and is petrified along with the rest of society. Fortunately, he is one of the first people to survive and creates a formula to revive others. Senku brings society back from the literal stone ages using his knowledge of history and science. Without him, the world might never have recovered. Fortunately, Senku is alive to lead the survivors into a new era of technology. He has a mastery of almost every scientific discipline, with a vast knowledge of every subject. Senku somehow recreates society from the seemingly prehistoric world around him.
Dr. Stone: How Far Senku Has Come -- and How Much Further He Must Go In Season 3
Senku has overcome many challenges and defeated enemies like Tsukasa. Now, he faces new threats from Ibara and Kirisame in the Petrification Kingdom.
Almost no other anime character has shown such a mastery of the real-life sciences. Senku practices real-life scientific methods, which is extremely refreshing to see. Most of the science Senku uses is based on real facts. Senku brings society back from the brink of destruction and replicates modern technology using only his knowledge and skills.
Dr. Stone
Awakened into a world where humanity has been petrified, scientific genius Senku and his brawny friend Taiju use their skills to rebuild civilization.
Dr. Vegapunk Is the Smartest Anime Character
Dr. Vegapunk Defies All Logic With His Mastery of Science
Dr. Vegapunk is the most intelligent character in all anime. He can use his intelligence to do impossible things. Dr. Vegapunk splits his consciousness into several bodies to conduct his work more efficiently. Much of the technology used in One Piece was created by Vegapunk. He uses his superior intellect to benefit the world around him. Vegapunk has the brain devil fruit which allows him to become even smarter than he once was. His inventions make him one of the smartest characters in the series and anime overall. Although Vegapunk initially works for the World Government, his research into the forbidden Void Century leads to his investigation at their hands.
Since the world of One Piece is not bound by traditional logic, neither is Vegapunk's technology. He creates thousands of wacky inventions capable of great benefit or detriment to society. Vegapunk even creates artificial Devil Fruits, to the shock of the world. Vegapunk creates many things with science that would be considered impossible in the real world, like flying shoes. Thankfully, Vegapunk exists in the One Piece world, where he can invent all the wacky inventions he wants. Though he was already considerably smart, Vegapunk's devil fruit abilities make him one of the smartest characters ever written.
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/15-smartest-shonen-anime-characters-ranked/ar-AA1sxVFi?ocid=00000000
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