It is easy for someone new to anime to assume that it's filled with nothing more than constant battles. So much of the lore surrounding anime is related to the action-shonen genre that it is understandable for newcomers to believe that. However, there are many more thought-provoking anime with some of the most intelligent characters in the genre.

Many anime delve into the psychology of the human mind, as well as some deep scientific themes that challenge viewers. The smartest characters often provide much-needed logic to both their peers and audiences alike. While there are many intelligent characters, these are some of the smartest.

Update on January 21st, 2024 by Louis Kemner: Many anime characters put value on their strength. However, these characters prove that it often requires intelligence to get the job done. Smart anime characters have been a staple of the medium for decades, but some stand out for their otherworldly brainpower. This article has been updated to adhere to CBR's current publication standards.

30 Dio Brando Orchestrated The Fall Of The Joestar Estate

Many of the villains in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure are incredibly intelligent. The antagonists in this series are exceptionally creative and malicious, much to the credit of its creator, author Hirohiko Araki.

Easily the most devious of any JoJo villain is Dio Brando, later known simply as DIO. DIO's incredible creativity allows him to remain an enduring threat to the Joestar family. His cunning and follow-through are unmatched in the series, which is a tribute to his smarts and planning. That said, DIO could easily be outdone by the very smartest anime characters of all, so DIO ranks low among the most intelligent characters in anime.

29 Yuki Sohma Gets Top Grades At School

The kuudere Yuki Sohma is the prince of the school for a reason. Not only does he become the Student Council President, but he also receives the top scores for his grade level, making him more studious than his rambunctious cousin Kyo Sohma.

Despite his vast intellect, Yuki doesn’t hoard it for himself. He willingly helps anyone who asks for tutoring, and he teaches each lesson with ease. Yuki has a lot to work on emotionally, but schoolwork and his smarts allow him a little control when the rest of his life always falls into chaos.

28 Ray Played A Major Role In Escaping The Grace Field House

Unlike most people, Ray never lost the memories he had when he was an infant. Because of this, he knows that the orphanage he lives in is actually a farm where demons raise children before eating them.

Ray dedicates his entire life to rescuing his closest friends from Grace Field House during The Promised Neverland, planning his every move for years, and figuring out how to escape. Without Ray, all the children he called his family would have suffered a tragic fate.

27 Winry Rockbell Is A Talented Automail Engineer

Working-class crafters often go overlooked for their ability to put complex parts together into a fully functional whole. Winry Rockbell of Fullmetal Alchemist fame is a next-level craftsperson whose mechanical knowledge is astronomical.

Winry knows everything about automail, as evidenced by her understanding of Edward Elric's arm when the two first reconnect. When it comes to gear and the people who wear them on their bodies, few engineers can take care of people better than Winry. Even without having any formal training, Winry is smart enough to have taught herself the basics, so that she could continue to look after Edward like she always has.

26 Bulma Is A Skilled Inventor

Bulma is one of the most iconic smart anime characters thanks to her role in the famous Dragon Ball franchise by author Akira Toriyama. She held the title long before the anime boom. Since her introduction to Dragon Ball, Bulma has always come through with a new invention that conveniently helps the situation.

For instance, Bulma creates the Dragon Radar and helps perfect time travel. In the case of the now non-canon Blutz Wave Ray, she sometimes hurts more than she helps. However, Bulma's genius still shines through, even when working for the bad guys.

25 Karma Akabane Is A Keen Observer With A Sharp Mind

Karma Akabane is a sharp-witted student of Class 3-E in Assassination Classroom. When he bothers to sit for his tests, he regularly tops the entire grade, and he fights to become the number one student.

Additionally, Karma is a brilliant observer who preys upon people's weaknesses to get what he wants. This makes him one of the best assassins in the class, coming in second only to Nagisa Shiota. Karma is a driven and intelligent individual who would do whatever it took to prove he is the best. He's one of the smartest characters in Assassination Classroom and ranks among the smartest anime characters of all time, though a handful of the smartest characters have him beat, hence his modest ranking.

24 Aquamarine Hoshino Must Uncover The Truth Of His New Mother's Murder

This isn’t the first time Aquamarine Hoshino has grown up and lived a life, which makes him uncannily sharp-witted for a teenager. Aqua was a doctor in his previous life, and now uses his bedside manners and observation skills to his benefit as he searches for Ai Hoshino’s murderer’s accomplice.

Aqua is incredibly adept at reading people, transforming chameleon-like into anyone he needs to be for individual people. He always knows just the right things to say to get what he wants. Aqua’s intelligence makes him both popular with girls and unpopular with his enemies, but there is no denying his smarts help keep it all in balance. That makes him one of the most compelling characters in the darkly subversive anime Oshi no Ko.

23 Ami Mizuno Gets Excellent Grades And Is The Sailors' Strategist

Ami Mizuno is the smartest member of the Sailor Scouts in Sailor Moon. She is nationally ranked for her school test scores, and her intellect regularly helps the Scouts in making critical discoveries. Plus, her analytical skills are beyond compare.

Ami is also an excellent strategist who can accurately analyze and dissect enemies' movements and fighting styles during battle. Her intelligence gives the Sailor Scouts the upper hand in many fights and helps them overcome galactic evils.

22 Mitsumi Iwakura Aims To Become A Politician Someday

Mitsumi Iwakura knows what she wants from her future and isn’t afraid of working hard to get there. She studied extremely hard to get into her current high school and is determined to follow the same strictness throughout the rest of her education.

Apart from her studies, Mitsumi has a lot of emotional intelligence. Mitsumi often offers (sometimes inadvertent) advice that helps her friends through their struggles. She is determined to get the most she possibly can out of life. She works hard and is good at achieving her mental and social goals and continues to prove that her lofty dreams aren’t as far-fetched as her detractors might think.

21 Armin Arlert Thought Up Clever Ways To Fight Titans

While Armin Alert isn't as physically strong as his comrades, he is the smartest character in Attack On Titan. Rarely does he not have a plan whenever the Survey Corps is on a mission, and his friends often look to him as their leader.

If it were not for Armin, the identity of the Female Titan would have never been revealed, nor would the Survey Corps have been able to defeat her. Armin's intelligence is so great that it becomes the deciding factor in saving humanity later in the show.

20 Tenya Iida Studies Harder Than Anyone At UA

Where other anime characters are great at improvising when things go wrong, My Hero Academia's Tenya Iida is a master at planning, so he will never have to think on his feet. Considering his age, he is an incredibly resourceful hero hindered only by his self-doubt.

With more confidence, Tenya's brains and might could easily allow him to exceed his brother, Tensei, as a speedy Engine hero. Until then, Tenya's training at U.A. High will shape him into a better man, hopefully preparing him for such a responsibility one day. Tenya's book smarts, good work ethic, and mature attitude mark him as a smart and responsible young man who must be acknowledged as one of the smartest anime characters of all.

19 Houtarou Oreki Is An Excellent Detective

Houtarou Oreki is an apathetic high schooler in the show Hyouka. Although he's smart, Houtarou hates being around people and prefers to do as little as possible to get by. However, that changes when he meets the effervescent Eru Chitanda.

After meeting Chitanda, Oreki discovers his proclivity for solving mysteries, proving just how observant he is by helping her solve the mystery of her missing uncle. The more cases the Literature Club solves together, the more Oreki shines as the sharp detective he is.

18 Loid Forger Is Westalis' Best, Most Successful Spy

In Spy x Family, the psychic Anya Forger is a comically bad student and her foster mother Yor sometimes makes a fool of herself. In contrast, Loid Forger and his fellow WISE agents are all slick and smart. Loid, Fiona Frost, Franky Franklin, and Sylvia Sherwood are sharp-witted undercover agents who are thriving in Ostania.

Loid Forger is the smartest and savviest Westalis agent of all, being the famous agent Twilight who can accomplish any mission under any circumstances. He can think on his feet and swiftly create resourceful plans to get much-needed intelligence or escape a dire situation.

17 Norman Always Has The Right Plan In Mind

Norman is the only child from Grace Field House who's smarter than Ray, further proving how prodigious the young cast of The Promised Neverland is. Once Norman learns about the demons outside the orphanage, he is shipped out and presumed dead.

Because of this, Norman comes up with a plan after predicting everything that would happen in the weeks before the next child would be shipped. Norman tells his plan to Emma, and she carries it out successfully. Norman saves his family without even being there to see it through, proving his place among anime's smartest characters.

16 Kaguya Shinomiya Is The Brainy Heiress Of Her Powerful Family

Even if Miyuki Shirogane is Shuchiin Academy's number one student, Kaguya Shinomiya is right behind him at number two, proving what an incredible student she is. Kaguya doesn't need to study so hard or so often to rank that high, but Miyuki has practically dedicated his life to studying.

Kaguya often gets the edge on Miyuki in their clever battles of wits, though she never quite finishes him off. This establishes Kaguya Shinomiya as one of the smartest anime characters, not just in Kaguya-Sama: Love is War but in the entire industry.

15 Mavis Vermillion Is A Crafty Strategist And Has Read An Entire Library

Many members of the Fairy Tail guild rely on the sheer power of friendship or overwhelming magical strength to prevail, such as the protagonist Natsu Dragneel and Laxus Dreyar. An exception is Mavis Vermillion, who stands as one of Fairy Tail's smartest and most devious characters.

As a child, Mavis eagerly read hundreds of books in an abandoned library, and she soon put all that knowledge to good use. Mavis is also a tactical savant and skilled leader, as the Grand Magic Games tournament showed. Mavis is adept at using illusion magic to deter her enemies as well, and can even make an illusory army to hold off much stronger foes. Mavis is easily the most brilliant member of the Fairy Tail guild, and her accomplishments mark her as one of the smartest anime characters of all time, too.

14 Vinsmoke Judge Is A Brutal Yet Brilliant Scientist

Vinsmoke Judge is the king of the nomadic Germa nation and the father of the tsundere chef Sanji. He appears in One Piece's Whole Cake saga as an ally of Big Mom, and he uses advanced science to create lab-grown children like Sanji, Reiju, Yonji, and the others.

For a time, the academically gifted Vinsmoke Judge works alongside Dr. Vegapunk, which is saying a lot, but they eventually part ways. Now Vinsmoke Judge will finish what he started alone and make an army of bioengineered super-soldiers to destroy his enemies with terrifying force.

13 Edward Elric Is A Scientist Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's protagonist Edward Elric may be juvenile and hotheaded at times, but he's brilliant, and his peers respect him for it. Edward and his younger brother Alphonse were both gifted kids with an aptitude for science, something their mother Trisha was proud of.

Edward Elric elegantly combines science with alchemy to become a flexible, resourceful, and unpredictable fighter who can win battles without even drawing blood. He and Alphonse also work day and night to crack Dr. Tim Marcoh's heavily encrypted notes, though they don't like what they see once the notes' contents become clear.

12 Miyuki Shirogane Studied His Way To The Very Top

Miyuki Shirogane has been the Student Council President of Shuchiin Academy for two years running. He always has the top grades in his class, and he is headed to study abroad at Stanford University in the United States when he graduates. Since he attends his school on a scholarship, Shirogane feels like he can never slip up, or risk losing his place at the Academy, which means he is constantly "on" when it comes to his grades.

Shirogane is rather clueless when it comes to dating and girls, but he makes up for his shortcomings by cleverly concocted schemes to win his Vice President, Kaguya Shinomiya’s, heart. They don’t always work, but Shiogane’s plans succeed much more frequently than Shinomiya’s when it comes to romantic interludes. Shirogane is always prepared no matter the situation. From daunting exams to an elaborate love confession, Shirogane has the brains to do what needs to achieve his goals.

11 Madara Uchiha Is An Unparalleled Strategist

Madara Uchiha is easily the greatest tactician in Naruto. Given the rules of the Naruto universe, it is not easy to come back from the dead, but Madara manages it. He is a master of several jutsu and has a voice that can call together armies.

Madara uses his intelligence to devastating effects. His sole purpose seems to be causing trouble and overshadowing others. Beyond that, he has the freedom to live life on his terms, ultimately dying only when he wills it. In short, once Madara was reanimated, he was ready to wreak havoc on the entire Naruto world with his powerful mind and even stronger jutsu.