My Hero Academia is full of a variety of different heroes. Some of them are tougher. Some of them can take the hits better. And yet others are the smartest of the bunch. The series has proven that there is no single route or ability requirement when it comes to being a hero.

But today we're going to focus on My Hero Academia's smartest heroes. There are plenty to choose from – and their ability to look outside the box has given fans a unique reading/viewing experience on more than one occasion. So without further adieu, here are the top ten smartest heroes in the franchise.

Our ranking is relying on events shown in the series, as well as the rankings given in the Official Character Book.

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Update July 20th, 2020 by Louis Kemner: The superhero world in My Hero Academia is rapidly changing in the wake of All Might's sudden retirement. With the top hero gone, the entire hero world is being reshuffled, and season 4 saw some new heroes arrive in the spotlight, such as Mirko and Ryukyu, while Endeavor claimed the #1 spot and the youthful Hawks took #2. But being a hero isn't just about brawn; it's about brains, too, and now's the time to consider five more clever and witty heroes.

15 Shota Aizawa (Eraser Head)

Shota Aizawa using his Erasure Quirk in My Hero Academia

First on our list is Shota Aizawa, aka Eraser Head. He may seem like he spends more of his time trying to sleep than think, but the man is actually quite sharp. This explains why UA was willing to put him in charge of so many kids – and how he's been able to keep them alive (even if there were a few stumbles along the way).

Shota has excellent observation skills, which he uses in combination with his ability to evaluate his students. He can also quickly assess the situation and seems to always know the best way to utilize his quirk (recall the fight against all of those villains early on).

Shota Aizawa is rated at four in intelligence in the Official Character Book.

14 Sorahiko (Gran Torino)

gran torino kicking a nomu

Gran Torino is only registered as a hero because he wanted to be able to use his quirk freely – but that doesn't change the fact that he certainly is one to Midoriya. He's also incredibly bright. In many ways, he was exactly what Midoriya needed in a trainer.

It's vital to remember that it's because of Gran Torino that Midoriya had his major breakthrough in learning to master his quirk. We should also remember that Torino never had the One For All quirk, yet he trained two students to use it properly.

Sorahiko is rated at four in intelligence 4 in the Official Character Book.

13 Minoru Mineta

MHA Mineta

It is tempting and easy to want to write Mineta off as nothing more than a joke. His obsession with female superheroes doesn't exactly help either. But the fact of the matter is, Mineta is easily one of the smartest students in class 1-A.

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It's his intelligence that turns his underwhelming quirk into something impressive. Without the brains to back up his pop-off quirk, it's likely that he never would have stood a chance at becoming a hero – he certainly would never have passed the entry exams.

Minoru Mineta is rated at four in intelligence 5 in the Official Character Book.

12 Tsuyu Asui

Tsuyu is a petite girl with a frog-like quirk, and she is known for her cool disposition and balanced traits. She placed 6th in the class for grades, and she tends to think things through rather than dive right in. That makes her rather like Izuku.

She also noted that Izuku's mystery quirk was rather similar to All Might's, and she helped Izuku formulate a plan to escape villains during the battle at USJ. All of these traits make Tsuyu a reliable hero in many situations.

Her intelligence is rated 4/5.

11 Katsuki Bakugo

bakugo cropped my hero academia

A first impression would suggest that Katsuki Bakugo is a pea-brained thug who loves explosions, but that's not the case. He is just as smart as Izuku Midoriya, and his battlefield intuition and perceptive skills are formidable. That's partly why he's such an advanced student at UA.

If that weren't enough, he placed 3rd in the class's grades overall, and he willingly tutored his friend Eijiro Kirishima to help sharpen the other boy's study skills a bit.

No wonder he's Izuku's worthy rival. His intelligence is rated 4/5.

10 Izuku Midoriya

The protagonist himself differs from "brave but dumb" types like Goku and Monkey D. Luffy. Izuku is a smart kid who had gotten used to his quirk-free life, and compensated with his habit of noting other people's quirks and combat styles. He's intuitive, observant, and clever in any situation.

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That, combined with his new quirk One For All, makes him a formidable foe for any villain, and he has some mild leadership skills, too. He can formulate a plan and coordinate a small team to great effect, and he also placed 4th in his class where grades are concerned.

His intelligence is rated 4/5.

9 Tenya Iida

Tenya Iida Ingenium My Hero Academia

Tenya Iida helps prove that glasses-wearing nerds can be cool, too. He was voted in as class 1-A's president, a job that he takes quite seriously. He has leadership skills and is a great coach for his classmates, too.

Iida has book smarts to back it all up, and his dorm room is lined with high-IQ books of all kinds. It's no surprise that he ranks 4th in the class overall, behind only Izuku, Bakugo, and Momo.

His intelligence is rated 4/5.

8 Chiyo Shuzenji (Recovery Girl)

recovery girl my hero academia

Chiyo Shuzenji, aka Recovery Girl, is likely one of those heroes that are easily overlooked. After all, she acts more as a support hero than anything else. But the truth of the matter is, our heroes (especially the students) wouldn't be able to do what they do without knowing she was there to heal them when it's all said and done.

Recovery Girl is an excellent hero, but she's also got the intelligence to back up her skill set. Her quirk may allow her to heal, but she's also a surgeon and an educated medical professional – recall how many times she's had to operate on those in the series (looking at you, Midoriya).

Chiyo Shuzenji is rated at four in intelligence 5 in the Official Character Book.

7 Ken Ishiyama (Cementoss)

Ken Ishiyama, aka Cementoss, isn't a character we know a ton about (no pun intended). We know he's a professor at UA, but we've only seen him on a few occasions. Despite that, we know that he's got to be an intelligent man. For one thing, UA only hires the best.

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For another, he must know an awful lot about architecture and integrity, in order to properly utilize his quirk. Combine that with the ability to evaluate and educate the next generation of heroes, and we've got a pretty good idea of his intelligence.

Ken Ishiyama is rated at four in intelligence 5 in the Official Character Book.

6 Hazashi Yamada (Present Mic)

Hazashi Yamada, better known to all as Present Mic, may not seem like the most intelligent character... actually, he tends to act like a bit of an idiot more often than not. But he's actually quite brilliant when given the chance to show off that skillset.

Present Mic knows how to utilize his quirk in a fight – that much is obvious. But remember that he's also UA's English teacher – meaning that he is fluent in at least two different languages. Given his quirk, it's likely that he's taken the time to learn even more than that.

Hazashi Yamada is rated at four in intelligence 5 in the Official Character Book.

5 Neito Monoma

Neito Monoma is a bit of an annoying character, but that doesn't change the fact that he's brilliant. He's one of the top students in class 1B, and with good reason. His quirk allows him to mimic other quirks around him – but he uses this access to his best possible advantage.

He's strategic and analytical, coming up with plans to help his classmates get the upper hand. We've seen him give the other students a run for their money – though sometimes all they want to do is punch him.

Neito Monoma is rated at four in intelligence 5 in the Official Character Book.

4 Mei Hatsume

mei hatsume

Not all heroes wear capes, and not all of them throw punches, either. Even the strongest heroes need some logistical support, and that's the job of heroes like Mei Hatsume. No matter the quirk or fighting style, she can invent the right gadget for the job.

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Her quirk is Zoom, meaning her eyes are a pair of natural telescopes and microscopes. That's useful for tinkering with the fine wires and nuts and bolts of any invention. Mei also has a certain flair for business.

Her intelligence is rated 5/5.

3 Momo Yaoyorozu

My Hero Academia Momo Yaoyorozu

Momo Yaoyorozu is a rarity among the students. She's the only (known) student to have an intelligence rating over 5. She's also listed as having genius intellect. This combines shockingly well with her quirk, and it's something she uses to her full advantage.

Momo can come up with strategies on the fly and can produce almost anything she can think of to make those plans work out, thanks to her quirk. She's the top-ranked student, as far as grades are concerned, and she's likely only to get better with time.

Momo Yaoyorozu is rated at four in intelligence 6 in the Official Character Book.

2 Toshinori Yagi (All Might)

all might old form from my hero academia

Toshinori Yagi, better known to all MHA fans are All Might, is one of the top-rated heroes in almost every aspect. And it may come as a surprise to hear that he's also one of the most intelligent heroes out there. But it actually makes quite a lot of sense – All Might saw and understood the need for something bigger than a hero. He knew that the people need a Symbol of Peace, and he also knew how to give them exactly that – down to even the most subtle way he behaved.

All Might is rated at four in intelligence 6 in the Official Character Book.

1 Principal Nezu

Principal Nezu in My Hero Academia

Principal Nezu is arguably the most intelligent character in the MHA universe, and with very good reason. Nezu may be an animal (the type has yet to be confirmed) but he does have a quirk – High Spec. This quirk gives him his extreme intelligence and is the reason why he can think his way around most other heroes – even if some of them would likely prefer to look down on him.

Nezu hasn't had many opportunities to show off his intelligence – yet – but that will increase with time. We have no doubt. So far we've seen him mess with two UA students who were struggling with their grades, as well as try to out plan the League of Villains – a task we don't envy.

Principal Nezu is rated at four in intelligence 6 in the Official Character Book.

NEXT: My Hero Academia: 10 Upcoming Fights We’re Looking Forward To