The Smartest Anime Characters Ever, Ranked (2024)

Anyone who's exploring anime for the first time is likely to assume that it's filled with nothing more than constant battles. So much of the lore surrounding anime is related to the action-shōnen 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.

Updated on July 28th, 2024, by Sage Ashford: In some circ*mstances, it's more valuable to rely on intelligence rather than strength. Even in battle, sometimes the fighter with the better plan has the best chance of winning. Anime is full of intelligent characters, and this list has been updated to add even more of some of the smartest characters in anime history.

35 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.

Dio Brando is easily the most devious of any JoJo's villain, 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.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adcenture

The story of the Joestar family, who are possessed with intense psychic strength, and the adventures each member encounters throughout their lives.

Release Date

October 4, 2012

Creator

Hirohiko Araki

Cast

David Vincent , Matthew Mercer , Daisuke Ono , Unshô Ishizuka , Tôru Ohkawa

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

5

34 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.

Fruits Basket

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Drama

After Tohru is taken in by the Soma family, she learns that twelve family members transform involuntarily into animals of the Chinese zodiac and helps them deal with the emotional pain caused by the transformations.

Release Date

April 5, 2019

Cast

Manaka Iwami , Laura Bailey , Nobunaga Shimazaki , Jerry Jewell

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

3

Production Company

TMS Entertainment

Number of Episodes

63

33 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.

The Promised Neverland

TV-14

Action

Drama

When three gifted kids at an isolated idyllic orphanage discover the secret and sinister purpose they were raised for, they look for a way to escape from their evil caretaker and lead the other children in a risky escape plan.

Release Date

January 11, 2019

Creator

Kaiu Shirai

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

CloverWorks

32 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 it 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.

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Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

TV-14

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

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.

Release Date

April 5, 2009

Cast

Romi Park , Rie Kugimiya , Vic Mignogna , Maxey Whitehead

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

31 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; like a chameleon, he transforms into whatever 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 animeOshi no Ko.

Oshi No Ko

TV-14

Drama

Fantasy

A doctor and his recently-deceased patient are reborn as twins to a famous Japanese musical idol and navigate the highs and lows of the Japanese entertainment industry as they grow up together through their lives.

Release Date

April 12, 2023

Creator

Aka Akasaka

Cast

Rie Takahashi , Yumi Uchiyama

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Production Company

CyberAgent, Dogakobo, Kadokawa, Sentai Studios, Shueisha

Number of Episodes

12 Episodes

30 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.

Karma ability to spot people's weaknesses 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.

Assassination Classroom

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.

Genre

Animation, Action, Comedy

Language

English

Number of Seasons

5 Seasons

Debut Date

January 9, 2015

Studio

Lerche

29 Kamille Bidan Helped To Design His Own Giant Robot

Kamille Bidan was already on his way to being a smart kid before he got pulled into the Gryps Conflict. He was an amateur mecha builder, following in the footsteps of his scientist parents. However, he took that to another level once he began working for the Anti-Earth United Government.

Though he was only 17, Kamille was smart enough to play a large part in developing his own Gundam. After looking at the blueprints for Char’s Hyaku Shiki mobile suit, Kamille was not only smart enough to understand them but also improve on them. He worked out how to make Hyaku Shiki’s inert transformation feature functional in a future design, and added onto it to create an improved model. In the end, his skills with designs were good enough for Anaheim Electronics to develop the Zeta Gundam and send it to him.

28 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 up 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.

Dragon Ball (1986)

TV-14

Action

Anime

Son Gokû, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes on a quest with an assortment of odd characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give its bearer anything they desire.

Release Date

February 26, 1986

Creator

Akira Toriyama

Cast

Masako Nozawa , Jôji Yanami , Stephanie Nadolny , Mayumi Tanaka , Hiromi Tsuru

Studio

Toei Animation

27 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.

Skip and Loafer

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Drama

Mitsumi moves to Tokyo to attend a prestigious school and achieve her dreams of making positive change in the world. But while she's got book smarts, she soon finds herself inexperienced in big city norms, and struggles to make friends.

Release Date

April 4, 2023

Cast

Megumi Han , Tomoyo Kurosawa , Maaya Uchida , Akinori Egoshi

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Studio

P.A. Works

26 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.

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Attack On Titan

TV-MA

Action

Adventure

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.

Release Date

September 28, 2013

Creator

Hajime Isayama

Cast

Bryce Papenbrook , Yûki Kaji , Marina Inoue , Hiro Shimono , Takehito Koyasu , Jessie James Grelle

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

4 Seasons

Studio

Wit Studios, MAPPA

Number of Episodes

98 Episodes

25 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.

My Hero Academia (2016)

TV-14

Action

Adventure

Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life—a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That’s right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered “quirk,” Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that’s not enough to stop him from enrolling in one of the world’s most prestigious hero academies.

Release Date

May 5, 2018

Cast

Daiki Yamash*ta , Justin Briner , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Ayane Sakura

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

6

Production Company

Bones

Number of Episodes

145

24 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.

Hyouka

TV-14

Mystery

Drama

Comedy

Hyouka centers on Oreki Hotarou and his life in the Classic Literature Club. His mundane world is flipped upside down as they begin to solve various mysteries.

Release Date

April 22, 2012

Creator

Shoji Gatoh

Cast

Yuichi Nakamura , Adam Gibbs , Daisuke Sakaguchi , Aoi Yuki , Caitlin Glass

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Studio

Kyoto Animation

Producer

Justin Cook, Michael Harcourt, Hideaki Hatta, Makoto Itô

Production Company

Kadokawa Pictures, Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., Kyoto Animation, Lantis, The Klockworx

Number of Episodes

23 Episodes

23 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 circ*mstances. He can think on his feet and swiftly create resourceful plans to get much-needed intelligence or escape a dire situation.

Spy x Family

TV-14

Comedy

Action

Anime

A spy on an undercover mission gets married and adopts a child as part of his cover. His wife and daughter have secrets of their own, and all three must strive to keep together.

Release Date

April 9, 2022

Creator

Tatsuya Endo

Cast

Takuya Eguchi , Atsumi Tanezaki , Saori Hayami

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

2

Studio

Wit Studios / Clover Works

22 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.

21 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.

Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War (2019)

TV-14

Anime

Comedy

Romance

The proudly privileged top two students of an elite school each makes it their mission to be the first to extract a confession of love from the other.

Release Date

January 12, 2019

Cast

Aoi Koga , Makoto Furukawa , Konomi Kohara , Yutaka Aoyama

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

4

20 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 with 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. Boasting a 200 IQ, it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that Ami ranks within the Top 20 smartest anime characters of all time.

Sailor Moon (1992)

TV-PG

Action

Adventure

A group of schoolgirls discover they are incarnations of super-powered alien princesses, and use their abilities to defend the earth.

Release Date

September 11, 1995

Creator

Naoko Takeuchi

Cast

Stephanie Sheh , Kotono Mitsuishi , Kate Higgins , Aya Hisakawa , Cristina Valenzuela , Michie Tomizawa , Emi Shinohara , Amanda Céline Miller , Cherami Leigh , Rica f*ckami

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

5

Main Characters

Susan Roman, Jill Frappier, Katie Griffin

Production Company

Toei Agency, Toei Animation, Toei Company

Number of Episodes

200

19 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 protagonists 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.

Fairy Tail

TV-14

Action

Lucy, an aspiring Celestial Wizard, becomes a friend and ally to powerful wizards Natsu, Gray, and Erza, who are part of the (in)famous wizard guild, Fairy Tail.

Release Date

October 12, 2009

Cast

Cherami Leigh , Todd Haberkorn , Tia Lynn Ballard , Colleen Clinkenbeard , Newton Pittman , Brittney Karbowski , Monical Rial , Brina Palencia

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

9

18 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.

One Piece (1999)

TV-14

Animation

Action

Adventure

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".

Release Date

October 20, 1999

Creator

Eiichirô Oda

Cast

Mayumi Tanaka , Akemi Okamura , Laurent Vernin , Tony Beck , Kazuya Nakai

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Production Company

Toei Animation

Number of Episodes

1K+

17 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.

16 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.