Anime is a popular medium of Japanese entertainment that has been around for decades. With so much history surrounding the subculture, many forget what it actually entails and sees it as aggression and special abilities with no material or psychology behind it—but that could not be further from the truth!
If you are a true anime fan, then you know there is more than one intelligent character hiding out in plain sight. In fact, many of them make us humans seem like little children, which is hilarious to think about how we underestimate ourselves. So, if you’re looking for some mental stimulation (or just want to feel stupid), then take this list on the 40 smartest anime characters. Who knows? They might surprise you!
Armin Arlert (Attack On Titan)
It’s clear by now that the most intelligent character in this anime show, Armin Arlert, is no match for physical strength. Every time the Survey Corps goes out on a mission, he always has a plan; and his friends often consider him their leader. Without Armin- we wouldn’t have found out the identities of these Female, Colossal, or even Armored Titans- but also without him they couldn’t have been defeated.
Armin is an analytical person- one who deeply contemplates every situation and works to solve every problem using only his mind (which might mean other people sometimes don’t know what’s going on). But when you look at how much he loves humanity’s future? And how hard he tries to do everything within his power just to make things better? It becomes clear why so many people believe in him.
Rohan Kishibe(JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable)
He can be a bit abrasive at times, but he is also very compassionate. Rohan Kishibe is an enthusiastic mangaka with great talent for drawing and drafting comics who works hard to make the best manga possible. All of his wishes are in pursuit of being published and read by as many people as possible- even if this means sacrificing anything else he might want or need. Above all other motivations, what Rohan wants most is inspiration- something to inspire him to do good work which then inspires others too- because in turn when others see that his hard work is paying off they will follow suit and go further than him.
Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass)
Although he comes from nobility and educated background, Lelouch is the personification of innocence in appearance. Fitting for his personality as well, he prefers to live life without any worries or troubles – though this only extends so far before he takes up his alter ego as Zero. It’s when we see the true intention of this man that many begin to take notice; having a fanatical devotion to what he believes to be right, even if it means sacrificing everything else in order to do so.
Though seen with much admiration by many other fighters out there – due in part because they share similar beliefs – being revered by those around him doesn’t seem to phase him very much at all. And while one may think this would lead him into making emotional decisions rather quickly, quite the opposite can be said about how calculated he really is; which can easily be seen through how badly wreaked havoc upon Tokyo without batting an eye.
Saiko Intelli (My Hero Academia)
In the Provisional Hero License Exam, Saiko overestimated her abilities at first but quickly became determined and saw herself as a leader among others. Despite being very smart, she was not able to predict emotional driven actions (EQ) because it wasn’t something she understood well.
She questioned why Tsuyu, Mezo and Kyoka would return to save Momo even though one of them had likely been eliminated; they should have been worried about themselves too. After her defeat, which made her reflect on how people are motivated by emotions rather than logic alone, she eventually began understanding that there are different types of people who follow different rules.
Makoto Shishio (Rurouni Kenshin)
A sadistic bully and remorseless murderer, it’s only natural that Shishio doesn’t spare a moment for anyone but himself. But can this monster really be so heartless? Even without evidence, we know for sure that he’s still capable of feeling deep emotions for those closest to him; his rivalry with Kenshin and Yumi Komagata prove this enough for us. With an iron fist in one hand and trickery concealed in the other, you could say Shishio is a master at blending duty with pleasure – at least if you’re from the same league as tools such as Sjirou or Hisashi Hijikata.
Even though his attack on Seta had not succeeded last time they met there, Shishio was pleased when they encountered each other again during the Nether Region invasion. Surrounded by people whom he cared about yet could never see eye-to-eye with, it will surely become apparent who has control this time around…
Shishio is calculating – he has managed to evade the Meiji government for years now despite every attempt they made, and also managed to plan things out well enough so that his machinations nearly destroyed them. His intellect knows no bounds, seeing as how he was able to take advantage of Usui’s and Aoshi’s mindsets in order to get what he wanted. And if there’s one thing Shishio does well it’s learn from his mistakes – after taking a bullet for the brainpan during the Battle at Yotsuya Bridge, he made sure that wouldn’t happen again by wearing an iron-plated headband ever since.
Ray (The Promised Neverland)
Ray was often found alone, preferring to read a book over play with the other children who lived at the orphanage. Though Ray had little patience for most people, he loved his siblings dearly – even if they didn’t always get along. Despite all of this, Ray would go above and beyond to make sure that nothing ever happened to them. When Emma tried to take all the orphans away, Ray called her an airhead, but never explained why.
Ray has a talented mind, always thinking up schemes and plans that are sure to work. He also lacks compassion and doesn’t really care about others’ opinions or feelings; he stays clear of anything heartfelt so it doesn’t hurt him later on. For example, Ray faked his own death just because Emma made him feel terrible for doing something wrong. His whole life revolves around himself and he’ll do whatever it takes if it benefits him in some way – even if it means ruining other people’s lives.
Ciel Phantomhive (Black Butler)
Sebastian praised Ciel for his mindfulness and strong intuition, always solving problems by playing mental chess games with himself. His sole intention was to wreak vengeance upon the wicked. And though he would lose his own life in doing so, it seemed worth it when he looked at how much everyone liked him now. People seemed to respect him after all these years of hard work – and they followed what he said without question.
However, there were still some things that made him unhappy… every time someone stepped on Little Red Riding Hood’s toes or treated her poorly, Ciel almost couldn’t stand it! And whenever one of his beloved servants would ask for something or need anything extra special, you could bet your life that Ciel wouldn’t hesitate but do whatever they asked right away!
Ciel is young and still has much to learn about the world, but even so he knows how to take care of himself. He can be quite competitive when it comes to things he does well, particularly if others don’t agree with him or challenge him. It can also lead him to becoming overconfident in some cases; though if there are others around then they’ll usually remind him not to act too proud before someone knocks him down a peg or two. Most often than not, he’s able to laugh off his failures without taking them too seriously.
Norman (The Promised Neverland)
Norma is a young, gifted individual whose sole desire is to make every person he knows happy. Norma may come off as completely contradictive due to his different ideas and emotions; however, this does not stop him from constantly trying his best to please others around him. It just means that he values what feels right over what makes sense at times – an aspect which both Ray and Emma can relate to.
Even though they are on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to survival tactics, Norma will always find himself looking up to Emma – admiring her bravery while learning how she handles such situations with grace; until one day where Norma finds out something new about himself that would influence all future actions he takes. This newfound revelation made room for change in Norma’s heart – something which was long overdue.
Norman is the smartest one in Grace Field House, always scoring 100% on his daily quizzes. He likes to use what he learns in the simplest games like tag. He is an observant and logical thinker whose mind calculates every detail with ease. Norman can see things coming before they happen and knows how to prepare for them beforehand. When it comes down to him vs others, he’ll never back down because he knows everything will work out in his favor if he just keeps playing cautiously enough – at least that’s what he tells himself all the time. Norman places a lot of pressure on himself because of this though, making him nervous most of the time when it comes down to trying new things or accomplishing something.
Senku Ishigami (Dr. Stone)
Senku is confident, direct, and logical. He usually backs himself up with extensive knowledge, but he also recognizes when someone else has something important to say- even if they don’t know everything yet. When others take him by surprise or impress him with what they know, he’s quick to let them know it–positively amplifying their own emotions in the process.
Although he may feel down on himself at times for failing to see things through (like missing a key discovery), it doesn’t stop him from trying again next time because there’s always something new waiting around the corner for everyone to discover together.
Although it may sometimes seem that Senku is only thinking about himself, he does truly care about all living things. In truth, Senku has a strict moral code where no one who doesn’t deserve to perish will die – and those laws are followed by him until the end. Furthermore, when Senku creates something, he always ensures its safety first before anything else. The old man’s car seen in Ishigami Village is just one example of this principle being applied – despite having never seen the owner before or getting any favors from them at all.
The Major (Hellsing Ultimate)
The Major’s obsession with war distinguishes him from other characters. He tells us that he enjoys all aspects of fighting, including when he is on the losing side or puts himself at risk. His crazed infatuation with waging battles becomes clear when you see how much he admires Millennium’s destruction of earth and his unshakable self-confidence that was transferred onto others through his speeches.
Considering how much time he spent as a German soldier, it seems strange that there are no traces of an internationalist ideology visible in this character; even then, Hitler still found some time to spend on the Millennium project so that he would always have opportunities for bloodshed.
Once a woman met him, she found herself entranced by his demure manner. His voice was soft yet clear-sounding; he spoke with an undercurrent of humor that made her laugh often. His clothes were always nice but not pretentious – suits and ties appeared to be his favorite type of apparel, though he never wore any flashy colors or patterns. The only thing she wished she could see more of was his face – each time they spoke together it seemed as though he was trying to hold himself back from revealing something intimate about himself.
He addresses Alucard as my marvelous count despite hating him and Integra as my lady in respect. There’s no doubt that he cares deeply for his men, giving them inspirational speeches and rewards when they’re obedient, but not so much when they’re traitors who are ready to betray their country. He also has no problems punishing anyone who commits an act of disobedience – doing this once again brings joy to his heart.
Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Worry was one of those unique individuals that defied every single expectation you could place on her. Her bubbly yet ultimately caring personality were what made people gravitate around her – but it wasn’t just because of how she looked (which was admittedly quite beautiful). Along with being a caring individual, Worry loved to meddle in things when it seemed like someone needed assistance or did something wrong which endeared many friends to her.
These qualities are only further reinforced by the fact that Worry never hesitated from putting everything into helping others – even if it came at great personal cost, such as time away from home and family or not getting any sleep for days. No matter what happened or where she went, Worry always put herself last which illustrated both her caring nature and sheer selflessness.
Child Emperor (One Punch Man)
The Child Emperor is an ingenious person. His ability to logically think through situations and come up with plans for himself make him seem much older than he actually is. At the same time, his maturity does not stop him from becoming infuriated when people do not take him seriously. An intelligent individual who accepts criticism quickly, I feel that this all stems from his desire to be considered an equal at heart – instead of child who needs protecting constantly.
And yet there are times when no matter how hard he tries, he cannot escape being seen as just a mere child. Despite holding the highest rank of S-class heroes, it was inevitable for someone so young to become leader; something which bothers him greatly because it ruins his plan for peace amongst other higher ranked heroes.
Despite the challenges ahead of him, Doctor Pig isn’t getting down. Rather than focusing on stopping Eyesight – the fallen angel- level threat – Doctor Pig spends his time working on an antidote for other heroes. Furthermore, he couldn’t help but ask how the pig god was feeling after they had killed a deadly monster together.
Korosensei (Assassination Classroom)
It wasn’t long after Korosensei’s introduction that he quickly became one of the most peculiar characters in the story. He had some traits which were shared with his student, Okajima, such as being a rather strange individual and demanding absurd or seemingly mundane tasks when it came to schoolwork. One thing unique about him was how he claimed to be the reason for Earth’s destruction coming up soon – just over a year from now.
But it wasn’t too long before we saw him revert back to his old teaching style again; only this time instead of intimidating students with threats and rewards, he used empathy so they could understand what lesson was being taught at hand.
Korosensei was an empathetic, kindhearted person. He did everything in his power to help out his students – even if it meant destroying the world. Despite knowing he had one year left before Earth’s destruction – every single pupil loved him; trusting that he wouldn’t let it come true. Whether it be learning how to cook properly or even getting advice about what type of woman they should date, Korosensei always made sure he listened and helped them with whatever problem they were having at the time.
Dio Brando (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
No one was safe from this unquenchable thirst for power. No matter who they were – no matter how many times they stood up to him, or tried to oppose him in any way possible – it never mattered at the end of the day because there was always going to be another person stepping forward the next minute. And Dio wouldn’t stop until either everyone else fell down and surrendered, or he did; but rest assured that when one falls, another rises so fast you don’t even know what hit you until you’re flat on your back just like all those other nameless people you squashed without even realizing it. In every sense of the word, this is an endless cycle that will not be broken until time itself ceases to exist- and after all these years we can safely say that won’t happen anytime soon!
Light Yagami ( Note)
Light is a man consumed by genius. An ingenious thinker and even more inventive planner, Light works diligently towards his dreams while being praised continuously by his family, friends and teachers. Though he was born of the utmost brilliance with an honorable sense of justice, this did not last long before others recognized him as they well – thus giving way to the infamous Shinigami Notebook; which corrupted him quickly. Seeing how rotten this world was filled with evil men beyond salvation (or so he thought), he only used the power granted to him under one simple goal:
Cleanse them all away until nothing but goodness remains in its place. While this may seem questionable or even plain wrong in theory – it seems less like an error in practice when you examine what exactly happens each time those pages turn blank again after reading someone’s name off the list.
Using the Note quickly turned Light cruel and vile. Anything was an option in order to reach his goal, including manipulating his family and hurting those closest to him. Despite the way he acted which endangered the people closest to him- at times even himself-, he continued to show acts of love for them all. He does not allow Soichiro take drastic measures-increasing Mello’s chance of getting the note-to ensures Sayu remains safe; putting her life first despite everything else happening around him.
Yumeko Jabami (Kakegurui)
Yumeko is shown to be a bright and inviting woman. She never ceases to amaze those around her. Not only does she befriend people who used to despise her but she also attracts the attention of everyone in the school; whether they are socializing or simply having class. Yumeko plays this part at her first day at school and continues on for every single one after it; if not more than that.
This side of herself is seen during games where instead of playing with an innocence and naivety, Yumeko would then turn into an aggressive blood-thirsty person – making her eyes red and frightening off opponents – which changes how she would act. Though normally pretty kind, Yumeko doesn’t hold back when punishing someone for cheating through dice rolls or questioning their tactics; no matter what words are thrown at them from being exposed as cheaters – even though these harsh words come from someone gentle such as Yumeko.
She knows that she’s different from most people and enjoys having fun with this as well; so much so, in fact, that she welcomes encouragement from her friends. Yet, even though Yumeko doesn’t feel bad about how many people she has hurt during a gamble- because they were all willing participants-she does still feel some guilt for not feeling sorry for them. She says that while it feels great to make someone else suffer just because they made the mistake of crossing paths with you, she finds herself frustrated by this lack of concern.
Johan Liebert (Monster)
Johan doesn’t appear to be a goody-two shoes at first glance. He’s charming, amicable and caring but you can tell he’s also detached from society because of his composure. All of these qualities make people gravitate towards him because they’re taken in by how perfect Johan makes himself seem. No one seems to know the true extent of what goes on inside his mind or what he is capable of until it happens but eventually, everyone catches onto Johans game after awhile which creates a big shock later down the line when things turn sour for whatever person gets involved with Johan.
At the end of the day though no one knows who will come out alive from this situation either way but hopefully some day someone will finally figure out how to put an end to it all once and for all so no more people have to experience what we did back then at Kinderheim 511.
Johan has a nihilistic view of life, feeling that life has no true meaning at all. He claims that most lives will eventually be forgotten by the universe and they’ll only be there for a flash before disappearing forever, which is why he doesn’t kill his victims but instead makes them do it themselves. His philosophy derives from how lonely he felt when everyone around him died – people who were near to him or those whom had been close friends, alike.
Alphard Alshua (Canaan)
After doing something terrible to the person she viewed as her father, Alphard felt no regret and refused to admit it. It was evident in how each day she spent moving further away from those who once cared for her– ignoring them. Constantly reminding herself of what had happened helped keep a sense of sanity alive inside of her but also made reality around her seem fake.
Though some might think Althad is mute, they’d be wrong; though again everyone has different expectations– ‘she doesn’t talk’– but really when you listen closely you can hear faint whispers coming from somewhere else. As if Althad were speaking not to people but instead fighting with herself about what had happened before-if anything at all-to grasp onto some hope for the future or just let go and stay in that moment forevermore – a perpetual prisoner trapped within oneself and left haunted by ghosts past.
Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Muzan is an icier than ice, ruthless creature who values nothing – least of all his human subjects. Even when he ends the life of one of his own droplets, Muzan maintains a stoic attitude for fear it will break the spell over others who consider him god-like. When faced with something to which he cannot stand up against, or someone who will not submit, Muzan erupts in anger and displays tremendous displeasure without fail; flinging insults left and right at anyone unlucky enough to cross paths with him. Many demons find themselves enchanted by this side – awed by his dark personality and demeanor.
People are nothing but servants who exist to please him, so he does not tolerate anyone mocking or correcting him. He also does not care if people oppose him or threaten his goal because he believes himself to be superior than them. When an intoxicated man insulted the Fallen Angel Muzan and killed two other people for being unpleasant towards him, muzan killed them along with the girlfriend – even though she did nothing wrong – because of their pettiness and refusal to accept mockery/laughter.
It is clear that Muzan has very high expectations of himself and wishes to do as much damage as possible when humiliated; showing how unwell he is mentally. After confronting Kagaya Ubuyashiki, it became obvious that this man felt bad about himself; expressing pity while expressing regret towards life – which only makes Muzan dislike humans even more than before due to his feeling offended by those words.
Ranpo Edogawa (Bungo Stray Dogs)
An innumerable number of cases were solved instantly by Ranpo’s amazing skills. The Armed Detective Agency commends his intelligence without mentioning any flaws – despite him being devoid of talent. He typically boasts about himself as the world’s best detective, but most times he gets lazy and refuses to do anything because he doesn’t want to bother with it or has a grudge against them (especially if they’re police). Even though Super Deduction is required for much simpler things such as going to school or returning home, without it Ranpo will fail miserably in doing so.
Yet when situations call for it – Ranpo can be serious and composed at all times even during intense moments where others would usually lose composure. This turned out well considering how Sakurazuka managed to think up a good plan that saved Fukuzawa from dying from the virus inside him – which Yamada (Yosano) knew all too well after spending years working together closely with him.
Though his coworkers seem to think otherwise, he knows deep down that his Super Deduction isn’t a supernatural power. When Fukuzawa first told him this in front of Ranpo, he seemed reluctant to believe it; but after the Yokohama fog incident which was caused by Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, he confessed openly about being what society considered normal.
Izaya Orihara (Durarara!!)
Izaya loved humans – even though his definition of this word was a tad bit different than how one would expect it to be. His calm nature made him seem friendly, and he always seemed to know what people were thinking before they spoke it. Izaya could also move in an agile way; using his skills as a free-runner and parkourist to escape danger or fight back if need be.
Sebastian Michaelis (Kuroshitsuji)
Sebastian, a head butler for the Phantomhive family, does everything in his power to ensure Ciel’s orders are obeyed. Despite these efforts, Sebastian often complains about what he considers unfair treatment at work or home. His way of keeping things interesting is by managing both tasks well – even if it means long hours spent doing so without rest. Sebastian never fails to answer Yes, my lord! when questioned about one particular order from Ciel: to kill himself should anything happen to him.
Sebastian’s butler persona is perfect. This perfection extends to his performance of every job assigned to him, which he undertakes with the utmost grace and ease. However, despite this façade, Sebastian is a vile fallen angel who does not fight fairly – attacking those at Ciel’s command without hesitation-and has been known to put both Ciel himself as well as other innocent bystanders in danger purely for sport.
He shows concern whenever an enemy becomes too dangerous or threatening towards either of them-such as when Angelina Dalles threatens Ciel’s life-yet displays no mercy whatsoever. He follows his own ethos faithfully; never adopting ideals outside of what pleases him best-which means that he does not sign multiple contracts if it doesn’t suit him. His main purpose is to take over Ciel’s soul so that he can reap its rewards; so far making little progress in this matter.
Sebastian is captivated by humans, who in turn see themselves as superior beings. They are tough beasts who know no bounds or morality when it comes to bringing down others for sport. Similarly, Sebastian and I both abhor Grim Reapers – money only holds value because society deems it so; materialism has nothing to do with the world beyond this one’s own understanding of it, which leaves little room for anything else. Not only does he speak French and Latin well enough to teach them (albeit reluctantly), but he can also speak East Franconian – a southern German dialect – fluently.
Aru Akise (Mirai Nikki)
Aru was very intelligent and shrewd. The other characters around him had futuristic journals that could predict the future, but he still managed to outwit them all. Perceptive of even the smallest nuances, he used these things to his advantage when needed most. He also kept quiet about how he felt inside–except for when it came time to stop Yuno from killing Yukiteru.
However, even then Aru did not hesitate in putting himself at risk if it meant stopping her once again; making this clear by aiding Minene Uryu (someone known for terrorism), throughout the course of the series -all without questioning whether or not what they were doing was against the law or not. As much as Aru cared for people, that didn’t mean he would let morality come between what he wanted; which often included manipulating others along with breaking laws when necessary in order to get what it was exactly that he wanted.
Meruem (Hunter X Hunter)
At first, Meruem was ruthless with the humans he considered to be food. He had little empathy or remorse for them and treated them as if they were beneath him. This changed when he became aware of the inequality in human society – after which all he wanted was to create a new world without it. With amnesia taking away his memories, he become far less aggressive and almost sympathetic towards others. Nowadays, power means protecting those who need protection while showing mercy to those at fault; not being tyrannical over those who are weaker and deserve life.
Shougo Makishima (Psycho-Pass)
Makishima was a man who always admired the worst parts of human nature. He had no problem inflicting pain onto others for his own amusement and would go so far as to convince them to do it themselves. His pure white Psycho-Pass isn’t just because of what he faced at an early age but also due to this talent for manipulating people.
Kurapika (Hunter X Hunter)
Kurapika has a vast knowledge base. Though he is reluctant to talk about himself, he can be insightful and critical when needed; these traits give him an edge over others who might not work as hard or as smart. It takes great effort on his part to remain calm, but it’s always worth it because of the positive outcomes that follow. Sometimes it takes some patience from those around him in order for Kurapika to do what needs doing – so they can see that sometimes this quiet personality hides immense strength.
Conan Edogawa (Detective Conan)
While Conan’s body has regressed to that of an eight-year old, his mind remained just as sharp and intelligent. He was awarded the titles Heisei Holmes and Savior of the Japanese police force. As Shinichi he sees himself as two people; one being an adult who solves mysteries while the other is a child.
Shiro (No Game, No Life)
Shiro, a genius at logic and math, struggles with socialization and understanding how to relate to people. Her only solace comes from being around Sora, who helps her when it comes to emotional situations that she cannot solve herself due to her lack of empathy. Shiro does not show much emotion or speak often in anything other than short phrases that come across cold. She is also an unmatched chess player- so far having never lost a game against anybody; even against Tet whom she defeats playing both sides.
Shiro always loved math and numbers more than anything else but after meeting Sora realized they could be used for something greater than just proving things logically correct – they could be used as weapons too. For this reason, she fights monsters alongside Sora whenever he needs help; making up for what he lacks while he makes up for what she lacks socially.
Rein Kashiwagi (Darwin’s Game)
Rein is well versed in life and has seen the worst of what it could throw at her. Though most would underestimate her due to her young age, the things she has learned through living experiences makes her one of the wisest among them all. Tenderness doesn’t fall outside her grasp – such a wondrous talent that endeared herself even more despite everything else already setting her apart from other children like Nayuta.
From then onwards, whenever one mentions how she acted during these trying times, they make sure to add for someone as young as yourself. And yet because this mockery still persists throughout these times of peace – misconstrued thoughts amassing behind her stoic facade – Rein decides to not respond further anymore out of fear that something might happen if those words were forced out once again.
Unlike Shuka, who is very emotional, Rein is usually calm and analytical. She says she has two parts of herself- one that appeals to her emotions, and another part that observes calmly and compares them to depersonalization. As a result, she is shown to be calm under pressure even in sensitive situations where others might become panicked or anxious; for instance, when her parents separated. Even though she admits she envies Sui’s candor at times- something which helps him thrive during Darwin’s Game-she also acknowledges that her composure has helped her survive this game despite its challenges.
Zora Ideale (Black Clover)
When it comes to those higher up than him, Zora has a hostile attitude. Not only does he look down on them but even concocts fake stories against them just so he can defame them; there isn’t anyone safe from this man’s judgement. After all of this, you would think that if someone was on equal ground with him they would escape scot-free but no! Alongside his feeling towards aristocrats come insults of commoners too.
The Royal Knight Captain is more than happy to be abusive to anybody near enough – even if they’re poor nobodies or rich nobles alike. His disregard for others’ wellbeing goes beyond demeaning those who deserve it and extends right back to those without power or privilege alike– because when things get tough for someone else, its difficult for him too; living an insecure life helps nobody.
Medusa (Soul Eater)
Her care and concern for others like Maka Albarn and her wise counsel to students at the Academy made Medusa respected among the student body. However, as she revealed later on through Franken Stein’s perspective, there is much more than meets the eye under her seemingly sweet demeanor – she is full of lies and only cares about herself. Her plans are intricate and complicated – even surpassing those devised by DWMA scientists- which led everyone including death himself wonder if there would ever be an end to this woman’s evil deeds.
Though Medusa might seem wicked at times, it was difficult to disregard her cunning ability to come up with successful schemes time after time again. There were moments when one could see how deep down inside where still good intentions left abandoned; but alas it seemed nothing could change or correct what had already been done in the past.
Naraku (Inuyasha)
For instance, when he mislead both Inuyasha and Kikyo into believing the other deceived them. And so they fought one another. It was brilliant how well-crafted his deception was; no one could see through it except for Inuyasha and Kikyo themselves. This actually seemed to please Naraku greatly – that the two were fighting because they were too arrogant to work together despite having been tricked by him. But still, this only added fuel onto his fire, as it made little difference whether or not he succeeded in fooling someone if there were never any consequences from doing so.
He enjoyed taunting both of them before leaving them unconscious on the ground with a smirk drawn across his face. However often he escaped out of dangerous situations unscathed just because he managed to come up with yet another clever plan at last minute – this didn’t make up for how much pain he put others through beforehand; especially those who bore witness to such events firsthand…
Naraku was devoid of many emotions like love and compassion, which is clearly illustrated through his actions towards Kohaku. For example, even after doing everything under the sun for him; from healing his wounds to taking care of him – nothing could make Sango end Kohaku’s life. It seemed as if Naraku felt he needed these emotions in order to survive; but at the same time they hindered his ability to live freely without being bogged down by such trivial matters.
Vash The Stampede (Trigun)
The identity of Vash was revealed in the very first episode of Trigun. If it hadn’t been for Vash’s ability to think outside of the box, his true identity would have been revealed immediately – and thus no other episodes would’ve followed after. A genius at manipulating others, he always appears confident that can’t be matched with someone so infamous like him – yet he possesses one thing they all don’t: intellect. Anyone who has enough brains to effectively manipulate people deserves a spot on this list and Vash is no exception.
Tenya Iida (My Hero Academia)
Tenya has always been noted as a clever and deceptive man. He doesn’t do small talk nor express strong emotions; but, beneath his tough exterior is an honest and compassionate heart. Beneath all that stiff outer shell, Tenya tries to live up to what he sees himself being – the perfect student – which means focusing on only one task at a time without feeling weighed down by petty worries about other things going on outside of what’s important to him.
With this personality flaw set in stone from the day he was born thanks to his family heritage as elite, Tenya never ceases to amaze people with how much dedication goes into everything that he does which usually leaves some kind of trail behind for everyone else too see.
Tenya is a hardworking student, who always strives to better himself through learning and practicing heroics. He has an unruly side which often bothers his classmates when he isn’t at school; they wish he would focus on being more orderly. Tenya takes up the responsibility of maintaining order among his peers when there are problems because he was elected class representative and hero-in-training. When there are dangers present – whether it be from villains or accidents – Tenya knows how to act quickly but carefully in order to keep everyone calm and prepared for what might happen next.
Shikamaru Nara (Naruto Shippuden)
Shikamaru is the type of person who likes to do as little as possible while still living his life. He’ll sleep, play games, observe the sky – anything that doesn’t need him to exert himself too much. And it usually works out for him because he doesn’t have many commitments other than his school work. However this changes when Sasuke returns from his training trip with Jiraiya- sensei. Once they meet up again at Naruto and Kakashi’s chuunin exam, Shikamaru goes back to being his old self and starts avoiding confrontation altogether, no matter what type of problem arises.
Compassionate and loyal, Shikamaru cares deeply about those around him. From an early age, these qualities allowed him to see the potential within himself – even when no one else would believe it. But despite this love for those close to him, he struggles with showing such kindnesses often due to feeling inadequate in some aspects. However, through many trials and tribulations-from protecting his village from invaders during the warring era, to defending its people from criminals after Hiruzen’s death–he found that being there for others wasn’t nearly as hard as it had been before all his achievements were made known. And soon enough, other responsibilities came at every turn…
Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)
From the moment Aizen first appeared before him, Toshiro sensed that something was wrong. Though he said all the right things and presented himself as an amiable person – Toshiro knew there had to be something lurking beneath this facade. It soon became clear what his true intentions were when he began ruthlessly murdering innocent people left and right in order to attain a higher ranking position within Soul Society.
Kurisu Makise (Steins; Gate)
Kurisu always stays true to herself- even when things become uncontrollable. With stoic composure, she easily handles tense situations until they resolve themselves. Her more timid side surfaces less often than before, since her time spent with Okabe-san teaches her to appreciate the moments where one can just relax without having anything bother them. Usually indifferent towards other people’s opinion of him, there is a hidden moment in which he cares enough about what Kurisu thinks of him; an important detail that goes hand-in-hand with his feeling for her! Luckily for him – his nickname doesn’t seem to bother her too much anymore now that they’re closer friends. While being unwilling at first, slowly but surely she is willing to believe Okabe when he talks about all his theories relating to how steins gate functions properly!
Kyosuke is strong-minded and matter-of-fact, evidenced in how he treats both Okabe and Daru. He may be gruff with those who deserve it but he is never unkind to people who are deserving of respect. Kyosuke typically spends time interacting with others – namely those other than Okabe or Daru. Whenever they call him tsundere, though this upsets him, he shrugs it off because he knows what they mean by the term – after all, isn’t that just another way of saying strong willed?
Aguero Agnes Khun (Tower of God)
Khun is another one of those people who are quick on their feet, so they need to be watched closely. Khun also has many skills – both physically and mentally. He can come up with plans that take many twists and turns while they always end up going according to plan. Khun might not seem strong when it comes down to fighting, but he’s still stronger than most other people because of how smart he is and what some hidden tricks may be. It was quite clear at the clock room puzzle – even though this was just speculation too – that Rak did make an appearance there, but this does not matter much since we already know about him anyways.
Sora (No Game, No Life)
Sora is the smart and calculating partner of his twin sister Shiro. Though they are often seen together, Sora spends most of his time at home playing video games instead. He can’t even remember how many times he’s been abandoned by their parents – all he cares about is dominating in videogames. When things start getting too messy for him to handle, Sora knows just what to do…or rather when it comes down to beating somebody at a videogame or anything else, even if it means breaking something up first. It makes sense that only one thing would matter this much to him considering both his upbringing and lack thereof; which leaves him cold-hearted towards others besides himself and those close around him (namely Shiro).
He fearlessly faced off against anyone he played, including those who were well-known rule breakers because they believed in the might of chess. There was always some sort of manipulative tendency with Sora’s character but all his attributes worked in unison with their sister’s calculated and rational way.
There was an unbreakable bond between him and Shiro, who couldn’t bear being separated from each other no matter what happened – especially if they had any disagreements or arguments. He’d go from bravely confronting one opponent to turning into a coward when something would keep them apart for just a few minutes; however he would revert back to normal once she came back into his life again.
Tanya Degurechaff (Saga of Tanya The Evil)
Tanya is a soldier unlike any other – she not only overwhelms her opponents on the battlefield, but also excels in battle strategy. The government often takes her opinion into consideration and bases their decisions off of it because of how insightful she is; which makes sense because Tanya was always spot-on about where everything would go wrong for them.
On top of being strategic, Tanya does well to put others back in their place – whether it be internationally or just individually. Though Tanya may seem like an evil person (especially compared to those we’ve encountered before), she actually serves as one of the most respectable protagonists in all history – which makes her the best villain ever seen!
With that, we’re going to go ahead and leave the list at forty. If you think there are any other smartest characters that should be on this list, or if you just want to chat with us about anime in general, then please feel free to comment below. We hope you enjoyed this list of some of the most intelligent Anime Characters from various series. Let us know who your favorites are and which other Anime Characters should have been included on our list!
