Intelligence can mean a lot of different things, such as keen intuition, deeply held wisdom, or emotional intelligence. There are plenty of characters in anime that fit this description, and they're often the most interesting, memorable, and important characters in a story. Sometimes their intelligence is part of what drives the drama, while other times it's a defining part of their character.RELATED: Greatest Idol Anime Of All TimeEvery group has a "smart" member, and they often take the role of planner, leader, or teacher in every anime. Occasionally this is a peripheral character that exists to narrate the backstory or dump exposition on the viewer. Regardless of their function, they're some of the most intelligent characters in the animated world, and it's tough to choose only ten of them.Updated April 9, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose: The more anime, the more smart characters, and there's no shortage of anime these days. Now that the genre has risen permanently from obscurity to take its rightful place as a major player in the world of entertainment, every production company or streaming service has a whole library of anime for viewers to enjoy. That means there are even more of the most clever, the shrewdest, and most intelligent anime characters to add to our list.

14 Kakashi Hatake, Naruto

Kakashi Hatake Naruto Boruto

It's fitting that one of the smartest characters in one of the most popular anime of all time would be a teacher. Kakashi Hatake is the teacher of the group that consists of Naruto's main cast of characters. Not only does he have a lot of influence on them and their development, but also on the plot.

When the audience is first introduced to Kakashi, he's not very impressive on any level. He seems lazy and even weak, but as more of his character is revealed, viewers find out he's a powerful ninja and a deeply intelligent and thoughtful person. His feigned indifference is part of a clever trick to put others off guard. Kakashi evolves into the main character and appears throughout the manga, anime, and movies that make up the Naruto franchise.

13 Erwin Smith, Attack On Titan

Commander Erwin Smith charging into battle

As the 13th Commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith was known for his keen intelligence and brilliant ideas along with a certain cold determination. He was willing to sacrifice his soldiers if he thought it was for the greater good, and the troops under his command always seemed willing to die for him.

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Erwn Smith was a leader with a long and famous legacy. He was present from the very beginning of both the anime and the manga. He developed the Long-Distance Enemy Scouting Formation, a tactic that cut down on their mortality rate considerably.

12 Jin, Samurai Champloo

9-Samurai-Champloo-1

One of the first things about Jin that sets him apart from the average wandering bum is his obvious education. He has a refined way of speaking, and his talent with a sword reveals an extended and dedicated learning experience. This story takes place in medieval Japan, so any kind of academic training alone would make him more intelligent, but Jin is also smart in other ways.

As the story unfolds, it's revealed that Jin was the top student at his school and was intended entended to become the next Master, but things went horribly awry. His wandering since then hasn't been aimless, but a strategic way of dodging those who would seek revenge. He's set up as the polar opposite of the barbaric Mugen, who seems to revel in his total lack of even the basic learning skills.

11 Asuka, Neo Genesis Evangelion

evangelion-asuka-langley

Asuka Langley Soryu isn't just the accomplished pilot of 002. She's also the picture of academic achievement. When Asuka first arrives on the scene in Evangelion, she already speaks three languages and holds a university degree. That's pretty decent for a 14-year-old and makes her one of anime's most intelligent characters.

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In the early stages of planning for the original series, she was intended as the main character and a model Eva pilot, which is part of the reason she has a long academic record. What Asuka lacks, however, is emotional intelligence, and this is something that evolves with her character as the story progresses.

10 Jinora, The Legend of Korra

Jinora Legend of Korra playing with spirit bunnies with Tenzin in the background

It's not just quiet wisdom that sets the oldest of Tenzin's children apart from the others, but also her high level of academic and emotional intelligence. Jinora is the kind of person who's always seeking out knowledge and is often pictured on the show reading a book, a stark contrast to her screaming siblings and the rather ham-fisted, though well-intentioned, Avatar Korra.

It's both Jinora's intuition and her keen mind that allows her to commune with spirits that other people can't even see. This connection with the spirits is part of what leads the Avatar to defeat the dark spirit Vaatu and re-open the spirit portals.

9 Koro-Sensei, Assassination Classroom

Koro Sensei of Assassination Classroom

Formerly a deadly assassin known only as The Reaper, Koro-Sensei had a variety of useful skills for those that would aspire to be killers. He had a whole lifetime as a human being to hone his craft, and now he's ready to impart this knowledge to his eager students after his transformation.

When it came time for him to transform, he deliberately chose a form that would seem off-putting, even harmless or silly, to fool potential victims. He's fiercely protective of his students, however, which betrays his better instincts despite his status in the plot as an antihero.

8 Dio Brando, Jojo's Bizzare Adventure

Dio Brando laughing

An intelligent antagonist is always more fun than a dull one, and Dio Brando's creative villainy is part of the charm of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He's definitely a survivor, not only of a terrible childhood but an equally awful mentor in the shape of his nasty father, making him one of the smartest characters in the story.

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Dio Brando is a master of manipulation, reading the feelings of others, and using charm and trickery to steal everything from them. The whole first season is about the web of deception that Dio weaves around the unsuspecting and honorable Joestar family, and that sets up the whole story for several more generations.

7 Winry Rockbell, Full Metal Alchemist

winry full metal alchemist looking through a scope with confused Edward

In a show filled with people who think they're smarter than they are, it's time to give it up for the engineer and baker, Winry Rockbell. While Edward is messing with the existential powers of alchemy, occasionally getting beaten, buried, or blown up, it's Winry that literally puts him together again.

Winry didn't just build these prosthetics, however. She also maintained them throughout the series with the proper parts and tweaks. It was only because of her brilliance that Edward is able to win the battles he does. Even if Winry does make the occasional oversight she's still one of the smartest characters on the show.

6 Ray, The Promised Neverland

Ray from the Promised Neverland

Ray is one of the main characters in The Promised Neverland, and he's the smartest student at the Grace Field House. He doesn't just use his brains to get perfect scores on his exams, either. Ray knows the terrible secret of the school, that it's really a place for demons to prey on children, and he uses his smarts to protect his friends and family from becoming victims.

His skills as one of the most intelligent anime characters don't end there. Ray also manages to plan and execute a successful escape, taking his companions with him. Emma and Norman were two of his closest friends, and they were also known for their intellectual prowess.

5 Mokoto Kusanagi, Ghost In the Shell

Promo art featuring characters from Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

The Mokoto of the original movie was having an existentialist crisis and expressed it by quoting poetry and waxing philosophical about the nature of life. With that, the audience knew she was smart on some level. The question remained, however, was it her flirtation and eventual union with Project 2401 that pushed her to the next level, as fans see in the sequel? Or was she always like that?

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The array of prequels currently in circulation portrays the Major as a master hacker and aggressive tactician that was always academically inclined, especially when it came to literature. Her natural intelligence was what made the Puppet Master seek her out in the first place.

4 Ami Mizuno, Sailor Moon

The Sailor Scouts posing on a rooftop in Sailor Moon

Before Usagi knew Ami as Sailor Mercury, it was safe to say she hated her. A lot of the girls at school cut their eyes at Ami, fiercely jealous of her academic skills, and the boys would beat her up for being a "nerd." It's the physically intimidating Makoto, also known as Sailor Jupiter, who stands up for Ami when some other kids bully her.

Ami is never in a leadership position in the show, but she's always the person fixing things, looking stuff up, and dispensing advice. Overall, Ami Mizuno is one of the most intelligent anime characters. She's clever at using her mostly-defensive powers to be as effective as possible, and her favorite weapon is a hand-held computer.

3 Integra Van Helsing, Van Helsing

integra van hellsing close up surrounded by guns

When it comes to long-term planning, there's nobody cooler or smarter than the Bureau Director of the Hellsing Organization and the last of the Hellsing family line. Integra lost her father as a child before he could really explain their connection to Dracula. At a very young age, she not only had to solve that riddle but dodge some nasty assassins while doing it.

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Integra's portrayal as an adult has varied slightly in the numerous anime and manga versions of the story. What's consistent, though, is her iron will, her deadly calm, and her razor-sharp wit. Part of her confidence relies on her ace-in-the-hole, the deadly and immortal Alucard — but bear in mind that Alucard spends most of his time asleep while Integra runs the show.

2 Bulma, Dragon Ball

The classic Dragonball series was more about adventure and comedy than action and duels, and the team wouldn't have succeeded in their quest had it not been for Bulma and her brains. Part of it is genetics, as her father was the equally brilliant Dr. Brief, founder of the Capsule Corporation, and she's easily the smartest character in the series.

Bulma's engineering talents with alien technology saved the gang many times, as did her creative and unique inventions. After the first series, she continued her work but appeared less in the show, busy with family life as the wife of Vegeta and the mother of Trunks and Bulla.

1 L, Death Note

L from Death Note

The greatest battle of wits ever to play out in the history of anime took place between the main character of Death Note, Yagami Light, and this character, known for most of the time only as L. Even though L did lose in the end, he held his own against a begin with godlike powers even though he had no such powers himself.

L introduced himself to audiences by outsmarting Light before he even met him, without even knowing where or who he was. He also would have beaten Light if the show's protagonist hadn't gotten lucky with an extra shinigami, who happened to be in love with Light's girlfriend.

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