When fans think of anime protagonists, they think of characters that possess the most interesting and powerful traits in the franchise. The main characters tend to have distinct abilities and special skill sets that uniquely qualify them to lead the story in an interesting way, but a character who is good at everything tends to be a bit of a bore for fans.
It often happens that the protagonists of anime have huge and obvious flaws in their personalities. For many main characters, particularly in shonen anime, intellect is one of these flaws. Protagonists tend to be on the goofier side of the scale, allowing unique and cool characters to pick up the slack.
10 Naruto: Shikamaru was the smartest Leaf Genin
The world of naruto has a wide variety of characters with above average intelligence. These characters have forged skills on the battlefield and honed instincts and strategies that make them deadly killing machines.
But while Naruto himself has certainly developed an aptitude for battle wisdom, it’s obvious to fans that he’s no genius. the smartest of the naruto The cast is surely Shikamaru Nara, who boasted an incredible IQ from a very young age. Shikamaru may just be a supporting character, but he has the brains of a leading man.
9 The Promised Neverland: Norman was a genius among geniuses
Unlike many shonen anime, The Promised Neverland It’s a story where almost all the characters are geniuses to some degree. While they have their unique specialties and interests, each main anime character boasts well above average IQs.
Despite that, the anime’s main character Emma appears to be the least intelligent of the bunch. Instead, that title would go to Norman who, as a preteen, managed to devise a plan that would overthrow an entire world of demons and allow his family to prosper.
8 Dragon Ball: Bulma is even smarter than she seems
Many classic shonen protagonists tend to be on the simpler side of intellect. This is particularly true for Goku in the Dragon Ball Serie. Goku is one of the most powerful warriors in the universe, but he’s still a bit of a goof when it comes to intelligence.
Fortunately for him, he has a wide variety of friends to help him when the need arises. The oldest of these friends is Bulma, whom he met when he began his journey. Bulma is many things, but above all she is an excellent inventor.
7 One Piece: Usopp is the Smartest Straw Hat Pirate
One piece is an enchanting adventure of friends and pirates. The best man to lead that story was without a doubt Monkey D. Luffy. But when it comes to intelligence, Luffy doesn’t quite clear the bar.
Fans love him for his down-to-earth and straight-forward take on the world, but when the Straw Hats need brains, there are plenty of other crew members to turn to. Usopp may not be the most cultured or scientifically gifted, but he has proven smart and cunning enough to survive in a world much stronger than him.
6 Attack On Titan: Armin’s intellect saved him from death
attack on titan it’s a complex story with deep characters and rich world-building. Its main character, Eren Jaeger, is one of the most interesting personalities in modern anime. But Eren can be a bit silly at times, particularly in attack on titanThe first seasons of .
While you could always count on him to fight with all his might and try harder than anyone else, the role of strategist often fell to the feet of his best friend Armin. Armin is a coward at times, but there’s no denying that he has a natural aptitude for strategy in serious moments.
5 Hunter X Hunter: Killua is a prodigy in everything
hunter x hunter it is like many shonen anime in that its main character is simpler. Gon is a charming protagonist who is absolutely adored by fans. He also has a surprisingly deep emotional complexity that came through during the Chimera Ant arc.
But despite his depth and power, Gon was never considered smart. While Killua isn’t a super genius, the bar isn’t exactly high when your best friend is a classic Shonen goofball. Killua’s training as a master assassin gives him an advantage in the intelligence department.
4 Haikyuu: Kenma is Karasuno’s genius rival
haikyuu has a unique brand of intelligence in the world of shonen anime. Unlike many of his peers, haikyuu it doesn’t have characters with decades of experience in warfare or surviving in a world of demons. It’s a simple story of high school volleyball players, but their ability to create intelligent characters comes through anyway.
Hinata may not be a genius, but her rival Kenma certainly is. Kenma is the setter for the Nekoma volleyball team and is considered the brains of their operations. His entire playstyle is centered around his strategies and skills as a setter.
3 Steins;Gate: Kurisu brings scientific credibility to Okabe’s lab
jugs; door is a complex science fiction anime that explores the devastating world of time travel. Most of his character would be considered intelligent in one way or another. It’s hard to pin down how smart the main character is due to his wacky personality, but his lack of progress before the start of the anime indicates that he’s not an intellectual titan.
Fortunately for Okabe, he would meet Kurisu Makise early in the story. Kurisu is everything that Okabe is not. She is a genius scientist with a background that more than proves her worth as an academic.
two My Hero Academia: Momo has to be a genius for her quirk
Unlike many shonen anime protagonists, Deku is quite intelligent. Fans first met him when he was diligently taking notes and studying the various powers that superheroes use in everyday society. But compared to him, Momo Yaoyorozu is a super genius.
His unique ability to create any non-living material requires him to constantly study and memorize the complex chemical composition of everything he creates. It’s a difficult skill that could only work for a character as smart as her.
1 Yu Yu Hakusho: Kurama keeps Yusuke alive with his cunning
Like many of his shonen contemporaries, Yusuke Urameshi of Yuyu Hakusho he is a complete buffoon. He is the pinnacle of muscle over brain and accomplishes all of his feats with the sheer power of his fists. While this often gets him into trouble, fans find this aspect of the character endearing.
That said, even Yusuke occasionally needs some intelligence on his side. That often comes in the form of Kurama. Kurama is a fox demon and has the cunning to match. Fans love Kurama’s backstory, but most of all they love his wit.
