Strong characters are a dime a dozen in the world of anime, which is why it's so impressive when characters are able to compete with near-demi gods sheerly thanks to their intellect. While a lot of shows are about a strong character, or a character getting strong, smart characters have their own place among anime's elite. Characters like Shikamaru from Naruto are so smart, that they're able to overcome the biggest problems by simply using their brain. Other characters like Ayanokoji from Classroom of the Elite still use their intelligence, albeit for less noble means.

Intelligent characters in anime are always hard to understand. They're thinking a few steps ahead of everyone in their own series, and the viewer as well. It takes a lot of skill to write a character so smart that they're in a league of their own. Whenever an anime series does feature an extra-smart character,...