My Hero Academiamay place most of its emphasis on winning battles by using quirks, but sometimes it takes more than that. Brains over muscles are often overlooked, but pro heroes and heroes in training alike need to be as intellectually sound as they are physically capable.
Some of the greatest battles are won before the warriors even reach the battlefield, and it’s thanks to those who possess the talent to read what’s right in front of them. Unfortunately for the pro heroes inMy Hero Academia, the villainous organizations have some brains of their own.
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These ten characters, regardless of whether they fall on the side of good or evil, are among the smartest in the entire story. Their IQ level has often led to the planning of a variety of strategies that have led their side to win battles and turn the tables on the other end.
10Tsuyu Asui
Alias — Rainy Season Hero: Froppy
Anime Debut
Episode 5, “What I Can Do for Now”
Don’t let her innocent smile fool you, Tsuyu Asui has the ability to use her quirk, Frog, in many ways that can even out the playing field. What makes her stand out from many of the other heroes in training is her ability to find new ways to incorporate her quirk for multi-use situations.
Possessing the powers of a frog doesn’t seem to be too enticing at first, especially when you consider some quirk users can launch fireballs from their hands. Froppy is different in the sense that she can think quickly on the fly, and switch from an all-out assault to a supportive role.
Her brilliant use of her quirk is just one of many ways Froppy showcases her genius. She finished fourth among all her classmates during her primary exams, and she’s emotionally intelligent in moments where her fellow heroes are unsure of themselves.
9Tenya Iida
Alias — Turbo Hero: Ingenium
Episode 3, “Roaring Muscles”
Less surprising on this list is the inclusion of Tenya Iida, a UA student that scores in the top-5 more often than not in every exam he takes part in. Not only is Iida dedicated to his studies, one of his favorite pastimes is opening up a book and diving deep into his academics.
On top of that, Iida also makes wonderful use of his Engine quirk, which prioritizes his intense speed while running. Considering he discovered that he could power up his quirk by ripping off his leg engines, and his dedication to following through with it, Iida is as mentally tough as he is smart.
As Ingenium, Iida is often one of the few students that others can rely on to concoct a plan when a threat is looming. Sure, he may be annoying at times, and his voice tends to break the sound barrier when he gets excited, but Iida is often correct in how he approaches most situations.
8Mei Hatsume
Alias — Founder of Lightly Labs
Episode 15, “Roaring Sports Festival”
A list of intelligent characters inMy Hero Academiawouldn’t feel right without the gearhead head herself, Mei Hatsume. Wise despite her young age, Hatsume can often be found inside a laboratory, inventing new methods to keep the heroes of the academy safe and sound.
She’s also somewhat out of her mind, as inventing new weapons and armor gets her excited to the point that she’s practically assaulting those she’s helping. Her heart is in the right place, as the inventions she comes up with are often major upgrades compared to what the heroes are using at the time.
If that’s not enough, her quirk, Zoom, allows her to see up to five kilometers ahead when she focuses her sight on a particular spot. How does she use this to her advantage? She scouts potential investors that can fatten her research funds, which is probably the best use of this power.
7Shota Aizawa
Alias — Erasure Hero: Eraser Head
While most teachers would need a certain level of intellectual fortitude to be able to teach at the academy, none top Shota Aizawa’s brilliant mind. If it wasn’t for his aloof nature at times, Aizawa could make a case for himself in the top five.
His experience as both aquirk userand pro hero is what makes Aizawa stand out among his peers. Often, he provides brilliant insight that may come off as harsh upon first glance, but is often meant to give perspective that heroes in training digest and learn.
Eraser Head also has the ability to place a temporary stop to the quirk of a user he sets his sight on, at the cost of his eyes drying up and turning red. I don’t know about you, but knowing when and for how long to use a quirk with that kind of backfires isn’t for someone weak of mind.
6Momo Yaoyorozu
Alias — Everything Hero: Creati
Momo Yaoyorozu is one of those early bloomers, a character that entered theMy Hero Academiauniverse and made a case for herself as a brilliant quirk user. She proved her higher intelligence level by ranking first in both the primary exam and the Quirk Apprehension Test.
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Her excellence on the academic side was noticed quickly by the rest of her classmates, as they often looked to her for advice and help with their studies. Her prominence for her quirk also led to her receiving 108 nominations fromPro Heroes, making her the sixth-most sought-after student in the entire school.
Despite her lack of confidence at the beginning, particularly with leading a group, Momo really grew into her own while developing her Creation quirk. Now that she is sure of herself as she rushes onto the battlefield, there’s no student that can come up with a plan on the fly quite like Creati.
5Keigo Takami
Alias — Wing Hero: Hawks
Episode 87, “Japanese Hero Billboard Chart”
Fierce Wings
Keigo Takami could easily be the number-one ranked hero in the world if he wanted to be; the problem is, he just doesn’t feel like it. Known by his hero name, Hawks, Takami prefers lesser responsibility than his peer, Endeavor, which may be the smartest route for him to take.
It’s also noteworthy thatHawks is an exceptional spy, infiltrating the League of Villains and posing as a bad guy, while learning the ins and outs of their organization. The fact that he can devise plans that fool even the smartest of league members shows you how wise, and tricky, he can be.
At his best, Hawks is a wonderful mentor that can identify the weaknesses of his students and help them excel. His time spent with Fumikage Tokoyami is a prime example of that, as he helped him develop his shadow quirk into one that can soar through the skies.
4Zen Shigaraki
Alias — All For One
Episode 13, “In Each of Our Hearts”
All For One
The smartest characters ofMy Hero Academiaaren’t just about the good guys saving the world, the side of evil has their own brainpower at play. TakeOne For Allas an example, someone who is intelligent due to his ability to control and manipulate anyone he comes into contact with.
It’s almost a guarantee that if you run into One For All, he already has you entangled in his web of deceit. Promising a fulfilling life and a powerful quirk, One For All is all about getting you under his rule and using you to his own benefit.
The fact that All For One has managed to turn so many people to the side of evil, including a beloved student at the hero academy, shows you just how deep his manipulation can run. It takes someone incredibly smart to be able to spin his web of lies and convince so many people that he’s right.
3Mirai Sasaki
Alias — Sir Nighteye
Episode 63, “Unrivaled”
Mirai Sasaki wasn’t around for a long time inMy Hero Academia, but his brief appearance left a long-lasting impression on the remaining cast. From the first sight of him, we all knew that he was the brains behind Mirio Togata’s character.
A large part of his ability to know what’s coming next is in his quirk,Foresight, which allows him to see years into someone’s future with 100% accuracy. Knowing what is to come next for a character then helps Sir Nighteye plan ahead for everyone else involved.
Thankfully, Eri’s rewind quirk does render Sir Nighteye’s Foresight to a less accurate state of prediction, something he’s more than happy to deal with. Before his untimely demise, Sir Nighteye was a pivotal part of Lemillion’s upbringing as a hero, and how he evolved beyond that.
2Kyudai Garaki
Alias — Daruma Ujiko
Episode 1, “Izuku Midoriya: Origin”
Life Force
There’s no question that Kyudai Garaki is among the smartest characters inMy Hero Academia. Theman is a doctor and a mad scientist. You don’t get by in both fields of work by being just average in brainpower, especially when it comes to creating new life forms.
What boggles the mind for most of us is that Garaki was always hidden in plain sight, disguising himself as someone innocent and good. He was the doctor to assess thatIzuku Midoriyawas quirkless, something you’re able to go back on and slap your head for not realizing sooner.
His ability to create new things and deceit those around him has made him exceptionally useful to All For One, who has conceded to his ideas on more than one occasion. Garaki is also as manipulative as he is wise, often fooling those around him as an ordinary, powerless doctor.
Alias — Mr. Principal
Episode 4, “Start Line”
High Specs
Principal Nezu is so smart, his quirk, High Specs, is literally a power that makes him more intelligent than any human around him. For a mouse, he’s able to roam freely around others as if he were a human himself, and his IQ level far exceeds anyone at the hero academy.
He’s not the principal for nothing, asNezu is often relied uponto come up with ideas and strategies that benefit the hero academy. Not only does he always have an answer for everything, but Nezu can also pick up cues from the emotional states of others and choose how to navigate around them.
Sure, he has a slight caffeine addiction, and at times, he may seem like he’s out of his mind, but don’t count Nezu out of any strategic planning. If there’s one character the pro heroes can rely on for information and help, it’s the little white mouse that can outclass them in anything academic-based.
