Intelligence, be it academic genius, timeless wisdom, or superb logical reasoning, is a multifaceted tool that's often far more useful than brawn. Anime has no shortage of outstanding characters whose defining power is their brains. And many of the medium's most beloved female characters don't have to choose between beauty and smarts.
The sharpness of their intellect rivals the striking charm of their looks, making these waifus even more popular. Proving themselves in science, logistics, and academia, female characters earn fans' admiration with more than just appearances. These waifus are some of the smartest characters in the world of anime.
10 Nico Robin (One Piece)
An action shonen hero rarely needs to use their brains, as most of their opponents can be bested with just brute force. However, while Luffy punches his way to the top, the task of dissecting the mysteries of One Piece's world falls on the shoulders of his crew's gorgeous archeologist, Nico Robin.
On top of being the only known person who can read and decipher Poneglyphs, Robin possesses a keen mind of a historian and valuable wisdom beyond her years. The Straw Hats wouldn't sail far without Robin's intellect.
9 Tsubasa Hanekawa (The Monogatari Series)
As Tsubasa Hanekawa from the Monogatari series likes to repeat, she doesn't know everything; she only knows what she knows. However, her catchphrase clearly undersells the power of Tsubasa's intellect. A bottomless well of wisdom and trivia, Tsubasa can't mask her intelligence by staying humble.
Tsubasa's rigorous study habits, combined with the girl's hunger for knowledge, make Tsubasa the smartest character in the cast filled with eccentric geniuses and supernatural experts. Yet, the power of her intellect never gets to Tsubasa's head, as she remains devoid of arrogance.
8 Makima (Chainsaw Man)
An outstandingly clever villain is often much harder to defeat than even the brawniest antagonist, especially when they use their emotional intelligence to manipulate the heroes into trusting them. The eerie queen of deception and control, Makima from Chainsaw Man, has the entire Public Safety wrapped around her finger.
The combined force of her scheming intellect, overwhelming Control Devil powers, and cleverly utilized charm makes Makima one of the most formidable antagonists in shonen anime. Yet, despite all the evil she's done, Makima still has tons of devoted fans.
7 Kurisu Makise (Steins;Gate)
The genius scientist Kurisu Makise from Steins;Gate is the most straightforward example of intelligence. After graduating from a prestigious university at just 17, Kurisu dedicated her life to sciences and reached impressive heights in her field despite her young age.
Kurisu's intelligence is as much of a blessing as a curse. An early career robbed Kurisu of youthful lightheartedness, making her mature beyond her years. Her scientific successes also didn't sit well with older academics, including Kurisu's father, who was jealous of the girl's splendid career and talent.
6 Kotomi Ichinose (Clannad)
Due to her lack of social skills and secluded personality, not many suspect Kotomi Ichinose from Clannad of being one of the smartest students in the entire country. Cutesy and airheaded at first glance, Kotomi is a genius who excels at every academic subject with ease.
Most of Kotomi's free time is spent at the library, studying supplementary materials and reading books in different languages. Unfortunately, Kotomi's intellect doesn't aid her in communicating with others, and she has to rely on her childhood friend, Tomoya, in social settings.
5 Yumeko Jabami (Kakegurui)
The eccentric protagonist of Kakegurui, Yumeko Jabami, represents an unorthodox extreme of intelligence, a quality that makes her both attractive and eerily off-putting. Silver-tongued and shockingly perspective, Yumeko is a natural-born gambler with no sense of fear or anxiety who takes pleasure from taking enormous risks.
Yumeko's sharp mind and swift reflexes make her unrivaled in detecting cheaters, exposing those who refuse to play fair with ruthless ease. Outstanding intellect allows Yumeko to thrive in the world of high-stakes gambling that crushes weaker minds mercilessly.
4 Holo (Spice & Wolf)
It's often stated that wiseness is a virtue gained with time, and no ordinary human can experience life for as long as an ageless goddess. So, being a wolf spirit who lived and observed people for hundreds of years, Holo from Spice & Wolf had centuries to become smarter than any mortal, including her companion, Lawrence.
Holo's appearance may be that of a youthful, inexperienced girl. However, her mind is filled with timeless knowledge, which she often demonstrates by humorously mocking her companion's intelligence and analytical skills.
3 Victorique De Blois (Gosick)
The eccentric heroine of Gosick, Victorique De Blois, perfected her magnetic facade of an enigma, which hides a sensitive soul and a keen mind. Victorique's brilliant intellect doesn't match her doll-like appearance at all.
Victorique's superb observational skills, analytical prowess, and almost inhuman memory make Victorique an outstanding detective, which is enough to forgive some of her character quirks. Solving mysteries and puzzles comes to Victorique much easier than dealing with matters of the heart, so she acts rather distant and nihilistic in social situations.
2 Ami Mizuno (Sailor Moon)
Out of every Sailor Guardian in Sailor Moon, Ami Mizuno is the smartest, characterized by her brilliant intellect and academic proficiency. Sailor Mercury supposedly possesses an IQ of 300, almost double the standard requirements for someone to be considered a genius.
Despite her sweet and supportive personality, Ami faced a lot of prejudice from her classmates before becoming friends with Usagi. Put off by the girl's shyness and inhuman intellect, other teens deemed her arrogant and pretentious — the polar opposite of Ami's real character.
1 Bulma (Dragon Ball)
Bulma from the Dragon Ball franchise is one of the smartest girls in the entire medium, an iconic old-school waifu and the poster child for genius scientists in anime. Responsible for such an outstanding invention as the Dragon Radar, a device that efficiently locates Dragon Balls, Bulma aided Goku with her technical genius countless times.
Bulma's most impressive accomplishment is the creation of a time machine, a technological merit she struggled to perfect. Nevertheless, no engineering challenge is impossible for this waifu's genius mind.
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