10 Anime Characters Smarter Than Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes may be the smartest detective in literary history, but he doesn’t hold a candle to anime‘s most brilliant minds. Since Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic character debuted in the late 19th century, countless Sherlock Holmes adaptations have attempted to emulate the peculiar sleuth. Sherlock’s unique powers of deduction and observation, paired with his endearingly asocial attitude, were enthralling enough to create an entire character archetype. As a result, droves of television series have unsurprisingly offered their own Sherlocks over the years, be it in the form of a demon (Lucifer), a fake psychic (Psych), or a grouchy doctor (House).

Yet, while there are plenty of memorable TV detectives in the West, anime has some of the most intriguing geniuses ever written. Without a doubt, the once niche genre is more popular than ever before, and the enrapturing world of Japanese animation attracts countless new fans year after year. Whether viewers are drawn to swoonworthy slice-of-life romances or high-octane action series, however, characterization is what takes a series from good to great. Consequently, even intelligence in anime takes a million different forms, meaning there are unforgettable protagonists, villains, and side characters who all blow Sherlock Holmes out of the water.

Armin Arlert

Attack On Titan (2013–2023)

Attack on Titan has one of the most brutal anime universes ever made, but it also has one of the most clever characters in the game: Armin Arlert. Whereas the vast majority of Survey Corps members are skilled fighters battling the titular “titan” cannibals, Armin’s greatest strength is his mind.

Notably, Armin always showed a vested interest in understanding the outside world, even when everyone around him was content to live in blissful ignorance. On the battlefield, he became an invaluable strategist who saved the show’s ensemble on more than one occasion with his quick thinking and adaptability. Yet, Armin still maintained a strong sense of empathy, allowing him to balance his tactical mind with some much-needed heart, making him feel far more human compared to most apathetic genius characters.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji

Classroom Of The Elite (2017–Present)

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji may be in Classroom of the Elite‘s lowest tier (Class D), but his unassuming position is a calculated choice he made. In fact, Ayanokoji could easily be the top student at the prestigious school if he wanted, but he purposely keeps his unrivaled intellect a secret.

Nevertheless, his true nature slips through the cracks every so often in the anime, including in Classroom of the Elite‘s pivotal season 4. The young man can read other people so seamlessly, they become mere chess pieces for him to manipulate, allowing him to control the social dynamics of his class (and the school at large) without giving away his borderline inhuman intelligence, physical strength, and precise memory.

Lelouch Lamperouge

Code Geass (2006–2008)

Code Geass is one of the best anime of the 2000s, due in no small part to Lelouch Lamperouge (also known as Lelouch vi Britannia). At first glance, it may seem like Lelouch is only powerful due to his supernatural Geass abilities, but the anime constantly emphasized the aristocrat’s mental acuity.

From creating his own secret language to creating winning battle plans off the top of his head, Lelouch has consistently proven that he’d be one of the most dangerous Code Geass characters even if he had never gained his powers of mind control and coercion. Even still, his Geass is the selling point of the anime, but the character himself is immensely intelligent as is.

Maomao

The Apothecary Diaries (2023–Present)

The Apothecary Diaries is a defining new-gen anime, and Maomao, accordingly, is one of the best main characters of the century. After being sold off to the royal court, the resourceful young woman— who was raised by the Red-Light District’s leading doctor— uses her intimate knowledge of herbs, poisons, and medicine to both serve the emperor’s warring consorts and solve pressing mysteries in the rear palace.​​​​​​​

Maomao’s obsession with toxicology makes her a one-of-a-kind protagonist already, but her uncanny ability to reverse-engineer any crime scene and deduce the likely culprits, causes of death, and even motives prove she is in a league of her own when it comes to cozy crimesolving. The eponymous apothecary is still largely unaware of the genius behind her so-called “conjecture,” but the beloved anime heroine has undeniably left her mark on modern anime history.

L Lawliet

Death Note (2006–2007)

Measuring something like a character’s intelligence is inherently subjective, but some series set their own standards. For instance, in Death Note, L Lawliet (usually known simply as L) is widely regarded as the best detective in the world, which explains why he was so eager to take on the investigation into Light Yagami’s string of murders.

The stalemate between L and Light is infamous, to the point where Death Note is often the first title on any new fan’s anime starter pack, but the reality is that L would have cracked the case instantly had paranormal entities not interfered on Light’s behalf. Regardless, L easily demonstrates his flawless deductive reasoning and concocts staggering mind games throughout the anime, proving the detective deserves his spotless reputation.

Kisuke Urahara

Bleach (2004–2012)

Similarly, Kisuke Urahara is unquestionably the smartest character in Bleach. The former captain of Squad 12 dominated the battlefield by being able to think ten steps ahead of his enemies, but he also made historic contributions to modern science by inventing the soul-carrying gigais.

In the contemporary timeline of Bleach, it’s easy to overlook Kisuke Urahara’s brilliance due to his affable, offbeat demeanor. Regardless, the man is a bona fide mastermind when it comes to combat, and no other character in the franchise comes close.

Osamu Dazai

Bungo Stray Dogs (2016–Present)

Osamu Dazai is arguably one of the most unconventional anime heroes, especially considering how destructive he can be. As a teenager, Dazai climbed the ranks to become the youngest executive in the history of the Mafia, executing dozens of people and ensnaring even the most skilled foes in his unavoidable traps.​​​​​​​

Yet, Dazai truly shines in the central detective agency. Whenever he is involved in a case, the viewer can rest assured that it will be solved by the end of the episode with a dramatic flair to boot. Dazai’s unpredictable personality may hide his traumatic past, but not even his self-preserving persona can eclipse his impressive— and somewhat unsettling— intelligence.

Senku Ishigami

Dr. Stone (2019–2026)

Many characters are smart enough to bring about a world-ending apocalypse, but Senku Ishigami rebuilt civilization from scratch. After being petrified for nearly four thousand years, Senku used his scientific prowess to guide humanity through a second Stone Age. What’s more, Senku spent millennia simply tracking the passing time, frozen still and counting about a trillion seconds while somehow maintaining his sanity.

Throughout Dr. Stone, Senku is driven solely by his love of knowledge, but the hit Netflix disaster show allows him to make missteps. In doing so, the anime ensures Senku never feels godlike. Granted, his resourcefulness, practically photographic memory, and unbelievable patience all keep him out of the realm of realism, but Senku has distinctly human blind spots nonetheless.

Johan Liebert

Monster (2004–2005)

Of course, the smartest characters of all time aren’t always heroic. In the aptly-named Monster, Johan Liebert is a terrifying serial killer with no regard for human life. Rather, Johan delights in breaking down his victims and using their misery as a pastime of sorts. While most killers have the charisma to trick investigators or remain undetected, Johan has some of the most uniquely disturbing charms in any anime.​​​​​​​

For starters, Johan was literally bred to be the ideal human, both in looks and in intellect. Whereas his twin sister grew into a beacon of hope, however, Johan became a one-man harbinger of doom. Within seconds, Johan is able to profile his victim and chip away at their mental fortitude until they genuinely lose all hope. Beyond being a sinister and spine-chilling character, it’s clear Johan is also one of anime’s smartest.

William James Moriarty

Moriarty The Patriot (2020–2022)

Ironically, even anime isn’t free from the reach of Sherlock Holmes. Nonetheless, Moriarty the Patriot turns the classic tale on its head by making Moriarty— in this case, Professor William James Moriarty— the main character. The genius mathematician is still a criminal mastermind, but he veers more into antihero territory than full-blown villain.

In the masterpiece revenge anime, Moriarty often outsmarts everyone around him, orchestrating complex schemes and easily going toe-to-toe with nemesis Sherlock. Yet, Moriarty the Patriot instills an unfamiliar kindness in the character, adding rich depth and nuance to his role in the overarching battle of wits. As such, Moriarty is one of the smartest anime characters of all time, and he would obviously give any iteration of Sherlock Holmes a run for his money.