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One of the most interesting tropes and choices among shonen anime series is the difficult decision of making a protagonist incredibly smart or detrimentally dumb. While newer series tend to go for the former and older for the latter, this isn’t always the case, but it certainly is a pattern for shonen anime series at large.
Even then, the number of stupid shonen anime protagonists far outweighs those considered smart. The gap becomes even larger when considering only the genius protagonists of shonen anime, of which there are truly only a handful of characters.
Here are 10 shonen anime protagonists who are geniuses, ranked in no particular order.
Death Note's Light Yagami and nine other characters regarded as geniuses in shonen anime
1) Senku Ishigami
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Dr. Stone’s Senku Ishigami is very clearly and certainly a genius, being the brains behind humanity’s massive leap forward from the stone age to a 21st century-like era. His encyclopedic knowledge of all things in a variety of areas further proves this, especially when considering he’s more a master of all trades than a Jack.
He’s also shown to be incredibly flexible and innovative, which is a telltale sign of those who can truly call themselves a genius. Without a doubt, Senku is one of the few shonen anime protagonists who can call themselves that.
2) Light Yagami
Light Yagami is introduced as having some of the highest test scores in Japan, immediately emphasizing his exceptional intelligence. This is only further built upon by showing how tactful and clever he can be, which is achieved through his manipulation of L and the police via clever exploitation of the Death Note’s rules.
He’s even smart enough to keep his true identity as Kira under wraps for several years, successfully beating adversary L despite losing to his successor in the end. Nevertheless, a loss doesn’t take away from how clearly intellectually gifted Light is, solidifying his inclusion here as a genius shonen anime protagonist.
3) Emma
One of three central shonen anime protagonists from The Promised Neverland, Emma is regarded as both an academic genius and an incredibly physically gifted and intelligent child. The latter is what distinguishes her from fellow main characters Ray and Norman, with her full physical intellect and abilities being displayed during the Goldy Pond arc.
While she’s still at a genius level in terms of general intelligence, this is certainly dampened by Norman and Ray both specializing in mentally intelligent areas, while her specialty lies in the physical side of things.
4) Norman
Fellow The Promised Neverland protagonist, Norman is often called the most intelligent of the group on an overall level, especially when it comes to topics of academia such as the sciences. This is proven when the Ratri clan chooses to adopt him into their ranks, seeing value in his exceptional intellect to the point of wanting to keep him alive.
He’s also fairly emotionally intuitive as well as perceptive, especially when it comes to his best friends Ray and Emma. While this skill causes the three to butt heads occasionally, it's a valuable asset that helps the group more often than it hurts them. As a result, there’s little arguing against his being classified as a genius shonen anime protagonist.
5) Ray
The third and final The Promised Neverland protagonist is a genius when it comes to all things strategy and tactics related, thanks to his years of reading books and honing his observation skills. In any area that requires tact — whether emotional, combat, or anything in between — he shines and reigns supreme as the most clever one in the group.
This is likely something Ray gets from his mother, Isabelle, who shows a similar level of tact and cleverness during her time in the series. However, for whatever reason, Ray is on a much higher level than his birth mother in this regard and is arguably more intelligent than most other shonen anime protagonists as well.
6) Tobio Kageyama
Haikyu!!’s Tobio Kageyama may be lacking in navigational and reading skills, but he’s certainly a genius when it comes to the sport of volleyball. His “King of the Court” nickname, despite being meant to be derogatory, is incredibly accurate; no other setter can match his expertise and skill on the court.
When fans are given glimpses into Kageyama’s mind during a match, it’s shown that he views the court as a grid system and is able to perfectly line his shots up as a result of this imagery. He’s even shown to imagine crosshairs on the exact spot the ball needs to go, emphasizing how he's a genius at the sport and, in the process, in shonen anime.
7) Edward Elric
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s Edward Elric is portrayed as being a born genius when it comes to alchemy. Even as a young boy, he was able to understand and perform a transmutation so complex that it was considered taboo.
While he wasn’t generally smart enough to consider the implications of such choices, it nevertheless emphasizes his genius within alchemy. This is confirmed by several other characters in the series, as well as his title of being the youngest state alchemist ever. Despite lacking in general intelligence compared to other shonen anime protagonists, he’s undoubtedly a genius in his own way.
8) Lelouch vi Brittania
In a manner extremely similar to Light Yagami, Code Geass’ Lelouch vi Britannia is shown to be exceptionally unique among shonen anime protagonists in terms of his tactical genius. While also generally smart like Light, the two’s similarities go even further in that he also shines through his tactful manipulation of those around him and the planning of his goals.
As the leader of the Order of the Black Knights, he organizes and directs several successful guerilla-style military operations against his homeland of Britannia. Despite always being outnumbered and outgunned, Lelouch can consistently chart a course to victory.
9) Loid Forger
SPYxFAMILY’s Loid Forger may come across as an interesting choice on this list to some readers, but he undoubtedly qualifies as a genius by any standard. He’s a master of disguise, persuasion, and coercion, as well as deeply and vastly knowledgeable about everything relevant to his current assignment.
These skills are evident in him from his time as a young child and are only honed when he eventually becomes a spy. While being something of an unconventional shonen anime protagonist on this list compared to others, he certainly qualifies as a genius.
10) Yuji Itadori
Finally, Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji Itadori may seem like a strange choice for seemingly fitting perfectly into the dumb shonen anime protagonist category. However, he’s actually incredibly knowledgeable, and his genius shines in his ability to adapt to any situation or learn any new skill near instantaneously.
Combined with his natural, genius-like skill and understanding of combat and physical activity, his intelligence clearly transcends the happy-go-lucky exterior. Without a doubt, he can be considered a genius among shonen anime protagonists from a certain point of view.
