In the Naruto universe, skill and power play a very important role in any battle. However, a ninja cannot overcome difficulties and dire situations without intelligence and intellect. Whether they rely on their own brains, or they outsource the brainwork to their smart teammates, it is always important to use knowledge to one's advantage when involved in a battle.
Naruto and the other members of Team 7 are aware of this fact, but not all members of this team are equally bright. In this list, we will rank every member of Team 7 based on their degree of intelligence, as depicted in the show.
Disclaimer: This list will reflect the author’s point of view and will contain spoilers.
Who is the smartest among Naruto's Team 7 members?
6) Sai
Sai was considered a genius combatant ever since he was a child, seeing as he was trained to be a part of Root. He was also a great strategist who was able to come up with plans within seconds even while engaged in combat.
However, he was sheltered for the majority of his life so his knowledge outside of combat is very limited. He had trouble understanding individuals as he was never allowed a normalcy for most of his early life.
Sai was also one of the least emotionally intelligent individuals of Team 7, constantly making comments that could hurt others' emotions. He got better with time and reached a point where he could understand when he committed a mistake while talking to someone.
5) Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto was never too fond of academics. He preferred to skip classes, or to sleep during lessons. His grades during his academy years were abysmal, so many people considered him a failure as a student. However, he matured with time and became smarter as he grew older.
Naruto could be one of the most crafty and ingenious ninjas in the world during battle. He used his arsenal of Jutsu and Ninja tools in such creative ways that even brilliant opponents were taken by surprise.
His emotional intelligence was higher than most other characters in the show. Naruto was great at perceiving and understanding others' emotions, something that helped a lot of villains return to the light during the series.
4) Yamato
Yamato was one of Orochimaru’s experiments to obtain the power of Hashirama Senju. Like Sai, Yamato was isolated for most of his life, though to a lesser degree. He was a brilliant fighter ever since he was a child, a skill that rendered him eligible to be a member of the ANBU at a very early age.
Yamato was a great team leader since he knew how to use his subordinates' abilities and skills in the most efficient manner. He was also extremely cautious and was always prepared for any unexpected situations that might arise.
He was not as creative while fighting as other members of the team, but he did seem to have great control over his Wood Release. Yamato might not be the smartest member of Team 7, but there is no denying that he was a brilliant ninja.
3) Sasuke Uchiha
A brilliant ninja in every sense of the word, Sasuke liked to analyze every situation before jumping into action. Since he was an Academy student, Sasuke was considered a genius who could learn almost anything without any issue.
He was great at reading people. Only a few individuals could keep secrets from him as he was able to tell when people were lying or withholding information. He also studied under Orochimaru’s guidance for several years, allowing him to gain valuable knowledge from the smartest Sannin.
However, he sometimes allowed his emotions and intuition to take over, forgetting to assess the circumstances objectively. He developed better control over his emotions as an adult, but he was still more of a fighter than an academic.
2) Sakura Haruno
The best student of her generation and a spectacular medical ninja, Sakura was probably one of the smartest individuals in Konoha. She was never the best in training during her Academy years, but she excelled in the theoretical portion of her education.
Sakura was one of the only members of the Konoha Genin to answer the written portion of the Chunin Exam without cheating. While training with Tsunade, Sakura was able to prove just how smart she was.
As an amazing trainee who learned at an accelerated speed, she impressed the Sannin who was her teacher and mentor. She was not as crafty or analytical as Sasuke or Naruto, but she proved that pure knowledge could be advantageous.
1) Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi was always regarded as a prodigy and genius. Not only did Kakashi obtain the rank of Jonin at the age of twelve, but he also became an ANBU soon after.
His mind worked at an incredible speed which allowed him to find solutions to the most difficult problems Team 7 ever encountered without much of a problem. Hie experience in the world also helped him in this regard as he had been involved in more conflicts than any of the other members on the team.
He usually acted aloof and relaxed, but he was always alert and prepared for danger. It was thanks to Kakashi’s thorough training that the Genin of Team 7 could achieve greatness.