My Hero Academia: Main Characters Ranked By Intelligence

One of the greatest things about My Hero Academia characters is that they all bring their greatest strengths and weaknesses to the table and do their best to either work as a team and on their own. They could all be said to be intelligent, though some aren’t quite as eager to showcase that as others—not that we’re naming names, Bakugo.

While the focus is on Class 1-A and the trials they face as heroes-in-training, there are also other main MHA characters that play a large role in the development of the story who show an enhanced level of wit and thoughtfulness.

Updated on May 1st, 2021 by Tanner Fox: With a cast of characters as diverse as My Hero Academia’s, limiting our roster of most intelligent figures to ten doesn’t seem right. Though we’ve covered many of the series’ most prominent persons, there are still plenty shrewd MHA characters worthy of a shoutout. From the villainous genius of Overhaul to the age-wisened mentor Gran Torino, the list of intelligent My Hero Academia characters extends far beyond Izuku Midoriya, All Might, and the rest of the students and teachers at UA.

15 Tsuyu Asui

Tsu often speaks in a straightforward manner that may take people by surprise, but she is almost always beneficial to the safety or mindset of her friends. She is typically level-headed and able to clearly communicate her thoughts on a situation but she is not devoid of emotion.

She scored sixth place in Class 1-A’s mid-terms and proved her analytical skills in the Unforeseen Simulation Joint (U.S.J.) when she basically figured out where Izuku’s quirk came from and what the League of Villains may be planning.

14 Tenya Ida

Having ranked second overall in Class 1-A’s mid-term exams, Tenya Ida is a brilliant student who takes his studies very seriously. He serves as 1-A’s class representative and is very rigid when it comes to his responsibilities, though he also does his best to be compassionate with his friends when the situation calls for it.

His heightened intellect came in handy when he squared off against Hero Killer Stain in the anime’s second season. Stain nearly killed his brother, the pro hero Ingenium, so his ability to survive such severe circumstances serves as a testament to his intelligence.

13 Shoto Todoroki

As the youngest son of Endeavor and as the most promising student based on recommendations, Todoroki is constantly tested, as he only uses one-half of his abilities. He denounces the fire quirk his father passed on to him, and, while that has nothing to do with his base intelligence, as he learns more and grows more emotionally intelligent, he finds that he can start to use his fire quirk without becoming his father.

He scored fifth overall in Class 1-A’s mid-terms, and, as he has exemplified in every villain battle they’ve encountered, he also has great skills of deduction in terms of when and how to attack his enemies or help his friends.

12 Nana Shimura

The seventh possessor of the One For All quirk and All Might’s mentor, Nana Shimura is seldom seen in the anime, appearing only during flashbacks. Little is known about her aside from the fact that she was close with pro hero Gran Tornio, and that she was the grandmother of series antagonist Tomura Shigaraki.

While perhaps not as conventionally intelligent as some, she seems to have fostered a developed emotional intelligence. She fostered the young All-Might’s heroic spirit and helped him to become the greatest hero of all time, which has to count for something.

11 Tomura Shigaraki

Shigaraki grows the most throughout the series in terms of intelligence; when viewers first meet him, he is rash and excitable when he thinks he has the heroes and students in his grasp.

He proves that he learns and grows when he hatches the plan to join the League of Villains and the Shie Hassaikai. He is analytical and learns the moves of his enemies quickly, and, when he goes directly to confront Izuku, his motivations have changed, as has his intellect.

10 Mei Hatsume

Mei is in Class 1-H in the Support Department at UA. This alone makes her much more intelligent than most of MHA’s characters, though her brashness often makes her come across as overly confident.

She creates gadgets specified to quirks, is able to manipulate Tenya Ida into using her support equipment as a promotion in the Sports Festival, and when she fails, she just pushes through and challenges herself raising her intelligence even more.

9 Overhaul

Kai Chisaki, better known as Overhaul, is one of the most despicable My Hero Academia characters. Rarely sign without his signature plague doctor mask, Overhaul has the unique ability to disassemble and reassemble anything he touches, granting him a powerful more versatile, and lethal than Tomura Shigaraki’s.

Though his plans are eventually foiled, Chisaki’s scheming came close to bringing an end to the use of quirks altogether. His cold demeanor and ruthless pursuit of his goals make him an intimidating figure, and he’d likely be able to outsmart most pro villains on his own.

8 Izuku Midoriya

Izuku studies the actions, behaviors, and patterns of heroes, sidekicks, and villains as he grows up. He uses his keen observation skills to figure out how he can be a hero even when he is without his quirk.

Once he inherits his quirk and overcomes his saddest moments and largest obstacles, his intelligence of heroes—All-Might, specifically—plays an even larger role in figuring out how to safely use One-For-All.

7 Fumikage Tokoyami

To work in tandem with a quirk like Dark Shadow, Tokoyami has not only had to find balance as part of a team but within himself, as well. He’s in an odd position; as presumably one of the only students with a sentient quirk, training and living up to expectations as a hero must be extremely difficult.

His intelligence is mostly tactical but still superior to other main MHA characters. He proved his ability to multi-task and use skills of observation under pressure in the Calvary Battle.

6 All Might

It may be obvious that one of the most intelligent main MHA characters is a Pro Hero and the “Symbol of Peace,” but All-Might earned his place here based on the numerous pieces of advice he has given each student no matter how different all of their quirks are, even if he had to rely on a “teaching for dummies” instructional book.

Though he sets himself up to be the infallible Symbol of Peace, All Might demonstrates his compassion and experience by drawing out and catering to his students’ strengths while simultaneously encouraging them to temper their Pro Hero goals. His intellect is still based on battle intelligence more so than book smarts, but he knows how to use it as time goes on.

5 Momo Yaoyorozu

Momo Yaoyorozu’s smarts are evident from her rank of S-class intelligence. Her quirk of creating things has its limits, but her ability to deduce what to make and when is evidence of her intelligence, as well.

She is the smartest student in Class 1-A and placed first in their mid-terms. Even when she has to learn lessons in confidence, she acknowledges that she can analyze situations well to help herself and her classmates, and she used that analytical ability when she and Todoroki battled Eraser-Head.

4 Gran Torino

Another mentor of Izuku Midoriay and an old friend of the aforementioned Nana Shimura, Gran Torino initially masquerades as a senile old man when he’s introduced midway through the second season of the anime. However, nothing could be further from the truth, and he proves to be an invaluable help to the budding hero-to-be.

He comes off as a bit haggard and regretful in his old age, but Gran Torino is certainly one of the wisest living pro heroes in My Hero Academia, and he was a major player in the raid on the Nomu production facility in season three.

3 Eraser-Head

This seems like too easy of a choice to be ranked in the top three most intelligent main MHA characters, but Pro Hero Eraser-Head, aka Shota Aizawa, is well-deserving of the rank. He’s Class 1-A’s teacher, but he is also a pro-hero that doesn’t get too attached to those around him. He is very good at keeping his ideals with a goal in mind, whether that is defeating a villain or teaching his students while keeping them safe.

Eraser-Head has high expectations for his students, but he doesn’t spout that any chance he gets; he allows them to learn their own lessons as he presents the opportunities. His high level of intelligence is based on his compassion for his students and his acceptance and teachings of the reality they are training for.

2 Sir Nighteye

Introduced as the shrewd and demanding mentor of Mirio Togata in the fourth season of the anime, Sir Nighteye presents a cold, austere demeanor, though he cares deeply for those closest to him.

Most crucially, his ability, though limited, can grant him knowledge of any character’s immediate future, meaning that, in certain situations, his advice cannot be wrong. Though the raid against the Shie Hassaiki compound would ultimately cost him his life, there’s no doubt that Sir Nighteye is one of the most intelligent My Hero Academia characters.

1 All-For-One

Unfortunately, the overarching villain also is the most intelligent character in MHA to date. He has been pulling the strings behind the League of Villains, and, as he acquires quirks, he learns more about them than even the original holders of the quirk.

Some of the quirks he has even intensify his intelligence. All-For-One is also a master strategist in battle with All-Might, knowing when to push his buttons and when to make a move and run. The fact that All Might was able to use the last of his strength to best him is miraculous.

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