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Discover the 5 smartest characters in Naruto, ranked for their tactical brilliance, intellect, and contributions to the ninja world.
We mostly remember Naruto for dynamic ninja battles and supernatural powers that could alter the world. In between all this, it is easy to lose sight of the intellectual characters who use their brains to gain the upper hand in battle. By showcasing their exceptional intelligence and ability to strategize and outthink their opponent, there has been no shortage of smart characters in Naruto.
At the same time, their genius had been used for both good and bad in the series. So, who are the 5 smartest characters in Naruto?
5 Smartest Naruto Characters
5) Orochimaru
Orochimaru was one of the greatest Ninjas to come out of Konoha and an antagonist in Naruto. He was a brilliant and ambitious scientist who wished to know all the secrets in the world. This drove him to research immortality and eventually be thrown out of the village for his vile experiments.
Driven by revenge and his need to find a vessel for his immortal body, Orochimaru was able to successfully kill the Third Hokage while imprinting a Curse Seal on Sasuke. He nurtured Sasuke from the background to become his perfect body and shaped the personality the deuteragonist went on to have. Orochimaru also helped develop the Reanimation Jutsu used in the Fourth Shinobi World War Arc.
Orochimaru escaped death multiple times in the series and came up with several innovations to control jinchuriki and the tailed beast chakra. While his screen time may have reduced in Naruto: Shippuden, he always played a big role in major events.
4) Itachi Uchiha
Itachi Uchiha could even fool the audiences regarding his true nature and possessed great intellect. Initially believed to be an antagonist, it was soon revealed that his actions were made for the greater good.
He had one of the highest scores in the Chunin written test and became an Anbu captain at the age of 12. Considered by everyone to be a prodigy, he was forced into a hard spot where Konoha lay on the brink of civil war. Choosing to save his brother and the innocent villagers, Itachi decided to massacre his own clan. This showed both his maturity and rational thinking.
He cleverly used his Genjutsu during battle and constantly outsmarted both allies and enemies. Under the Akatsuki, he came close to figuring out Tobi’s true identity several times and kept leaking information to Konoha. Even after his death, Itachi had laid plans to guide Sasuke to forgiveness and a peaceful future, despite the latter choosing not to follow it.
3) Minato Namikaze
While we mostly got to know Minato through his flashbacks, the Fourth Hokage was a genius in both combat and innovation. Having perfected the Flying Thunder God Jutsu and created the Rasengan, Minato revolutionized warfare in both Naruto and Boruto.
His creativity with the Rasengan motivated Kakashi to develop the Chidori. Out of everyone, Minato also had the highest scores in Chunin Exam history. Ever since a young age, he had exceptional observational skills. He could understand the mechanics of any technique quickly and had superior tracking abilities. This helped him in saving Kushina when she was kidnapped by the Hidden Cloud.
Right when Konoha faced the disaster of Kurama’s attack, Minato was quick to seal the beast inside Naruto. He also foresaw that Naruto could lose control of Kurama one day and left his essence. This would help his son regain his senses when his body was being taken over by the Nine-Tails. Hence, even years after his death, Minato Namikaze was undoubtedly among the smartest in Naruto.
2) Madara Uchiha
Madara Uchiha’s intellect often gets overlooked due to his fearsome strength, but he is still an extremely cunning and clever character. After his loss to Hashirama, Madara faked his death, fooling the entire world. He figured out how to stay alive longer using the cells of others and also took Obito as an apprentice.
Having completely brainwashed Obito into his goal of Infinite Tsukuyomi, Madara was later reanimated into a much younger and more powerful body during the final war. His proficiency in fighting also came from his intelligence, which allowed him to quickly adapt during battle. Due to this, he could face entire armies comfortably while giving an even match to the Eight Inner Gates.
His eventual loss was caused by the heavenly intervention of Kaguya Otsutsuki, but Madara’s goal of peace through Genjutsu was ingenious, despite the moral implications. Therefore, his combination of wits and power made him a formidable foe in Naruto.
1) Shikamaru Nara
The smartest character in Naruto is Shikamaru Nara. He was introduced as a character who hated tedious tasks, but we soon found that he was among the most impressive. Shikamaru had an IQ of over 200 and devised elaborate strategies even during high-pressure situations.
He was always aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his allies and came up with multiple alternative moves when facing opponents. Shikamaru cleverly used his Shadow Possession Jutsu to buy time against the strongest of opponents and find a way to win. His intellect was also praised by Obito, who regretted his participation with the Allied Shinobi Force.
Shikamaru’s most impressive moment in the series came when he figured out how to kill an immortal villain named Hidan. In order to avenge Asuma, Shikamaru perfectly assessed Hidan’s arrogant personality and separated him from the crowd. He then trapped him underground before blowing his body with bombs. With his intellect, he could kill even an unkillable villain.
His foresight and composure have carried over to Boruto, where he was the chief strategist of Naruto and went on to become the Eighth Hokage. Shikamaru’s growth from a lazy young boy to the most influential man in his village with nothing but his brains makes him the smartest character in Naruto.
Conclusion
The impact of intelligent characters shaping the Ninja world has always been a highlight in Naruto. The above characters proved that strategy, foresight, and innovation were just as important as raw strength during a battle. While a few used their brains for good and the others wished to cause mayhem, all of them were a few steps ahead and could outsmart the rest in the series.
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