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Naruto is a series set in a world filled with shinobis who spend most of their lives in battle. In a world like this, the shinobis are expected to be quite proficient in fighting and the art of ninjutsu. But one of the most critical factors determining their ability to outlive another opponent in battle is intelligence.
This is an essential trait since being able to make decisions on the fly is necessary to outsmart an opponent.
Characters with exceptional battle intelligence in the
Naruto series
10) Naruto
It has been established that Naruto is not the smartest character in the series. Often, fans have witnessed his emotions dictate the way he fights. However, there were multiple instances when he could calmly assess the situation and use a suitable technique to counter the opponent’s attacks. His fight against Kakuzu showed that he could develop strategies to beat tough opponents.
9) Jiraiya
Jiraiya might be laid back and seem like quite a clumsy person. But, when it comes to combat, he is one of the sharpest shinobis who can take on some of the most formidable opponents in the show.
Jiraiya showed his fighting prowess against Pain and was able to figure out his secret, which he then relayed to Naruto moments before dying. Jiraiya is quite smart and displayed his intelligence on numerous occasions.
8) Orochimaru
There is no doubt that Orochimaru is one of the smartest characters in the Naruto series and has developed a ton of techniques. His ability to think when he’s fighting is well above the average shinobi’s ability.
No matter what Orochimaru was in, he always had a backup plan. The fact that he always managed to stay alive even when he fought against some of the most formidable opponents shows how good his battle IQ is in the Naruto series.
7) Sasuke
Sasuke was considered a prodigy and he was undoubtedly one of the smartest characters among his peers. While Sasuke has had a bit of a short temper over the years, he has been able to assess the situation calmly and figure out a solution.
When Sasuke fought Danzo, fans witnessed his ability to fight and make quick decisions on the fly against a formidable opponent. His fight against Deidara serves as a testament to the claim.
6) Kakashi
Kakashi is brilliant, with a very high IQ level has been established in the series. On missions, he was always responsible for making the right decision after examining the situation that they were in.
The Copy Ninja was also able to identify an enemy’s weaknesses and exploit them during a fight. They are in a fight where one can die and be able to make such observations requires a high amount of battle IQ.
5) Tobirama
Tobirama wasn’t just smart during fights. He was a genius even when it came to jutsu development and the village’s administration. When Tobirama was fighting in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito, in his Ten Tail Jinchuriki form, looked down upon Minato and the rest.
Tobirama realized that ninjutsu wouldn’t work on him since he could nullify them using Truth Seeking Orbs. He hinted to the rest that the Truth-Seeking Orbs had a weakness and it was Senjutsu. This was a clear indication of just how smart he was during battles.
4) Madara
Madara is yet another intelligent character who showed just how powerful he could be towards the end of the Naruto series. One of the feats that displayed his intelligence and ability to make quick decisions in a fight was his survival against Hashirama Senju.
Moments before dying, he implanted the Izanagi in his eye and rewrote reality to survive. He also knew that Tobirama wouldn’t get rid of the body, so he also used a Shadow Clone.
3) Minato
Minato has shown his battle intelligence on numerous occasions, especially during missions accompanying his students and the fight against the Nine-Tailed Beast. He was able to assess the situation and took the most effective steps to control the damage caused by the Tailed Beast.
Minato is one of the sharpest shinobis in Konohagakure who can detect an enemy's weakness and take the appropriate countermeasures.
2) Itachi
Itachi always believed that every jutsu had a weakness and was always capable of detecting it and coming up with a suitable counter to it. He was so smart in a fight that he constantly found a way to cast a Genjutsu on someone like Sasuke, who’s considered a prodigy.
While Sasuke would have immunity to low-level Genjutsu, Itachi’s Genjutsu was far stronger and smart enough to create the right openings.
1) Shikamaru
Shikamaru Nara is one of the smartest characters in the Naruto series. One of the biggest reasons why he’s forced to devise a strategy even in an intense battle constantly is due to his clan’s ninjutsu. It is extremely situational. There are a lot of variables that he needs to factor in before he engages with an enemy.
A perfect example of Shikamaru’s battle intelligence was his fight against Temari during the chunin exams. Despite doing a lot of damage, he was able to lure her in the end and got a hold of her in her Shadow Possession jutsu.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.
