History Main / WorldsSmartestMan

* In ''LightNovel/NoGameNoLife'', Sora believes Shiro to be this, seeing her as humanity's potential. She's a ChildProdigy with a computer like mind, able to win 20 consecutive games against a simulation designed to beat grandmasters, and compute complex physics equations to pull off AwesomeByAnalysis. If she didn't have this status in the real world, she certainly does in Disboard, as when she and her brother arrive in this world governed by games, their status as {{Godlike Gamer}}s made them the unbeatable Kings of Imanity.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however; ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at least on par with him, and ''[[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]]'' has Shuri note that Hank Pym is perhaps more brilliant than any of them- to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles, which not even a team of Wakanda's crack scientists can figure out.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however; ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at least on par with him, and ''[[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]]'' has Shuri note that Hank Pym is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles, which not even a team of Wakanda's crack scientists can figure out.

* In ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'', the episode "Dumbbell Curve" has Timmy wish to be the smartest person in the world, but as this makes him know a lot of unhappy facts, he changes his mind and then requests for everyone to be dumber than him, HilarityEnsues.

* ''Franchise/DocSavage'', in the pulp-world of Street and Smith, is conceded to be this, as well as the WorldsStrongestMan -- the ultimate GeniusBruiser. In the (much) larger Wold Newton universe conceived by Creator/PhilipJoseFarmer, though, his cousins [[Literature/SherlockHolmes Mycroft]], Literature/ProfessorChallenger, and [[Literature/FuManchu "Hanoi Shan"]], to name just three, would beg to differ.

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** [[ComicBook/MisterFantastic Reed Richards]] is usually recognized as the smartest man in the Marvel Universe, being the most esteemed mind in the scientific community. In fact he himself [[ScienceHero considers his intellect to be his real superpower]] rather than his elasticity.
** Reed's daughter, Valeria, is on route to ''surpass'' him when she's older.
** Reed's ArchNemesis, ComicBook/DoctorDoom is the other contender for this title. Even when he isn't, Doom will be repeatedly trying to prove himself worthy of this claim but tends to get foiled by Reed (or just as often his own ego, but he'll [[NeverMyFault still blame Reed]]).

** Other contenders for Marvel's top ten smartest minds include: [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]], [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]], ComicBook/AmadeusCho, [[ComicBook/BeastMarvelComics Hank McCoy]], [[ComicBook/BlackPanther T'Challa]], and ComicBook/{{Apocalypse}}. At one point there was an established heriarchy with Amadeus frequently describing himself as the world's seventh smartest person (although it was suggested that the return of the real Hank Pym dropped him to eighth).

* ''Franchise/TheDCU'': ComicBook/LexLuthor typically holds the title of smartest human in the DC Universe, with no one being his intellectual equal. The only one that Lex considers to be in his league is the extraterrestrial being ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} who possesses SuperIntelligence. Lex is only held back by his incredible arrogance and all-consuming hatred of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, which usually makes him overlook something and allow Superman or others to beat him.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'''s garbage man is sometimes called the smartest man in the world, giving sage advice to Dilbert about both mechanical and philosophical issues and on one occasion bringing him BackFromTheDead at the end of a story arc. Why he retains a job as garbage collector is a mystery that is implied only he can understand.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however;''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at least on par with him, and [[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]] has Shuri note that Hank Pym is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles, which not even a team of Wakanda's crack scientists can figure out.
* The ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'' once again has Lex Luthor as the holder of this title.

* In the {{Literature/Lensmen}} novel ''Gray Lensman,'' Kimball Kinnison at one point needs to find fifty or so of the smartest beings in Civilization for a special scientific project. While consulting with a librarian to select this group, he learns that he has been assigned the highest rating of all. (Though this rating has less to do with academic ability, where he's merely above-average, and more to do with his psychic powers.)
* ''Franchise/DocSavage'', in the pulp-world of Street and Smith, is conceded to be this, as well as the WorldsStrongestMan -- the ultimate GeniusBruiser. In the (much) larger Wold Newton universe conceived by Creator/PhilipJoseFarmer, though, his cousins [[Franchise/SherlockHolmes Mycroft]], Literature/ProfessorChallenger, and [[Literature/FuManchu "Hanoi Shan"]], to name just three, would beg to differ.

** "Wakefields intelligence rating was truly exceptional and placed him in the supergenius category; Nicole had never before personally known someone with such high scores on the standardized tests.' Sabatini is ranked higher than Wakefield.

* In ''Series/{{The Flash|2014}}'', WordOfGod states that Clifford [=DeVoe=]/The Thinker is the smartest man on Earth-1, largely due to his metahuman power being SuperIntelligence. He exhibits extremely advanced methodical thinking and is able to plan out things years ahead. He is so thorough in his planning that he's pretty much an InvincibleVillain due to him anticipating everything.

* WordOfGod has stated that genius physicist [[Series/KamenRiderBuild Sento Kiryu]] has the highest IQ of the Heisei era of ''Franchise/KamenRider'', making him the smartest Kamen Rider by default in that phase of the franchise. Incidentally, the original Kamen Rider #1—Takeshi Hongō—is established in the first episode of [[Series/KamenRider his series]] as having an IQ score of 600. How his brain compares to Sento’s is unknown, but he probably qualifies as the smartest Rider for the Shōwa era of the franchise.

* ''Franchise/TheDCU'': ComicBook/LexLuthor typically holds the title of smartest human in the DC Universe, with no one being his intellectual equal. The only one that Lex considers to be in his league is the extraterrestrial being ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} who possesses SuperIntelligence.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however;''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at least on par with him, and [[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]] has Shuri note that Hank Pym is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles, which not even a team of Wakandas crack scientists can figure out.

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* Mimir in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'' proclaims himself as "The Smartest Man Alive" and can answer as to whatever question that Kratos asked, although he does admit that there are some gaps in the knowledge, particularly as to why Odin wants to hunt Kratos and his son down, or whether or not there is a weakness to Baldur's invulnerability.

!!Examples:

* In ''Franchise/DragonBall'', Bulma and her father Dr. Briefs are usually considered the brightest minds in their world, having invented revolutionary shrinking technology, the fastest rocket in the world, and even a time machine. The only other person to compare to their intelligence is Dr. Gero, though he typically gets shunned by the science community due to being a psycho MadScientist.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however;''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at lesst on par with him, and [[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]] has Shuri note that Hank Pym is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles, which not even a team of Wakandas crack scientists can figure out.

* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', L is at least this in the field of criminology, being the unrivaled "World's Greatest Detective" (and secretly the second and third greatest too). It wasn't until he met Light Yagami was he able to find an intellectual equal.
* In ''Franchise/DragonBall'', Bulma Briefs and Dr. Briefs are usually considered the brightest minds in their world, having invented revolutionary shrinking technology, the fastest rocket in the world, and even a time machine. The only other person to compare to their intelligence is Dr. Gero, though he typically gets shunned by the science community due to being a psycho.

* WordOfGod has stated that genius physicist [[Series/KamenRiderBuild Sento Kiryu]] has the highest IQ of the Heisei era of ''Franchise/KamenRider'', making him the smartest Kamen Rider by default in that phase of the franchise.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however;''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at lesst on par with him, and [[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]] has Shuri note that Hank Pym is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles, which not even a team of Wakandas crack scientists can figure out .

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however;''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at lesst on par with him, and [[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]] has Shuri note that [[''Film/AntMan'' Hank Pym ]] is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophistication of his Pym Particles.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU. In recent years this has been challenged, however;''Film/BlackPanther2018'' establishes T'Challa's sister, Shuri is at lesst on par with him, and [[AllThereInTheManual The Wakanda Files]] has Shuri note that [[''Film/AntMan'' Hank Pym ]] is perhaps more brilliant than any of them-to the point where she mildly idolizes him for the sophisticated of his Pym Particles.

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', for a long time Tony Stark held the honor of "smartest person" in the MCU, however ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' sought to debunk that and establish T'Challa's sister, Shuri, as the true holder of that title.

** [[Characters/FantasticFour Reed Richards]] is usually recognized as the smartest man in the Marvel Universe, being the most esteemed mind in the scientific community. In fact he himself [[ScienceHero considers his intellect to be his real superpower]] rather than his elasticity.

* In ''Franchise/Ben10'',

** Azmuth's ArchEnemy Dr. Psychobos is stated to be the second smartest being in the universe, and is constantly trying to usurp Azmuth from first place. He is a Cerebrocrustacean, an intellectual rival race to the Galvans.

* ''Franchise/TheDCU'': ComicBook/LexLuthor typically holds the title of smartest human in the DC Universe, with no one being his intellectual equal. The only one that Lex considers to be in his league is the extraterrestrial being Brainiac who possesses SuperIntelligence.

* Mimir in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'' proclaims himself as "The Smartest Man Alive" and can answer as to whatever question that Kratos asked, although he does admits that there are some gaps in the knowledge, particularly as to why Odin wants to hunt Kratos and his son down, or whether or not there is a weakness to Baldur's invulnerability.

* In the {{Literature/Lensmen}} novel ''Gray Lensman,'' Kimball Kinnison at one point needs to find fifty or so of the smartest beings in Civilization for a special scientific project. While consulting with a librarian to select this group, he learns that he has been assigned the highest rating of all.

--->'''Doctor Manhattan:''' The world's smartest man poses no more threat to me than does its smartest termite.

** Azmuth's ArchEnemy Dr. Psychobos is constantly trying to disprove this claim and establish himself as the smartest mind in the universe. He is a Cerebrocrustacean, an intellectual rival race to the Galvans.

* In ''LightNovel/NoGameNoLife'', if Shiro wasn’t this in the real world, she is most definitely this in Disboard. A ChildProdigy with a computer like mind, able to win 20 consecutive games against a simulation designed to beat grandmasters, and compute complex physics equations to pull off AwesomeByAnalysis. Her brother, Sora p, already quite smart himself, has never encountered such brilliance in all his years and believes Shiro to represent humanity’s potential. When she and her brother arrive in Disboard, a world governed by games, their status as {{Godlike Gamer}}s make them the unbeatable Kings of Imanity.