History TheSmartGuy / AnimeAndManga

* "G-4" Jinpei the Swallow from ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'' fills this role in the "smartass" variation of this trope. He's a TagalongKid who is the most prone to clever trickster style behavior and wisecracking. He often hangs out with and plays off of TheBigGuy Ryu the Owl for his hijinks. As far as actually being the book smartest member, his [[TheHeart sister Jun]] better fulfills that role. Jinpei and Jun split gadgeteering skills between them.

* ''Manga/SoulHunter'' provide a case of the smart guy being the main character. Taikoubou is the one to come up with plans in and out of battle and act as TheStrategist for the Zhou army. He also rarely take part in the fight himself, and when he do, win through ruse and tricks rather than strength, prompting many of his companions to wonder if he isn't actually really weak. [[spoiler: Taikoubou is perfectly able to fight, but hide it to allow the others characters to get stronger while fighting (and because [[BrilliantButLazy he is lazy]])]].

* Subverted in ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', where Yuki Nagato is designated by Haruhi as TheSmartGirl. The ''real'' smart guy is actually Koizumi, constantly giving advice to Kyon in any way, while Yuki is much more of TheBigGuy, being essentially the Brigades' super powerful member.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon's'' Sailor Mercury/Ami Mizuno has an extremely high IQ, is Japan's unrivaled best student, is the most studious, and her uniform is equipped with an instrument for analyzing enemies. Her brains are pitted against Sailor Uranus's brawn in the Sailor Stars, and she defeats the enemy by studying them and using observational skill rather than simply trying overpower them, thereby winning Uranus's respect.

* [[JerkAssWoobie Zelgadis Graywords]] of the ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}'' franchise is usually this alone or is also TheLancer, depending on the adaptation. In addition to being book-smart and a strategist in battle, he also knows a good deal of scientific knowledge plausible for a fantasy setting, and can solve math problems and measure distances at near-breakneck speed.

* ''Manga/SoulEater'' has Death the Kid who is [[SuperOCD obssessed with symmetry]] but manages to fill the role of the Smart Guy due to his deductive skills.

* ''Manga/KurokosBasketball'' has Akashi. [[AllThereInTheManual Side materials]] have his best school subjects listed as "everything". He's also the StudentCouncilPresident at his high school, even back when he was a first year. Midorima is shown to be intelligent too, but not to the same extent as Akashi.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'':
** Satoshi/Ash's male travel companions all fill this trope to balance out Satoshi/Ash's immaturity and lack of knowledge, usually acting as a BigBrotherMentor. Each of them is very knowledgeable, which is justified by their respective occupation.

** Dent/Cilan is Takeshi/Brock's second replacement after the latter left at the end of ''Diamond & Pearl''. He is a Pokémon Sommelier/Connoisseur, a profession that specializes in in identifying the compatibility between Pokémon Trainers and their Pokémon, and he's an A-Class Sommelier/Connoisseur to boot, which is the second highest rank. Additionally, he's also a Gym Leader and knows a lot about battling and at least more than his brother Pod/Chili. And it helps that he knows more about the Isshu/Unova region than Iris.
** Citron/Clemont is the most current male travel companion, but unlike the others, he doesn't balance out Satoshi/Ash's immaturity, as the latter has already matured enough that he doesn't need a BigBrotherMentor anymore. He's also the only one to be the around the same age as Satoshi/Ash and his female companion, while the other male companions (barring Masato/Max) were all older. However, he still balances out Satoshi/Ash's lack of knowledge, especially if it comes to the Kalos region. Not only is Citron/Clemont yet another Gym Leader, but he is also an inventor and he builds lots of useful inventions, even if more than half of them malfunction and explode, at least a good portion of them still work.

* Seto Kaiba of ''Anime/YuGiOh''. Built up the world's biggest gaming company, designed three different card playing machines with excellent holograms, designed a card playing field on top of a ''blimp'', and has computers that can do just about anything with the right operator at the keys.

** Lucy pulls double duty as TheChick and TheSmartGirl most of the time, especially once [[TagalongKid Wendy]] started integrating into their FiveManBand more often (and who also displays TheChick characteristics).

** Fate herself fits this role in any TheTeam or FiveManBand constellation with Hayate as TheLeader, since Fate is an Enforcer who investigates crime incidents. Also temporarily in ''[[Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce Force]]'', when she, [[TheHeroine Nanoha]], [[TheLancer Isis]], [[TheBigGirl Subaru]] and [[TheChick Lily]] fight Thoma, who lost control over his body, Fate makes the smartest move to end the battle very quickly.

** Usopp fills this role for the Straw Hat Pirates. Initially, it is arguable that [[TheChick Nami]] is the smart guy and Usopp is the chick due to both of them being smart (in different areas), but with Usopp being better in battle. However by the time Enies Lobby arrives, they are both capable combatants (though among the crew, they are the least reliant on physical abilities). Despite Oda officially stating Nami to be smarter than Usopp, taking into account his higher bounty, his ability to analyze his opponents' fighting styles, and his [[CrazyPrepared uncanny ability to think five steps ahead]], Usopp is clearly a straighter TheSmartGuy when it comes to combat situations, though they both contribute intelligence in non-combat situations. Also, he is a GadgeteerGenius who built Nami's weapon (at her request, meaning she couldn't do it herself). When it comes to more conventional sciences, Nami has him beat, but in the world of ''One Piece'', conventional sciences are [[ItRunsOnNonsensoleum rarely applicable]].

* "G-4" Jinpei the Swallow from ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'' fills this role in the "smartass" variation of this trope. He's a TagalongKid who is the most prone to clever trickster style behavior and wisecracking. He often hangs out with and plays off of TheBigGuy Ryu the Owl for his hijinks. As far as actually being the book smartest member, his [[TheChick sister Jun]] better fulfills that role. Jinpei and Jun split gadgeteering skills between them.

* ''Manga/SoulHunter'' provide a case of the smart guy being the main character. Taikoubou is the one to come up with plans in and out of battle and act as TheStrategist for the Zhou army. He also rarely take part in the fight himself, and when he do, win through ruse and tricks rather than strength, prompting many of his companions to wonder if he is'nt actually really weak. [[spoiler: Taikoubou is perfectly able to fight, but hide it to allow the others characters to get stronger while fighting (and because [[BrilliantButLazy he is lazy]])]].

* ''LightNovel/AlderaminOnTheSky'' Ikta Solork would like nothing else than to focus on this, but fate has other plans for him.

* As a series with [[LoadsAndLoadsofCharacters lots of characters]], ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' naturally has more than one. [[spoiler: The first, Ayase Yue, a TrueCompanions regular and TeenGenius, took this role during the Chao Arc, going so far as giving him the counsel needed for him to fight Chao. The second one, [[DeadpanSnarker Chisame]], also took this role after officially ([[CantStayNormal and reluctantly]]) joining Ala Alba, especially after they got separated with Yue in the Magic World, making her his [[OnlySaneMan sole voice of reason]]. [[{{Tsundere}} Unfortunately for her]], this makes him quite attached to her. Err, not in '''that''' way...for now...]]

** Her analytical and decision making abilities were demonstrated in the opening chapter, which is how she and [[{{Megane}} Hirano]] survived the outbreak long enough for Takashi and the others to find them.

** Usopp fills this role for the Straw Hat Pirates. Initially, it is arguable that [[TheChick Nami]] is the smart guy and Usopp is the chick due to both of them being smart (in different areas), but with Usopp being better in battle. However by the time Enies Lobby arrives, they are both capable combatants (though among the crew, they are the least reliant on physical abilities). Despite Oda officially stating Nami to be smarter than Usopp, taking into account his higher bounty, his ability to analyze his opponents' fighting styles, and his [[CrazyPrepared uncanny ability to think five steps ahead]], Usopp is clearly a straighter SmartGuy when it comes to combat situations, though they both contribute intelligence in non-combat situations. Also, he is a GadgeteerGenius who built Nami's weapon (at her request, meaning she couldn't do it herself). When it comes to more conventional sciences, Nami has him beat, but in the world of ''One Piece'', conventional sciences are [[ItRunsOnNonsensoleum rarely applicable]].

** In the later part of the series Kakashi transitions from being a LightningBruiser {{Mentor}} into being the SmartGuy when the others start to catch up to him in power, and the others catch up to Sakura in technical knowledge.

** Trafalgar Law is certainly this. In contrast to most of his fellow Supernova, Law is extremely tactical, pragmatic, and has literal surgical precision. Much like Chopper, Law as a [[CombatMedic surgeon]] will happily attack his enemies’ biological weaknesses and at one point even uses his StoryBreakerPower to switch his arm with another person’s arm before it got severed by Doflamingo.

%% Links to scan sites are not allowed.

** Trafalgar Law is certainly this, in contrast to most of his fellow Supernova Law is extremely tactical, pragmatic and has literal surgical precision. Much like Chopper Law as a [[CombatMedic surgeon]] will happily attack his enemies’s biological weaknesses and at one point Law uses his StoryBreakerPower to switch his arm with another person’s arm before it got severed by Domflamingo.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':

* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'':
** Koushirou/Izzy would qualify as "TheSmartGuy". As well as Ken in Digimon Adventure 02. They are geniuses after all.
** Don't forget Miyako/Yolei in Digimon Adventure 02. She held this position prior to Ken [[SixthRanger joining the heroes]] and shared it with him afterwords.
* In ''Anime/DigimonTamers'', Jenrya Lee/Henry Wong is the smart guy with intelligence.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''

* Among [[Manga/AxisPowersHetalia The Allied]] [[FiveManBand Forces]], Francis Bonnefoy aka France takes up this role. He's one ''really'' atypical Smart Guy, though, often thinking with the smaller head rather than the big one. But when he ''does'' use the latter rather than the former, he can be quite the ManipulativeBastard.

* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure''

** Her [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-11310-5/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-0.html analytical]] and [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-11310-6/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-0.html decision making]] abilities were demonstrated in the opening chapter, which is how she and [[{{Megane}} Hirano]] survived the outbreak long enough for Takashi and the others to find them.
** Also, when Takashi's cellphone stopped working and [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-11325-4/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-15.html all the electronics at the Takagi Estate went dead]], she was able to deduce it'd been [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-11325-12/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-0.html the result of an EMP blast]] and surmised that the power plant [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-11325-13/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-0.html had likely been effected as well.]]
** It isn't long before she becomes the brains of Takashi' group, with the others [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-58604-8/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-28.html often deferring to her]] [[http://www.mangareader.net/170-58604-9/high-school-of-the-dead/chapter-28.html to assess the situation]] and devise a plan of action. In short: what she lacks in combat skill, is more than amply made up for in intellect, which has saved their lives on more than one occasion.

* Quite surprisingly to all those who've known him for a short time, Gokudera from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn''. Why surprisingly? Because the guy is the essence of a bad boy, smoking [[NoSmoking at the age of 14]], ready to beat up a teacher if his [[HoYay boss]] say so, etc., while getting 100 on his tests all the time. [[spoiler: Not to mention his C.A.I system and making up his own alphabet in class out of boredom...]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Rarely acts like one though.]]
* ''Manga/KurokosBasketball'' has Akashi. [[AllThereInTheManual Side materials]] have his best school subjects listed as "everything". He's also the StudentCouncilPresident at his high school, even back when he was a first year. Midorima is shown to be intelligent too, but not to the same extent as Akashi.s
* As a series with [[LoadsAndLoadsofCharacters lots of characters]], ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' naturally has more than one. [[spoiler: The first, Ayase Yue, a TrueCompanions regular and TeenGenius, took this role during the Chao Arc, going so far as giving him the counsel needed for him to fight Chao. The second one, [[DeadpanSnarker Chisame]], also took this role after officially ([[CantStayNormal and reluctantly]]) joining Ala Alba, especially after they got separated with Yue in the Magic World, making her his [[OnlySaneMan sole voice of reason]]. [[{{Tsundere}} Unfortunately for her]], this makes him [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/mahou_sensei_negima/v29/c264/7.html quite attached]] [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/mahou_sensei_negima/v29/c264/8.html to her]]. Err, not in '''that''' way...for now...]]
** Other characters could also be considered for the role, such as [[IntrepidReporter Asakura]], who is an expert at gathering information, and Haruna, who usually comes up with the devious plots. Other characters, such as [[RobotGirl Chachamaru]] and even ''[[ChildProdigy Negi]] himself'' have gone into this role.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''

* There are plenty of cases of smart women among the twelve [=HiMEs=] of ''Anime/MaiHime'', but the standout is the ShrinkingViolet computer genius Yukino Kikukawa. This is more or less reinforced by the fact that both her [[EmpathicWeapon Child]] and her [[ForgottenSuperweapon Element]] are only good for detection and spying.

** Izumi/Izzy would qualify as "TheSmartGuy". As well as Ken in Digimon Adventure 02. They are geniuses after all.

* ''Manga/KurokoNoBasuke'' has Akashi. [[AllThereInTheManual Side materials]] have his best school subjects listed as "everything". He's also the StudentCouncilPresident at his high school, even back when he was a first year. Midorima is shown to be intelligent too, but not to the same extent as Akashi.s

* Armin Arlelt from ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''. Most of his plans are successful. And he's the one who [[spoiler:finds the identities of the three Titan Shifters]] by looking and remembering at little details.

* In ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'', Izumi/Izzy would qualify as "The Smart Guy". As well as Ken in Digimon Adventure 02. They are geniuses after all.

* From ''Manga/FairyTail'', [[TalkingAnimal Happy]] fills this role, usually as a MrExposition, though he also provides simple answers to complex questions. Sometimes he combines this with TeamPet.

* Subverted in ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', where Yuki Nagato is designated by Haruhi as The Smart Girl. The ''real'' smart guy is actually Koizumi, constantly giving advice to Kyon in any way, while Yuki is much more of TheBigGuy, being essentially the Brigades' super powerful member.

* Usopp from ''Franchise/OnePiece'' fills this role for the Straw Hat Pirates. Initially, it is arguable that [[TheChick Nami]] is the smart guy and Usopp is the chick due to both of them being smart (in different areas), but with Usopp being better in battle. However by the time Enies Lobby arrives, they are both capable combatants (though among the crew, they are the least reliant on physical abilities). Despite Oda officially stating Nami to be smarter than Usopp, taking into account his higher bounty, his ability to analyze his opponents' fighting styles, and his [[CrazyPrepared uncanny ability to think five steps ahead]], Usopp is clearly a straighter SmartGuy when it comes to combat situations, though they both contribute intelligence in non-combat situations. Also, he is a GadgeteerGenius who built Nami's weapon (at her request, meaning she couldn't do it herself). When it comes to more conventional sciences, Nami has him beat, but in the world of ''One Piece'', conventional sciences are [[ItRunsOnNonsensoleum rarely applicable]].

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Satoshi/Ash's male travel companions all fill this trope to balance out Satoshi/Ash's immaturity and lack of knowledge, usually acting as a BigBrotherMentor. Each of them is very knowledgeable, which is justified by their respective occupation.

* In several of the ''Sonic'' continuities (bar the animated ''[[WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM SatAM]]'' and ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' series), Tails usually plays this role.

** Sanji's also proven to be capable of planning some impressive strategies as well, like the whole "Mr. Prince" ploy at Alabasta to lure Crocodile out of his casino and rescue the Straw Hats that were trapped inside in a sea prism stone cage. He's definitely the smartest of the Straw Hats' "Monster Trio." Unfortunately, his brains tend to go right out the window if women are involved.
*** Sanji tends more to be [[TheLancer the Lancer]] or [[TheBigGuy the Big Guy]] (with women involved) since he is the almost perfect counterpart to Luffy. He thinks first, watches his speech and he can cook.