Summary
- Genius traits in anime and manga aren't restricted by gender, with both male and female characters showcasing exceptional intelligence.
- Characters like Chiyo Mihama in "Azumanga Daioh" and Ami Mizuno in "Sailor Moon" stand out as brilliant female geniuses in their respective series.
- From mahjong prodigies in "Saki" to master detectives in "Detective Conan," genius female characters play diverse and crucial roles in various storylines.
Anime and manga feature a variety of characters with different kinds of character archetypes and tropes. One common archetype is the genius, characters that are often exceptionally intelligent in some way, whether it be academically, technologically, or have an immense talent in some skill or ability.
7 Best Anime With Genius Female Characters
Here are some exciting anime featuring female characters with genius-level intelligence.
The level of genius often varies depending on the work in question, but even the least impressive geniuses still usually stand head and shoulders over their peers. Genius traits aren't separated by gender, so both male and female characters can be geniuses. Here are some great manga that feature genius female characters.
1 Azumanga Daioh
The Hectic Days Of Energetic High Schoolers
- Written & illustrated by Kiyohiko Azuma
- Published in Dengeki Daioh
- 4 volumes
Azumanga Daioh follows the adventures of multiple high school girls and their daily lives together. The manga bounces between mundane everyday shenanigans and surreal, dream-like comedy sequences, with very little in-between.
Among the main cast is the character Chiyo Mihama, who is a child genius who skipped grades, making her a 10-year-old high schooler. Though she may not do anything particularly impressive with her genius aside from scoring high on tests, she certainly qualifies as one.
2 Saki
A Multitude Of Mahjong Masters
- Written & illustrated by Ritz Kobayashi
- Published in Young Gangan
- 24+ volumes
Saki Miyanaga is convinced by her friends to join her high school's mahjong club, due to having played the game with her relatives. Saki does not really like mahjong, but ultimately gets drawn into the game when the club members realize she is skilled enough to keep her score at zero, an incredibly difficult thing to achieve even for expert mahjong players.
Best Game Anime Everyone Should Watch
Games and anime are an iconic combo. These game-focused titles stand out as the best you can watch.
Saki is not the only brilliant mahjong player in the world, however. In her club alone there is also Nodoka Haramura, a mahjong prodigy and champion who is famed for her skill at the game. While these girls' brilliance is mostly limited to mahjong, it can't be denied that they are geniuses at the game.
3 Sailor Moon
Beautiful And Mystical Super Soldiers
- Written & illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi
- Published in Nakayoshi
- 18 volumes
Usagi Tsukino was just a normal middle school girl until she met the talking cat Luna and received the power to transform into Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon, she gathers a group of Sailor Scouts who aid her in battle against the forces of evil.
Among these Sailor Scouts is Sailor Mercury, real name Ami Mizuno. Ami is the smartest of the Sailor Scouts, sporting an IQ of 300 as well as the best grades in her school. Her intelligence also comes into use as a Sailor Scout, such as using custom-made computers and gadgets to track allies and foes and analyze weaknesses.
4 Detective Conan
A Master Detective In The Body Of A Child
- Written & illustrated by Gosho Aoyama
- Published in Weekly Shonen Sunday
- 105+ volumes
Shinichi Kudo was famous for being a genius detective, solving cases even the police couldn't handle while still in high school. By chance, he encounters members of the Black Organization, who force-feeds him a chemical named APTX4869 meant to kill him. Instead, it turns him into a boy, forcing him to continue investigating the organization while posing as Conan Edogawa.
Conan isn't the only genius in the manga, though. He eventually meets Ai Haibara, who also turns out to have been an adult turned into a child by APTX4869. As an adult, she was a brilliant scientist and researcher in her own right, with her expertise being vital to Conan's ongoing investigation of the Black Organization and the drug.
5 Great Teacher Onizuka
An Unconventional Teacher For Unconventional Students
- Written & illustrated by Tooru Fujisawa
- Published in Weekly Shonen Magazine
- 25 volumes
Eikichi Onizuka is a former delinquent, but an encounter inspires him to become a teacher. Miraculously managing to get his license despite having relatively poor academic skills, Onizuka nevertheless manages to be a good teacher to the problem students he gets saddled with.
8 Genius Anime Characters Who Are Easily Outsmarted
Despite the ingenious nature of these characters, they are still easily outsmarted in certain scenarios.
One of Onizuka's students is Urumi Kanzaki, an incredibly intelligent girl with a grudge against teachers. She can speak multiple languages and has extensive knowledge of various subjects, having even made makeshift time bombs to mess with Onizuka. Though she quarreled with Onizuka for a time, she eventually became a valuable ally to him.
6 Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
The Battle Of Love Between Genius Students
- Written & illustrated by Aka Akasaka
- Published in Weekly Young Jump
- 28 volumes
Shuchiin Academy is attended by the children of the most wealthy families in Japan, making its student body full of future elites. At its top is the Shuchiin Student Council, helmed by President Miyuki Shirogane and Vice President Kaguya Shinomiya. Unbeknownst to most, Shirogane and Shinomiya are caught up in a game of love, doing their best to convince the other to give in and confess first.
While Shirogane's intellect is due to intense studying and dedication, Shinomiya is a natural genius. Whether it be her academic results, performance in the archery club, or strategies to get Shirogane to confess to her, she frequently shows off just how brilliant she can be.
7 Dragon Ball
Hunting For A Wish-Granting Dragon
- Written & illustrated by Akira Toriyama
- Published in Weekly Shonen Jump
- 42 volumes
As one of the most iconic manga in the medium's history, Dragon Ball features the adventures of Son Goku, a young monkey-tailed boy with a big heart. The manga follows him as he grows into an adult and begins fighting threats that could destroy the entire galaxy.
As all of these world-ending events take place, it can be hard to remember that the second-most important character in the series is Bulma, who starts as a teen genius who created the Dragon Radar. Her contributions to the story are invaluable, and it all comes down to her natural mastery of machinery and science.
7 Best Manhwa With Genius Female Characters
These manhwa feature female leads who outsmart everybody around them. Some of them do it for good causes, others do it to commit evil acts.