Naruto features some of the cleverest, most deviously intelligent characters in shonen anime. Most characters are ninjas, meaning they rely on stealth, trickery, deception, and advanced tactical planning to get ahead with tools, ninjutsu or even their bare hands. Characters such as Kakashi Hatake, Shikamaru Nara, Kabuto, and Tsunade are famed for being some of the smartest shinobi around.
Conversely, other Naruto characters rely more on brawn than brain to fight, and they usually rely on a team leader to give them orders and take control of the situation. These ninjas aren’t hopeless with mental tasks, but they are definitely not on the same level as Kakashi or Shikamaru.
10 Choji Akimichi
Choji Akimichi is the brawn of Team 10, serving as the “Cho” part of Ino-Shika-Cho. Choji is also Shikamaru Nara’s best friend and a valued member of the unofficial Konoha 11 team with his formidable expansion jutsu, the hiden jutsu that his ninja clan is famous for.
Choji is brave, reliable, and friendly, but he’s not much of a tactician. He needs Shikamaru to think up the battle plans, and based on certain flashbacks, Choji was an uncommitted and sloppy student at the ninja academy, just like his classmate Naruto Uzumaki.
9 Might Guy
Might Guy is a classic example of an anime himbo, or an energetic but dim-witted male protagonist like Son Goku or Monkey D. Luffy. Might Guy does have strong charisma as Team Guy’s leader and is a skilled coach for Rock Lee, but he’s not the most cunning Leaf ninja.
Might Guy is all brawn, a taijutsu specialist who has invented brutal, exciting combat moves like Dynamic Entry to devastate his enemies. He also comically struggled to remember who Kisame Hoshigaki was, much to Kisame’s exasperation throughout Naruto Shippuden.
8 Jugo
Jugo was introduced as the Bruce Banner of Naruto, an outwardly calm and friendly person who has a hidden monster side. Jugo is also the first user of a curse mark, making him an essential test subject for his scientist master, Orochimaru.
Jugo relies mostly on his curse mark and its frightening strength to survive, though he also fears his monster side. Ideally, Jugo will get a chance to live peacefully in the wilds, communing with wild animals, far away from the bizarre complexities of modern civilization.
7 Kiba Inuzuka
Kiba Inuzuka is a brute-force member of the Konoha 11 super-group, and he is often considered that group’s weakest link. While Kiba has plenty of enthusiasm and courage, his dog-based taijutsu soon felt obsolete, and he didn’t have many new tricks to offer.
Kiba is also a poor strategist and has no real leadership skills, so it soon seemed the Konoha 11 had no real use for him. Kiba couldn’t easily think his way out of trouble, and almost as often, he couldn’t fight his way out of a bind, either.
6 Kisame Hoshigaki
A few times in Naruto Shippuden, the shark-themed Kisame Hoshigaki did show his clever side. An example was when he faked his death and hid inside his living sword Samehada to secretly follow Killer Bee, but that was the exception. Normally, Kisame needs the prodigy Itachi Uchiha to lead him.
Kisame is the muscle of the Akatsuki gang. He uses his overwhelming strength and brute-force water release jutsu to overwhelm his foes, and even Might Guy can’t easily handle his true power. Kisame first showed this in the original Naruto, but it was the clever Itachi who finished the fight and ordered a retreat.
5 Rock Lee
Rock Lee is Might Guy’s most dedicated student, even getting a new haircut and outfit to copy Might Guy’s style. Like his mentor, Rock Lee is all about taijutsu and brute force, though unlike Guy, Rock Lee doesn’t choose to not use ninjutsu or genjutsu – he literally cannot do so.
Instead, Rock Lee is all about physical conditioning and techniques like the Primary Lotus. Rock Lee relies on sheer speed and power to win, because if his opponents use tricky ninjutsu or genjutsu to create a battle of wits, Rock Lee will be out of options.
4 Hinata Hyuga
Hinata Hyuga is a lovable dandere ninja who has some talent with her family’s trademark Byakugan eyes and Gentle Fist technique, though she once lacked the courage and resolve to tap into her true potential. Then, Naruto shouted some encouraging words, and Hinata learned to stand up for herself.
Hinata is a decent fighter and a wonderful person, but she’s not particularly clever, and has average book smarts at best. She is rarely seen using advanced tactics or strategic thinking, instead relying on the straightforward power of her clan’s jutsu and sheer willpower to prevail.
3 Konohamaru
Konohamaru was the Third Hokage’s grandson and one of Naruto‘s first real friends in the series. He was introduced as an energetic kid who was desperate to make a name for himself, so he became Naruto‘s friendly rival and started taking after Naruto in many ways.
Konohamaru persevered and eventually learned some remarkable jutsu, including the famed Rasengan. He is brave, loyal, and adept at advanced techniques, but Konohamaru has average intelligence at best and doesn’t always put a lot of thought into what he does.
2 Hidan
Hidan is part of the “immortal duo” alongside the sinister Kakuzu, using his bizarre jutsu to inflict wounds on both himself and his opponents in battle. Hidan is clearly devoted to the Cult of Jashin and knows its ways, but he’s not exactly a well-read priest.
Hidan is aggressive and deadly in combat, but he’s never very smart about it. He relies on speed to slash his opponents and get a blood sample, and if the enemy finds a way out of his jutsu, he’s not sure what to do. Shikamaru Nara, for example, completely outwitted him, and Hidan had no backup options when his trademark jutsu failed.
1 Zaku Abumi
Zaku Abumi and his squadmates Kin Tsuchi and Dosu Kinuta were minor villains in the Chunin Exam story arc. All three of them relied on sound-based jutsu and advanced weapons and devices to fight, such as Zaku’s air tubes, Kin’s genjutsu bells, and Dosu’s sound emitter.
Zaku was a simple-minded thug in that exam, relying entirely on force to get his way. If his air tubes are busted, he has no plan B, and he’s clearly not smart enough to come up with one. Zaku isn’t even smart enough to know when to cut his losses and run when necessary.
