Some of the best schemes in anime are secretly planned.

Anime is famous for creating some of the most intelligent characters in fiction. Anime geniuses are some of the most fundamental characters in the plot's development. Attack on Titan's Armin has a different skill set from The Promised Neverland's Norman, but they're both geniuses who help their friends.

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While some of these geniuses think on their feet and devise strategies in the heat of battle, some are excellent chess players who can predict their opponents' moves and plan accordingly. These anime masterminds consider all permutations and consequences before they set out to achieve their goals.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is the main character of Classroom of the Elite. He is intellectually superior to his peers but prefers to lie back and observe others before making his move. When the school year begins, Ayanokoji invests considerable time reading the people around him and building up his information bank.

As the series progresses and academics become more competitive, with classes A through D battling it out for the benefits, Ayanokoji makes sure that his class comes out on top without revealing himself as the mastermind who was always one step ahead.

Many Berserk fans are at odds with each other regarding Griffith's true intentions and his plans. They believe that Griffith couldn't have possibly planned the show's big twist all along because he was unaware of the God Hand's existence. However, fans are positive that Griffith would willingly bear torture if it meant he could see his dreams fulfilled.

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Griffith is popular for being several steps ahead of his rivals and going to any lengths to achieve what he set his mind to. Some fans believe Griffith expected the atrocities he would have to bear when he undertook his mission.

Despite his looks, Blackbeard is one of the shrewdest characters in Eiichiro Oda's One Piece. Ever since Blackbeard came to know of a rare Devil Fruit, he joined Whitebeard's ship and searched for it. After decades of searching, one of the crew members, Thatch, found the Devil Fruit.

Blackbeard killed Thatch and fled with the Devil Fruit. He later plotted against Ace, having a hand in both his and Whitebeard's deaths. After taking Whitebeard's Quake Quake Devil Fruit, Blackbeard became the first pirate to have the abilities of two Devil Fruits, which was impossible until that point.

Bleach's Sosuke Aizen is one of the most popular characters in the series. Aizen takes Ichigo under his wing and trains him to be the best he can be and fulfill his potential. However, Aizen doesn't do this out of the goodness of his heart.

He trains and sculpts Ichigo to be the perfect opponent, one who would hold his own while facing him. Aizen meticulously planned each step of Ichigo's journey to power, from his training to who his opponents would be. His plan was so perfect that he ended up losing to Ichigo.

Most Naruto fans are familiar with the assassination chain Black Zetsu created – Madara, Obito, and Nagato. Black Zetsu was the manifestation of Kaguya's will. It did everything to actualize Kaguya's desire to dominate and take over the ninja world. Its was extremely skilled in manipulation and deception.

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Black Zetsu was smart enough to manipulate the great Madara Uchiha into doing his bidding. He sparked the chain of villains who would wreak havoc in the ninja world, almost annihilating it.

Lelouch vi Britannia was the 11th prince of the Holy Britannian Empire in Code Geass. His father, Emperor Charles zi Britannia, exiled him to the colony of Japan for going against him. Lelouch took it upon himself to create a better and kinder society free from the cruel politics that took his mother from him.

From creating a vigilante identity to becoming the antagonist in the eyes of millions of people, Lelouch planned each step with great precision. Finally, he made the entire society hate him and what he stood for, uniting them against one common evil.

Light Yagami popularized the antihero trope seen so frequently in anime. A high school student determined to make the world a just place, Light uses Ryuk's Death Note and Shinigami powers to rid his country and the world of all criminals through murder.

However, Light loses himself in this process. His God Complex goes beyond what he can control, making him a threat to the world he wanted to liberate. Despite his madness, Light was always one step ahead of his pursuers and even removed L from the picture.

Eren Jaeger is the main character of Hajime Isayama's masterpiece, Attack on Titan. He goes from an innocent young boy to a man obsessed with vengeance, justice, and freedom. Once Eren becomes the Attack Titan, he sets his plan in motion.

He uses people like pawns and advances his intentions and strategies for his benefit. Eren uses the Attack Titan's abilities to enter his father's memories and traumatize him into doing his bidding. This incident is the source material for one of the more popular Attack on Titan memes.

Johan Liebert is the titular monster and the principal antagonist of Naoki Urasawa's underrated animanga series, Monster. Dr. Tenma, the main protagonist, operated on and saved Johan Liebert, a survivor of the 511 Kinderheim massacre. While Johan respects Dr. Tenma, he does as he pleases.

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Johan corrupts people just for sheer entertainment. He once wished to be the last person standing when the world ends. However, towards the end of the series, he disappears after staging the perfect suicide and wreaking havoc on countless lives.

Itachi Uchiha was a child prodigy who massacred the entire Uchiha clan in the Hidden Leaf Village, sparing only his younger brother, Sasuke. Itachi knew the weight and consequences of his actions, but he protected his village rather than cooperate with his clan's criminal activities.

Itachi was aware of the toll his actions would take on Sasuke. He left the village only for Sasuke to do the same in search of him with a strong desire for vengeance. Itachi planned for Sasuke to become a just and powerful ninja capable of defeating him.

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Jahanvi Shah is a linguistics major who dabbles in poetry. She is into everything pop culture, including anime and manga. She enjoys crochet and knitting, reading, painting, and learning languages. She prides herself on her vast music taste and has an innate affection towards flowers. You can follow her on Instagram @jahxnvi.

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