It depends on how you define intelligence.
Kakashi should be higher. He's shown more intelligence feats than Madara, that's for sure.
Where is Kakuzu the immortal? The man who lived to be ~90 yrs old, the man with yrs of experience.
-He should be on this list.
PS. I can't be the only one who thinks Shikamaru shouldn't be that high...not yet at least, exp has to count to something and he doesn't have enough. Also Naruto should be higher since the Kyubi's knowledge is his knowledge.
This, there is no way Orochimaru and Kabuto are tier 3!Freaking retarded list.
Orochimaru and kabuto are both tier 1 and Madara tier 2
hashirama i think is in the tier 3
It really shouldn't be split like that. The intelligence of certain characters vary and is applied in to different areas.
Example: Orochimaru is a scientist. He's intelligent because of all the tests he's done and his VAST knowledge.
Whereas people like Minato, Itachi, Naruto, Sasuke all excel in battle by applying intel to gain the upper hand in a fight. Itachi and Minato more so as they are the best analyzers in the manga.
Then there is also the "planners" like Madara, Obito, Hashirama etc. They plan ahead and execute their plans gradually (EoTM plan, Hashirama and Madara's plan for the village system...etc.)
I think there are far too many variables to categorize the respective intelligence of each character.
On a second thought, I agree wholeheartedly with the post above. I think experience should be certainly be taken into consideration here as well as the other things mentioned above.
Best list ever
Tier 1: Doctor Sheldon Cooper
Tier 2: L, Lelouch vi Brittania, Light Yagami, Batman, Sherlock Holmes
Tier 3: Near, Mello, Dr. Wattson
Tier 4: Shikamaru
Nobody else matters :|
No L????????? OR BEYOND BIRTHDAY?????????
disagree. naruto grow and mature and naruto sucks only in booksmart.... also naruto intelligence already equals nejiSomething about Naruto being above "rest of K11" doesn't sit right. Naruto has combat smarts, but you have to fish for the rest of him.