In the world of My Hero Academia, pro heroes are individuals with a strong sense of justice and special abilities known as quirks that could be suited for either combat or rescue. They are a legally licensed group that acts as a form of law enforcement and are generally more effective than the regular police.
Though most heroes are limited to having a single quirk, they can use that one ability in various ways based on what the situation requires. This is one of the main factors that make a great hero, and it is facilitated by both hard work and intelligence. Arguably, some of the most intelligent heroes are the best heroes, favoring brains over brawn or combining the two to achieve a sterling result.
10 Snipe
Snipe is the teacher responsible for the senior students of U.A. High School. He is an extremely perceptive individual, and he offers useful insight into important events. Examples include when he discussed a spy's presence within U.A and also when he was present during the first season's entrance exam.
He is also very calm and cool-headed, as shown towards the end of the USJ incident, where he expertly assessed the situation and swiftly saved the students in danger. He is further aided by his Homing quirk, which allows him to hit any target within 600 meters of him without fail.
9 Sorahiko Torino – Gran Torino
Gran Torino is one of the most impressive mentors in the series, known for training both All Might and Deku on how to use One For All. Prior to meeting him, Deku only knew of self-destructive ways to use the powerful quirk despite being trained by All Might for almost a year. In less than two days, however, Gran Torino taught him how to manage his power and is responsible for the fledgling's Full Cowling technique he is known for today.
He has also shown to be very perceptive in battle. For example, during All Might's fight against One For All in Kamino Ward, he was constantly analyzing the state of the fight and was largely able to keep up with the two. In fact, All For One's defeat was massively facilitated by a piece of advice Gran Torino gave All Might.
8 Enji Todoroki – Endeavor
As the current number one and the hero with the highest number of cases resolved, Endeavor boasts an extremely impressive track record. He is known for his bad temper but is surprisingly levelheaded in battle, constantly analyzing his opponents and adapting to unfavorable situations.
He also has great deduction skills, shown both during battle and outside it. For example, in his fight against Hood, he figured out the Nomu's weak point and that only the black ones are capable of regeneration. He also noticed the similarities between Deku's and All Might's quirk on first viewing, though that may only have been due to his previous obsession with the latter.
7 Shoto Aizawa – Eraser Head
Aizawa is the beloved homeroom teacher of Class 1-A. He usually sports a rather disheveled appearance, but he is still extremely good at his job. He was initially portrayed as an inflexible and strict instructor, but in truth, he cares greatly for his students and has a strong sense of duty.
The Erasure Hero has a unique approach to teaching and is great at motivating his students. He may sometimes use distasteful methods, but they prove effective more often than not. This is possible through the great understanding he has of his students and his determination to push them to even greater heights. He also possesses significant knowledge of how other quirks work, even if he’s only seen them once.
6 Ken Ishiyama – Cementoss
He might have an unusual appearance, but Cementoss is one of the more impressive teachers at U.A High. He is a caring person who teaches Modern Literature and is very well informed on the subject. His quirk allows him to manipulate cement on a large scale, and he has shown exceptional control over it throughout the series.
He is skilled enough to create complex structures in a short amount of time and can use this power effectively for either offense or defense. He also possesses a keen eye, as, during the U.A Sports Festival, he determined that both Midoriya and Todoroki were bound to destroy each other, so he quickly intervened to try and stop the fight.
5 Hizashi Yamada – Present Mic
Present Mic might be known more for his loudness and eccentricity rather than actual smarts, but this odd English teacher of U.A High is a lot more capable than he looks. For example, during a teacher's conference involving several intellectuals, he was the first to suspect that there could be a traitor in their midst. This deduction proved sound, as that was eventually revealed to be the case.
His quirk also allows him to emit loud frequencies with his voice, and he is adept at using it in battle. However, he seems to prefer taking on the role of an announcer, narrating events as they unfold, and acting as a Radio Host.
4 Keigo Takami – Hawks
Hawks is one of the more charismatic heroes on this list and, being the No. 2 Pro Hero, he is also one of the more efficient. He has tremendous control over his quirk and can use them in fights, to support his allies, or to rescue civilians. Furthermore, he can be very deceptive as he is capable of putting on different expressions regardless of his true emotions, a trait that helped him infiltrate the Paranormal Liberation Front.
He is also very calculating and analytical, carefully assessing situations and accurately determining the right course of action. In addition, he possesses great intuition and, just like Endeavor, could make a strong connection between Deku and All Might.
3 Toshinori Yagi – All Might
Though it may sometimes be easy to forget due to his current appearance, All Might was once the No. 1 Pro Hero, with his existence itself serving as a deterrent to criminals. He was extremely strong, but his strength wasn’t facilitated by raw power alone. In battle, he was very adaptable and quick-witted, capable of using his quirk in various ways.
He might not be the best teacher, but that is likely due to his long, distinguished career as a hero, where most of his focus was on his own development. He is, however, very knowledgeable about training regimens and helped Izuku build up a body that could inherit One For All within 10 months. He can also be seen offering useful advice to his young successor about new ways to use his power in order to help him become a great hero.
2 Mirai Sasaki – Sir Nighteye
Considered to be the brains behind All Might in his earlier years, Nighteye was a hero great at forming strategies to fit different scenarios. Much like Izuku Midoriya, he was also obsessed with All Might, but the duo went their separate ways six years prior to the beginning of the series.
His ability to plan was somewhat aided by his Foresight quirk, which allowed him to see into the future of a specific person, but even without it, he was still very capable. He showed impressive reasoning during the Shie Hassaikai raid and could constantly grasp the overall state of events based on what was happening around him. Furthermore, his tutelage largely contributed to making Lemillion one of the top students in U.A.
1 Nezu
This anthropomorphic principal of U.A has a quirk that grants him a higher level of intellect compared to average humans. As a result, he is extremely smart and very dedicated to educating. He is responsible for the current advanced state of the U.A security system and is also in charge of managing it.
While in combat, Principal Nezu assumes a rather maniacal demeanor which has been stated to be a result of the multiple experiments performed on him while he was younger. He has also been shown to be great at strategy, an attribute he showcased greatly during the final exam against Mina Ashido and Denki Kaminari.