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SCD Characters Iceberg
Iceberg chart of SCD (Smart Character Debates) characters arranged by how widely they’re recognized worldwide.
SCD is an online subculture/community where people analyze and compare fictional characters' intelligence and outsmarting abilities rather than their physical strength.
Global icons
Recognized across cultures and generations, even by people who barely know the story.
Batman
The Joker
Harry Potter
James Bond
Spider-Man
Iron Man
Sherlock HolmesSI
Famous worldwide
Familiar to many people across different countries and cultures, sometimes with a little context.
Sheldon Cooper
Lieutenant ColumboSI
Lex Luthor
Hermione Granger
Black Panther
Hercule Poirot
Famous with certain audiences
Widely known in particular regions, languages, or age groups, but less familiar elsewhere.
Arsène Lupin
Saul Goodman
Walter White
Edmond Dantès
The Riddler
L Lawliet
Light Yagami
Conan Edogawa
Dexter Morgan
Dexter
The Doctor
Paul Atreides
Manabu Yukawa
Hannibal Lecter
Gregory House
Hans Landa
Hajime Kindaichi
Benoit Blanc
Assane Diop
Arsène Lupin III
Doctor Octopus
Patrick JaneSI
The Professor
Adrian Monk
Anton Chigurh
Michael Scofield
Rick Sanchez
John Kramer
Sherlock Holmes (BBC)ALT
Professor James Moriarty
Palpatine
Joe Goldberg
Big in their medium
People into anime, games, books, or another broad medium may recognize them without following their series.
Phoenix Wright
Shigeru Akagi
Maomao
Korosensei
Raymond Reddington
Gus Fring
Jake Peralta
C. Auguste Dupin
Kiyotaka AyanokojiSI
Lelouch vi Britannia
John Constantine
Lucifer Morningstar
Scarecrow
Heiji Hattori
Kaito Kuroba
Kusuo Saiki
Senku Ishigami
Sherlock Holmes (Elementary)ALT
Hannibal Lecter (NBC)ALT
Dio Brando
Jotaro Kujo
Kaiji Ito
Doctor Doom
Red John
Johan Liebert
Hachiman Hikigaya
Shiro
Sora
Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz
Shawn Spencer
Subaru Natsuki
John Doe
Sherlock Holmes (Guy RItchie films)ALT
Rustin Cohle
Dr. Manhattan
Yami Yugi
Known across fandoms
Have a substantial fanbase and are also recognized in related fandoms beyond their own.
Friend
Miles Edgeworth
Iwao Washizu
Ryohei Arisu
Shuntaro Chishiya
Masachika Kuze
Yuki Suou
Karma Akabane
Armin Arlert
Sosuke Aizen
Yoichi Isagi
Mike Ehrmantraut
Osamu Dazai
Frank Abagnale Jr.
Makima
Junko Enoshima
Kyoko Kirigiri
Nagito Komaeda
Misa Amane
Siesta
Connor
Tetsuya Ishigami
Monika
Baek Nam-bong
Izaya Orihara
Paul Spector
William Afton
Tadashi Usobuki
Bill Cipher
Will Graham
Aventurine
Sparkle
Meruem
Hotaro Oreki
Tatsuya Shiba
Joseph Joestar
Kaguya Shinomiya
Miyuki Shirogane
Mary Saotome
Yumeko Jabami
Seijuro Akashi
Yang Wen-li
Shinichi AkiyamaSI
Eddie Morra
Klein Moretti
Sherlock Holmes (Moriarty the Patriot)ALT
William James MoriartyALT
Lee Woo-jin
Akane Kurokawa
Aqua Hoshino
Norman
Shogo Makishima
Marion Wheeler
Jim MoriartyALT
Baku Madarame
Ozymandias
Seto Kaiba
Known to casual fans
Familiar within an established series or genre, including to people who only follow it casually (probably).
Herlock SholmesALT
Manfred von Karma
Teruasa Oda
The Lich
Mira Kano
Zeke Yeager
Lu Yang
Kisuke Urahara
Lalo Salamanca
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Ranpo Edogawa
Raul Menendez
Arisu Sakayanagi
Kakeru Ryuen
Kikyo Kushida
Suzune Horikita
Schneizel el Britannia
Kokichi Oma
Shuichi Saihara
Mello
Naomi Misora
Near
Teru Mikami
Zero Ukai
Brian Moser
Stanford Pines
Otto Apocalypse
Gu Changge
Kang Jinhyeok
Kenjaku
Kirari Momobami
Norihiko Yokoya
Yuji Fukunaga
Brian Finch
Amon
Kyoko Okitegami
Shikamaru Nara
Toua Tokuchi
Yuki
Alexander Mahone
Sung Sooji
Sou Touma
Guo Jia
Lü Bu
Sima Yi
Zhang Fei
Bai Ning Bing
Fang YuanSI
Feng Jiu Ge
Evil Morty
Rick Prime
Mark Hoffman
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Nana Hiiragi
The Protagonist
Kei Shinomiya
Tenji Mikasa
Yuuichi Katagiri
Ange Ushiromiya
Battler Ushiromiya
Beatrice
Erika Furudo
Souichi Kiruma
Takaomi Kaji
Ayano Aishi
Medea Solon
Known to regular fans
Mostly recognized by people who regularly follow their particular work or version of the story.
Chen RanSI
Mu Zixuan
Qi Xia
Qiu Yinong
Dahlia Hawthorne
Winston Payne
Ai Magase
Akira Shiroyanagi
Ang Xiao
First Saint
World Honoured One
Lin Qi
Hiyori Shiina
Ichika Amasawa
Kazuomi Hosen
Kohei Katsuragi
Manabu Horikita
Masayoshi Harimoto
Miyabi Nagumo
Rokusuke Koenji
Ryuji Kanzaki
Takuya Yagami
Tsubasa Nanase
Yosuke Hirata
Izuru Kamukura
Monaca Towa
Tomohiro Machiya
Chen Qing
Yusaku Kudo
Kusuke Saiki
Moon Seong-hyun
Henry Emily
Cai Zhiyuan
Niu Youdao
Ririka Momobami
Takashi Harimoto
Adam
The Maker
Inspector Tsukumo
Heinrich Lunge
The Seven Deadly Sins Killer
Riku Dola
Tet
Chen Gong
Xun Yu
Yuan Fang
Zhou Yu
Zhuge Liang
Giant Sun
Limitless
Red Lotus
Star Constellation
Ilse Reynders
Nobody
Murphy Lawden
Kanade Otonokoji
Andrei Sator
Shinji Shiba
Vincent Lalo
Sara Chidouin
Shin Tsukimi
Akane Kurashiki
Junpei
Sigma Klim
Known from one story
Recognition mostly comes from one particular book, game, story arc, or spinoff.
Di Wu Zhi Yi
Shu Renjun
Gaspen Payne
Simeon Saint
Tearer
Tasuku Higashihama
Chiaki Matsushita
Fuka Kiryuin
Ikuto Kiriyama
Sakurako Tsubaki
Tsumugi Shirogane
Beyond Birthday
Minoru Tanaka
Pun Yunchuan
Terano Totobami
Runa Yomozuki
Kei Kimura
Kirito Kamui
Hashimoto
Mo Yao
Doofus Jerry
Eurus Holmes
Satoru Suteguma
GonenSI
Sou Hiyori
Very niche characters
Mostly recognized by a small readership or a specialist fan community.
Sword EmpressSI
The Prophet