10 Anime characters who would be shrewd businessmen

Analytical skills and negotiation ability are a few factors that make anime characters good businessmen or businesswomen. When it comes to cunning businessmen, intelligence and manipulative nature often prevail over hard work. Sometimes, their vast knowledge helps with business negotiations as well.

In general, businessmen or women are not popular characters in anime. However, countless anime characters would be shrewd businessmen with their sly personalities, hardworking nature, or exceptional intelligence. With the ability to turn any event in their favor, they can conquer anything in their business.

Disclaimer: This list is not ranked and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

Loid Forger, Gen Asagiri, and 8 other anime characters who can become cunning businessmen/women

1) Yoshikage Kira (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable)

Yoshikage Kira as seen in Diamond Is Unbreakable (Image via David Production)

Yoshikage Kira is the main antagonist of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable. Kira's Stand, Killer Queen, can create bombs, making him a dangerous serial killer. Despite his deadly abilities, Kira prefers to live a quiet life and avoid attention. His desire for peace, combined with his skills, shows that he hates losing and wouldn't back down in any negotiation, suggesting he could be a shrewd businessman.

2) Loid Forger (Spy x Family)

Loid Forger as seen in Spy x Family season 2 (Image via Wit Studio)

Loid Forger is one of the three main protagonists of Spy x Family. As an undercover spy from Westalis, he goes by the codename, Twilight. His real name is unknown, just like his past that he buried.

Loid is an upright man whose focus solely remains on his mission. The times when he indulges in Yor and Anya in the name of his mission make his character humorous. Loid is one of the anime characters who would be a shrewd businessman because of his wide range of talents and sly personality to disguise himself as anyone he wants.

3) Mei Hatsume (My Hero Academia)

Mei Hatsume as seen in My Hero Academia (Image via Bones)

Mei Hatsume is a student in the Department of Support in the U.A. Mei is a highly intelligent student who creates innovative support items. Mei's inventions have helped Izuku many times in the manga. During the U.A. Sports Festival, she used her strategic mind to manipulate Tenya into showcasing her inventions to businessmen. Mei's sly personality and hardworking nature suggest she'd be a cunning businesswoman.

4) Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky as seen in Bungou Stray Dogs (Image via Bones)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky is the main antagonist of Bungou Stray Dogs. He is a calm and composed character, often addressed as a monster by others. His intelligence is at par with Dazai as seen during their interactions in Meursault, making him one of the most difficult antagonists to deal with.

Interacting with Fyodor leads one to think that they are in the lead, and this attribute makes him one of the eerily manipulative anime characters. Being a businessman would be a piece of cake for Fyodor, who would be the master of negotiation while making the other party think that they are in charge.

5) Erwin Smith (Attack on Titan)

Erwin Smith as seen in Attack on Titan (Image via Wit Studio)

Erwin Smith was the 13th commander of the Survey Corps. He had a stoic personality and was one of the most complex characters of Attack on Titan. He heroically sacrificed himself and his comrades to eliminate Zeke while trusting Levi to finish the job.

Erwin's serious demeanor would make him seem like a dedicated businessman. His foresight would help uncover difficulties in business while his shrewdness would help with business negotiations. Erwin is one of the anime characters who would thrive as a businessman.

6) Norman (The Promised Neverland)

Norman as seen in The Promised Neverland (Image via Shueisha)

Norman is one of the deuteragonists of The Promised Neverland. He was introduced as a model student of Grace Field House Plant 3 and one of the most intelligent kids alongside Emma and Ray. His intelligence surpassed adults as observed in the manga when he could avoid death by making a contract.

Norman is loyal to his friends and shows a strong desire to save them even if it meant he would turn into a devil to accomplish that. He is one of the anime characters who could become a shrewd businessman through his high intelligence.

7) Gen Asagiri (Dr. Stone)

Gen Asagiri as seen in Dr. Stone (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Gen Asagiri is one of the main characters of Dr. Stone. He was a magician who got petrified while performing. He became a member of the Kingdom of Science after observing Senku's scientific inventions. Gen is a smooth talker and makes a dangerous enemy.

Gen can lie with a straight face. His manipulative nature makes him one of the anime characters who would have no difficulty in becoming a shrewd businessman due to his abilities as a mentalist.

8) Tooru Oikawa (Haikyuu!!)

Tooru Oikawa as seen in Haikyuu!! (Image via Production I.G)

Tooru Oikawa is one of the recurring characters in Haikyuu!! He is the captain and setter of Aoba Johsai High's Boys' Volleyball Team. Oikawa has a shrewd personality, which his teammates and opponents call disgusting.

Oikawa makes flirtatious and cheerful comments that make him a popular character. As a businessman, he would be a shrewd person and easily seal business deals. His dedication to reaching his goal would also help him be a successful businessman.

9) Arataka Reigen (Mob Psycho 100)

Arataka Reigen as seen in Mob Psycho 100 (Image via Bones)

Arataka Reigen is the deuteragonist of Mob Psycho 100. He is Mob's mentor and poses as the 'Greatest Psychic of the 21st Century'. Reigen is the owner of Spirits and Such Consultation Office, who solves his cases with the help of Mob. Even though he scams people by posing as a fake psychic, he has always been a good mentor to Mob.

However, he wouldn't be one of the most shrewd businessmen because he is one. He has managed to operate his office without getting caught. Though he was caught one time, he got out of the predicament with Mob's help. An article about shrewd businessmen would be incomplete without Reigen.

10) Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries)

Maomao as seen in The Apothecary Diaries (Image via OLM)

Maomao is the protagonist of The Apothecary Diaries. She started her journey as a maidservant in the Imperial Palace of Li. Eventually, she found herself solving the mysteries of the Inner Court with her vast knowledge of herbs. Her ability to solve problems and get out of difficult situations would make her one of the anime characters who can become a shrewd businesswoman.

Final Thoughts

Businessmen are generally not observed a lot in anime. However, when they appear, they are mostly portrayed as either cunning or hardworking characters devoted to reaching their goals. There are lots of anime characters who have the quirks to become shrewd businessmen. Most of the time, they are analytical with high intelligence or have manipulative personalities.