During his time at the Konoha Academy, Boruto was notorious as the ultimate troublemaker. Almost every incident at the Academy had his name attached to it.
His pranks were legendary, ranging from defacing the Hokage Rock to destroying school buildings. The female students frequently complained about his antics, blaming him for dragging their entire class’s reputation through the mud.
Boruto’s rebellious streak perfectly mirrored his father, Naruto, who was equally infamous for his childhood mischief. Unsurprisingly, Konohamaru once joked that if pulling pranks were the requirement to become Hokage, Boruto would easily surpass Naruto.
Despite his reputation as a delinquent, Boruto was far from foolish. He possessed a brilliant mind and the raw potential to become a truly exceptional shinobi in the future.
Here are 6 of Boruto’s most incredible feats during his Academy days:
1. Underestimating the Academy Graduation Exam
While his classmates trained relentlessly for the graduation exams, Boruto brushed it off as child’s play. He casually tried to invite his friends to play video games, only to be ignored as they intensely prepared to avoid failing.
In the modern era, the graduation exam consists of both a written test and a practical exam. This is a stark contrast to the past, where a student only needed to demonstrate the Transformation Jutsu (Henge no Jutsu) or the Clone Jutsu (Bunshin no Jutsu) to pass. Boruto found the old requirements laughably easy, having already mastered both the Shadow Clone and Transformation techniques. However, this mindset alienated friends like Shikadai, Inojin, Denki, and Iwabe, who hadn’t yet fully mastered the Transformation Jutsu.
Despite the modern exam’s added complexity, Boruto’s habit of slacking off and gaming instead of studying didn’t stop him from effortlessly graduating as a Genin.
Note: Boruto could use the Shadow Clone Jutsu before even entering the Academy. As he confessed to Kakashi in Episode 36, he didn’t learn it from Naruto; he figured it out entirely on his own.
2. Acing the Written Exam Without Cheating
Following the written exam, nearly all the students felt confident they had aced it. This was because they had secretly collaborated, distracting the proctors to share answers.
Boruto was genuinely shocked to learn his friends had colluded, bluntly calling it out as cheating. Baffled by his reaction, Sarada explained that a week prior, Shino had given them a subtle hint: “Find out the exam questions and determine your strategy.”
Shino’s words were actually a covert instruction to steal the answers from the proctors, secretly testing their intelligence-gathering skills. Boruto was completely oblivious to this hidden test. Consequently, he didn’t participate in the mass cheating ring.
Despite not using the “approved” cheating methods like his peers, Boruto still scored a flawless 100 on the written exam. Even Kakashi was astonished to see Boruto achieve a perfect score from Shino.
3. Earning Kakashi’s Acknowledgment
For the practical graduation exam, Kakashi personally stepped in as the head proctor. He specifically wanted to challenge the infamous “problem class”—Boruto and his friends.
The objective was the legendary bell test. Realizing this, Boruto became obsessed with facing Kakashi head-on, refusing to waste time on the other proctors guarding him. Boruto scaled a tall tree to scout Kakashi’s location. This simple tactical decision earned him high praise from Kakashi, who noted that securing the high ground was the perfect strategic move.
When they clashed, Kakashi was deeply impressed by Boruto’s mastery of Shadow Clones, as well as his exceptional ninjutsu and taijutsu skills. Boruto employed a barrage of clever tactics to snatch the bell, even though he ultimately failed.
Kakashi openly acknowledged that Boruto was far above average, officially labeling him a genius. He stated that despite Boruto still being an Academy student, his combat prowess had already surpassed the Genin level and rivaled that of a Chunin.
4. Sleeping in Class, Yet Still Brilliant
As observed by his classmate Iwabe, Boruto frequently slept through lectures. Yet, despite dozing off, he consistently pulled top grades—a frustrating reality that often sparked envy in Iwabe and Inojin.
One day, Boruto was called to the front to solve an equation on the blackboard. He effortlessly breezed through Shino’s problem, even mocking it for being too easy. Shino conceded that the answer was correct, but insisted Boruto solve it using the specific method taught in class.
Boruto flatly refused, arguing that his own method was far faster and more accurate. He even boldly challenged Shino to give him a harder problem next time.
During parent-teacher conferences, Shino reported Boruto’s grades to Hinata. According to Shino’s evaluation, Boruto’s versatile skills were improving drastically. Though Shino noted Boruto’s tendency to zone out during class, he confidently assured Hinata that it wouldn’t hinder his academic success.
5. Flawless Performance in Competency Exams
When Shino tested the students’ physical strengths and weaknesses, Boruto showcased incredible prowess, recording the second-best time in the class. First place went to Iwabe, who held a physical advantage due to being older and having been held back several times.
During the vertical wall-climbing exam, students like Denki struggled immensely, ultimately failing and falling to the ground. For Boruto, however, the test was a breeze. He casually strolled up the sheer cliff face on his own two feet.
Similarly, many students struggled with the water-walking competency exam, splashing helplessly into the river. Once again, Boruto proved his mastery, performing the technique effortlessly. He later showcased this brilliant chakra control in the Hidden Mist Village, engaging in a high-stakes sword fight on the water’s surface against Kagura.
6. Embodying the Heart of a Great Shinobi
During a three-man squad training exercise, Shino tasked the students with navigating an obstacle course within a strict time limit. The teams fiercely competed to cross the finish line as fast as possible.
Boruto’s team failed to beat the clock. Though his speed could have easily secured him first place, Boruto actively chose to drop back and help his teammate, Denki, who was struggling to scale a wall. Alongside Mitsuki, Boruto hoisted Denki over the obstacle.
After the exercise, Shino shocked the class by announcing that everyone had failed. Even the squads that beat the timer were disqualified because they had abandoned their teammates to cross the finish line, failing to arrive as a complete three-man unit.
This moment perfectly captured Boruto’s essence; he already possessed the heart of a great shinobi. His actions directly paralleled the philosophy Obito Uchiha once imparted to Kakashi, inspired by Kakashi’s own father, Sakumo Hatake:
“Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.”
This ideology—prioritizing comrades over the mission—was passed down by Kakashi to Team 7 (Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura). Ultimately, that very same core value was successfully inherited by the next generation, living on in Boruto Uzumaki and his friends.
