Rank Information

Some people seem to be confused with what each rank is, so I'm going to explain to make it easier while you make characters!

Academy Student:
Ninja Academy students like Konohamaru are taught the basic jutsu skills. Once they have mastered the needed skills, they are able to graduate and become actual ninja. However if the new Genin do not impress their Jounin sensei, they can be sent back to the Academy for further training.

Genin:
Genin are the lowest of ninja skill levels. They possess a knowledge of all the basic ninja skills and will do lower C & D rank missions with their Jounin sensei. Once the Genin has successfully undertaken eight missions, they can be sponsored by their Jounin sensei for the Chunin Exam.

Chunin:
The Chunin is the basic journeyman ninja of the village. These ninja can become field doctors or teachers. They were formerly Genin who were promoted for displaying excellent intelligence, strategy and combat skills in the Chunin Exam. Chuunin have the equivalent rank of military captain, exhibiting strong stamina, knowledge and inner wisdom.

Special-Jounin:
Special Jounin are ninjas who have gained high Jounin-level skills in one area of ninja arts. These are ninja like Morino Ibiki, who is highly skilled at interrogation and torture. Ninja attain the rank of Special Jounin through official appointment.

Jounin:
The Jounin are ninja who are highly skilled in all jutsu skills and arts. Ninja attain the rank of Jounin through official appointment. The Jounin generally serve as squad commander for mission operations.

Squad Leaders:
These specialized ninja are usually Special-Jounin or Jounin's and they are categorized in certain squad numbers. They will take three genin and train them and take them on missions. After a certain amount of practice, the leader is allowed to reccomend their pupils to be in the chuunin exams. After their training is complete, they are then in teams with the name of their sensei. While in genin, they have squad numbers like "squad 7", which included their leader Hatake Kakashi, and the three genin, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto. When Uzumaki and Haruno become older and more skilled, they are later known as "Team Kakashi".

Medical-Nins:
These specialized ninja are responsible for the health and well being of ninja injured in battle. Specially trained medical ninja such as Inuzuka Hana can also help the skilled animals which fight for the villages also.

ANBU:
The ANBU work directly under the leadership of the Hokage. This specialized ninja battalion generally work in groups of four to five. They are responsible for assassinations and missions requiring highly trained ninjas. The masks the members wear are based around the signs of the zodiac.

Hunter-Nin:
These shinobi hunters search for ninja who have abandoned their village. Nicknamed the "Undertaker Squad" they have a high knowledge in physiology to further their killing abilities. Once they kill their target, they will dispose of the body without a trace. This is because a ninja's body has within it secrets of the village's ninjutsu, chakra types, herbs and other information about the village. They will then take the head back to the Hidden Village as proof of their kill.

S-Ranked Criminal:
S-Ranked Criminals are people who have left their village to become stronger and kill. They are very powerful enemies who are talented in strategy and jutsu and must not be underestimated.

Kage:
The village Kage is the strongest ninja in the hidden village. The Kage serves as the pillar upon which the village stands and the strength a village presents to the other ninja countries largely depends upon the strength of the Kage in power. They have excellent chakra and stamina and know the most jutsu techniques. Only the Five Great Shinobi Countries are allowed to call their head ninja by the Kage name.

Sannin:
There are three Sannin in all and they are the top, most powerful ninja's in all of Konohagakure. It is only a title and if defeated, their title could be given away easily.

Missing-Nin:
These are Ninja's who have abandoned their village with no permission or return. Depending on what they've spent their time doing, they could be known as criminals or unimportant.

Rogue Ninja:
Rogue Ninja's are ninja's who have abandoned their village to work solo, mostly for money or power. Depending on what they are doing, they could be known as powerful enemies or allies.

Jinchuriki:
"Jinchuuriki" meaning the "power of human sacrifice", are those individuals possessing tailed demons within their bodies. The demons themselves are known by the number of tails their body possesses, and each has different characteristics.

Daimyou:
The Daimyou is charged with selecting the ninja who will become Kage. After the Daimyou has made his/her selection, a council of Jounin of their village/allies will vote on the choice. The daimyou is protected by the elite Twelve Guardians. There is a Daimyou in every country, and they are the leader of that country. Countries that do not have kage's are just run by Daimyous.

Guardians:
Each village has 12 elite guardians who watch/protect/serve the Daimyou. The Guardians are some of the most powerful ninja, ranking as high as almost Sannin levels. They are used for especially difficult tasks and are to protect the Daimyou with their lives.

Wandering-Nin:
Wandering-Nin are ninja that are not classified in a certain rank--usually not graduated or even in the records of Ninja Academy and are usually runaways from their villages. They also could be ranked villager shinobi's who have devoted their lives to traveling.