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Ninja Ranks
Academy students
The academy is where would-be ninja start; they are not actually considered ninja until they graduate. Academy students take formal and practical tests of all sorts and are taught basic ninja skills, such as martial arts, techniques, physical fitness and the way of the ninja. Basic weapon usage, such as kunai and shuriken, is commonly taught. Elementary ninja techniques, though they vary from village to village, are also taught.

Upon graduating, students receive a special band of fabric with a metal bar bearing the symbol of their village, which is commonly referred to as a "forehead protector" or hitai-ate, although it can be worn in different ways (Shikamaru Nara, for example, wears it on his arm). Some villages also have an additional test given by the Jonin sensei of each three-man squad to see if they are truly ready to graduate, such as Kakashi Hatake's bell test, which determines whether the squad can work as a team. To ensure that only truly qualified ninja are promoted, only three Genin teams are allowed to pass. The test for determining which three teams may become Genin are administered by each team's respective Jonin commander, and vary depending on the Jonin.

What is required for graduation varies from academy to academy. In Konoha, the graduation exam is composed of some sort of written test, as well as demonstration of basic techniques. The only student ever to become a ninja without being able to use these techniques was Rock Lee. Kirigakure once had students duel to the death as its graduation exam, but following an unfortunate incident in which Zabuza Momochi murdered all of the graduating class before he qualified, this practice was suspended in favor of more acceptable methods.

Genin
Genin (下忍, Genin? literally "Low Ninja", Viz "Junior Ninja") are the lowest level of ninja and also the ones that display the most difference in power. When they become Genin, ninja start to do their bit for their village's economy – being sent on missions that the village gets paid for. They are typically sent either on D-rank missions, which are the lowest rank and are almost entirely risk-free jobs of manual labor, or experienced genin are sent on C-rank missions, which are a cut above that and begin to verge on real "ninja" work – though they generally have a very low possibility of risk to the ninja involved, especially since their Jonin level sensei often accompanies them. Recently, Konohagakure has been shorthanded in upper-level ninja ever since the attack by Otogakure and Sunagakure, and has been forced to occasionally send Genin on higher-ranked missions, often without the supervision of a Jonin.

Genin are put in four-man cells, consisting of three Genin and a Jonin sensei, in order to learn teamwork and experience true ninja life under the supervision and protection of an elite shinobi. The make-up of these teams is based on the individual skills of the Genin, so that there will remain a balance between the teams. For instance, Naruto Uzumaki, who passed with the lowest grades, was put in a team with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, who passed with the highest physical exam scores and highest written exam scores, respectively. The teams are usually made up of two boys and one girl, though there are exceptions. It appears that, usually, the four-man cells specialize in certain skills. For instance, Team Kurenai (Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga, and Shino Aburame) is specialized in survival and tracking and Team Guy (Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Tenten) is specialized in taijutsu and weapon skills. Complementary skills also seem to influence team selection, as each member of Team Asuma (Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara, and Ino Yamanaka) has a specific skill that supports the other two, and their fathers having formed a team of some renown previously may have also contributed.

Chunin
Chunin (中忍, Chūnin?, literally "Middle Ninja", Viz "Chūnin" and "Journeyman Ninja") are ninja who are qualified to watch over and guide other ninja. Chunin have reached a level of maturity that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. Some of them, like Iruka Umino, function as teachers and others, like Shikamaru Nara, serve as team leaders in charge of small teams who need to make decisions and utilize the skills of the shinobi under their command to the maximum effect. Chunin are typically sent on C or B-rank missions.

To become a Chunin, a Genin participates in a large examination, known as the "Chunin Exams," with his or her team. It can be assumed that a Genin does not necessarily have to take the exam with his or her teammates since Sakura Haruno became a Chunin during the time-skip. The only shown exam is a three-stage exam: the first stage tests their information gathering abilities and decision-making abilities (as well as their overall understanding of the ninja philosophy), the second stage tests their abilities at accomplishing a mission and adhering to guidelines, and the third consists of fights between those who passed the previous two stages, watched by a council that decides who becomes a Chunin and who does not. While the winners are able to proceed to fight the next opponent, aptitude, rather than winning, is evaluated to determine whether a candidate is promoted; for example, Shikamaru forfeits his first match but is still promoted because of his strategic aptitude. This way, anybody who makes it to the third stage of the Exams has a chance to become Chunin. However, it is also possible for none of the candidates to become Chunin if the judges believe that they do not have appropriate qualifications; to evaluate, Naruto Uzumaki, despite winning his own match, was evaluated as being one of the best Genin, but far from Chunin material. Preliminaries may also be held if too many ninja teams reach the end; in the Chunin exam arc, seven teams, an unusually high number, completed the second phase of the test. The losers in this extra round cannot participate in the final tournament and thus cannot be considered for promotion to Chunin.

In the past, each village held their own Chunin exam. After the 3rd Ninja World War, allied ninja villages agreed to hold the exams together at the selected village that would host the exam. This was done to improve relations between the villages and prevent war between them. Another advantage is that ninja that took the exam might attract clients who are interested in hiring them. Because of the growing number of ninja in each village, the exams are hosted twice every year.

Upon reaching Chunin level, ninja can wear an identifying tactical vest that holds ninjutsu scrolls. This vest is not required; instead, some look for more elaborate clothing like capes, robes or their standard attire.

Jonin
Jonin (上忍, Jōnin?, literally "High Ninja", Viz "Elite Ninja") are generally highly-experienced ninja with great individual skill who serve as military captains. They are often sent on A-rank missions, and experienced Jonin may even be sent on S-rank missions (which are considered to be the most difficult). They may also carry out these missions alone. They are sometimes assigned as sensei for three-person teams of Genin. It is as of yet unknown what one has to undergo to become one, although it is mentioned in the Naruto Anime Profiles databook that Jonin are appointed. Most Jonin are able to use at least two types of elemental jutsu.

Tokubetsu Jonin
Tokubetsu Jonin (特別上忍, Tokubetsu Jōnin?, literally "Special High Ninja" English "Special Jonin", sometimes known as Tokujō for short) are ninja who, rather than all-around Jonin training, have Jonin-level ability in a single area or skill, much like warrant officers of real-world militaries. They are elite specialists in their areas and are often assigned as subordinates to regular Jonin when their services are needed.

One example of a Tokubetsu Jonin would be Ibiki Morino. This character's unique ability to completely understand the workings of the human mind makes him a Jonin-level interrogation expert. Ebisu is another Tokubetsu Jonin that specializes as an elite teacher of young pre-Genin ninja before becoming Konohamaru's sensei in Part II.

Kage
The five Kage, from left to right: Mizukage, Kazekage, Hokage, Tsuchikage, and Raikage (the Kazekage appears in blue in his first official appearance).
The five Kage, from left to right: Mizukage, Kazekage, Hokage, Tsuchikage, and Raikage (the Kazekage appears in blue in his first official appearance).

Those who have achieved the title of Kage (影, Kage? literally "Shadow") are the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages and generally the most powerful ninja in their respective villages. There may be exceptions, however; for example, a ninja may be the most powerful at the time of being installed as Kage, but may become less powerful upon aging, eventually being surpassed by a more youthful ninja.

A Kage may retire and give the title to someone else; the title, once granted, is held permanently. This creates a case where there are two Kage at the same time, with only one of them actually active -- as was with the Fourth Hokage and the Third Hokage, where the latter had given up the title to the former, only to come out of retirement when the former died.

Their elite status is also attributed to the tendency for most Kage to have family members who were previous Kage, or be personally taught by a former Kage or student of a former Kage. Examples of this occurrence include Gaara, who succeeded his father as Kazekage; the Fourth Hokage, who was taught by the Third Hokage's student Jiraiya; Tsunade, granddaughter of the First Hokage, grandniece of the Second Hokage, and former student of the Third Hokage; and the Third Hokage who was taught by both the First Hokage and Second Hokage.

The five Kage have different titles depending on their village. Those titles are:

• Hokage (火影, literally "Fire Shadow"?) Kage of Konohagakure.
  
• Kazekage (風影, literally "Wind Shadow"?) Kage of Sunagakure.
  
• Mizukage (水影, literally "Water Shadow"?) Kage of Kirigakure.
  
• Raikage (雷影, literally "Lightning Shadow"?) Kage of Kumogakure.
  
• Tsuchikage (土影, literally "Earth Shadow"?) Kage of Iwagakure.

The Kage stand equally with the rulers of their countries, oversee the activities of their villages, and are the leaders of ninja society.

The anime introduced a sixth Kage, the Hoshikage (星影, literally "Star Shadow"?) from Hoshigakure. However, this was a self-given title and not officially recognized by the five other villages. Orochimaru, founder and leader of Otogakure, is also referred to as Otokage (音影, literally "Sound Shadow"?) by some fans. This is not an official title, as Otogakure is not recognized by the five great Hidden Villages as an equal nor is Orochimaru actually a Kage.

Special Organizations
ANBU

A fully-equipped ANBU

The ANBU (暗部, The ANBU? literally "Dark Side", Viz manga "Black Ops", English TV "ANBU Black Ops") is actually short for Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai (暗殺戦術特殊部隊, Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai? literally Special Assassination and Tactical Squad). The name is a form of contraction, similar to English acronyms like SWAT, where the two kanji used to abbreviate the group's full name constitute an actual word on their own. The ANBU wear porcelain animal masks in order to distinguish themselves from normal shinobi and to conceal their identities. They also have standard uniforms consisting of black and gray armor, arm guards, and a signature spiral tattoo on their left shoulder. Certain ANBU wear black cowls over their standard uniforms, and squad leaders may wear white cowls.

ANBU protect the village from exceptional threats, conduct high-risk missions into enemy countries, and deal with extremely strong ninja. They are also responsible for carrying out assassinations and missions requiring specially trained ninja. Unique for most characters in Naruto, all ANBU carry Ninjatō, which are usually strapped to their backs, and they all know the layout of the human body in detail. By using Temporary Paralysis Technique (金縛りの術, Kanashibari no Jutsu?, English TV "Paralysis Jutsu"), ANBU members can paralyze an opponent, leaving them open for attack. With Time Reversal Technique (時逆の術, Jigyaku no Jutsu?), an ANBU can put someone in a state of reverse hypnosis, allowing them to remember details that they otherwise would not.

ANBU is an organization that serves under the direct command of their Kage. Kakashi Hatake was a former captain and Itachi Uchiha became an ANBU captain at age 13. Ibiki Morino, the proctor of the first Chūnin exam, is the head of the Konoha ANBU Torture and Interrogation Squad (木ノ葉暗部拷問・尋問部隊, Konoha Anbu Gōmon/Jinmon Butai?). Zabuza Momochi and Raiga Kurosuki were once part of Kirigakure's ANBU.

Hunter-nin
Hunter-nin (追い忍, Oinin?, literally "Chasing Ninja", English TV "Tracker Ninja") are a special team within Kirigakure's ANBU, given the specific duty of hunting down missing-nin. They kill their target, taking the head as proof, and then completely dispose of the body by using various methods, such as cremation or the summoning of wild carrion crows to devour the corpse. This is done in order to make sure the village secrets which a ninja's body holds -- such as chakra types, herbs eaten, ninjutsu, special medicine, and kekkei genkai -- will not be revealed to outsiders. Hunter-nin are also supposed to destroy the corpse at the very spot the body is lying; it is not to be moved after it is dead, and only the head is taken back to prove that the missing nin is in fact dead. As a requirement, they must possess a thorough and intimate knowledge of human anatomy. Due to their reputation for utterly and completely obliterating the remains of their targets, they are code-named "The Undertaker Squad." Early in the series, Haku poses as a hunter-nin as a ruse to rescue the supposedly killed Zabuza Momochi. Real hunter-nin have only been alluded to, and so far have not been seen in the world of Naruto.

Root
Konoha ANBU are usually under the direct command of the Hokage, but several years before the start of the series there was an ANBU Training Department known as "Root" (根, Ne?). Root was created and directly controlled by Danzo, who trained and conditioned children intensively from a very young age. This was done to completely eliminate emotions and enable its members to complete missions without being held back. Root tends to go further in its belief that ninja must not show any emotion than most other ninja groups do, as they forbid any members to possess anything that may invoke emotion. It was implied that the department used methods similar to Kirigakure's graduation exam, including pitting students against each other in fights to the death.

Because Danzo is a war hawk and opposed the Third Hokage, Root was disbanded. However, many members remained loyal to Root; at least two of Danzo's current subordinates, one of them being Sai, who is placed in Naruto Uzumaki's team in Part II. Sai is given the assignment to approach Orochimaru and seek a collaborative effort with him to destroy Konoha and rebuild it in their own image. This mission, however, is merely a ruse used so that Sai can get a chance to kill Sasuke Uchiha as a defector of Konoha and eliminating any future threat he may impose. Sai deviates from this plan at the last minute in favor of retrieving Sasuke on Naruto's behalf, though Sasuke escapes. Even though Root is shown to have been well-intentioned, both Jiraiya and Tsunade remain wary of the organization.

Konoha Military Police
The Konoha Military Police Force (木ノ葉警務部隊, Konoha Keimu Butai?), or Military Police for short, is a unique organization in Konoha, though other villages may have similar organizations. The Military Police previously consisted of mostly Uchiha clan members (the Uchiha being its founders); however, now that most members of the clan are dead, this is no longer the case. The Military Police are in charge of law enforcement within the village, and their jurisdiction is virtually unlimited except in matters that are under the Hokage's direct control. They also respect ANBU's own investigative system and inner-organization discipline. Their symbol is a variation on the Uchiha clan crest because the Uchiha family founded the organization.

Niju Shōtai
The Niju Shōtai (二十小隊, The Niju Shōtai? Twenty Platoons) is a task force created by Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage. This force, consisting of twenty four-man teams, was created for the purpose of tracking down, attempting to capture, and, if necessary, eliminating Akatsuki members in the Fire Country. Tsunade ordered her assistant Shizune to mobilize the unit as soon as the news of the Fire Temple massacre reached her through a monk, who was the lone survivor of the onslaught by Hidan and Kakuzu. There are currently only two confirmed teams, the first with members Asuma Sarutobi, Shikamaru Nara, Kotetsu Hagane, and Izumo Kamizuki. Aoba Yamashiro, Raido Namiashi, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka comprise the second team.

Chakra

Body Energy (身体エネルギー, Shintai Energy?) is a vital force generated within the cells of living organisms. Combined with Spiritual Energy (精神エネルギー, Seishin Energy?), or force of will and mental fortitude, it can be harnessed to a variety of uses, such as the production of the superhuman stamina used in Taijutsu, or formation of the energy known as Chakra (チャクラ, Chakra?), essential to the use of even the most basic of jutsu.

Once created, Chakra moves about the body to any of its 361 release points, utilizing a network of passages not unlike the circulatory system. By various means -- handseals being the most common -- it can then be manipulated to the end materializing effects otherwise impossible under the laws of nature, such as walking on water or breathing fire. In the context of oriental martial arts philosophy, chakra is indistinguishable from Qi (Chi).

Depending on the ratio in which physical and spiritual energy is mixed, different types of chakra can be formed. Elemental chakra is the most common product of this, and is used to perform elemental jutsu. The five known elemental natures are earth, fire, lightning, water, and wind. Most ninja have a natural affinity to one type of chakra, but have the capacity to create elemental chakra apart from their own affinity. Each element is both stronger and weaker than another. The order is fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water, with each being weaker than the previous and stronger than the next. Water loops back into fire. For example, a lightning based attack would be very effective against an earth based defense, but easily countered by a wind user. Additionally, elemental techniques can be countered by techniques of the same element, provided the technique being countered is of equal or lesser power. A sixth elemental chakra has been mentioned but yet not identified, so its nature and weaknesses in relation to the others are unknown.

Certain kekkei genkai can also create unique elements, such as wood and ice, through a mixture of the basic elements, which normal ninja are incapable of doing. While some ninja are capable of producing varied types of chakra, they can't do so simultaneously. Yamato also mentions light and dark chakra, but doesn't elaborate on what they're used for.

Although the concept of chakra is found in Indian mythology and other belief systems, in an interview, Kishimoto claimed that none of these influences were the basis for his use of chakra in Naruto. He further asserted that it was a term to apply a concrete definition to ninjas' ability to use jutsu in Naruto, and was comparable to the Force in Star Wars or magic points in role-playing games.