Ranks

The Ranks of the Shinobi World
Genin: 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 almost entirely risk-free jobs of manual labour, or, rarely, on C-rank missions, which are a cut above that and begin to verge on real "ninja" work that have a very low possibility of risk to the ninja involved. When Konohagakure was short-handed on upper-level ninja because of the invasion, the village had to occasionally send genin on higher-ranked missions.

Chūnin: are ninja who are qualified to guide other ninja and lead missions. Chūnin have reached a level of maturity and ability that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. Genin who do not have the skills to become chūnin are weeded out in the chūnin exams. Some of them, move on to function as Academy teachers and others serve as team leaders in charge of small teams who need to make decisions and utilise the skills of the shinobi under their command to the maximum effect. Chūnin are typically sent on C-rank or B-rank missions.

Special Jōnin: are ninja who, rather than all-around jōnin training, have jōnin-level ability in a specific area or skill, much like warrant officers in real-world militaries. They are elite specialists in their areas and are often assigned as subordinates to regular jōnin when their services are needed.

Jōnin: are generally highly-experienced shinobi with great individual skill who serve as military captains. They are often sent on A-rankmissions, and experienced jōnin may even be sent on S-rank missions (which are considered to be the greatest difficulty). It is not unusual for jōnin to go on missions alone. Jōnin are generally able to use at least two types of elemental chakra.

Kage: is the leader of one of the five most powerful hidden villages and are generally acknowledged as the most powerful ninja in their respective villages. They are collectively known as the Five Kage

Special Forces
Anbu: take orders directly from the Kage, performing special high-level missions, such as assassinations and torture. The Anbu usually work in teams formed to the requirements of the mission, ensuring maximum success. The shinobi in the Anbu are hand-picked by the Kage, chosen for their individual capabilities and special skills. Age, gender, background, or previous rank bear no weight in this decision. Members can be relieved from the Anbu by the Hokage and reassigned elsewhere. They wear their mask even in their own village, for their identity as an Anbu agent is to be known only by the Kage and village elders.

Medical-Nin: are ninja who specialize in medical treatment and use of medical-oriented techniques to heal others. Becoming a medical-nin requires high intelligence and excellent chakra control. A medical-nin is trained to avoid getting injured in any way, for the reason that if they are injured, then there would be nobody to heal the other members of their team. Medical-nin accompany other ninja on high ranking missions to increase the success rate of the mission and overall survival rate of the squad.