Post by destinyeyes on Jan 20, 2007 15:48:39 GMT -4
Haha. not really a summary as a long boring read. Thank Wikipedia for that.
Uzumaki, Naruto: Twelve years before the start of the story, the Nine-Tailed demon fox, attacked Konohagakure. With a single swipe of its nine tails, it could level mountains and raise tsunamis. On top of that, it possessed an unrivaled amount of chakra, as well as unrivaled healing abilities, making it virtually unstoppable. The Fourth Hokage, the leader of Konohagakure at the time, sacrificed his life to seal the spirit of the demon fox inside a newborn baby: Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto grew up as the container of the demon fox. Though the Fourth Hokage wanted Naruto to be viewed as a hero for such a burden, the villagers could not see him beyond the monster that destroyed their homes. The Third Hokage, who had taken over once more after the Fourth died, made a decree preventing anyone from telling Naruto about the demon within him. As such, Naruto was shunned by everyone around him and didn't know why. Though Naruto found some friendship in children his age, even they came to ostracize him, following in their parents' example.
Uchiha, Sasuke: A Genin-rank ninja, Sasuke is the natural genius offspring of the once powerful Uchiha clan. One of the more outstanding clans in Konohagakure, the Uchiha clan was known for its kekkei genkai, the Sharingan, as well as their use of fire element jutsu after their country's namesake. Like most of the Uchiha clan members, Sasuke's chakra has an affinity for fire based jutsu. The clan also formed much of Konohagakure's village police force. Sasuke is one of two known remaining survivors.
Sasuke is Orochimaru's apprentice.
Haruno, Sakura: In the beginning of the series, Sakura is a Genin-level student of Kakashi Hatake's. Initially, Sakura's stamina and overall talent were quite below average, having had only used a few skills over the course of the series, the most advanced of which is dispelling genjutsu. Sakura's main strengths are her intelligence and her great chakra control. She was able to climb trees using her chakra on her first try while it took several days of constant training for Naruto and even Sasuke to manage it.
Inner Sakura.Inside Sakura resides the "Inner Sakura", which ridiculously seems to be much more ill-tempered than Naruto's demon fox. Inner Sakura seems to represent an assertive part of her personality and mostly serves as comic relief. Sakura's typical gentle responses are juxtaposed with the Inner Sakura's constant "Shannaro" (¤·¤ã©`¤ó¤Ê¤í©`). The phrase has no literal meaning, but is usually translated as "Hell yeah", "Hell no", or "Damn it", depending on the situation (in English, it's translated as an angry and forceful "Cha!"). Inner Sakura is often attributed to being Sakura's defining ability, aside from her chakra control, much like Sasuke's Sharingan or Naruto's demon fox. Inner Sakura actually exists as a separate spirit within Sakura, which came in handy during her battle with her rival, Ino Yamanaka. When Ino hit Sakura with her Mind Body Switch Technique, she only suppressed the regular Sakura. As such, Inner Sakura, after a little prodding by Naruto, was able to emerge and force Ino to leave. Ino's lack of chakra also helped Sakura to resist. After this point, Inner Sakura only appears once in episode 197 of the anime, when Sakura fails to notice that a smoke bomb was set off the night before, and once in chapter 250 of the manga, when Naruto tries to refuse a mission assigned by Tsunade. Sakura, however, does occasionally exhibit traits that would have originally have been confined to Inner Sakura, though they are rarely seen (they become more frequent after the timeskip, a sign that Sakura is becoming more comfortable with herself and is showing her true nature more often).
The five great countries
Of the countries scattered about the Naruto world, five are considered to be the most powerful and influential of them all. These are the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire, Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and the Land of Wind. Each represents one of the five elements (earth, fire, lightning, water, and wind, respectively) and each is ruled by a Kage.
[edit] Land of Earth
The Land of Earth (ÍÁ¤Î¹ú, Tsuchi no Kuni?) has seen little attention in the series thus far. What little is known is that it is oriented towards the element of earth, with many mountains and caves dotted about the country. They are not allies with the Land of Fire, as noted in the Kakashi Gaiden arc. Their hidden village is Iwagakure, the Village Hidden in the Rocks.
[edit] Land of Fire
Main article: Land of Fire
The Land of Fire is home to Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and is the home of the majority of the main characters in Naruto. It enjoys a relatively temperate climate, with generally sunny conditions year-round. It was at first widely regarded as one of the strongest countries, but became significantly weaker after Orochimaru's invasion of Konoha.
[edit] Land of Lightning
The Land of Lightning (Àפιú, Kaminari no Kuni?) has also seen little attention in the series. Its hidden village is Kumogakure, the Village Hidden in the Clouds.
[edit] Land of Water
The Land of Water (Ë®¤Î¹ú, Mizu no Kuni?) is oriented towards the element of water. Its weather is typically cool and full of mist and lakes. In some places, like the area where Haku grew up, it is very cold and snows quite a bit. Little is currently known about it and it apparently leaves itself out of most political affairs, which is understandable considering that it is an island relatively remote from the continent containing the other four major countries. Its hidden village is Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist. Zabuza Momochi attempted a coup d'¨¦tat in the country, but was repelled. The Land of Water is the smallest of the five great countries, which may be the reason Kirigakure used to hold the gruesome graduation tests that it did.
[edit] Land of Wind
Main article: Land of Wind
The Land of Wind (ïL¤Î¹ú, Kaze no Kuni?) is a dry and desolate country, but also has some of the most powerful ninja. Its hidden village is Sunagakure, Village Hidden in the Sand. The Land of Wind has been relatively uninvolved with politics until recent times, and even had a peace treaty signed with the Land of Fire. The lord ruling it, however, had been systematically cutting down his military force and transferring missions he would normally address to his own country's hidden village to Konohagakure, prompting desperate measures on the part of the Kazekage at the time.
Orochimaru: The prodigy student of the Third Hokage, he, Jiraiya, and Tsunade are known as the Legendary Three Ninjas (»Õh¤ÎÈýÈÌ, Densetsu no Sannin?). A missing-nin from Konoha, Orochimaru is twisted, manipulative, and ruthless, whose prime ambition is to become "the ultimate being" by achieving immortality and knowledge of all jutsu in the world. While technically a Jonin, as it was the last rank he made in Konoha before defecting, his abilities are obviously far beyond those of the average Jonin, and even those of some Kage-level ninja. He relishes conflict and unrest.
Orochimaru's specialty is forbidden techniques related to souls, departed or otherwise, which he has researched to the point where he can defy death itself and his mind transcends the body it happens to currently inhabit. He is also very talented with techniques related to snakes (hence the name Orochi, a legendary eight-headed snake from Japanese folklore) and can summon snakes of various powers, such as the 'Boss Snake', Manda; the equal to Jiraiya's Gamabunta and Tsunade's Katsuyu. He even keeps the summoning contract on his left arm as a tattoo. In fact, in his introduction he is riding a gigantic snake.
Orochimaru's appearance borders on inhuman with very pale white skin, slitted eyes, and an extending, snake-like tongue (this tongue is actually a permanent jutsu, which enables the user to extend parts of their body to infinite lengths). Orochimaru also has the unique ability to molt, repairing any damage to his body as easily as someone else repairs their clothes. Even Ibiki Morino, Konoha's veteran torture and interrogation specialist, admits that when he saw Orochimaru for the first time, he was terrified and was convinced that what stood before him was not a man but rather something else which had merely donned human skin.
Orochimaru has a knack for winning otherwise desperate people to his cause, filling the void in their life with loyalty to him. He brands some of his most powerful subordinates with a cursed seal that corrodes their body and free will, in exchange for power. While all of Orochimaru's subordinates (with the exception of Sasuke) seem to admire and respect him, the reverse does not seem to be true. Orochimaru generally treats his subordinates as pawns, caring only for their ability to further his interests. The only ones he shows any sort of care for are those he intends to use as a host, and this too is only because they can prolong his existence.
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 the basics. Basic weapon usage, such as kunai and shuriken, is commonly taught. Elementary ninja techniques, though they vary from village to village, are also taught. These include the Transformation Technique, Rope Escape Technique, Body Replacement Technique and the Clone Technique.
Genin
Genin (ÏÂÈÌ, 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 ¨C 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, very rarely, on C-rank missions, which are a cut above that and begin to verge on real "ninja" work ¨C though they generally have a very low possibility of risk to the ninjas 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.
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.
[edit] Chunin
See also: List of Konoha Chunin
Chunin (ÖÐÈÌ, Ch¨±nin?, literally "Middle Ninja", Viz "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-rank missions or B-rank missions.
To become a Chunin, a Genin participates in a large examination, known as the "Chunin Exams". 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 which decides who becomes a Chunin and who does not. This is not actually based on who wins, but rather their performance during the fights. This way, anybody who makes it to the third stage of the Exams has a chance to become 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, ninjas can wear an identifying tactical vest that holds ninjutsu scrolls. This vest is not mandatory; instead, some opt for more elaborate clothing like capes and robes.
Jonin
Jonin (ÉÏÈÌ, J¨nin?, 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 greatest difficulty). 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. It is mentioned in the Naruto Anime Profiles databook that Jonin are appointed, however there was mention of a Jonin exam in the Kurama filler arc. It is known that most Jonin are generally able to use at least two types of elemental jutsu.
Kage
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 (Ó°, Kage? literally "Shadow") are the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages. Kage are the most powerful ninja of the village. There may be exceptions -- for example, a ninja may be the most powerful at the time of being installed as Kage, but he will age and a more youthful ninja may become more powerful. Kage are an elite group.
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 (»ðÓ°, literally "Fire Shadow"?) Kage of Konohagakure.
Kazekage (ïLÓ°, literally "Wind Shadow"?) Kage of Sunagakure.
Mizukage (ˮӰ, literally "Water Shadow"?) Kage of Kirigakure.
Raikage (À×Ó°, literally "Lightning Shadow"?) Kage of Kumogakure.
Tsuchikage (ÍÁÓ°, 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 (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 (ÒôÓ°, literally "Sound Shadow"?) by some fans, but 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, though his abilities are certainly on par with one.
S-Class
S-class ninja have gained power far beyond an average Jonin and earned a legendary status. This title is merely a description rather than an actual rank; the ninja's official rank with a village will usually still be Jonin. However, it can sometimes be lower, or they can have no rank at all. The allegiances of these ninja range from being part of the village's own ninja to being wandering ninja who are still loyal to their village, like Jiraiya. Some ninja of this level tend to leave their villages behind to seek their own ambitions, thus becoming missing-nin. The ninja organization Akatsuki is composed of nine S-class missing-nin. Ninja of this class are often noted in the Bingo book, a list of notable enemy ninja marked for assassination that each ninja village provides for its Jonin and ANBU squad members. Most ninja, even high-level ones, choose to flee rather than face someone of the S-class.
Ninja of the S-class are often highly revered, and usually signified by nicknames allies or enemies give them. One group of ninja who have gained this special status are the Legendary Sannin of Konoha: Jiraiya the "Toad Hermit" ("Gama Sennin"), Orochimaru, and Tsunade the "Legendary Sucker" ("Densetsu no Kamo", a reference to her poor gambling skills) and "That Slug Woman" (Chiyo's name for her, a reference to her ability to summon Katsuyu). Most Kage also tend to be at this level.
Also: there are five ninja elements. Lightening, Air, Earth, Fire and Water.
Jounin have generally mastered all five.
Chunin usually one.
Genin don't usually know about the elements.
They have weaknesses and strengths that are obvious. Also: Ninja's wear their village crest headband werever they want. (aka, head, back of head, neck, waist). And missing-nin have been known to put slashes through the headbands, but they still wear them.
[edit] Medic-nin
Medic-nin (‰q¶”E, Medic-nin? eisei-nin) are ninja who specialize in medical treatment especially using medical jutsu. Becoming a medic-nin requires excellent chakra control, since medic-nin use chakra to heal injuries. Aside from their medical training, their combat training consists mainly of taijutsu skills, with emphasis placed on evading enemy attacks. This is because the death of the medic-nin could result in the death of the team. On dangerous missions, a medic-nin will usually be sent along with the team, to increase the survival rate of that team.
Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, is the greatest medic-nin of Konoha. Shizune, her assistant, is also a medic-nin, as is Sakura, Tsunade's apprentice. Kabuto Yakushi is a medic-nin in the service of Orochimaru. Chiyo was a medic-nin, but she uses her expertise to kill rather than heal. Tsunade and Sakura also use their medical training to create great strength, making them both formidable fighters and capable healers. Rin, in Kakashi Gaiden, was also a medic-nin. Ino Yamanaka is able to use medical jutsu, but it is more likely that she is a combat lifesaver, not a full educated medic-nin.
[edit] Courier-nin
Courier Ninja 596-03 in episode 177.Courier-nin are ninja that deliver packages from one point to another. They take on extremely dangerous delivery jobs that others will not, these jobs can even be lifethreatening in nature. They use smoke to communicate with each other over long distances, and are a very determined group of ninjas, taking the "postal motto" to new heights. When asked their name, they will use their designation number. When Naruto encountered a courier ninja he first made the mistake of confusing him with an ordinary postman, after learning who he was and what he was doing, he started referring him as an "amazing postman".
[edit] Cooking-nin
These are ninja who were originally intended to cook for other ninjas in their squad. The theory was that ninja who ate well would also perform well. This idea backfired as ninjas ate too much of the food with "too much flavor", making them too slow to be able to complete their missions effectively. They appear in the filler episode ransoming Ayame for Ichiraku Ramen's demon recipe which is actually only something used to remove bitterness
((Wow! I didn't know about cooking-nin!))
Uzumaki, Naruto: Twelve years before the start of the story, the Nine-Tailed demon fox, attacked Konohagakure. With a single swipe of its nine tails, it could level mountains and raise tsunamis. On top of that, it possessed an unrivaled amount of chakra, as well as unrivaled healing abilities, making it virtually unstoppable. The Fourth Hokage, the leader of Konohagakure at the time, sacrificed his life to seal the spirit of the demon fox inside a newborn baby: Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto grew up as the container of the demon fox. Though the Fourth Hokage wanted Naruto to be viewed as a hero for such a burden, the villagers could not see him beyond the monster that destroyed their homes. The Third Hokage, who had taken over once more after the Fourth died, made a decree preventing anyone from telling Naruto about the demon within him. As such, Naruto was shunned by everyone around him and didn't know why. Though Naruto found some friendship in children his age, even they came to ostracize him, following in their parents' example.
Uchiha, Sasuke: A Genin-rank ninja, Sasuke is the natural genius offspring of the once powerful Uchiha clan. One of the more outstanding clans in Konohagakure, the Uchiha clan was known for its kekkei genkai, the Sharingan, as well as their use of fire element jutsu after their country's namesake. Like most of the Uchiha clan members, Sasuke's chakra has an affinity for fire based jutsu. The clan also formed much of Konohagakure's village police force. Sasuke is one of two known remaining survivors.
Sasuke is Orochimaru's apprentice.
Haruno, Sakura: In the beginning of the series, Sakura is a Genin-level student of Kakashi Hatake's. Initially, Sakura's stamina and overall talent were quite below average, having had only used a few skills over the course of the series, the most advanced of which is dispelling genjutsu. Sakura's main strengths are her intelligence and her great chakra control. She was able to climb trees using her chakra on her first try while it took several days of constant training for Naruto and even Sasuke to manage it.
Inner Sakura.Inside Sakura resides the "Inner Sakura", which ridiculously seems to be much more ill-tempered than Naruto's demon fox. Inner Sakura seems to represent an assertive part of her personality and mostly serves as comic relief. Sakura's typical gentle responses are juxtaposed with the Inner Sakura's constant "Shannaro" (¤·¤ã©`¤ó¤Ê¤í©`). The phrase has no literal meaning, but is usually translated as "Hell yeah", "Hell no", or "Damn it", depending on the situation (in English, it's translated as an angry and forceful "Cha!"). Inner Sakura is often attributed to being Sakura's defining ability, aside from her chakra control, much like Sasuke's Sharingan or Naruto's demon fox. Inner Sakura actually exists as a separate spirit within Sakura, which came in handy during her battle with her rival, Ino Yamanaka. When Ino hit Sakura with her Mind Body Switch Technique, she only suppressed the regular Sakura. As such, Inner Sakura, after a little prodding by Naruto, was able to emerge and force Ino to leave. Ino's lack of chakra also helped Sakura to resist. After this point, Inner Sakura only appears once in episode 197 of the anime, when Sakura fails to notice that a smoke bomb was set off the night before, and once in chapter 250 of the manga, when Naruto tries to refuse a mission assigned by Tsunade. Sakura, however, does occasionally exhibit traits that would have originally have been confined to Inner Sakura, though they are rarely seen (they become more frequent after the timeskip, a sign that Sakura is becoming more comfortable with herself and is showing her true nature more often).
The five great countries
Of the countries scattered about the Naruto world, five are considered to be the most powerful and influential of them all. These are the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire, Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and the Land of Wind. Each represents one of the five elements (earth, fire, lightning, water, and wind, respectively) and each is ruled by a Kage.
[edit] Land of Earth
The Land of Earth (ÍÁ¤Î¹ú, Tsuchi no Kuni?) has seen little attention in the series thus far. What little is known is that it is oriented towards the element of earth, with many mountains and caves dotted about the country. They are not allies with the Land of Fire, as noted in the Kakashi Gaiden arc. Their hidden village is Iwagakure, the Village Hidden in the Rocks.
[edit] Land of Fire
Main article: Land of Fire
The Land of Fire is home to Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and is the home of the majority of the main characters in Naruto. It enjoys a relatively temperate climate, with generally sunny conditions year-round. It was at first widely regarded as one of the strongest countries, but became significantly weaker after Orochimaru's invasion of Konoha.
[edit] Land of Lightning
The Land of Lightning (Àפιú, Kaminari no Kuni?) has also seen little attention in the series. Its hidden village is Kumogakure, the Village Hidden in the Clouds.
[edit] Land of Water
The Land of Water (Ë®¤Î¹ú, Mizu no Kuni?) is oriented towards the element of water. Its weather is typically cool and full of mist and lakes. In some places, like the area where Haku grew up, it is very cold and snows quite a bit. Little is currently known about it and it apparently leaves itself out of most political affairs, which is understandable considering that it is an island relatively remote from the continent containing the other four major countries. Its hidden village is Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist. Zabuza Momochi attempted a coup d'¨¦tat in the country, but was repelled. The Land of Water is the smallest of the five great countries, which may be the reason Kirigakure used to hold the gruesome graduation tests that it did.
[edit] Land of Wind
Main article: Land of Wind
The Land of Wind (ïL¤Î¹ú, Kaze no Kuni?) is a dry and desolate country, but also has some of the most powerful ninja. Its hidden village is Sunagakure, Village Hidden in the Sand. The Land of Wind has been relatively uninvolved with politics until recent times, and even had a peace treaty signed with the Land of Fire. The lord ruling it, however, had been systematically cutting down his military force and transferring missions he would normally address to his own country's hidden village to Konohagakure, prompting desperate measures on the part of the Kazekage at the time.
Orochimaru: The prodigy student of the Third Hokage, he, Jiraiya, and Tsunade are known as the Legendary Three Ninjas (»Õh¤ÎÈýÈÌ, Densetsu no Sannin?). A missing-nin from Konoha, Orochimaru is twisted, manipulative, and ruthless, whose prime ambition is to become "the ultimate being" by achieving immortality and knowledge of all jutsu in the world. While technically a Jonin, as it was the last rank he made in Konoha before defecting, his abilities are obviously far beyond those of the average Jonin, and even those of some Kage-level ninja. He relishes conflict and unrest.
Orochimaru's specialty is forbidden techniques related to souls, departed or otherwise, which he has researched to the point where he can defy death itself and his mind transcends the body it happens to currently inhabit. He is also very talented with techniques related to snakes (hence the name Orochi, a legendary eight-headed snake from Japanese folklore) and can summon snakes of various powers, such as the 'Boss Snake', Manda; the equal to Jiraiya's Gamabunta and Tsunade's Katsuyu. He even keeps the summoning contract on his left arm as a tattoo. In fact, in his introduction he is riding a gigantic snake.
Orochimaru's appearance borders on inhuman with very pale white skin, slitted eyes, and an extending, snake-like tongue (this tongue is actually a permanent jutsu, which enables the user to extend parts of their body to infinite lengths). Orochimaru also has the unique ability to molt, repairing any damage to his body as easily as someone else repairs their clothes. Even Ibiki Morino, Konoha's veteran torture and interrogation specialist, admits that when he saw Orochimaru for the first time, he was terrified and was convinced that what stood before him was not a man but rather something else which had merely donned human skin.
Orochimaru has a knack for winning otherwise desperate people to his cause, filling the void in their life with loyalty to him. He brands some of his most powerful subordinates with a cursed seal that corrodes their body and free will, in exchange for power. While all of Orochimaru's subordinates (with the exception of Sasuke) seem to admire and respect him, the reverse does not seem to be true. Orochimaru generally treats his subordinates as pawns, caring only for their ability to further his interests. The only ones he shows any sort of care for are those he intends to use as a host, and this too is only because they can prolong his existence.
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 the basics. Basic weapon usage, such as kunai and shuriken, is commonly taught. Elementary ninja techniques, though they vary from village to village, are also taught. These include the Transformation Technique, Rope Escape Technique, Body Replacement Technique and the Clone Technique.
Genin
Genin (ÏÂÈÌ, 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 ¨C 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, very rarely, on C-rank missions, which are a cut above that and begin to verge on real "ninja" work ¨C though they generally have a very low possibility of risk to the ninjas 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.
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.
[edit] Chunin
See also: List of Konoha Chunin
Chunin (ÖÐÈÌ, Ch¨±nin?, literally "Middle Ninja", Viz "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-rank missions or B-rank missions.
To become a Chunin, a Genin participates in a large examination, known as the "Chunin Exams". 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 which decides who becomes a Chunin and who does not. This is not actually based on who wins, but rather their performance during the fights. This way, anybody who makes it to the third stage of the Exams has a chance to become 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, ninjas can wear an identifying tactical vest that holds ninjutsu scrolls. This vest is not mandatory; instead, some opt for more elaborate clothing like capes and robes.
Jonin
Jonin (ÉÏÈÌ, J¨nin?, 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 greatest difficulty). 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. It is mentioned in the Naruto Anime Profiles databook that Jonin are appointed, however there was mention of a Jonin exam in the Kurama filler arc. It is known that most Jonin are generally able to use at least two types of elemental jutsu.
Kage
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 (Ó°, Kage? literally "Shadow") are the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages. Kage are the most powerful ninja of the village. There may be exceptions -- for example, a ninja may be the most powerful at the time of being installed as Kage, but he will age and a more youthful ninja may become more powerful. Kage are an elite group.
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 (»ðÓ°, literally "Fire Shadow"?) Kage of Konohagakure.
Kazekage (ïLÓ°, literally "Wind Shadow"?) Kage of Sunagakure.
Mizukage (ˮӰ, literally "Water Shadow"?) Kage of Kirigakure.
Raikage (À×Ó°, literally "Lightning Shadow"?) Kage of Kumogakure.
Tsuchikage (ÍÁÓ°, 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 (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 (ÒôÓ°, literally "Sound Shadow"?) by some fans, but 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, though his abilities are certainly on par with one.
S-Class
S-class ninja have gained power far beyond an average Jonin and earned a legendary status. This title is merely a description rather than an actual rank; the ninja's official rank with a village will usually still be Jonin. However, it can sometimes be lower, or they can have no rank at all. The allegiances of these ninja range from being part of the village's own ninja to being wandering ninja who are still loyal to their village, like Jiraiya. Some ninja of this level tend to leave their villages behind to seek their own ambitions, thus becoming missing-nin. The ninja organization Akatsuki is composed of nine S-class missing-nin. Ninja of this class are often noted in the Bingo book, a list of notable enemy ninja marked for assassination that each ninja village provides for its Jonin and ANBU squad members. Most ninja, even high-level ones, choose to flee rather than face someone of the S-class.
Ninja of the S-class are often highly revered, and usually signified by nicknames allies or enemies give them. One group of ninja who have gained this special status are the Legendary Sannin of Konoha: Jiraiya the "Toad Hermit" ("Gama Sennin"), Orochimaru, and Tsunade the "Legendary Sucker" ("Densetsu no Kamo", a reference to her poor gambling skills) and "That Slug Woman" (Chiyo's name for her, a reference to her ability to summon Katsuyu). Most Kage also tend to be at this level.
Also: there are five ninja elements. Lightening, Air, Earth, Fire and Water.
Jounin have generally mastered all five.
Chunin usually one.
Genin don't usually know about the elements.
They have weaknesses and strengths that are obvious. Also: Ninja's wear their village crest headband werever they want. (aka, head, back of head, neck, waist). And missing-nin have been known to put slashes through the headbands, but they still wear them.
[edit] Medic-nin
Medic-nin (‰q¶”E, Medic-nin? eisei-nin) are ninja who specialize in medical treatment especially using medical jutsu. Becoming a medic-nin requires excellent chakra control, since medic-nin use chakra to heal injuries. Aside from their medical training, their combat training consists mainly of taijutsu skills, with emphasis placed on evading enemy attacks. This is because the death of the medic-nin could result in the death of the team. On dangerous missions, a medic-nin will usually be sent along with the team, to increase the survival rate of that team.
Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, is the greatest medic-nin of Konoha. Shizune, her assistant, is also a medic-nin, as is Sakura, Tsunade's apprentice. Kabuto Yakushi is a medic-nin in the service of Orochimaru. Chiyo was a medic-nin, but she uses her expertise to kill rather than heal. Tsunade and Sakura also use their medical training to create great strength, making them both formidable fighters and capable healers. Rin, in Kakashi Gaiden, was also a medic-nin. Ino Yamanaka is able to use medical jutsu, but it is more likely that she is a combat lifesaver, not a full educated medic-nin.
[edit] Courier-nin
Courier Ninja 596-03 in episode 177.Courier-nin are ninja that deliver packages from one point to another. They take on extremely dangerous delivery jobs that others will not, these jobs can even be lifethreatening in nature. They use smoke to communicate with each other over long distances, and are a very determined group of ninjas, taking the "postal motto" to new heights. When asked their name, they will use their designation number. When Naruto encountered a courier ninja he first made the mistake of confusing him with an ordinary postman, after learning who he was and what he was doing, he started referring him as an "amazing postman".
[edit] Cooking-nin
These are ninja who were originally intended to cook for other ninjas in their squad. The theory was that ninja who ate well would also perform well. This idea backfired as ninjas ate too much of the food with "too much flavor", making them too slow to be able to complete their missions effectively. They appear in the filler episode ransoming Ayame for Ichiraku Ramen's demon recipe which is actually only something used to remove bitterness
((Wow! I didn't know about cooking-nin!))