Shinobi Organisational System

Although there are variations from village to village, the general organisational structure and hierarchy of the ninja systems of each village is about the same. At the top of the organisation is the village head, or the Kage in the case of the five major villages. They rule the village and its shinobi together with a council, usually consisting of highly ranked shinobi and elders.

The actual shinobi forces are divided in three groups. The regular forces, the ANBU, and the Medical Teams.

Regular Forces
The form the foundation of the village and its shinobi system. The majority of shinobi are a part of these forces and together, either individually or in teams, they perform the majority of the missions the village receives. They are also tasked with the various duties within the organization, such as training and office work.

When an Academy student graduates, they usually become a part of these forces, assuming the rank of genin. Via various exams and tests, they can be promoted to higher ranks, first to chūnin and after that to jōnin. Sometimes, when a shinobi is specialized in a very specific skill, they can assume the rank of tokubetsu jōnin, which is ranked between chūnin and jōnin.

Teams
Although the higher-ranking members of the regular forces often perform missions alone, most are done in teams. The most basic team is the one a genin is placed in after graduation. This so-called three-man cell consists of three genin under the guidance of a jōnin. These teams are meant to give the new shinobi practical skills, while already being a productive member of the organisation. Usually, strong bonds are cultivated between the members of such a team, lasting their entire lives. Because of these bonds and the fact that working with one's long-time team-mates is usually more efficient, these teams often last even after all members have been promoted to chūnin or higher.

Besides these basic teams, there are also teams and groups created for specific missions and tasks. Sometimes these are ad hoc teams only exist for the duration of the mission, such as the Sasuke Retrieval Team, but in certain cases these teams are more organized and lasting, such as the Nijū Shōtai, created to battle the Akatsuki threat.

Special Ranks and Functions
Besides the standard ranks of genin, chūnin, tokubetsu jōnin, and jōnin, there are some shinobi who bear a special rank or function. For instance, Kumogakure has a rank between that of jōnin and Raikage. This Head Ninja helps in leading the shinobi forces and is capable of representing the village. Konohagakure has the Jōnin Commander, who represents the regular forces in councils and likely helps in commanding them.

ANBU
The, short for , are under the direct control of the village head, 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 village head; chosen for their individual capabilities and special skills. Age, gender, or previous rank bear no weight in this decision.

There are apparently no true ranks within the ANBU, as is the case with the regular forces. Team leadership and hierarchy seem to be based on merit and experience. The leaders of the teams are called, a position held in high regards.

Groups
There are various groups within the ANBU, aimed at various different functions and tasks. Kirigakure, for instance, has the Hunter-nin, a group created solely for hunting down and disposing of missing-nin. Konohagakure has the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force, who interrogate prisoners and work to gather intelligence. Though they were to officially disband, another ANBU group named the Foundation would carry out extremely secretive missions and were not under the direct authority of previous Hokages.



Medical Teams
The are the back-up of the shinobi forces. They consist of medical-nin, working behind the scenes to heal the sick and injured shinobi and to make sure the organisation is always in peak condition. They also do extensive research into new techniques, medicine, and into diseases and the human body. Although not seen very often, they are highly respected. Even to a jōnin, the advanced skills of these shinobi appear like magic.

Not all medical-nin are members of the Medical Teams, though. There are also medical-nin within the regular forces, who go along on standard missions to increase the success-rate. However, back in the village, it is the Medical Teams who run the hospital and treat the wounded.