These are the ranks obtainable by the shinobi of various villages. They are ordered from highest to lowest, except for Medic-nin, which remains a bit of a mysterious position. Concerns involving Akatsuki and Akusuna should be sought in the private area.

Kage

There are five Kage spread out in the countries. They are the most powerful shinobi in the entire village. The title "Kage" refers to the English word "shadow." They often know the most jutsu and are by far the strongest of all the shinobi in their country. There is one Kage per village. They preside over all the affairs, promote Jounin to ANBU, and Chuunin to Jounin. They also help decide who is elevated from Genin to Chuunin during the exams. The Kazekage is from Sunagakure, the Hokage from Konohagakure, the Tsuchikage from Iwagakure, the Raikage from Kumogakure, and the Mizukage from Kirigakure.

Kazekage: Outoumori Riya
Hokage: Murakami Yuudai
Tsuchikage: Zakeiru Kizen
Raikage: Watanabe Akari
Mizukage: Tsukade Haikyousha

ANBU

The second-highest rank in a shinobi village. The ANBU are typically a crew of high-level shinobi that takes care of assassinations and other difficult tasks. The Kage of the village appoints them, and some often work to keep an eye on said Kage. They are S-ranked shinobi and take on the most difficult missions. It is the highest rank a normal shinobi can obtain, and there is no age limit to enter - it all depends on skill. Oddly enough, ANBU are the only shinobi who carry katana. They all wear animal masks of sorts, which is said to distinguish them from all the other shinobi. They work under direct order of the Kage or under the order of their squad leader, though a Kage's orders beat out that of a squad leader's any day.

Oinin
(Hunter-nin)

Oinin are the ones who go after nukenin. The more powerful the nukenin, the faster he or she needs to be capture and kill the target. The oinin are ANBU-rank shinobi or higher. The oinin rank was created so that they could chase down shinobi who leave the villages. Opposing villages will often buy information from said nukenin that would jeopardize the oinin's village. Oinin all know jutsu that can cremate their targets, or have flesh-eating crows eat the intestines of the targets. As long as their bodies are disposed of, the oinin's job is done. They may or may not work in squads with a single leader.

Jounin

They are right underneath the ANBU, and occasionally go on missions that force them to work with a single ANBU or even a squad of ANBU. Occasionally they work with Hunter-nin as well. Jounin are sometimes in charge of three-man genin teams. Occasionally Chuunin take this responsibility as well, if there are not enough Jounin. Even an ANBU has been known to step temporarily down from his/her duties to assume this responsibility, but they retain their mask. The Kage of the village promotes Jounin when it is felt that they have the skills needed to maintain such a high rank. For higher-ranked missions a jounin is also known to command a team made up of other jounin or even chuunin.

Chuunin

The middle group, the Chuunin are the Genin who have passed the required exam. It is not rare for a small number to pass said exams, which are held every six months. Often academy teachers, they are also appointed as leaders of three-man genin teams. Chuunin can also serve as messengers between villages in times when it is too dangerous for a regular messenger to do it. In general, Chuunin is the highest rank without appointment by the Kage of the village. Chuunin can be squad leaders, especially the stronger ones with more experience.

Genin

The Genin are the just-graduated Academy students. However, only nine of these are promoted every time they take the graduation exam. The rest either drop out or wait to take the test again. Then, they are given over to a sensei who retains, most commonly, the rank of Jounin or Chuunin. They know very few jutsu, and rarely know anything above a Rank-B jutsu unless they specialize in the certain area. How the Genin develop before the exam really depends on how hard the sensei works them and how far the Genin are willing to go. The teams are all hand-picked by the Kage, and are made to work in harmony and to dispel any rivalries among the students.

Academy Student

The cadets. Shinobi-wanna-bes. Most Academy Students start at around age nine, though there are a few cases in which they are started earlier. Such examples are Uchiha Itachi, and Hatake Kakashi. It is rare, however. Most graduate when they are twelve or so and join three-man Genin teams. Since kunoichi are so rare, they often are separated from the rest of the class and taught the more feminine techniques that would allow them to go undercover in the chance that they might actually have to in a shinobi mission someday. Often a sensei that specializes in said objects will take them apart and do something different. Of course, they must have the Kage's permission before doing something unusual. Also, it is not uncommon for a Jounin, ANBU, or even the Kage him/herself to come in and teach a special class for the day.

Nukenin
(Missing-nin)

Nukenin are shinobi who have abandoned their villages. Most nukenin are immediately hunted by the oinin, though some of the S-ranked nukenin are missed or overlooked, and they escape. Nukenin wear their regular shinobi headband, or hitai-ate, with a slash through the symbol of the village. It signals that they have abandoned what their village believes. Akatsuki and Akusuna are nukenin. Some nukenin start their own Villages, such as Orochimaru once did with the now-abandoned Otogakure.

Shinobi are rarely, if ever, banished or exiled from their villages; instead, they are put in jail. Thus, most nukenin have left their villages of their own accord.

Iryounin
(Medic-nin)

Iryounin are shinobi who specialize in medical jutsu. Tsunade would be a good example. She was a healer. Often, four-man teams sent on S or A-ranked missions have three offensive members and one iryounin. Even some Genin teams are set up that way. However, specialty shinobi who use only medical jutsu are becoming more rare. There is concern that the art of medical jutsu might someday disappear. It is up to the Kages to make sure that it doesn't happen. A iryounin's rank is based not only on their skill level but also on the proficiency of their medical jutsu. If they are slow and not very good but are good otherwise, they still receive a lower rank due to their low proficiency.