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In the Naruto world, countries operate as separate political entities ruled by landlords. Within these countries are hidden villages (隠れ里, kakurezato?), settlements housing ninja, warriors capable of using supernatural abilities in combat. A hidden village maintains the economy of the parent country by training ninja from a young age and using them to perform missions for other countries. The ninja of a hidden village also serve as the military force of their parent country. The leaders of the hidden villages hold equal status with the leaders of their respective countries. Five countries in the Naruto world: the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire, Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and the Land of Wind are known as the "Five Great Shinobi Nations". These countries are the most powerful in the Naruto world. They are ruled by a feudal lord and the leaders of the hidden villages in these countries hold the title of Kage. Other apparently smaller nations have been named in passing, in either the manga or anime, but are yet to be explored.
Land of Fire
The Land of Fire (火の国, Hi no Kuni?) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, and contains the hidden village of Konohagakure, where the majority of the Naruto series takes place. Per its namesake, the Land of Fire is oriented towards the element of fire, with bright and warm weather.
Konohagakure
Konohagakure (木ノ葉隠れの里, Konohagakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden Among Tree Leaves" VIZ "Hidden Leaf Village"), also known as Konoha, is the hidden village within the Land of Fire and the primary setting of the series. As the hidden village of one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the village is led by a Kage, known as the Hokage. The faces of all Hokage are engraved on the rock formation overlooking Konohagakure. As of the start of the series, the Third Hokage is the leader of the village. He had abdicated his position in favor of Minato Namikaze, who became the Fourth Hokage, but was forced to reclaim his position after Minato died fighting the nine-tailed demon fox. During Part I of the series, the Third Hokage is killed by his former pupil, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, another of his students, succeeds him as the Fifth Hokage. The origin of Konohagakure is revealed during Part II of the series. The village was formed as part of an alliance between the Uchiha and Senju clans, the strongest clans in the Naruto world at that time. Hashirama Senju, the leader of the Senju clan, became the First Hokage, and defeated Madara Uchiha, the leader of the Uchiha clan, when Madara challenged Hashirama's rule.
Within Konohagakure are a number of locations featured prominently during the series. The Forest of Death (死の森, Shi no Mori?) is a large gated forest used for the yearly ninja exams in which ninja can advance to the rank of Chunin. The Ichiraku Ramen Bar is the favorite restaurant of the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki, and he frequently visits it during the course of the series. The Final Valley (終末の谷, Shūmatsu no Mori?) is the location of Hashirama's and Madara's fight for control over the village, featuring large statues of the two overlooking a waterfall. At the end of Part I, Naruto fights Sasuke Uchiha in this location in a failed attempt to return him to Konohagakure.
Land of Wind
The Land of Wind (風の国, Kaze no Kuni?), one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, is a large, dry, and desolate country whose cities are found near water sources. While much of the country is inhospitable, the population is large and prosperous due to frequent trade with the Land of Fire. The hidden village in the Land of Wind is Sunagakure.
Sunagakure
Sunagakure (砂隠れの里, Sunagakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden Among Sand" or "Village Hidden in the Sand") is one of the five great ninja villages, and as such has a Kage, known as the Kazekage, as its leader. Before the start of the series, the Land of Wind's feudal lord began to reduce Sunagakure's budget, and send mission requests to Konohagakure instead of Sunagakure. This led to Sunagakure forming an alliance with the village of Otogakure in order to attack and destroy Konohagakure, which composes a major portion of Part I of the series. The combined forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure are defeated, and Sunagakure allies with Konohagakure after realizing that Orochimaru, the leader of Otogakure, slew the Fourth Kazekage. In Part II of the series, Gaara, the son of the Fourth Kazekage, succeeds his father as the Fifth Kazekage.
Land of Rain
The Land of Rain (雨の国, Ame no Kuni?) is a small, insular country. Its borders are highly defended, and those wishing to pass through the country are subject to constant surveillance for the duration of their stay. As it is situated between three of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the Land of Rain serves as a battlefield for their wars, and most of the population consists of war refugees.
Amegakure
(雨隠れの里, Amegakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in Rain") is the Land of Rain's hidden village. The village was the site of a civil war, and Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, was killed by Pain, the leader of the criminal organization Akatsuki. Following the war, Pain becomes the leader of the village and uses it as a base for Akatsuki. Ninja loyal to the former Amegakure frequently attempt to assassinate Pain, but their efforts are unsuccessful. The inhabitants of Amegakure consider Pain to be a god, and he never reveals himself to the populace.
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Land of Sound
See also: Otogakure
The Land of Rice Fields (田の国, Ta no Kuni?, English TV: "Land of Rice Paddies") is a small country sharing a border with the Land of Fire. Orochimaru, a former Konohagakure ninja, took control of the country, and renamed it the Land of Sound (音の国, Oto no Kuni?).
Otogakure (音隠れの里, Otogakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in Sound") is Orochimaru's personal village. He founded it for the sole purpose of collecting ninja for his experiments, and his quest to learn all the jutsu in the world. The village is not contiguous, consisting of multiple assorted lairs located within the Land of Sound and outside it.
Land of Water
The Land of Water (水の国, Mizu no Kuni?) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations and contains the hidden village of Kirigakure. It is composed of many islands, with each having its own unique traditions. The Land of Water and Kirigakure are never shown in the series, but several ninja featured in the series hail from this area.
Kirigakure (霧隠れの里, Kirigakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in Mist") is the hidden village of the Land of Water. The leader of the village is known as the Mizukage. Madara Uchiha has been referred to as the Mizukage, though it is unclear when he held the title. The ninja in Kirigakure specialize in water-based jutsu. Kirigakure once used brutal methods to train its ninja, requiring prospective ninja to fight their comrades to the death. After Zabuza Momochi killed all the students in his class, however, the process was discontinued. Zabuza became part of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist, the strongest group of ninja in the village and signified by the unique swords they carry. Aside from Zabuza, two other members have been revealed in the series: Kisame Hoshigaki, who abandoned the village and joined the criminal organization Akatsuki, and Raiga Kurosuki, who is introduced towards the end of the Naruto anime.
Land of Lightning
The Land of Lightning (雷の国, Kaminari no Kuni?) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations and contains the hidden village of Kumogakure. It is composed of numerous mountain ranges. The country and its inhabitants go largely unseen until late in the second half of the series.
Kumogakure (雲隠れの里, Kumogakure no sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in the Clouds") is the hidden village of the Land of Lightning. It is located on a high mountain, literally hidden in the clouds. The leader of the village is known as the Raikage. Similar to Iwagakure, Kumogakure has had two tailed beasts in its possession: the two-tailed demon cat, sealed within Yugito Nii (二位ユギト, Nii Yugito), and the eight-tailed beast, sealed within the Raikage's brother, Killer Bee (キラービー, Kirābī). Both tailed beasts were captured by Akatsuki, however, only Killer Bee escaped.
Land of Earth
The Land of Earth (土の国, Tsuchi no Kuni?) is one the Five Great Shinobi Nations and contains the village of Iwagakure (岩隠れの里, Iwagakure no sato?, lit. "Village Hidden Among the Rocks"). Not much is known of this land as it has mainly been mentioned in passing in the manga. Like Kumogakure, it has been revealed that Iwagakure had two tailed beasts in its possession: the four-tailed beast, sealed within an old man named Rōshi, and the five-tailed beast, sealed within an unnamed shinobi.
Land of Waves
The Land of Waves (波の国, Nami no Kuni?) is a poor nation, and does not have a hidden village as a result. It is an isolated island, but was prosperous until the country was taken over by Gato, who monopolized the economy. The Land of Waves is introduced early in Part I, and Team 7, which consists of the main characters of the series, travels to the Land of Waves as bodyguards for a bridge builder. With the aid of the populace of the Land of Waves, Team 7 manage to defeat Gato and his hired assassin Zabuza Momochi, and his assistant Haku, and restore the country to its former status. As a sign of gratitude, the bridge is named the "Great Naruto Bridge" (ナルト大橋, Naruto Ōhashi?) in honor of Naruto Uzumaki, the main character of the series.
Ninja ranks
Academy ninja
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, are commonly taught. Elementary ninja techniques, such as transformation jutsu and clone jutsu, though they vary from village to village, are also taught. Some villages also have an additional test given by the Jonin of each three-man squad to see if they are truly ready to graduate, 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, each year. 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, such as clone jutsu, though Rock Lee is an exception, because he can only perform taijutsu.
Genin
Genin (下忍, Genin? literally "Lower Ninja", Viz "Junior Ninja") are the lowest level of ninja; although, skill levels vary drastically between Genin (as evidenced in Naruto, who, despite being a Genin, is one of Konoha's most powerful ninjas). Genin are put in three-man cells, and are then assigned a Jonin sensei to mentor them. This is done to teach the Genin 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. When they become Genin, ninja start to do their bit for their village's economy, for which they are given a small payment. 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.
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 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. 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 or robes. Chunin are typically sent on C or B-rank missions.
To become a Chunin, a Genin participates, with his or her team, in a large examination, known as the "Chunin Exams," hosted twice a year due to the growing number of ninjas. 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, so villages could improve and strengthen their relationships. Another advantage is that ninja that took the exam might attract clients who are interested in hiring them. The exam is a test not only of strength, but information gathering abilities, survival skills, and adhering to guidelines. Those who have all of these qualities are grouped together into predetermined fights, 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, it is aptitude, rather than winning, that is evaluated to determine whether a candidate is promoted. This way even one who loses his or her first match can become a Chunin.
Jonin
(上忍, Jōnin?, literally "Higher Ninja", Viz "Jōnin" and "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, like Kakashi Hatake, may even be sent on S-rank missions (which are considered to be the most difficult), and may carry out missions alone. They are sometimes assigned as sensei for three-person teams of Genin. Though it is as of yet unknown what one has to undergo to become a Jonin, it is mentioned in the Naruto Anime Profiles that Jonin are appointed.[page # needed]
Tokubetsu Jonin (特別上忍, Tokubetsu Jōnin?, literally "Special Higher 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 (e.g. Ibiki, who specializes in interrogation). They are elite specialists in their areas and are often assigned as subordinates to regular Jonin when their services are needed. They sometimes are seen as lower ranked than jonin because they are good or the best at one thing and they lack talent, or even ability in others.
Kage
Those who have achieved the title of Kage (影, Kage? literally "Shadow") are the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages and generally (but not exclusively) the most powerful ninja in their respective villages. These villages do not rule the country, but are equal to the government. The Kage stand equally with the rulers of their countries, oversee the activities of their villages, and are the leaders of ninja society. There may be exceptions, however, as 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; however, once granted, the title is held permanently, creating a situation where there are two Kage at the same time, with only one of them actually active. 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, or some combination of these factors. The anime introduced a sixth Kage, the Hoshikage (星影, literally "Star Shadow"?) from Land of Bears. However, this was a self-given title and not officially recognized by the five other villages. Most Kage tend to be at S-Rank level. The five Kage have different titles depending on their country. 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.
S-rank
S-class ninja have gained power far beyond an average Jonin and earned a legendary status. This title is merely a class 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. Some ninja of this level tend to leave their villages behind to seek their own ambitions, thus becoming 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. For example, the Legendary Sannin (lit. Three Ninjas: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru) and all were former team members and are S-class ninja and most Kage are at this level as well.
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), and is an organization of assassination squads that serves directly under the village's leader. The ANBU wear porcelain animal masks in order to distinguish themselves from normal shinobi and to conceal their identities, and also have standard uniforms consisting of black and gray armor, arm guards, a signature spiral tattoo on their left shoulder and a Ninjatō strapped on their back. They know the layout of the human body in detail, and have developed several techniques to perform their duties, such as paralyzing the target. ANBU are considered the elite, and they perform high-ranked and dangerous missions. Within the ANBU of Kirigakure,and presumably other ninja villages there exists a sub-group called Hunter-nin (追い忍, Oinin?, literally "Chasing Ninja", English TV "Tracker Ninja"), given the specific duty of hunting down missing-nin, and destroying their bodies, so their village's secrets won't be revealed to foreign ninja.
Medical ninja
Medical-nin (医療忍, iryō-nin?, English TV "Medical Corps Ninja") are ninja who specialize in medical treatment and use medical-oriented jutsu to heal others. Becoming a medic-nin requires excellent chakra control, because 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, as the death of the medic-nin could result in the death of the team, though medical techniques can also be used offensively. On dangerous missions, a medic-nin will usually be sent along with the team, to increase the survival rate of that team.
In the Naruto world, countries operate as separate political entities ruled by landlords. Within these countries are hidden villages (隠れ里, kakurezato?), settlements housing ninja, warriors capable of using supernatural abilities in combat. A hidden village maintains the economy of the parent country by training ninja from a young age and using them to perform missions for other countries. The ninja of a hidden village also serve as the military force of their parent country. The leaders of the hidden villages hold equal status with the leaders of their respective countries. Five countries in the Naruto world: the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire, Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and the Land of Wind are known as the "Five Great Shinobi Nations". These countries are the most powerful in the Naruto world. They are ruled by a feudal lord and the leaders of the hidden villages in these countries hold the title of Kage. Other apparently smaller nations have been named in passing, in either the manga or anime, but are yet to be explored.
Land of Fire
The Land of Fire (火の国, Hi no Kuni?) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, and contains the hidden village of Konohagakure, where the majority of the Naruto series takes place. Per its namesake, the Land of Fire is oriented towards the element of fire, with bright and warm weather.
Konohagakure
Konohagakure (木ノ葉隠れの里, Konohagakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden Among Tree Leaves" VIZ "Hidden Leaf Village"), also known as Konoha, is the hidden village within the Land of Fire and the primary setting of the series. As the hidden village of one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the village is led by a Kage, known as the Hokage. The faces of all Hokage are engraved on the rock formation overlooking Konohagakure. As of the start of the series, the Third Hokage is the leader of the village. He had abdicated his position in favor of Minato Namikaze, who became the Fourth Hokage, but was forced to reclaim his position after Minato died fighting the nine-tailed demon fox. During Part I of the series, the Third Hokage is killed by his former pupil, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, another of his students, succeeds him as the Fifth Hokage. The origin of Konohagakure is revealed during Part II of the series. The village was formed as part of an alliance between the Uchiha and Senju clans, the strongest clans in the Naruto world at that time. Hashirama Senju, the leader of the Senju clan, became the First Hokage, and defeated Madara Uchiha, the leader of the Uchiha clan, when Madara challenged Hashirama's rule.
Within Konohagakure are a number of locations featured prominently during the series. The Forest of Death (死の森, Shi no Mori?) is a large gated forest used for the yearly ninja exams in which ninja can advance to the rank of Chunin. The Ichiraku Ramen Bar is the favorite restaurant of the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki, and he frequently visits it during the course of the series. The Final Valley (終末の谷, Shūmatsu no Mori?) is the location of Hashirama's and Madara's fight for control over the village, featuring large statues of the two overlooking a waterfall. At the end of Part I, Naruto fights Sasuke Uchiha in this location in a failed attempt to return him to Konohagakure.
Land of Wind
The Land of Wind (風の国, Kaze no Kuni?), one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, is a large, dry, and desolate country whose cities are found near water sources. While much of the country is inhospitable, the population is large and prosperous due to frequent trade with the Land of Fire. The hidden village in the Land of Wind is Sunagakure.
Sunagakure
Sunagakure (砂隠れの里, Sunagakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden Among Sand" or "Village Hidden in the Sand") is one of the five great ninja villages, and as such has a Kage, known as the Kazekage, as its leader. Before the start of the series, the Land of Wind's feudal lord began to reduce Sunagakure's budget, and send mission requests to Konohagakure instead of Sunagakure. This led to Sunagakure forming an alliance with the village of Otogakure in order to attack and destroy Konohagakure, which composes a major portion of Part I of the series. The combined forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure are defeated, and Sunagakure allies with Konohagakure after realizing that Orochimaru, the leader of Otogakure, slew the Fourth Kazekage. In Part II of the series, Gaara, the son of the Fourth Kazekage, succeeds his father as the Fifth Kazekage.
Land of Rain
The Land of Rain (雨の国, Ame no Kuni?) is a small, insular country. Its borders are highly defended, and those wishing to pass through the country are subject to constant surveillance for the duration of their stay. As it is situated between three of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the Land of Rain serves as a battlefield for their wars, and most of the population consists of war refugees.
Amegakure
(雨隠れの里, Amegakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in Rain") is the Land of Rain's hidden village. The village was the site of a civil war, and Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, was killed by Pain, the leader of the criminal organization Akatsuki. Following the war, Pain becomes the leader of the village and uses it as a base for Akatsuki. Ninja loyal to the former Amegakure frequently attempt to assassinate Pain, but their efforts are unsuccessful. The inhabitants of Amegakure consider Pain to be a god, and he never reveals himself to the populace.
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Land of Sound
See also: Otogakure
The Land of Rice Fields (田の国, Ta no Kuni?, English TV: "Land of Rice Paddies") is a small country sharing a border with the Land of Fire. Orochimaru, a former Konohagakure ninja, took control of the country, and renamed it the Land of Sound (音の国, Oto no Kuni?).
Otogakure (音隠れの里, Otogakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in Sound") is Orochimaru's personal village. He founded it for the sole purpose of collecting ninja for his experiments, and his quest to learn all the jutsu in the world. The village is not contiguous, consisting of multiple assorted lairs located within the Land of Sound and outside it.
Land of Water
The Land of Water (水の国, Mizu no Kuni?) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations and contains the hidden village of Kirigakure. It is composed of many islands, with each having its own unique traditions. The Land of Water and Kirigakure are never shown in the series, but several ninja featured in the series hail from this area.
Kirigakure (霧隠れの里, Kirigakure no Sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in Mist") is the hidden village of the Land of Water. The leader of the village is known as the Mizukage. Madara Uchiha has been referred to as the Mizukage, though it is unclear when he held the title. The ninja in Kirigakure specialize in water-based jutsu. Kirigakure once used brutal methods to train its ninja, requiring prospective ninja to fight their comrades to the death. After Zabuza Momochi killed all the students in his class, however, the process was discontinued. Zabuza became part of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist, the strongest group of ninja in the village and signified by the unique swords they carry. Aside from Zabuza, two other members have been revealed in the series: Kisame Hoshigaki, who abandoned the village and joined the criminal organization Akatsuki, and Raiga Kurosuki, who is introduced towards the end of the Naruto anime.
Land of Lightning
The Land of Lightning (雷の国, Kaminari no Kuni?) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations and contains the hidden village of Kumogakure. It is composed of numerous mountain ranges. The country and its inhabitants go largely unseen until late in the second half of the series.
Kumogakure (雲隠れの里, Kumogakure no sato?, lit. "Village Hidden in the Clouds") is the hidden village of the Land of Lightning. It is located on a high mountain, literally hidden in the clouds. The leader of the village is known as the Raikage. Similar to Iwagakure, Kumogakure has had two tailed beasts in its possession: the two-tailed demon cat, sealed within Yugito Nii (二位ユギト, Nii Yugito), and the eight-tailed beast, sealed within the Raikage's brother, Killer Bee (キラービー, Kirābī). Both tailed beasts were captured by Akatsuki, however, only Killer Bee escaped.
Land of Earth
The Land of Earth (土の国, Tsuchi no Kuni?) is one the Five Great Shinobi Nations and contains the village of Iwagakure (岩隠れの里, Iwagakure no sato?, lit. "Village Hidden Among the Rocks"). Not much is known of this land as it has mainly been mentioned in passing in the manga. Like Kumogakure, it has been revealed that Iwagakure had two tailed beasts in its possession: the four-tailed beast, sealed within an old man named Rōshi, and the five-tailed beast, sealed within an unnamed shinobi.
Land of Waves
The Land of Waves (波の国, Nami no Kuni?) is a poor nation, and does not have a hidden village as a result. It is an isolated island, but was prosperous until the country was taken over by Gato, who monopolized the economy. The Land of Waves is introduced early in Part I, and Team 7, which consists of the main characters of the series, travels to the Land of Waves as bodyguards for a bridge builder. With the aid of the populace of the Land of Waves, Team 7 manage to defeat Gato and his hired assassin Zabuza Momochi, and his assistant Haku, and restore the country to its former status. As a sign of gratitude, the bridge is named the "Great Naruto Bridge" (ナルト大橋, Naruto Ōhashi?) in honor of Naruto Uzumaki, the main character of the series.
Ninja ranks
Academy ninja
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, are commonly taught. Elementary ninja techniques, such as transformation jutsu and clone jutsu, though they vary from village to village, are also taught. Some villages also have an additional test given by the Jonin of each three-man squad to see if they are truly ready to graduate, 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, each year. 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, such as clone jutsu, though Rock Lee is an exception, because he can only perform taijutsu.
Genin
Genin (下忍, Genin? literally "Lower Ninja", Viz "Junior Ninja") are the lowest level of ninja; although, skill levels vary drastically between Genin (as evidenced in Naruto, who, despite being a Genin, is one of Konoha's most powerful ninjas). Genin are put in three-man cells, and are then assigned a Jonin sensei to mentor them. This is done to teach the Genin 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. When they become Genin, ninja start to do their bit for their village's economy, for which they are given a small payment. 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.
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 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. 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 or robes. Chunin are typically sent on C or B-rank missions.
To become a Chunin, a Genin participates, with his or her team, in a large examination, known as the "Chunin Exams," hosted twice a year due to the growing number of ninjas. 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, so villages could improve and strengthen their relationships. Another advantage is that ninja that took the exam might attract clients who are interested in hiring them. The exam is a test not only of strength, but information gathering abilities, survival skills, and adhering to guidelines. Those who have all of these qualities are grouped together into predetermined fights, 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, it is aptitude, rather than winning, that is evaluated to determine whether a candidate is promoted. This way even one who loses his or her first match can become a Chunin.
Jonin
(上忍, Jōnin?, literally "Higher Ninja", Viz "Jōnin" and "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, like Kakashi Hatake, may even be sent on S-rank missions (which are considered to be the most difficult), and may carry out missions alone. They are sometimes assigned as sensei for three-person teams of Genin. Though it is as of yet unknown what one has to undergo to become a Jonin, it is mentioned in the Naruto Anime Profiles that Jonin are appointed.[page # needed]
Tokubetsu Jonin (特別上忍, Tokubetsu Jōnin?, literally "Special Higher 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 (e.g. Ibiki, who specializes in interrogation). They are elite specialists in their areas and are often assigned as subordinates to regular Jonin when their services are needed. They sometimes are seen as lower ranked than jonin because they are good or the best at one thing and they lack talent, or even ability in others.
Kage
Those who have achieved the title of Kage (影, Kage? literally "Shadow") are the leaders of the five most powerful Hidden Villages and generally (but not exclusively) the most powerful ninja in their respective villages. These villages do not rule the country, but are equal to the government. The Kage stand equally with the rulers of their countries, oversee the activities of their villages, and are the leaders of ninja society. There may be exceptions, however, as 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; however, once granted, the title is held permanently, creating a situation where there are two Kage at the same time, with only one of them actually active. 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, or some combination of these factors. The anime introduced a sixth Kage, the Hoshikage (星影, literally "Star Shadow"?) from Land of Bears. However, this was a self-given title and not officially recognized by the five other villages. Most Kage tend to be at S-Rank level. The five Kage have different titles depending on their country. 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.
S-rank
S-class ninja have gained power far beyond an average Jonin and earned a legendary status. This title is merely a class 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. Some ninja of this level tend to leave their villages behind to seek their own ambitions, thus becoming 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. For example, the Legendary Sannin (lit. Three Ninjas: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru) and all were former team members and are S-class ninja and most Kage are at this level as well.
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), and is an organization of assassination squads that serves directly under the village's leader. The ANBU wear porcelain animal masks in order to distinguish themselves from normal shinobi and to conceal their identities, and also have standard uniforms consisting of black and gray armor, arm guards, a signature spiral tattoo on their left shoulder and a Ninjatō strapped on their back. They know the layout of the human body in detail, and have developed several techniques to perform their duties, such as paralyzing the target. ANBU are considered the elite, and they perform high-ranked and dangerous missions. Within the ANBU of Kirigakure,and presumably other ninja villages there exists a sub-group called Hunter-nin (追い忍, Oinin?, literally "Chasing Ninja", English TV "Tracker Ninja"), given the specific duty of hunting down missing-nin, and destroying their bodies, so their village's secrets won't be revealed to foreign ninja.
Medical ninja
Medical-nin (医療忍, iryō-nin?, English TV "Medical Corps Ninja") are ninja who specialize in medical treatment and use medical-oriented jutsu to heal others. Becoming a medic-nin requires excellent chakra control, because 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, as the death of the medic-nin could result in the death of the team, though medical techniques can also be used offensively. On dangerous missions, a medic-nin will usually be sent along with the team, to increase the survival rate of that team.
