Regular Forces

The regular forces (正規部隊, Seiki Butai) 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.

Academy students (忍者学校生, Akademī-sei) make up the student body of the Ninja Academy, where they are trained and prepared for life as a shinobi. They are not an actual part of the shinobi force, as they are still in the process of mastering the very basics of the ninja lifestyle. However, they can be conscripted as part of the war potential in times of emergency.

Genin (下忍; Literally meaning "low ninja", Meaning (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 – 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 labor, 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 in upper-level ninja because of the attack by Otogakure and Sunagakure, the village had to occasionally send genin on higher-ranked missions.

Chūnin (中忍; Literally meaning "Middle Ninja", Meaning (Viz) "Journeyman Ninja") are ninja who are qualified to watch over and guide other ninja. Chūnin have reached a level of maturity that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. This is because the genin who don't have the skills to become chūnin are weeded out in testing. Some of them, like Iruka Umino and Mizuki, function as Academy 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. Chūnin are typically sent on C-rank or B-rank missions.

Tokubetsu Jōnin (特別上忍, Tokubetsu Jōnin; English TV "Special Jōnin"; Literally meaning "Special High Ninja"; sometimes known as Tokujō for short) are ninja who, rather than all-around jōnin training, have Jōnin-level ability in a single area or skill, much like warrant officers of 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 (上忍, Jōnin; Literally meaning "High Ninja", Meaning (Viz) "Elite Ninja") are generally highly-experienced shinobi with great individual skill who serve as military captains. They are often sent on A-Rank missions, and experienced Jōnin may even be sent on S-Class 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, some genjutsu, and above-average taijutsu skills.

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 organization. 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.

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.