Divisions in the Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai Corps, known better by the abbreviation ANBU, handle most of the highly important and possibly off-the-books jobs for the village. Every aspect of this Corps is B-rank classified information, and some things end up classified even higher. Their uniform consists of pants, undershirt, plain armor torso vest, forearm guards with arm length gloves underneath, and a white base mask bearing a design unique to each operative. Most ANBU also receive a tattoo signifying them as part of the organization - placed on the left shoulder for men, right shoulder for women.
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Table of Contents
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Joining
The minimum rank a prospective ANBU member may be is Chunin. If ANBU sees a particularly talented Genin, they'd have to get permission from the Hokage before approaching the ninja. Given that ANBU have to deal with a variety of situations, they prefer applicants to be C-rank or higher in Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and Sougujutsu. Skill in Fuinjutsu or Juinjutsu is optional, but a definite plus. Training and certification in specializations used by the division the applicant wishes to join is also a plus.
Every year, the ANBU offer the chance for chunin level ninja (and genin that ANBU has received permission to invite) and above to sign up for ANBU Training. All prospective ANBU undergo deep, thorough background checks before candidacy progresses further.
The initial training itself is a three month long course designed to sharpen the candidates’ skills, develop their team dynamic, and push their physical, mental, and spiritual limits. The training is brutal, typically eliminating close to two-thirds of the candidates.
There are some exceptions for having to go through the ANBU Training. A waiver for certain aspects of the ANBU training may be provided if a candidate shows a highly developed talent in a field covered by the Intelligence Division. Such exceptions include expert researchers, scientists, cryptographers, and forgers. However, such a waiver would only be given if it is determined their particular skill is needed and there is a permanent reason that the candidate cannot fulfill the full requirements of the ANBU training. An example would be an experienced cryptographer receiving a waiver for the physical requirements of the training due to a disabling injury or condition.
The only battalion in the Intelligence Division that will NOT receive candidates with waivers is the Internal Affairs battalion, as each member of this battalion must be able to fight other ANBU if necessary. Field Division battalions do not provide waivers for physical requirements, since each prospective member must meet the organization’s standards of working in the field.
The candidates that survive the initial training continue to the more advanced and individual training. This usually involves training in certain fields for a particular battalion along with further general training that all new ANBU receive regardless of specialization.
Specializations are not trained according to Basic/Intermediate/Advanced levels within ANBU. Those within the organization are trained to a certain level in a needed specialization and continue to learn with experience. The amount of training in a specialization or what level class it might compare to is classified.
Most of those that do not complete ANBU training are washed out during the initial phase. Very few that complete the first phase fail to complete the rest. On average about twenty-five new ANBU are inducted into the Field Division and about twelve into the Intel Division each year.
Chain of Command
While there's technically only two ranks - Captain and everyone else - there are several job positions that can affect how an ANBU is referred to within the Corps.
ANBU Commander
Current ANBU Commander: Ibiki Morino
The ANBU Commander is in charge of the entire ANBU Corps. They report directly to the Hokage, and have a team of cleared admin ninja that assist in administrative matters.
Division Captain
This is an ANBU Captain that is in charge of a specific division within ANBU. They largely handle administrative matters regarding the division and have a team of admin ninja with appropriate clearances that assist.
Battalion Captain
Some divisions have subdivisions that are further specialized. These subdivisions, called Battalions, are led by an ANBU Captain.
ANBU Captain
ANBU Captains are experienced and skilled ANBU that are given leadership positions. They typically lead teams and the various sections of the Corps.
Lieutenant1
This is a regular ANBU or a Captain that serves as second in command for a division, battalion, or team. As such, they are officially referred to as "Division Lieutenant", "Battalion Lieutenant", or "<division> Team # Lieutenant" depending on what they're lieutenant for. This does mean that a regular ANBU could outrank an ANBU Captain in the chain of command, but those that let the fact go to their head are quickly demoted.
ANBU
The rank and file members of the Corps. All ANBU -regardless of rank - are known by the animal mask they're assigned after a probationary period in the Corps.
Trainee
Members of ANBU between joining and successfully completing their probationary period. Their uniform is the division design rather than any of its battalions. Should they successfully become part of ANBU they are processed to their unit and may begin wearing the battalion specific uniform if they are in one.
Divisions
While all divisions2 are part of ANBU, the lack of "ANBU" with the name of some divisions causes most people to think that they're separate from ANBU while sometimes sharing a similar dress code.
Field Division
Current Division Captain: Sai (Codename: Scorpion)
This Division handles most ANBU missions and serves as the most visible section of the Corps. Their general duties include handling patrolling the village and high level guard duty. Their armor is white with black clothes, they have a Ninjato strapped to their back, and they do receive the tattoo. Some also wear a full body cloak with a hood that conceals their form completely except for the mask. Specialized Battalions have variations on the basic equipment set-up that differentiate them.
ANBU Assassination Battalion
The ANBU Assassination Battalion handles much of the delicate wetwork involved in high level assassinations within friendly/allied territory. They use the standard division armor, receive the tattoo, and carry the ANBU sword.
ANBU Operations Battalion
This battalion handles non-assassination ANBU missions. Normally, this divisions does not perform missions within their village's country or allied territory. Most missions, they are listed as missing nin in records until they return from the mission. Unlike other battalions, they do not receive an ANBU tattoo or a sword. The clothes are colored dark grey and the armor is colored olive drab, but the uniform is only worn for operations within friendly or allied territory, or when required to dress in uniform.
ANBU Demolition Battalion
This battalion, commonly referred to as the (ANBU) Demolition Corps, handles much of the explosive potential of the ANBU. One of their duties includes carving a new Hokage's face on to the mountainside. They are also routinely used to take out enemy structures and perform area denial activities during wartime. Their armor is black with dark grey clothes, they receive the tattoo, and the sword is optional.
ANBU MSC Battalion
Due to the nature of ANBU, they cannot bring regular medic nins along the majority of the time. As a result, a medical battalion was formed within the Corps to provide this support. As time passed, the scope of the battalion has expanded to cover defense against medical, fuin/juinjutsu, and chakra based attacks on populations. Units are frequently deployed to quarantine locations.
Hunter Nin Battalion
Current Battalion Captain: ? Inuzuka (Codename: Crane)
The battalion of Hunter Nins are deployed to hunt down and capture or kill missing ninja. While their priority is to eliminate missing nin from their village, they also can target other villages' missing nin to collect the bounties on them. When they have eliminated a target, they are to remove the head and destroy the rest of the body. The head is used for proof of the kill, while destroying the rest of the body prevents other villages from dissecting it for all kinds of secret information. Hunter Nin tend to only follow a loose dress code. Official Hunter Nin ANBU armor is a washed out blackish-grey color with same colored clothes, and Hunter Nin receive the ANBU tattoo. Unlike the rest of the Field division, Hunter Nin have "flat" masks with the design painted on.
Intelligence Division
Current Division Captain: Ino Yamanaka
The Intelligence division handles most of ANBU's information collection. Going out into the field outside friendly territory for information requiring an ANBU team is usually given to the Ops Division, with the results forwarded to Intel. It has several battalions under its banner. Most members of this division dress in the uniform. Their armor is colored a dark red with black clothes, with black slashes on the sides of the vest to indicate battalion. The tattoo and sword are optional for this division due to its responsibilities.
Torture and Interrogation Battalion
Current Battalion Captain: Abunai Hitokasegi
This battalion handles pulling information out of ninja. Traitors, criminals, and captured ninja are sent here to provide all the information they know. Those that are sent to them rarely are released, except in the case of criminals that prove innocent. Their armor has a pair of slashes on the sides of the vest.
Internal Affairs Battalion
The IA battalion handles investigations into shinobi forces, often looking for moles, spies, traitors, and the like within the other units. Because of this, many ninja get jumpy or annoyed when IA pays a visit. All members of IA wear the division's ANBU uniform, and their armor has a single slash on the sides of the vest.
Cryptology, Forgery, and Spying Battalion
This battalion handles decrypting messages they aren't supposed to see, encrypting the village's own secret messages, forging any papers or documents or identities that the village needs, and handles most moderate to long term undercover information gathering missions. It also handles breaking the codes of other villages and daimyos. Few members of the Cryptology section wear the uniform but all members of the Forgery and Spying sections wear it with full body cloak to hide their appearance and identity as much as possible when on official business for the division. Some spying members stay out of uniform and moonlight as normal jounin. The battalion's armor has a trio of slashes on the sides of the vest.
Seduction Battalion
Current Battalion Captain: Unknown (Codename: Mantis)
This battalion consists of shinobi highly trained in the arts of seduction. Most members are unknown and moonlight as members of other Intel divisions whenever their primary services aren't required. The name of the unit spawns numerous rumors of who is a member based on a person's looks and some times attitude. The ANBU uniform has four slashes on the sides of the vest, is subtly modified to conceal gender more, and has a hood that comes up from the armor vest and attaches to their mask to conceal their hair. They often wear their uniform while moving around the village to see the reactions of various shinobi, and at times wear the full body cloak.
Jutsu Research and Development Battalion
This battalion serves to research new jutsu and devise counters to the jutsu of other villages. Hyuuga and Uchiha members are highly appreciated by this battalion for their ability to learn more information about how a jutsu works, making it easier to reverse engineer and counter. The battalion's armor has five slashes on the sides of the vest.
Locations
ANBU is a firm believer in keep its forces decentralized. As such, it keeps its forces headquartered in different locations to prevent a single crippling blow being dealt to the corps. The concept was unable to account for extremely large scale jutsu such as the one used on Konoha by Pein and only the MSC/Hunter Nin headquarters near the hospital survived the strike. During the rebuilding, more care was taken to separate the complexes to avoid a repeat. While the complexes are officially numbered 0, 1, 3, and 4, they are also referred by codenames.3
Complex Rei
Codename: Reisen
Units: Intel (Torture & Interrogation; Cryptography, Forgery, & Spycraft; Jutsu Research & Development)
Location: Underneath the Crater Lake
Complex Ichi
Codename: Ichiban
Units: Field (MSC; Hunter Nin)
Location: Behind the Konoha Hospital complex
Complex San
Codename: Sanagi
Units: Field (Assassination; Operations; Demolitions)
Location: Hidden Bunker Complex
Complex Yon
Codename: Yonabe
Units: Field (unspecialized), Intel (Internal Affairs; Seduction; unspecialized)
Location: Average-looking office building near Hokage Tower complex
Organization
ANBU Operations Team4
ANBU Operations teams consist of a team leader - typically an ANBU Captain -, a team lieutenant, and four other ANBU.
ANBU Assassination Team
These teams are four-man units and typically consist of a team leader and three other ANBU. The team leader is normally an ANBU Captain, but can be a regular ANBU that's being considered for promotion or due to manpower issues. Teams may temporarily take on up to two additional members if the mission requires it. In this case, a member of the original team is designated a lieutenant.
Hunter Nin Team
Hunter Nin work in small groups and typically utilize the standard 4-man cell. The team leader can be an ANBU Captain or a regular ANBU.
Intelligence Team
These teams vary in size from 3 to 6 as needs dictate. "Permanent" teams are usually the 4-man design. The various Battalions generally do not form any teams, though T&I may assign multiple ANBU to a single prisoner.
Demolitions Team
A demolitions team is normally a two-man unit, and can be attached to other ANBU teams as needs dictate.
Wolf Pack
A wolf pack is a term used to denote multiple ANBU units working together against a single target or group of targets. The size can vary from 3-4 solo operatives up to 4 full teams for a total of 16 ANBU. While most frequently used regarding Hunter Nin, it can also used for any ANBU operation that meets the criteria, including joint operations involving multiple battalions or divisions.
Known ANBU
| Name | Codename | Job/Status |
| Aburame, Daisuke | Wolverine (painted) | Field MSC (Team 11) |
| Hitokasegi, Abunai | Spider | Intel T&I Battalion Captain |
| Hyuuga, Hayate | Wolf (painted) | Field Hunter Nin |
| Inuzuka, ? | Crane (painted) | Field Hunter Nin Battalion Captain |
| Mitarashi, Anko | Retired, Deceased | |
| Miyako, Haruto | Unknown | [unknown ANBU unit] Captain |
| Morino, Ibiki | Unknown | ANBU Commander |
| Namikaze, Tsukiko | Badger (painted) | Field MSC |
| Nara, Sosuke | Weasel (painted) | Field MSC (Team 11) |
| Nishiyori, Fukakouryoku | Otter | Intel Captain |
| Sai | Scorpion | Field Division Captain |
| Uchiha, Kisuke | Polecat (painted) | Field MSC (Team 11) |
| Uzuki, Yuugao | Retired | |
| Yamanaka, Ino | Unknown | Intel Division Captain |
| Yukari, Kai | Cat (painted) | Field Hunter Nin |
| Unknown | Mantis | Intel Seduction Battalion Captain |
