What are they?: ANBU (暗部; English TV "ANBU Black Ops"; Literally meaning "Dark Side"), short for Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai (暗殺戦術特殊部隊; Literally meaning "Special Assassination and Tactical Squad"), take orders directly from the Kage, 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 Kage; chosen for their individual capabilities and special skills. Age, gender, background, or previous rank bear no weight in this decision. Members can also leave the organization, at any time, as participation in ANBU is voluntary. They wear their mask even in their own village, for their identity as an ANBU agent is to be known only by the Kage and village elders.

While once there was no true hierarchy within ANBU, in the recent past this has changed, as a fully formed and functioning officer system is now in place, similar in some regards to the regular shinobi forces with Captains taking the role of team leaders during the training and probationary periods. Once a ninja has finished this period, they join the move on to be recognized as full ANBU members of the lowest rank. Ranking within ANBU is based solely on experience; as the powerful rank armature is almost useless against someone with the experience and knowledge to outmaneuver them at their own games. Beyond this first stage you have the senior ANBU, comparative to the non-com of the civilian military. The highest ranks of the ANBU captains, the most senior and experienced leaders within the corps. New captains are selected based both on merit and by a panel of peers made up of the acting Captains, the Kage, and the standing Jounin commander, usually a former ANBU member, if not captain, themselves.

ANBU are under direct control of their Kage, and therefore cannot be arrested by the regular police forces without a warrant.

Uniform: The ANBU wear porcelain animal masks in order to distinguish themselves from normal shinobi and to conceal their identities. They also have standard uniforms consisting of black and gray armor, metal arm guards and gloves, ninja sandals with spikes for traveling into mountainous regions, three ninja pouches on their back-waist and a signature spiral tattoo on their shoulder. Some ANBU wear black cloaks over their standard uniforms, and squad leaders may wear white cloaks. Most ANBU carry a sword, which is usually strapped to their backs.

ANBU masks are a free item that is created upon promotion to the corps. You decide what the mask looks like, it is meant to be individual to you. The mask may also have a small defensive/armor ability; no more then a 10% resistance to something, nor offering more then D-rank levels of protection to facial hits.

ANBU cloaks are allowed to be custom created; however they are not a free item, and must be bought accordingly. All base ANBU cloaks are c-rank, and offer appropriate levels of protection. The more you customize and add defensive abilities to your cloak, the higher the rank and more expensive it will be. You may not break the armor rules for your base, non-ANBU rank. Special Jounin (B-rank) are still not allowed an S-rank armor piece unless they win it via events or something.

Specialization: They protect the village from exceptional threats, conduct high-risk missions into enemy territory, and deal with extremely strong ninja. They are also responsible for carrying out assassinations, tracking, surveillance, and missions requiring specially trained ninja. Some ANBU serve as interrogators that probe the minds of enemy ninja to learn information valuable to the village. If an ANBU is mortally wounded in battle, they are required to destroy their bodies to prevent any information from getting into enemy hands.

Application Process: This will vary from village to village, as each Kage is responsible for deciding who will be allowed into the respective ANBU corps of their village. However, the basic requirements for consideration are:

Special Jounin or higher, 35 missions, and 4500 ryo.

Must have: 15C, 10B, 5A

To be considered for position of ANBU Captain, you must meet the following secondary requirements:

Jounin or higher, 10 ANBU-related missions, and 7000 ryo; or Kage approval and 5500 ryo. Must also have: 15B, 7A, 3S rank non-ANBU missions completed successfully.

There will be 1 free Captain slot open per village; which will be filled with both Kage. Once this slot is filled, all applicants must follow the basic requirements as well as any extra required by their respective Kage.

Location: All Villages

ANBU Only Jutsu: Only those that have served within the ANBU groups may have these jutsu. Exceptions will be made at Admin discretion.

Name: Body Elimination Technique
Canon/Custom: Canon
Rank: A
Type: Supplementary
Element: /
Range: /
Specialty: Ninjutsu
Duration: /
Cooldown: /
Description: Knowing full well that a shinobi's corpse is essentially a treasure trove of information, this technique is used by ANBU to completely destroy their body if caught or on the verge of death. This technique leaves no trace of the user's body behind whatsoever.

Code:

[b]Name:[/b] Body Elimination Technique
[b]Canon/Custom:[/b] Canon
[b]Rank:[/b] A
[b]Type:[/b] Supplementary
[b]Element:[/b] /
[b]Range:[/b] /
[b]Specialty:[/b] Ninjutsu
[b]Duration:[/b] /
[b]Cooldown:[/b] /
[b]Description:[/b] Knowing full well that a shinobi's corpse is essentially a treasure trove of information, this technique is used by ANBU to completely destroy their body if caught or on the verge of death. This technique leaves no trace of the user's body behind whatsoever.

Name: True Paralysis Technique
Canon/Custom: Canon
Rank: B
Type: Supplementary
Element: /
Range: Short (0-5m), Mid (5-15m)
Specialty: Ninjutsu
Duration: 3 posts
Cooldown: 6 posts
Description: A technique that physically restrains an opponent, as if the opponent had been tied in invisible steel ropes. It debilitates the victim for a period of time, which allows the user to either strike again, or take the target into custody. The technique can also be cast on many target at once, dependent on the user's overall rank. B-Rank users may detain up to 5 people; A-Rank 10 people; S-Rank 15 or more. At S-rank you may pay an addition chakra cost of 10 chakra per 5 people beyond the normal limit of 15.

Code:

[b]Name:[/b] True Paralysis Technique
[b]Canon/Custom:[/b] Canon
[b]Rank:[/b] B
[b]Type:[/b] Supplementary
[b]Element:[/b] /
[b]Range:[/b] Short (0-5m), Mid (5-15m)
[b]Specialty:[/b] Ninjutsu
[b]Duration:[/b] 3 posts
[b]Cooldown:[/b] 6 posts
[b]Description:[/b] A technique that physically restrains an opponent, as if the opponent had been tied in invisible steel ropes. It debilitates the victim for a  period of time, which allows the user to either strike again, or take the target into custody. The technique can also be cast on many target at once, dependent on the user's overall rank. B-Rank users may detain up to 5 people; A-Rank 10 people; S-Rank 15 or more. At S-rank you may pay an addition chakra cost of 10 chakra per 5 people beyond the normal limit of 15.

Name: Time Reversal Jutsu
Canon/Custom: Canon
Rank: C
Type: Supplementary
Element: /
Range: Short (0-5m)
Specialty: Genjutsu
Duration: 1 post
Cooldown: 3 posts
Description: This technique puts the target in a state of reverse hypnosis, allowing them to remember details that they otherwise would not. The target will comply with interrogation, but seems to retain his or her personality while under hypnosis.

Code:

[b]Name:[/b] Time Reversal Jutsu
[b]Canon/Custom:[/b] Canon
[b]Rank:[/b] C
[b]Type:[/b] Supplementary
[b]Element:[/b] /
[b]Range:[/b] Short (0-5m)
[b]Specialty:[/b] Genjutsu
[b]Duration:[/b] 1 post
[b]Cooldown:[/b] 3 posts
[b]Description:[/b] This technique puts the target in a state of reverse hypnosis, allowing them to remember details that they otherwise would not. The target will comply with interrogation, but seems to retain his or her personality while under hypnosis.