Marine Ranks

The system of military rank in place for the The Marines is fairly straightforward, where each rank is clearly delineated.

Officers and recruits present at Marine Headquarters are considered "Super-elites". All ranks present from "lieutenant" above are usually trained here, exceptions being those in command of other Marine bases.

This page will list the Marine ranks and the soldiers who hold the titles.

Rank Insignia
The Marines do not have a system of rank insignia per se. There is significant variation in the kind of uniform worn by officers, with many options to wear a variety of dress showcasing their own eccentric style. Marines are also allowed to wield whatever weapon they are most comfortable with, no matter how unusual it is. They are even free to fight bare-handed. However, as a general rule set down by the author, uniform guidelines are as follows:
 * Upon first entering the Marines, new recruits are given the standard uniform, consisting of a white, short-sleeved shirt emblazoned with the Marine emblem; a simplified seagull with the word "MARINE" underneath it, on the back; a blue neckerchief; dark blue trousers; and a baseball cap also with the word "MARINE" across the front. All officers at the rank of seaman (一等兵) and below wear this. The quasi-rank of "Zatsuyō" (雑用) adds the kanji 雑 Zatsu ("various" or "odds and ends") to the sleeves, and to the Marine emblem on the back.
 * Once an officer has reached the rank of petty officer (伍長), he or she can choose from a number of different uniforms, including his or her personal clothes. Only those who really want to appear "sailor-like" will stay with a more traditional uniform.
 * Sailors at the rank of ensign (少尉) and above are allowed to wear the coat with "Justice" (正義) on the back. This coat tends to be worn like a cape, draped over the shoulders with the arms not in the sleeves. It should be noted that the sleeves of these coats are often much longer than the wearers' arms.
 * For the rank of lieutenant commander (少佐) and above, a suit worn underneath the "Justice" coat is the preferred attire.

Commissioned Marine Officers
Fleet Admiral

"Fleet Admiral" (元帥) is the highest Marine rank, and is the commander of the entire organization. It is just above Admiral but below the World Government Commander-in-Chief and the Gorosei. The Fleet Admiral and the three Admirals are the only ones within the Marines, capable of legally initiating a Buster Call, as well as granting World Government agents or lower ranking Marines the right to do so. It would be knowledgably said that the Fleet Admiral is someone of tremendous power and intimidation within, not only the World Government, but the world itself. Rumors of the Fleet Admiral speculate that they are the strongest officer within the Marines.

Admiral


"Admiral" (大将) is the second highest rank in the Marines. There are only three Marines who hold this title at a time, and they are crowned as the World Government's "Greatest Military Powers" (最高戦力), as each of them are said to possess deadly combat abilities. They are the only Marines, along with the Fleet Admiral, able to issue a Buster Call on any island they deem a threat. Although Pacifista Alpha is the only Admiral so far to be confirmed, the others have been hinted towards throughout the story of Hedgehog Piece.

Vice Admiral
"Vice Admiral" (中将) is the third highest rank in the Marines. These officers can have varying duties and amounts of authority. It would seem that most Vice Admirals, such as Dyon Sai and Nisshoku Doseikage, both have several other lower ranked marines with them as a squadron. For example, Jeffy Adams, a Marine Captain, is under the command of Dyon's Squadron, Ōame, another Marine Captain, is under the command of Nisshoku's Squadron and Gerald Path, a Marine Lieutenant Commander, is under the command of Opteisen's Special Pursuit Branch. This is however not the case with all of them, as seen with Coza D. Hishroni who is seen, alone with a prisoner, in the streets of Loguetown. There are always at least five Vice Admirals sent with a Buster Call fleet.

Usually, Vice Admirals tend to dress more casually than the lower-ranking Marines, usually wearing their own clothing under a Marine coat with epaulets. Vice Admiral Nisshoku is the only one out of the known Vice Admirals who tends to be seen with his Marine coat on, while the others just wear their casual clothes.

Vice Admirals are well known for their strength in battle. Vice Admiral Coza is the only known Vice Admiral to utilize Devil Fruit abilities, while Vice-Admiral Dyon is the only known Vice Admiral to be seen with a weapons; Two daggers that can form into a spear. Opteisen and Nisshoku's abilities as a Vice Admiral are a mystery and will remain as such until further development within the story. Another attribute that is common among Vice Admirals is that they all know and can use at least one type of Haki though only Coza has been shown using it in obvious ways.

Rear Admiral
"Rear Admiral" (少将) is the fourth highest rank in the Marine, and is the first (and the lowest) Admiral rank. It is said that they also hold tremondous fighting abilities, some that nearly rival the Vice Admirals, and are usually the head of the bases of the Marines, running things, and the Commanders of branches that navigate the seas and go out capturing pirates who dare cross them. The only known Rear Admiral so far, is Tobias Storm, current leader of the Pursuit Branch.

Commodore
"Commodore" (准将) is the fifth highest rank in the Marine.

Captain
"Captain" (大佐) is the sixth highest rank in the Marine. One of the duties that could have a Marine Captain is to be the Commander of one of the several Marine branches established on the islands around the world. In addition, a Captain is often seen navigating the seas in order to capture pirates and keep order, in these cases, the Captain is the leader of the ship, as long as there are no higher-ranking Marines on board. A Marine captain is considered a strong Marine officer whose experience and battle performance are forces to be reckoned with. So far, Marine Captains are the most common seen throughout Hedgehog Piece.

Commander
"Commander" (中佐) is the seventh highest rank in the Marine and are known to be vice-commanders of any branch led by a Marine Captain.

Lieutenant Commander
"Lieutenant Commander" (少佐) is the eighth highest rank in the Marine.

Lieutenant
"Lieutenant" (大尉) is the ninth highest rank in the Marines. Oddly enough, all Lieutenants introduced stopped being Marines in their own way; one being murdered, one defecting and the other resigning. Two former Lieutenants, Blixx Nova and Neroe S. Yamanaka, were under Fritz E. Kriegs and The Marine Punishment Branch and another former Lieutenant, Grace Alstein, had been under Jonas Harken; meaning all Lieutenant's had been under a branch led by Marine Captains.

Lieutenant Junior Grade "Lieutenant Junior Grade" (中尉) is the tenth highest rank in the Marines.

Ensign
"Ensign" (少尉) is the eleventh highest rank in the Marine, and the lowest and last rank within commissioned officers. This is the lowest rank given permission to wear the kanji "Justice" (正義) on the backs of their clothing.

Warrant Officer
"Warrant Officer" (准尉) is the twelfth highest rank in the Marine, and the highest amongst the Infantry and Sailor Division.

Master Chief Petty Officer
"Master Chief Petty Officer" (曹長) is the thirteenth highest rank in the Marine.

Chief Petty Officer
"Chief Petty Officer" (軍曹) is the fourteenth highest rank in the Marine.

Petty Officer
"Petty Officer" (伍長) is the fifteenth highest rank in the Marine.

Once a Marine rises to this rank, he or she is allowed to wear many different uniforms or even civil clothes. However, many petty officers prefer to appear "sailor-like" and continue wearing the traditional uniform.

Seaman First Class
"Seaman First Class" (一等兵) is the sixteenth highest rank in the Marine.

Seaman Apprentice
"Seaman Apprentice" (二等兵) is the seventeenth highest rank in the Marine.

Seaman Recruit
"Seaman Recruit" (三等兵) or "Recruit" (新兵) is the eighteenth highest rank in the Marine.

Chore Boy
"Chore Boy" (雑用) is the nineteenth highest, or more specifically, the lowest rank, in the Marine. Chore boys have no official uniform besides a white Marine shirt without decoration and blue Marine trousers.

General Inspector
"General Inspector" (大目付) is a special rank which has the duty of detecting and investigating instances of maladministration, corruption, or defection in the Marine organization.

Instructor
"Instructor" (教官) is a special rank which has the duty of training Marine recruits to become strong and rise in rank. So far, resigned Marines of high prestige are requested to remain as instructors for the future generation.

Credit
Credit to One Piece Wikia for most of the information and the overall layout for this page.