> Gundam Sanctuary Military ranks in Gundam

Please note: there might be some errors in the translation of the following military ranks. The translator is not a specialist at US ranks, neither am I, so any specialist is welcome to correct us, thank you !

In the other Gundam-related articles, the japanese denominations will be used most of the time. This is because I tend to confuse majors, colonels and the like whereas Gundam ranks are easier to handle - at least for me.

To draw a parallel between Gundam ranks and those used in most western armies, three major types of ranks are used : the -i ("officer"), the -sa ("senior officer") and the -shô ("general"). These indications are mixed with a prefix for additional information, shô- ("low"), -chû ("average") and -tai ("high").

We will give you both Army and Navy ranks, since it seems both are used in the Gundam series (Navy ranks especially for the space fleet). The complete list, in order of descending hierarchy, is given below :

The Final Boss

Kôô: Head of State. Term used, of course, for Degin in MS.

Generals (-shô)

Taishô or Shôgun: General (4 stars) / Fleet Admiral; e.g. Revil, Giren Zabi or Jamitov Highman ...
Chûjô: Lieutenant General / Admiral - like Dozuru Zabi.
Shôshô: Major General / Rear Admiral. Kisylia Zabi.

Senior Officers (-sa)

Taisa: Colonel / Captain. Char Aznable in Gyakushû no Char and Z-Gundam, Garma Zabi.
Chûsa: Lieutenant-Colonel / Captain
Shôsa: Major / Lieutenant-Commander. Also called Squadron Commander. It reminds me of the OAV "Condition Green", where Keith Winter is shôsa for the reduced squadron of the same name ... Char Aznable, at the beginning of Gundam, is a shôsa.

Officers (-i)

Taii: Captain / Lieutenant. Amuro Ray, Tem Ray, Ranba Ral, Quatro Bagina (Char under his false indentity in Z-Gundam), Nanai Miguel.
Chûi: First Lieutenant / Lieutenant (j.g). Kow Uraki in Gundam 0083, Bright Noah, Mathilda Ajan,Chris in Gundam 0080, Emma Sheen.
Shôi: Second Lieutenant / Ensign. Kow Uraki at the beginning of Gundam 0083, Mirai Yashima, Lara Sun. (Note from the author: seems like Kow Uraki is called an " ensign " in the English version of G83. So maybe there was a little mistake here. Dunno)

NCOs/Non-commissioned Officers (sô)

Sôchô: Staff Sergeant / Warrant Officer W-3. Amuro Ray and Kai Shiden at the beginning of Gundam.
Gunsô: Sergeant / Warrant Officer W-1. Sarah Mass.

Enlisted

Gochô: Corporal. Bernard Wiseman dans Gundam 0080.
Heichô: Private First Class (?) or British Lance-Corporal.
Hei: Private.

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