The Mecha Monogatari: Appendix I – the Ranks of the Rikujō Jieitai

The Rikujō Jieitai (陸上自衛隊, Ground Self-Defense Force) is Japan’s army.  The ranks of the Rikujō Jieitai are as follows:

Rank	Short Form	Translation
santō rikushi	sanshi	private third class, recruit
nitō rikushi	nishi	private second class
ittō rikushi	isshi	private first class
rikushichō	shichō	leading private, corporal
santō rikusō	sansō	sergeant third class
nitō rikusō	nisō	sergeant second class
ittō rikusō	issō	sergeant first class
rikusōchō	sōchō	sergeant major
jun rikui	juni	warrant officer
santō rikui	sani	second lieutenant
nitō rikui	nii	first lieutenant
ittō rikui	ichii	captain
santō rikusa	sansa	major
nitō rikusa	nisa	lieutenant colonel
ittō rikusa	issa	colonel
rikushōho	shōho	major general
rikushō	shō	lieutenant general
rikujō bakuryōchō	bakuryōchō	general, chief of staff

Titan pilot candidates are conscripted as santō rikushi; once they complete basic pilot selection, they are promoted to ittō rikushi and transferred to one of the four titan pilot academies. When they complete academy training, they are promoted to jun rikui. Most titan pilots never gain higher rank, either due to a lack of interest or due to their early demise. Due to this, pilots who are both willing and qualified to take on actual leadership roles are allowed to do so, even if this means they are promoted far faster than non-pilot officers, sometimes even reaching the rank of nitō rikusa by the age of 25.