Giovanni (GO)

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Giovanni
サカキ Sakaki
GO Team GO Rocket Giovanni and legendary birds.png
Promotional artwork from Pokémon GO
Age Unknown
Gender Male
Eye color Black
Hair color Black
Hometown Viridian City
Region Kanto
Trainer class The Boss
Generation VII, VIII, IX
Counterpart(s) Giovanni
Games GO
Member of Team GO Rocket
Rank Boss
Specializes in Ground types

Giovanni (Japanese: サカキ Sakaki) is the head of Team GO Rocket in Pokémon GO, based on the character of the same name in the core series.

Giovanni can only be found if the player currently has a Super Rocket Radar equipped. When activated, the Super Rocket Radar will reveal all the nearby PokéStops where Giovanni's headquarters can potentially be located. However, there is a high chance that the PokéStop uncovered will be occupied by a Decoy Grunt disguised as Giovanni instead. Additionally, equipping the Super Rocket Radar guarantees that the real Giovanni will appear in the next Team GO Rocket balloon. If the real Giovanni is located, he will challenge the player to battle. Defeating the real Giovanni consumes the Super Rocket Radar.

From May 27 to May 28, 2023, Giovanni began appearing at Gyms, taking them over in five-star Shadow Raids using Shadow Mewtwo. Defeating him allowed players to capture Shadow Mewtwo in the bonus challenge, with a possibility of it being Shiny.

Pokémon

Trainer Battles

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Please check the content of this section and update it as required.

Giovanni uses a team of three Shadow Pokémon in a Trainer Battle, each independently and randomly selected from separate pools. During battle, Giovanni will always use a Protect Shield whenever possible. Upon being defeated, Giovanni will abandon one of the Shadow Pokémon used in battle. Shadow Pokémon left by Giovanni that are not from raids are guaranteed capture on the first Premier Ball that hits. Since July 2020, Shadow Pokémon from Giovanni are guaranteed at least 6 IVs (out of the maximum 15) across all stats.

Initially, the Shadow Legendary Pokémon Giovanni uses changed on the first of each month.[1] However, starting April 2020, the rotation schedule was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following lists Giovanni's possible Pokémon since October 8, 2024. Green-colored cells denote the Pokémon that will be encountered during the bonus challenge.

For a historic list of Giovanni's past Pokémon teams, see Giovanni (GO)/Pokémon change history.
Giovanni
The Boss
VSGiovanni GO.png
#1 #2 #3
PersianShadow NidokingShadowKingdraShadowRhyperiorShadow HeatranShadow

Shadow Raids

Giovanni has appeared in five-star Shadow Raids on weekends during specific in-game events.

GO Raid Boss icon.pngGO Raid Boss icon.pngGO Raid Boss icon.pngGO Raid Boss icon.pngGO Raid Boss icon.png
Pokémon Boss CP Catch CP Availability
54148 2220 - 2387

2776 - 2984

May 27 - 28, 2023
45925 1959 - 2115

2450 - 2645

October 27 - 28, 2023
50064 2050 - 2207

2563 - 2759

January 27 - 28, 2024
54148 2220 - 2387

2776 - 2984

March 30 - 31, 2024

Rewards

Upon defeating Giovanni, the player will be rewarded the following prize bundles:

Item Quantity
Stardust Stardust ×5,000
Three of:
Max Potion Max Potion ×4
Max Revive Max Revive ×4

Prior to July 2020, defeating Giovanni also rewarded the following:

Item Quantity
Unova Stone Unova Stone* ×1
Rare Candy Rare Candy* ×5
Fast TM Fast TM* ×1
Charged TM Charged TM* ×1

Quotes

Main article: Giovanni/Quotes → Pokémon GO

Gallery

Spr GO Giovanni.png
Icon from
Pokémon GO

Photobombs

GO Giovanni.png
Photobomb image from
Pokémon GO

Trivia

  • Giovanni debuted in Pokémon GO as a GO Snapshot photobomb at Pokémon GO Fest in Yokohama.
  • The teaser trailer for the debut of Team GO Rocket in GO contains the line "Earth is where I shall unleash my evil schemes next!" This is a reference to Giovanni's final line in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, in which he ponders "Now...what new world shall I unleash my evil schemes upon...?" before warping away from Aether Paradise.
  • Up until March 2023, every non-Legendary Shadow Pokémon used by Giovanni in Pokémon GO was based on a Pokémon he owned in either a core series game or the anime.
    • Steelix is a species here that Giovanni does not have in either media. Instead, Giovanni uses its pre-Evolution, Onix, in Generations I and III.
    • Kingdra was included in Giovanni's set on March 25, 2023. None of its evolutionary relatives were used by Giovanni in other media.

References

Related articles

Villainous team leaders
Core series GiovanniMaxieArchieCyrusNGhetsisColressLysandreGuzmaPiersCassiopeia
Side series GonzapEviceGreevil
Ranger series GordorBlake HallKincaidSocietea
Masters EX GiovanniGuzmaCyrusNLysandrePiersGhetsisMaxieArchieColressPauloPenny
Other
games
BiruritchiBaron PhobosMunnaDark RustDon RogerGiovanni
Animated series GiovanniMadame BossMaxieArchieCyrusGhetsisLysandreGuzmaPiersGibeon
Adventures GiovanniMasked ManMaxieArchieCyrusNGhetsisColressLysandreGuzmaPiers
Other manga FraudMeja
Project CharacterDex logo.png This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.