Viridian Gym

Viridian Gym トキワジム Tokiwa Gym
Location	Viridian City
Gym Leader	Giovanni (Gen I and III) Blue (Gen II and IV) Jessie, James and Meowth (temporary, anime only) Agatha (anime only)
Badge	Earth Badge
Dominant Type	Ground
Region	Kanto
Battlefield

The Viridian Gym (Japanese: トキワジム Tokiwa Gym) is the official gym of Viridian City. During the events of Generations I and III, it is based on Ground-type Pokémon and the Gym Leader is Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket. After Team Rocket is disbanded at the end of Generations I and III, Blue takes over as the Leader, and the Gym no longer concentrates on any particular type.

Agatha of the Elite Four serves as a temporary Gym Leader in the anime.

Trainers who earn a win at the Viridian Gym receive the Earth Badge.

In the games

Viridian Gym in FireRed and LeafGreen

Viridian Gym appears in all games set in the Kanto region. In Generations I and III when the player makes their first encounter with the gym, it is locked because of the absence of the Gym Leader. With this acknowledged, the player journeys off onto other Gyms to challenge them. Once this has been accomplished and when the player has collected the remaining seven Gym Badges, the Viridian Gym reopens.

Inside the Gym, the floor uses the same transporting tiles as in the Rocket Hideout. The player must use these tiles to navigate through the Gym to reach Giovanni. In Generation II and IV, when Blue takes the place of the Gym Leader, the Gym is completely remodeled, and the tiles are now gone.

A field based on the gym also appears in Pokémon Stadium's Gym Leader Castle.

Trainers

Pokémon Red and Blue and Yellow

Trainer	Pokémon
Tamer Reward: 1560	Arbok Lv.39 No item
	Tauros Lv.39 No item
Black Belt Reward: 1075	Machoke Lv.43 No item
Cool Trainer Reward: 1365	Nidorino Lv.39 No item
	Nidoking Lv.39 No item
Tamer Reward: 1720	Rhyhorn Lv.43 No item
Black Belt Reward: 1000	Machop Lv.40 No item
	Machoke Lv.40 No item
Cool Trainer Reward: 1365	Sandslash Lv.39 No item
	Dugtrio Lv.39 No item
Cool Trainer Reward: 1505	Rhyhorn Lv.43 No item
Black Belt Reward: 950	Machoke Lv.38 No item
	Machop Lv.38 No item
	Machoke Lv.38 No item

4950 Leader Giovanni Red, Green, and Blue Viridian Gym

Rhyhorn Lv.45  Ground   Rock  Moves Stomp Normal Tail Whip Normal Fury Attack Normal Horn Attack Normal Dugtrio Lv.42  Ground  Moves Growl Normal Dig Ground Sand-Attack Normal Slash Normal Nidoqueen Lv.44  Poison   Ground  Moves Scratch Normal Tail Whip Normal Poison Sting Poison Body Slam Normal Nidoking Lv.45  Poison   Ground  Moves Tackle Normal Horn Attack Normal Poison Sting Poison Thrash Normal Rhydon Lv.50  Ground   Rock  Moves Stomp Normal Tail Whip Normal Fissure Ground Horn Drill Normal

5445 Leader Giovanni Yellow Viridian Gym

Dugtrio Lv.50  Ground  Moves Sand-Attack Normal Dig Ground Fissure Ground Earthquake Ground Persian Lv.53  Normal  Moves Screech Normal Slash Normal Fury Swipes Normal Double Team Normal Nidoqueen Lv.53  Poison   Ground  Moves Tail Whip Normal Earthquake Ground Double Kick Fighting Thunder Electric Nidoking Lv.55  Poison   Ground  Moves Thunder Electric Leer Normal Earthquake Ground Thrash Normal Rhydon Lv.55  Ground   Rock  Moves Rock Slide Rock Fury Attack Normal Earthquake Ground Horn Drill Normal

Pokémon Gold and Silver and Crystal

5800 Leader Blue Gold, Silver, and Crystal Viridian Gym

Pidgeot ♂ Lv.56  Normal  Flying  Held item: None Moves Quick Attack Normal Whirlwind Normal Wing Attack Flying Mirror Move Flying Rhydon ♂ Lv.56  Ground  Rock  Held item: None Moves Fury Attack Normal Sandstorm Rock Rock Slide Rock Earthquake Ground Alakazam ♂ Lv.54  Psychic  Held item: None Moves Disable Normal Recover Normal Psychic Psychic Reflect Psychic Gyarados ♂ Lv.58  Water  Flying  Held item: None Moves Twister Dragon Hydro Pump Water Rain Dance Water Hyper Beam Normal Exeggutor ♂ Lv.58  Grass  Psychic  Held item: None Moves Sunny Day Fire Leech Seed Grass Egg Bomb Normal SolarBeam Grass Arcanine ♂ Lv.58  Fire  Held item: None Moves Roar Normal Swift Normal Flamethrower Fire ExtremeSpeed Normal

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Trainer	Pokémon
Tamer Cole アキラ Akira Reward: 1560	Arbok Lv.39 No item
	Tauros Lv.39 No item
Black Belt Kiyo タクマ Takuma Reward: 1032	Machoke Lv.43 No item
Tamer Jason ヒロ Hiro Reward: 1720	Rhyhorn Lv.43 No item
Black Belt Atsushi テツヒサ Tetsuhisa Reward: 960	Machop Lv.40 No item
	Machoke Lv.40 No item
Cool Trainer Samuel タクヤ Takuya Reward: ???	Sandslash Lv.39 No item
	Sandslash Lv.39 No item
	Rhyhorn Lv.37 No item
	Nidorino Lv.39 No item
	Nidoking Lv.39 No item
Black Belt Takashi シロウ Shirō Reward: ???	Machoke Lv.38 No item
	Machop Lv.38 No item
	Machoke Lv.38 No item
Cool Trainer Yuji カズシ Kazushi Reward: 1368	Sandslash Lv.38 No item
	Graveler Lv.38 No item
	Onix Lv.38 No item
	Graveler Lv.38 No item
	Marowak Lv.38 No item
Cool Trainer Warren レイジ Reiji Reward: ???	Marowak Lv.37 No item
	Marowak Lv.37 No item
	Rhyhorn Lv.38 No item
	Nidorina Lv.39 No item
	Nidoqueen Lv.39 No item
Trainers with a Vs. Seeker by their names, when alerted for a rematch using the item, may use higher-level Pokémon.

5000 Leader Giovanni FireRed and LeafGreen Viridian Gym

Rhyhorn ♂ Lv.45  Ground  Rock  Held item: None Ability: Unknown Moves Take Down Normal Rock Blast Rock Scary Face Normal Earthquake Ground Dugtrio ♂ Lv.42  Ground  Held item: None Ability: Sand Veil Moves Slash Normal Sand Tomb Ground Mud-Slap Ground Earthquake Ground Nidoqueen ♀ Lv.44  Poison  Ground  Held item: None Ability: Poison Point Moves Double Kick Fighting Earthquake Ground Poison Sting Poison Body Slam Normal Nidoking ♂ Lv.45  Poison  Ground  Held item: None Ability: Poison Point Moves Double Kick Fighting Earthquake Ground Poison Sting Poison Thrash Normal Rhyhorn ♂ Lv.50  Ground  Rock  Held item: None Ability: Lightningrod Moves Take Down Normal Rock Blast Rock Scary Face Normal Earthquake Ground

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Trainer	Pokémon
Cool Trainer ヤスタカ Yasutaka Reward: ???	Stantler Lv.53 No item
	Tauros Lv.52 No item
Cool Trainer アキエ Akie Reward: ???	Slowking Lv.50 No item
	Lickilicky Lv.53 No item
Cool Trainer ヨシノリ Yoshinori Reward: 3120	Spinda Lv.50 No item
	Sudowoodo Lv.52 No item
Double Team テン & サヨ Ten & Sayo Reward: ???	Porygon2 Lv.52 No item
	Azumarill Lv.50 No item
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their PokéGear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.

9600 Leader Blue HeartGold and SoulSilver Viridian Gym

Exeggutor ♂ Lv.55  Grass  Psychic  Held item: None Ability: Chlorophyll Moves Psychic Psychic Special Hypnosis Psychic Status Leaf Storm Grass Special Trick Room Psychic Status Rhydon ♂ Lv.58  Ground  Rock  Held item: None Ability: Unknown Moves Earthquake Ground Physical Stone Edge Rock Physical Megahorn Bug Physical Thunder Fang Electric Physical Machamp ♂ Lv.56  Fighting  Held item: None Ability: No Guard Moves ThunderPunch Electric Physical DynamicPunch Fighting Physical Stone Edge Rock Physical Earthquake Ground Physical Gyarados ♂ Lv.52  Water  Flying  Held item: None Ability: Intimidate Moves Waterfall Water Physical Ice Fang Ice Physical Dragon Dance Dragon Status Return Normal Physical Arcanine ♂ Lv.58  Fire  Held item: None Ability: Intimidate Moves ExtremeSpeed Normal Physical Flare Blitz Fire Physical Dragon Pulse Dragon Special Roar Normal Status Pidgeot ♂ Lv.60  Normal  Flying  Held item: Sitrus Berry Ability: Tangled Feet Moves Whirlwind Normal Status Mirror Move Flying Status Return Normal Physical Air Slash Flying Special

In the anime

In the anime, the Viridian Gym was led by Giovanni, as it was in Generation I. The gym features Roman architecture, stately pillars, and an old mural depicting the proud tradition of this most prestigious gym. The predominant brownish color suggests the gym's affiliation with the Ground-type.

The Viridian Gym first made an appearance in The Battle of the Badge. Before Ash could challenge him, however, Gary Oak appeared, taunting him with ten badges, and insisting on challenging the Viridian Gym for fun. Gary faced Giovanni, though his confidence was quickly eroded after Giovanni brought out Mewtwo, who defeated each of Gary's Pokémon, even when Giovanni allowed him to use more than one Pokémon at a time against Mewtwo.

Ash Ketchum soon after challenged the gym, after Gary and his Pokémon had recovered, however, as the Team Rocket boss had unmentioned business to attend to, he left the Gym in the care of none other than Jessie, James, and Meowth. Giovanni also left them with several Pokémon that they could use against any challengers. Ash had a hard time beating them initially, and as the Gym was rigged to shock anyone whose Pokémon took damage, it was a hard fight at first. Eventually, Ash overcame the borrowed Pokémon's power and defeated all of them, causing Team Rocket to rely on their usual duo of Arbok and Weezing. Ash quickly dispatched the two, shocking the trio due to the Gym's rigging. They blasted off, dropping an Earth Badge in their daze. Ash caught it, but he, Gary, Gary's cheerleaders, Brock, and Misty had to escape the Gym quickly, as it was collapsing.

The Gym appeared again when Ash returned to Kanto from Hoenn in The Scheme Team, where Agatha was now the temporary Gym Leader. Ash challenged her to an exhibition match, but lost.

Giovanni abdicating his position as Gym Leader is similar to the case in the Generation I games, however, in the anime, he is still in charge of Team Rocket, while in the games he disbands the team.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

The Viridian Gym is first visited in Bulbasaur, Come Home! where Red and Professor Oak enters following a Bulbasaur. In this occasion the Gym is abandoned with only a Machoke and a Giovanni statue present.

The Gym is visited again after Red's incident with Mewtwo. During this time, Giovanni is present and ready to fight. However, as the battle progresses, the gym collapses due to Nidoking's Earthquake.

Even later, Red's Gym Leader test is held in the gym. Even though he wins, Red declines the position as he was struggling throughout the battle. Currently, Blue is the Viridian Gym's leader.

In the FireRed and LeafGreen chapter, Yellow and Silver go to the Viridian Gym to seek Silver's past. At the same time, Giovanni and the Three Beasts are on their way to the gym also, trying to reunite Silver with Giovanni. This succeeds when Sird lets Yellow use her power, thus exhausting her.

Pokémon

There were Pokémon in the Gym from ones that escaped from Professor Oak's Laboratory.

• Meowth (Outside the Gym)
• Bulbasaur
• Machoke

In the TCG

The Viridian Gym was featured in the TCG. The following is a list of cards named Viridian City Gym.

Name	Type	Rarity	Set	Set no.
Viridian City Gym	T		Gym Challenge	123/132

Trivia

• The Viridian Gym is the first official Gym in the anime to be shown challenged both by Ash and another main character, Gary. This next happened unofficially in Johto. The next official challenge by Ash and another main character was against the Oreburgh Gym in the Diamond & Pearl series, when Paul and Ash both challenged Roark, and again when both Dawn and Ash challenged Maylene of Veilstone City.
• Agatha's temporary position as Leader of the Viridian Gym when Ash returns to Kanto may be an anime reference to the fact that Giovanni quit Team Rocket and his status as Gym Leader after being defeated by Red. What this possibly means for Gary Oak, whose game counterpart Blue eventually assumed the title of leader in Generation II, is disputed.
• In all generations aside from Generation III, at least one Trainer in the Viridian Gym owned a Rhydon.
• In Generation I, a Revive can be found, while a Macho Brace replaces it in Generation III, making it the only gym with items in it.
• This is the only gym to be based on 3 different types throughout the games and anime and the only one to not have a type for a generation.
• In Generation III, all of Giovanni's Pokémon knew Earthquake.
• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the colors of the Gym's exterior are based on the colors most associated with the type that the Gym specializes in. Viridian Gym, however, is both green and blue, likely referring to its Gym Leader's name.

Gyms of the Kanto region
Pewter | Cerulean | Vermilion | Celadon | Fuchsia | Saffron | Cinnabar | Viridian