Giratina is the game mascot of Pokémon Platinum Version, appearing on the game's boxart in its Origin Forme, which was officially revealed in early February 2008. It is also the last Pokémon in the Sinnoh Pokédex in said game.
Biology
Giratina is a large gray draconic Pokémon with three gold half-rings on each side of its long neck. Its head bears a gold crown-like structure with two large horns extending from it. A thick black stripe runs vertically along the front of its body and is marked with five red horizontal stripes. It has a tail with two band-like markings and six gold half-rings that are prominent features of both of its forms.
According to the myths and legends of the Hisui/Sinnohregion, in the beginning of existence, the Mythical PokémonArceus created the eggs from which the Pokémon of antimatter—Giratina, the Pokémon of time—Dialga, and the Pokémon of space—Palkia hatched, all three originally appearing in their Origin Formes. After the Pokémon universe was created, Giratina's violent nature led Arceus to banish it to the Distortion World, a world that exists on the reverse side of the Pokémon world. Since then, it developed a strong grudge against its creator and later opposed it alongside Volo. However, after being defeated by a human from another time, Giratina eventually changed its ways and began protecting the universe from threats such as Cyrus, whose ambitions resembled those of Volo. In Pokémon the Series, Giratina is instead depicted as residing in the Reverse World, a dimension similar to the Distortion World.
Giratina is highly aggressive and territorial, traits that likely contributed to its banishment. It has been reported to appear in ancient cemeteries and is known by numerous titles, including "the banished Pokémon", "Arceus's shadow", "the Pokémon of Shadows", and "the being on the other side of our world". It is said to have silently observed the real world from its home dimension. Giratina possesses immense power over reality and dimensions. It can tear holes in reality, create space-time rifts, and even drive both Dialga and Palkia into a frenzy. These rifts can spread smaller space-time distortions throughout a region, creating alpha Pokémon and releasing lightning capable of sending noble Pokémon into a frenzy. Giratina can also cloak itself in darkness as it attacks and is considered equal in strength to Dialga and Palkia.
In its Altered Forme, Giratina has two large black ghostly wings, each tipped with three red protrusions that can resemble claws. These wings can change shape as though they are composed of liquid or gas. Its six legs are thick and end in golden claws, with two gold half-circles on each side of every leg that resemble shackles.
Giratina generally remains in its Altered Forme while outside of its home dimension. It usually moves by levitating rather than walking on its six legs. In the games, Giratina reverts to this form when outside the Distortion World without the aid of specific items. Additionally, unlike the games, Pokémon movies portray Giratina as opening portals exclusively through reflective surfaces.
Origin Forme
Giratina can transform into its Origin Forme, which is said to be its true form. Compared to Dialga and Palkia, whose Origin Formes more closely resemble Arceus, Giratina's Origin Forme has a serpentine appearance. Its legs are reduced to golden-tipped spikes, while four additional golden spikes appear near the end of its tail. The six gold half-rings become functional appendages capable of gripping objects, and from the back of each extends a black ghostly tendril tipped with a red spike. Its horns point backward, and the sides of its golden crown cover its mouth, separating vertically like an insect's mandibles when it opens them. The black stripe running down its body is also broken into separate segments.
Origin Forme Giratina is at full power and allows it to travel through and exert control over dimensions beyond those of time and space. It naturally retains this form within the Distortion World and can also maintain it while holding either a Griseous Orb or Griseous Core. Given sufficient power, Giratina can remain in Origin Forme in the real world without the aid of either item, potentially becoming equal to Arceus in strength. While in Origin Forme, Giratina is always levitating and can pass through dimensions at will. However, the difference in gravity between the Distortion World and the real world normally causes it to revert to its Altered Forme. Giratina can also transform itself into a shadow and merge the Distortion World with the Pokémon world, as seen during the events at Spear Pillar, though doing so risks distorting and potentially destroying itself. In Pokémon Adventures, it was shown using the terrain of the Distortion World to encase and trap its opponents.
Giratina loses its legs upon changing into this form. I believe this Pokémon must hail from a world where the heavens and the earth are as one, though I have no way of proving it.
Along with the other members of the Pokémon of myth, Giratina has the ability to switch to a second form: Origin Forme. However, Giratina is unique in that its standard form is called Altered Forme.
The forms differ in their base stats: Giratina's Origin Forme has its Defense and Special Defense switched with its Attack and Special Attack (its base stat total is unchanged). In Legends: Arceus, its signature move, Shadow Force, has modified base power and accuracy when used by its Origin Forme, as well as a unique animation.
In Explorers of Sky, as the Pokémon's stats are calculated differently, the forms instead apply stat stage modifiers, with Altered Forme receiving -2 to its Attack and Special Attack, and +2 to its Defense and Special Defense, with those being swapped for Origin Forme. However, in the Japanese version only, the Defense stat modifiers are instead erroneously applied to the target Giratina is facing, making Altered Forme weaker than intended and Origin Forme stronger than intended.
Giratina debuted in Giratina and the Sky Warrior, where it sought revenge against Dialga for the damage it caused to its home, the Reverse World, during its battle with Palkia in The Rise of Darkrai. Zero later attempted to copy Giratina's powers so he could conquer the Reverse World. Throughout the movie, Giratina would switch between its Origin Forme and Altered Forme whenever it travels between its home world and the main world.
In Arceus and the Jewel of Life, Giratina was shown for the first time with both the other members of its trio. It resumed its attack on Dialga, but was finally calmed down through the intervention of Ash Ketchum and Sheena. It later joined forces with Dialga and Palkia to fight Arceus.
Other
In Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, Giratina was one of six Legendary Pokémon summoned and hypnotized by the shadow Hoopa Unbound as its reinforcements. It and its teammates engaged in a battle against the Latios, Latias, and ShinyRayquaza summoned to protect the real Hoopa in Dahara City. Eventually, after the shadow Hoopa was sealed in a Prison Bottle, the hypnosis on Giratina and the other Legendary Pokémon was lifted, and Giratina departed for its home. It appeared in both of its formes.
Altered Forme Giratina in Pokémon GenerationsOrigin Forme Giratina in Pokémon Generations
In The New World, Giratina interfered with Cyrus's plan to destroy the world and recreate it. It first emerged from the Distortion World to free Dialga and Palkia from the Red Chain. Then, it took Cyrus with it back to its homeworld. It was last seen in its Origin Forme, observing Cyrus as he regained consciousness, realized he was in the Distortion World, and accepted it as the new world he sought.
GOTCHA!
A Giratina briefly appeared in its Origin Forme as a silhouette in GOTCHA!.
In the manga
Altered Forme Giratina in Pokémon AdventuresOrigin Forme Giratina in Pokémon Adventures
Hareta bonded with Giratina after battling it in the Distortion World. After realizing it wanted to fight, Hareta teamed up with Giratina and fought his friends in a friendly battle. It first appeared in A Surprise Visit from Hareta's Father!.
Altered Forme Giratina appears as a Poké Ball summon. It uses Dragon Breath to cause a whirlwind. It also causes damage on contact.
Altered Forme Giratina also appears as a trophy in both versions of the game.
Trophy information
NA: This Ghost/Dragon-typePokémon is a resident of the Distortion World. When it is given a Griseous Orb, it'll change into its Origin Forme. Its Dragon Breath attack can catch fighters in a powerful, damaging tornado. If you're on the receiving end, be careful it doesn't carry you right off the stage
Giratina in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
PAL: Also called the Renegade Pokémon, Giratina lives in a dimension known as the Distortion World. It has two forms, and will only be seen in its Origin Forme in our world if it's holding a Griseous Orb. Its Dragon Breath attack creates a powerful tornado that not only damages you, but can carry you off the stage!
Giratina returns as a Poké Ball summon, retaining its behavior from the previous game. Giratina cannot be summoned on Balloon Fight, Brinstar, Corneria, Dream Land GB, Golden Plains, Green Hill Zone, Jungle Japes, Living Room, Mute City SNES, Reset Bomb Forest, Suzaku Castle, Tomodachi Life, Tortimer Island, WarioWare Inc., or Yoshi's Island. It also appears as two Spirits, one in its Altered Forme, which can be enhanced into its Origin Forme.
Giratina's type combination is the only type combination to be weak to both of its types, as Ghost and Dragon are the only types to be weak to themselves. This also applies to the Dreepy line.
It is the only member whose box art differs from its official art released with Diamond and Pearl.
Giratina is the only Legendary Pokémon that can be obtained in all five of the Generation IV core series handheld games.
Giratina's encounter in the Distortion World in Pokémon Platinum has several distinctions from other battles:
At the start of the battle, it uniquely descends from the top of the screen, and is accompanied by the unique message "The Distortion World's Giratina appeared!". It is still a wild Pokémon despite the unique message.
No platform is displayed beneath Giratina, and it does not have a shadow until it uses Shadow Force or breaks out of a Poké Ball.
Giratina may also draw inspiration from fallen angels, celestial beings that rebelled against God and were excommunicated to Hell — analogous to Giratina being exiled by Arceus to another dimension due to its belligerent nature. Furthermore, it might allude to Samael, who is the ruler of the 5th Heaven and has grim and destructive duties whilst being a member of a heavenly host.
In its Altered Forme, Giratina resembles a European dragon or sauropod. It also shares similarities with some kaiju depictions in popular media. Its wings may be based on a bat's, while its body and pose bear a striking resemblance to some sphinx moth caterpillars.
Origin Forme Giratina's serpentine body may be based on a Chinese dragon, an Amphiptere, or an Oomukade, a giant centipede with dragon-like features, said to prey on dragons and be as large as a mountain, and/or a hellgrammite. It may also be based on a Seraph, a class of angels known for its six wings and, in some depictions, a serpentine body. Similarly, it also shares some similarities with other serpents or dragon-like creatures in Abrahamic religions, such as the ancient serpent or the Leviathan. The design of its six wings may be based on a scorpion's stinger or spider legs.
Giratina may be derived from platina (Spanish for "platinum") and a corruption of Gila monster (a species of venomous lizard). It may also involve guilty, guillotine, ギラリ girari (onomatopoeia for glaring), and girasol (a variety of opal).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Altered Forme Giratina's wings shaped into claws
Origin Forme Giratina's plate mask opened
Griseous Orb (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Giratina images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
and the Lost Origin expansion 
resemble Giratina's Origin Forme, seen from the front.
