Character Sheet: Giovanni

GIOVANNI

Next up, we have Giovanni, the leader of the dastardly Team Rocket and surprise Ground-type gym leader of Viridian City. We can pull from his gym and his Team Rocket affiliation for his moveset, including notable appearances in the anime and the manga.

Here’s the moveset I came up with:

 

Standard B: Rhyhorn

His Rhyhorn will come out and charge at the opponent.

 

Side B: Team Rocket Grunt

He will turn his back on his opponent, a grunt appearing out of thin air to protect him and lashing the opponent with a whip.

 

Up B: Team Rocket Helicopter

He will grab the ladder of a small helicopter that will carry him upward.

 

Down B: Transporter Pad

He will lay a transporter pad from his gym and the Team Rocket hideout on the ground, which will send an opponent spinning in whichever direction it is pointing. He can lay down three at a time.

 

Final Smash: Viridian Gym Earthquake

He will let out a Rhydon, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen, which will all tromp around the stage, causing an earthquake. A full on Team Rocket charge of the stage would also work.

 

Entrance: Getting up from behind his desk.

 

Taunts: Up, running his hand through his hair and laughing maniacally. Side, turning into the cartoony version of himself from Meowth’s fantasies. His Persian brushing against his legs.

 

Kirby Hat: His hair

 

Kart: Based on a Rhydon

Special Move: Transporter Pad

 

Spirit Battle: On Saffron City (omega form), with his original team and a group of Team Rocket grunts.

 

Victory Screen: A big red R appearing with him in shadow before it.

Losing Screen: Handing over his badge and declaring himself disgraced.

 

Color Swaps: His gym outfit, his Team Rocket leader outfit, his FRLG outfit, his Team Rainbow Rocket outfit, his orangey outfit from the anime, a standard Team Rocket grunt uniform, the white Team Rocket uniform, and an outfit based on Silver.

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Falkner takes to the skies!

Character Sheet: Blaine

BLAINE

Next up, we have Blaine, the Fire-type gym leader of Cinnabar Island, later relocated to the Seafoam Islands in Gen II after the island was wiped out in a volcanic eruption. He is also strongly implied to be one of the scientists who created Mewtwo (he straight up is in the manga). His gym is mostly a series of quiz questions, so we may have to pull quite a bit from the anime, where things are quite different.

Here’s the moveset I came up with:

 

Standard B: Arcanine

Arcanine will perform a Fire Blast.

 

Side B: Quiz Question

A speech bubble with one of his quiz questions will pop up, blocking oncoming attacks from reaching him.

 

Up B: Eruption

Based on both the eruption that happens in-game as well as in his anime appearance. It will go off right under his feet.

 

Down B: Secret Switch

He will throw a switch on the back of one of the statues in the Pokemon Mansion, activating a trapdoor a few inches in front of him.

 

Final Smash: Cinnabar Gym Fire Stars

He will send out Arcanine, Rapidash, and Magmar, and they will set the stage on fire.

 

Entrance: His opening pose and line

 

Taunts: Up, tipping his hat to the player. Side, asking if the opponent wants to solve a riddle. Down, pulling the secret key out of his pocket and putting it back.

 

Kirby Hat: His hat, glasses, and mustache.

 

Kart: Based on Rapidash

Special Move: Quiz Question

 

Spirit Battle: On Mt. Moon (Omega form), with his original team.

 

Victory Screen: Telling the player to study up a bit more.

Losing Screen: Handing over his badge.

 

Color Swaps: His original design, his GSC design, his FRLG design, his HGSS design, his Let’s Go design, his anime design, his anime disguise, and his Team Rocket uniform from the manga.

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Giovanni grinds his opposition into the dirt!

Character Sheet: Sabrina

SABRINA

Next, we have Sabrina, the Psychic-type gym leader of Saffron City. In the anime, she has a notable role as a disturbed psychic child character and the villain of a mini-arc. In the manga, she is also a member of Team Rocket. By the time of Gen V, she has become a model and actress, appearing in some of Brycen’s movies. So . . . a lot to work with.

Here’s what we’ve got so far:

 

Standard B: Kadabra

Her Kadabra will probably use confusion.

 

Side B: Telekinesis

She will pick up an opponent and be able to fling them around with her mind, just like in the anime.

 

Up B: Warp Pad

She will teleport using one of the warp pads from her gym.

 

Down B: Dolly Playtime

She will transform an opponent into a doll, just like in the anime. They will turn back after a few seconds.

 

Final Smash: Saffron Gym Masterminds

She will send out Alakazam, Mr. Mime, and Hypno to deal incredible psychic damage to all around her.

 

Entrance: Her opening pose and line

 

Taunts: Up, she will rise into the air while glowing. Side, she will do a modeling pose. Down, she will clutch her dolly from the anime.

 

Kirby Hat: Her hair

 

Kart: Based on Kadabra

Special Move: Dolly Playtime

 

Spirit Battle: On Saffron City (omega form), with her original team.

 

Victory Screen: She will lift all opponents into the air and turn them all into dolls.

Losing Screen: She will hand over her badge.

 

Color Swaps: Her original version, her GSC version, her FRLG version, her HGSS version, her Let’s Go version, her anime version, her Team Rocket outfit, and her costume from Brycen’s movie.

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Blaine erupts onto the scene.

Character Sheet: Janine

JANINE

Next up, we have Janine, Koga’s daughter who took up his position as the head of the Fuchsia City gym when he was promoted to Elite Four during the Johto games. She will be mostly an echo of her father.

Here’s the moveset I came up with:

 

Standard B: Spinarak

This will be the big difference, and it will use String Shot.

 

Side B: Invisible Wall

 

Up B: Smoke Cloud

With a Koffing, like her father.

 

Down B: Disguise

Instead of the shroud, she will instead disguise herself as another player, the disguise falling after one hit.

 

Final Smash: Fuchsia City Assassins

She will let out a Crobat, Ariados, and Venomoth, which will fill the stage with poison.

 

Entrance: Her starting pose and line

 

Taunts: All ninja moves, different from her father’s

 

Kirby Hat: Her hair

 

Kart: Based on Ariados

Special Move: Disguise

 

Spirit Battle: On Ilex Forest (omega form), with her original team.

 

Victory Screen: Similar to her father, as well as something about upholding the gym’s honor.

Losing Screen: Handing over her badge.

 

Color Swaps: Her original version, her HGSS version, based on Koga, based on Aya, styles based on other famous ninjas.

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Sabrina unleashes her full psychic potential.

Character Sheet: Koga

KOGA

Next up, we have Koga, the Poison-type Fuchsia City gym leader for Gen I and its remakes, as well as an Elite Four member in Gen II and its remakes. His gym is notable for its invisible walls and tricks to obfuscate the leader’s location. Janine will be his echo.

Here’s the moveset I came up with:

 

Standard B: Venomoth

It will streak forward at high speed, dropping Poison Powder from its wings.

 

Side B: Invisible Wall

 

Up B: Smoke Cloud

He will drop a Koffing at his feet, disappearing into the resulting smoke and appearing up higher.

 

Down B: Shroud

He will raise a shroud matching the wall behind him, making himself invisible and intangible for a moment.

 

Final Smash: Fuchsia City Assassins

He will let out a Venomoth, Muk, and Weezing, all of which will fill the stage with poison.

 

Entrance: His opening pose and line.

 

Taunts: Oops, all ninja poses.

 

Kirby Hat: His hair and scarf

 

Kart: Based on Venomoth

Special Move: Smoke Cloud

 

Spirit Battle: On Safari Zone (omega form), with his original team.

 

Victory Screen: Taking up and pose and saying you have been defeated.

Losing Screen: Handing over his badge.

 

Color Swaps: His original version, GSC version, FRLG version, HGSS version, Let’s Go version, based on Janine, based on Aya, his manga Team Rocket uniform.

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Janine joins in her father’s stead.

Character Sheet: Erika

ERIKA

Next up, we have Erika, the Grass-type Celadon City gym leader, who runs her gym as a greenhouse full of female trainers, almost always with a creepy old man outside looking through the window. In the anime, she also makes and sells perfume.

Here’s the moveset I came up with:

 

Standard B: Vileplume

It will let off a blast of Poison Powder right in the opponent’s face.

 

Side B: Perfume

She will spray a cloud of perfume from the anime in the air and put anyone who walks through it to sleep.

 

Up B: Vine Whip

She’ll pull out her Tangela and hold onto it as it pulls her up.

 

Down B: Hedge

She will spawn one of the hedges from her gym to block her opponent’s path.

 

Final Smash: Celadon Gym Flowers

She will send out Vileplume, Victreebel, and Tangela to spawn a full hedge maze right out of the stage.

 

Entrance: Her opening pose and line

 

Taunts: Up, admiring a flowered arch. Side, smelling a bottle of perfume. Down, yawning and sitting to go to sleep.

 

Kirby Hat: Her hair and headband

 

Kart: Based on Vileplume

Special Move: Perfume

 

Spirit Battle: On Safari Zone (omega form), with her original team.

 

Victory Screen: Yawning and suggesting you try again some other time.

Losing Screen: Handing over her badge.

 

Color Swaps: Her original look, GSC look, FRLG look, HGSS look, Let’s Go look, a Lass outfit, a Beauty outfit, and Ash’s dress from the anime.

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Koga appears in a puff of smog!

Character Sheet: Lt. Surge

LT. SURGE

Next up, we have Lt. Surge, the Electric-type gym leader of Vermilion City, and an ex-soldier from some war that took place sometime prior to the games’ events (a point of lots of fan speculation). This one definitely has a notable gym trial, which is good, because his anime appearance was just kinda him being big and menacing. He is part of Team Rocket in the manga though.

Here’s the moveset I came up with:

 

Standard B: Raichu

Raichu will be using Thunder Punch, naturally.

 

Side B: Energy Barrier

Based on his puzzle from most of his gym setups, he will project an energy barrier in front of him as a shield.

 

Up B: Voltorb Grenade

He will drop a Voltorb at his feet to explode, throwing him up into the air and doing damage to those around him.

 

Down B: Garbage Can Switch

He will place a garbage can in the way of an attack. In most instances, the opponent will be shocked, but there is a one-in-five chance of it doing nothing.

 

Final Smash: Vermilion Gym Thunderstorm

He will send out a Raichu, Electabuzz, and Electrode, which will unleash powerful Electric attacks around the stage.

 

Entrance: His starting pose and line.

 

Taunts: Up, tossing a Voltorb in the air and catching it. Side, posing with a splash screen that reads “The Lightning American!” Down, he will crouch with a Poke Ball out, as if still in the military.

 

Kirby Hat: his hair and shades

 

Kart: Based on a Raichu

Special Move: Energy Barrier

 

Spirit Battle: On S.S. Anne (omega form), with his original team.

 

Victory Screen: Proclaiming the Vermilion gym undefeated.

Losing Screen: Handing over his badge.

 

Color Swaps: His original look, his GSC look, his FRLG look, his HGSS look, his Let’s Go look, his anime appearance, his Team Rocket uniform, and a beach outfit (he’s earned some shore leave).

 

Thanks for reading! Next up, Erika blooms in battle!