While it is not known to evolve to or from any other Pokémon, Giratina has a second forme activated by giving Giratina a Griseous Orb to hold, or while it is in its home, the Distortion World. Its original forme, Altered Forme, will then become Origin Forme.
Giratina's Origin Forme was officially revealed in early February 2008.
Giratina is a large, gray, draconic Pokémon with three gold half-rings on each side of its long neck. Its head has a gold crown-like object surrounding it with two large horns pointing sideways. A thick black stripe runs vertically along its front with five red horizontal stripes. In its Altered Forme, it has two large black ghostly wings with three red tips on each that can resemble claws. These wings can change shape as if made of a liquid or gas. Its six legs are thick and have golden claws. Two golden half-circles similar to those on its neck are on each side of each leg, resembling shackles. It has a tail. Giratina remains in Altered Forme when outside of its home dimension.
In its Origin Forme, it takes on a serpentine look. Its legs are reduced to golden-tipped spikes, and four additional golden spikes appear near the edge of its tail. While in Origin Forme, the six gold half-rings can grip objects. The back points of each half-ring have a black ghostly tendril with red a spike at its tip. The horns on its head are now facing the back. The sides of the golden "crown" cover its mouth and separate vertically like an insect's mandible when it opens its mouth. The black vertical stripe is broken into pieces and runs all the way down its body. Giratina can only be in its Origin Forme when in its home, the Distortion World, or when holding a Griseous Orb.
Giratina is able to travel through and control dimensions besides those of time and space. When in its Origin Forme, it is able to pass through dimensions at will, however, it will turn back to its Altered Forme due to the gravity change from the Distortion World. Giratina is a highly aggressive and territorial Pokémon that is protective of its home. Legends claim that Giratina appears in cemeteries and that it supposedly lives in a world on the reverse side. Giratina has also been reported to appear in ancient cemeteries. It was said to be banished for "violence", though in the anime it is shown to possess a gentle side as well. Giratina is said to have observed the real world silently while in its own home dimension. Giratina is the only known Pokémon that can learn Shadow Force.
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 take on its Origin Forme whenever it is in the Reverse World, and its Altered Forme whenever it is in the real 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 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.
In The New World, Giratina interfered with Cyrus' 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.
In the GOTCHA! music video
A Giratina briefly appeared in its Origin Forme as a silhouette in GOTCHA!.
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.
Trophy information
NA: This Ghost/Dragon-type Pokémon 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
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. It also appears as two Spirits, one in its Altered Forme and the other in its Origin Forme.
Giratina is tied with Drifblim for the highest HP base stat of all Ghost-type Pokémon.
In Pokémon Platinum, Giratina is the only Pokémon to come out from above the screen during the start of the battle.
In Pokémon Platinum, when battled in the Distortion World it does not have a shadow until it uses Shadow Force or breaks out of a Poké Ball.
Giratina is the only Pokémon that appears last in a regional Pokédex listing that is not an event-exclusive Pokémon.
Giratina is the only Legendary Pokémon that can be obtained in all five of the Generation IV core series handheld games.
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the second frame of Giratina's Altered Forme sprite was changed, but the static sprite remained the same.
This sprite is also present in Pokémon Platinum's data but is unused.
In Pokémon Platinum, when encountered in the Distortion World the unique message "The Distortion World's Giratina appeared" is displayed. However, it is still a wild Pokémon.
Giratina may be based on the biblical figure of the fallen angel, celestial beings that rebelled against God and were excommunicated to Hell. This is analogous to Giratina, due to being a Pokémon created by Arceus (Pokémon World's God) and excommunicated to another dimension due to its belligerent nature. Nonetheless, it might have drawn inspiration by Samael, who is the ruler of the 5th Heaven and has grim and destructive duties whilst being a member of a heavenly host; both traits allude to Giratina being the ruler of another dimension (Reverse World) and its threatening visage. Furthermore, both of Giratina's Forms resemble the Beasts of Revelation, with its Altered Form standing for the "Earth Beast", and its Origin Form standing for the "Sea Beast".
Giratina may also be based on Seta, a giant centipede, from the Japanese fairy-tale, "My Lord Bag of Rice", which was said to prey on dragon hatchlings and be as large as a mountain.
In its Altered Forme, Giratina's wings may be based on a bat's, and its body has an insect-like, six-legged feature, but its posture is similar to a sauropod.
Its Origin Forme has a body similar to the Seraphim , an archangel commonly known for its six wings, and in some depictions, a serpentine body (due to saraph meaning snake or serpent in Islamic languages). Additionally, "Seraphim" alternatively translates to "[the] burning one", which could have been one of the inspirations for Giratina's destructive nature. The exact design of its six wings may be based on a scorpion's stinger or spider legs. This Forme also shares physical traits with the Amphiptere, a European dragon-like creature with wings but no legs.
In interviews Junichi Masuda and Takeshi Kawachimaru had with G4, they said that Giratina and the Distortion World were created to be personifications of antimatter.[1] In HeartGold and SoulSilver, Cynthia also states this.
Name origin
Giratina may be a combination of girasol (a type of red opal), guillotine, or girare (Italian for to wander/turn around); and platina and プラチナ purachina (Japanese for platinum).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
ギラティナ Giratina
From a combination of girasol, girare, or guillotine, and プラチナ purachina
Griseous Orb (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Giratina images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
