Viridian City (Japanese: トキワシティTokiwa City) is a small city located in western Kanto. It is home to the Viridian Gym, which can only be challenged by the player once they have obtained the Badges of the seven other Gyms of Kanto. In the Kanto-based games, the Gym Leader is Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket and a Ground-typeexpert. After being defeated, he abandons the Gym and is replaced by Blue, who has no specialty type. He is the Gym Leader during the events of the Johto-based games.
In Generations I and III, this academy is located in the center of Viridian. It is a place dedicated to teaching the basics of Pokémon to inexperienced Trainers.
In Generations II and IV, this school has been replaced by the Trainer House.
There is a grumpy old man in central Viridian who will not let Trainers pass through to Route 2 until he has had his daily coffee. In the original Japanese games, the old man is not grumpy from lack of coffee, but rather is drunk and has passed out in the middle of the road, much to the dismay of his grandchild. The man is simply a barrier in the game, preventing players from wandering past Viridian City until the player has delivered Oak's Parcel to Professor Oak. In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, this role is instead served by Jessie, James, and Meowth.
He appears again in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, declaring that he has had his espresso and that he was once an expert at catching Pokémon. This is a reference to the events of three years before.
Trainer House
The Trainer House in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
In Generations II and IV, the Trainer House replaces the Pokémon academy in the center of Viridian. The first floor is occupied by a handful of people, while the basement is primarily dedicated to a battlefield. In the basement, the player may battle other Trainers once a day.
In Generation II, the opposing Trainer in the basement will be the last person the player has used Mystery Gift with, with whatever party they had when Mystery Gift was used. If the player has never used Mystery Gift with anyone, the opposing Trainer will be Cal.
In Generation IV, the player will initially only find Ace TrainerCal in the basement. When the player meets another Trainer via the Pokéwalker and re-syncs the Pokéwalker back to their game, the other Trainer will also appear in the basement with their party. Up to 10 additional Trainers may be encountered in this way. Any Pokémon in a Trainer's party above level 50 will have their level reduced to 50. Battles here give no experience or money, but the player will receive 1 BP for each victory.
The Viridian Gym is the official Gym of Viridian City. Trainers who defeat this Gym's Leader receive the Earth Badge. The Gym is usually strewn with the same one-way spin tiles seen in the Team Rocket Hideout, except in Generation II, where the floor is bare of any obstacles.
In Generations II, IV, and VII, Team Rocket has disbanded and Blue takes over as the Gym's Leader. Under Blue's direction, the Gym no longer concentrates on any particular type.
In Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, the population of Viridian City is 28 (27 excluding Giovanni).
Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal
In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the population of Viridian City is 25. The population has decreased, due to the fact that Viridian Gym no longer has regular Trainers.
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the population of Viridian City is 34. This shows that Viridian City has grown in size from FireRed and LeafGreen to HeartGold and SoulSilver.
Poké Mart
The Poké Mart is located south of the Viridian Gym. In Generation II and IV, it is to the right of the Trainer House.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
Viridian City's layout is consistent between Generations I, III, and VII. There are no notable differences between the Viridian of Generations I, III, or VII, aside from the larger houses in III, the 3D graphics in VII, and some slight repositioning. Trees have become bigger, flowers are more visible, and most other sprites have been upgraded to modern standards. Most of the town's residents remain the same, and will give the player the same information. Items that are given out, however, are different from generation to generation.
In Generation III, the Potion behind the Cut tree is no longer hidden.
In Generation VII, the TM-giving man in the southwest part of town can no longer be reached via the pond to his right and can only be accessed by using the Secret Technique Chop Down.
Generation II and IV
The differences between the Generation II and IV and Generation I and III games are more noticeable. The Pokémon academy seen in Generation III has been replaced with the giant Trainer House, and other buildings were added as well. Within the Trainer House in Generation II, Trainers will battle either Cal, if the player has never used Mystery Gift with anyone, or the last player with whom they have used Mystery Gift. In Generation IV, the player may either battle Cal or up to 10 different Trainers met on the Pokéwalker.
Trainer Tips
Generation I
TRAINER TIPS
The battle moves
of POKéMON are
limited by their
POWER POINTs, PP.
To replenish PP,
rest your tired
POKéMON at a
POKéMON CENTER!
TRAINER TIPS
Catch POKéMON
and expand your
collection!
The more you have,
the easier it is
to fight!
Generation III
TRAINER TIPS
The battle moves of POKéMON are
limited by their POWER POINTS, PP.
To replenish PP, rest your tired
POKéMON at a POKéMON CENTER.
TRAINER TIPS
Catch POKéMON and expand your
collection.
The more you have, the easier it
is to battle.
Viridian City was first seen briefly at the end of Pokémon - I Choose You!. It was then visited in Pokémon Emergency!, when Ash Ketchum took his injured Pikachu to the Pokémon Center here. When entering the town, Ash was stopped by Viridian City's Officer Jenny, who found him suspicious, due to the fact he was carrying Pikachu in his arms and not a Poké Ball. While staying overnight at the Pokémon Center, Ash had his first encounter with the Team Rocket trio: Jessie, James, and Meowth. Ash and Pikachu foiled their plot to steal all the Pokémon in the Pokémon Center, thus beginning Team Rocket's obsession with capturing Ash's Pikachu.
They returned to Viridian in The Battle of the Badge, and noticed that the Pokémon Center that had exploded at the end of Pokémon Emergency! has been rebuilt. They found the Viridian Gym, but before Ash could to fight the Gym Leader, Gary arrived and battledGiovanni first. After Togepi was carried off by a Fearow, Ash and his friends went looking for it, only to find it inside the Gym. They then noticed that Gary and his entourage were badly injured due to Mewtwo's attacks. Giovanni is forced to leave the Gym following an emergency call, and he puts Jessie, James and Meowth in charge. After Ash fought and won a difficult and dangerous battle with Team Rocket, the Gym collapsed due to Togepi blowing up the stands. Ash picked up the Earth Badge Team Rocket lost. Afterwards, Ash and his friends left.
After the Silver Conference, Viridian was once again revisited, in Gotta Catch Ya Later!, only some things had changed. Most notably, the Nurse Joy who worked at the Viridian Center in Pokémon Emergency! had retired and Misty's bike had been fixed. After a battle with Team Rocket, as well as a trio of hired thugs, they left Viridian City.
Ash later passed through Viridian on his way home in The Scheme Team, after the Ever Grande Conference. Visiting the site of the rebuilt Viridian Gym, circumstances ended up bringing him to the battlefield for a friendly one-on-one challenge with the temporary Gym Leader, KantoElite Four member Agatha. Ash also met Scott and learned about the Battle Frontier from him, becoming interested enough to challenge it.
As of HZ001, Viridian City is home to the Indigo Academy.
Viridian City first appeared in File 1: Red, where Red stopped by the local Pokémon Center to heal his Charmander, after having lost a battle against his rival, Blue. He also made a call to Professor Oak from there before departing to Pewter City.
Viridian City appeared again in File 3: Giovanni, where Red returned there in order to challenge the local Gym Leader, only to find out that not only had Blue already done so, but that the Gym Leader was none other than Giovanni, the Boss of Team Rocket. Enraged of seeing Giovanni as a Gym Leader, Red challenged him to a battle, not as a Gym Leader, but as the enemy of all Pokémon. Using his specially trained Rhyhorn, Giovanni defeated most of Red's Pokémon with ease, but soon noticed himself getting excited of the battle. When Red sent out his Charizard to face Giovanni's last Pokémon, Rhydon, Giovanni finally remembered how he had once been like Red, a child enjoying Pokémon battles simply for the fun and excitement of it. Even though Red eventually won the battle, he initially refused to take the Earth Badge, saying he didn't want it from the Boss of Team Rocket. Impressed of Red's attitude, Giovanni then informed his minions that Team Rocket would now be disbanded. After this, Red accepted Giovanni's Badge, and departed Viridian City for Indigo Plateau. Reminded of his past, Giovanni decided to find a new path for himself and his Pokémon, leaving behind his positions as Viridian City's Gym Leader and the Boss of Team Rocket.
Viridian City appeared in The Chase. The International Police raided the Viridian Gym in search of Giovanni, but failed to find him. Giovanni was then seen overlooking Viridian City as he walked away, vowing that Team Rocket would never fall.
Viridian City appeared in Pikachu, I See You!, where Ash caught his runaway Pikachu there after it had fled from him on Route 1. Despite Pikachu still being disobedient towards Ash and frequently Thunder Shocking him, he boasted that since Pikachu were hard to tame, he already had Gary beat without even trying. Gary, however, soon showed up himself, taunting Ash and showing him that he already had a full team of six Pokémon, while Ash only had his disobedient Pikachu.
Viridian City first appeared in Bulbasaur, Come Home!, where Red and Professor Oak were forced to chase some of the Pokémon that Red had accidentally set free from Professor Oak's Laboratory all the way to Pallet Town's neighbor city, including a Bulbasaur, which the two chased to the abandoned Viridian Gym. After Red had helped Bulbasaur to defeat a wild Machoke attacking them, Professor Oak chose to give Bulbasaur to Red, along with a Pokédex.
Viridian City made a brief appearance in Make Way For Magmar!, where local citizens were asking questions about the missing Gym Leader.
Red revisited Viridian City in Drat That Dratini! after helping a young girl in Viridian Forest. Upon hearing rumors about the missing "invincible" Gym Leader, Red decided to check out the Viridian Gym again. At the Gym, he met Giovanni, learning that not only was he the Viridian City Gym Leader, but also the leader of Team Rocket. Giovanni then challenged Red to a battle, making a bet with him that should Red lose, he'd come to serve him as his right-hand man. During the battle, Giovanni's Nidoking's Earthquake caused the Viridian Gym to collapse into ruins. Eventually Red emerged victorious with his Pika defeating Giovanni's Nidoqueen and knocking the Gym Leader himself unconscious as well.
In Forretress of Solitude, Red participated in Pokémon Association's Gym Leader test for the new Viridian Gym Leader at the reconstructed Viridian Gym. Although he passed the test with flying colors, Red had to turn down the offer, as he had not yet completely recovered from the frostbites he received after being frozen by Lorelei in the Yellow arc. As such, Blue was appointed as the new Gym Leader instead, after he impressed the Pokémon Association by stopping and capturing a group of rampaging wild Pokémon.
In Secrets from Sneasel, Yellow arrived in Viridian City to meet Blue at the Gym, but only found his hologram, set there in case for a challenger coming while he was not present. An automated system then brought out Blue's Pokémon, which, even without their Trainer giving them commands, easily defeated Yellow's Chuchu in a battle. Silver soon arrived at the site as well, looking for his roots. Unexpectedly, the two were attacked by Sird and Orm of Team Rocket, who revealed that Silver was actually Giovanni's long-lost son. This revelation shocked Silver so much that the two Team Rocket members had no trouble in knocking him out and taking him to the Team Rocket airship, with Yellow giving chase.
Viridian City first appeared in Pewter City, where Satoshi tried to enter the local Gym, only for a Camper to tell him the Gym was closed. Following the Camper's advice, Satoshi then headed to Viridian Forest in order to reach the nearest city with an open Gym.
After earning seven Badges, Satoshi returned to Viridian City in Viridian City. Upon entering the Gym, he was surprised to learn that the Gym Leader was actually Giovanni. Satoshi eventually won the Gym battle thanks to his Charizard and gave the Giovanni a package that Mr. Fuji had given to him prior to him coming to Viridian City, which was revealed to contain the horn of Giovanni's deceased Nidoking. Following this, Giovanni rewarded Satoshi with an Earth Badge.
In Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, and their remakes, a Viridian City Poké Mart employee on Route 1 gives a Potion to the player as a free sample.
In Pokémon Red and Blue, this Poké Mart does not actually sell Potions even though the sample is given to the player, as noted by a customer saying that Potions are out of stock. This changed in Pokémon Yellow, where the customer says that Potions are finally in stock.
In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, instead of commenting about the stock, the customer simply says that he needs to buy Potions and explains that they heal Pokémon. He says the same in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, being a rare instance of Let's Go! dialogue that originated in the Generation III games instead of the Generation I games.
Name origin
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
トキワシティ Tokiwa City
From 常磐色 tokiwa-iro (the green color of evergreen foliage)
