Giovanni

Giovanni (ジョヴァンニ, Jyovanni), also known as Sakaki (サカキ, Sakaki) in Japanese, is both a fictional character and antagonist from the Pokémon series created by Satoshi Tajiri. He is the founder and leader of the criminal organization Team Rocket.

He is also the former Gym Leader for Viridian City's Gym in the Kanto region. He is also the father of Silver. Aside from being known as both Leader of Team Rocket and a Pokémon Gym, he was known for being the first person to discover that Rhydon could evolve.

As the former Gym Leader, Giovanni held the Earth Badge for the any of trainers that would defeat him, and specializes mostly in Ground-type Pokémon, but his master plan also includes collecting rare Pokémon of all types.

Unfortunately, Giovanni has disappeared inexplicably after his defeat to Ash and his headquarters was destroyed, leaving Team Rocket disorganized and confused. However, he soon sets up a new evil organization in Alola with the other leaders from the past five regions.

"You're just the players in my master plan!"
 * —Giovanni.

Appearance & Biography

 * Voice Actor: Ted Lewis (English), Hirotaka Suzuoki (Japanese), Not Known (Arabic), Not Known (Basque), Not Known (Brazilian), Not Known (Cantonese), Not Known (Catalan), Not Known (Chinese), Not Known (Croatian), Not Known (Danish), Not Known (Dutch), Not Known (Finnish), Not Known (Filipino), Not Known (French), Not Known (Galician), Not Known (German), Not Known (Greek), Not Known (Hebrew), Not Known (Hong Kong), Not Known (Hungarian), Not Known (Indonesian), Not Known (Italian), Not Known (Korean), Not Known (Mandarin), Not Known (Norwegian), Not Known (Polish), Not Known (Portuguese), Not Known (Romanian), Not Known (Russian), Not Known (Serbian), Not Known (Spanish), Not Known (Swedish), Not Known (Tagalog), Not Known (Thai), Not Known (Valencian), Not Known (Ukrainian), Not Known (Brazilian Portuguese), Not Known (Canadian French), Not Known (European Spanish), Not Known (European Portuguese), Not Known (Latin American Spanish), Not Known (Latin Spanish), Not Known (Spain-Spanish)

Appearance
Giovanni is a tall, medium built, middle aged man. He has very short, flat, dark hair and small dark eyes.

He wears a long sleeved black shirt with a large V neck that shows off a white undershirt, with wither of his organization's logos on the left part of the chest, black slightly baggy trousers and black shoes.


 * Hair Color: Light Black
 * Skin Color: Not Known
 * Eye Color: Black
 * Age: Not Known
 * Birthday: Not Known
 * Height: Not Known
 * Weight: Not Known

Personality
As the manipulative leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni has a knack for being underhanded. His general attitude is untrustworthy to say the least, giving off a conniving or serious expression at times. Giovanni is a cold, cruel man, as shown when he commanded his Persian to slay two helpless enemy agents by breaking them in half. He does not care in the slightest bit in manipulating the innocent (Humans, and Pokémon alike) that were subjected to his own experiments, viewing them as players and mere weapons. It is revealed during his relationship with Pokémon like Mewtwo, Meloetta, Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus, that he sees all Pokémon as a source of power for his own will to abuse.

Giovanni has a sinister, confident, and ambitious personality, Giovanni also shows without his hesitation to defeat his opponent and his Pokémon as demonstrated to Gary and Hugh. Giovanni shows his seriousness in battle as a Gym Leader when he faces Gary Oak in a Gym battle. He also shows his annoyed frustration towards Jessie, James, and Meowth due to their various failures because of the incident they made. When he was defeated for the first time, Ash states that his views on Pokémon led to his downfall. When Gary chases after him, Gary tells him about his reputation of 'Giovanni of the Land'. Giovanni smirks and asks Gary the importance of his own reputation.

One of his commanders and executives, Sabrina and Archer, stated the Giovanni is a charismatic leader, allowing most of his subordinates to stay loyal to him to the very end. Giovanni also becomes knowledgeable on different criminal organizations from other regions. A prime example shows that he and his organization once confronted Ghetsis and his organization Team Plasma, and he also discovers the existence of Team Flare led by Lysandre after James and Jessie informed him about Team Flare and their criminal operations.

Familiy

 * Madame Boss (Mother)
 * Unnamed twin brother
 * Silver (Son)

Neutral

 * Lt. Surge
 * Sabrina
 * Koga

Enemies

 * Resistance
 * Brock Harrison
 * Misty
 * Erika
 * Blaine
 * Whitney
 * Roark
 * Fantina
 * Cilan
 * Iris
 * Elite Four
 * International Police
 * Ash Ketchum
 * Red
 * Green
 * Mr. Fuji
 * Hilbert Black
 * Bianca

On hand

 * Persian
 * Golem
 * Nidoqueen (♀)
 * Nidorino → Nidoking (♂)
 * Rhyhorn → Rhydon → Rhyperior
 * Dugtrio

Currently in rotation

 * Sandslash
 * Onix
 * Marowak
 * Hippowdon
 * Garchomp
 * Gliscor
 * Krookodile

Travel with
This section shows the Pokémon that Giovanni currently travels with, but has not caught.

At his hideout
This section shows the Pokémon that Giovanni keeps at Kamon's House in Johto.

In training
This section is for the Pokémon that Giovanni still owns but are in the care of another Trainer. Some can be called upon at any time if needed.

Status unknown
This section is for Giovanni's Pokémon whose current whereabouts are unknown.


 * Charmander
 * Beedrill ↔ Mega Beedrill
 * Kangaskhan
 * Machamp
 * Cloyster
 * Kingler
 * Crobat

Released
This section is for the Pokémon that Giovanni formally released back into the wild.

Traded away
This section is for the Pokémon that Giovanni traded away.

Given away
This section is for the Pokémon that Giovanni gave to another Trainer to keep for themselves.


 * Ursaring

At Viridian Gym
Pokémon that Giovanni resides at his gym are the following:


 * Rhyhorn (multiple)
 * Rhydon (multiple)

Befriended/Unofficial
This section is for the Pokémon that Giovanni had bonded with over the course of several episodes but never officially caught.

Temporary
This section is for the Pokémon that Giovanni temporarily used. Many of which were rented and belong to another Trainer.


 * Mewtwo
 * Deoxys
 * Meloetta
 * Landorus (♂)
 * Tornadus (♂)
 * Thundurus (♂)

Past
Giovanni was born in the Viridian Forest, like certain individuals. It was there where he obtained Pokémon: like his Charmander and Persian, and later on Kangaskhan, Machamp, Cloyster, Kingler, Crobat Beedrill, only six had evolved.

Giovanni also had a son, Kamon, who was taken away by the Masked Man, who was aware that Silver was the son of a leader of the criminal organization. Giovanni also wrote a manual on how to raise Ground-type Pokémon called "Secret Earth Arts". It contained all of his knowledge as an expert of Ground-type Pokémon.

Forming an Organization
Giovanni serves as the Head of Team Rocket, never really shown taking action in field work, but rather sends the grunts and other members for that. Giovanni placed Lt. Surge, Sabrina and Koga as his three subordinates, who trained the grunts, while Giovanni was inspiring them with speeches. Jessie, James, Meowth, Butch and Cassidy along with other members, are constantly striving to please him in their actions, usually without his compliance. Despite serving Giovanni, the Gym Leaders, like Koga, had little time to train and improve themselves in battling. Giovanni also had his scientists perform experiments to have control of all matters of substance.

Etymology

 * Giovanni's name may come from the word GEO for the first part of his name. Geo is Greek for Earth and this is because he is a Ground type trainer.
 * It may also be a pun on how most 20's and 30's American gang members had Italian names like Alfonso (Al) Capone. Giovanni is an English-Italian name and is a gang leader himself.

Notes & Trivia

 * Giovanni's outfit in Generation IV and V seems to be based on a general's uniform.
 * He may be inspired by the villain of James Bond series, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. In Bond films and novels, Blofeld leads his own criminal organization, the S.P.E.C.T.R.E., to become rich and reign on the world. As a companion, Blofeld has a cat.
 * He is considered to be the main antagonist of the entire Pokémon franchise.
 * This is supported by his forming of Team Rainbow Rocket, which consists of team bosses from other regions.
 * Overall, he is the strongest Gym Leader throughout the series' run as he defeated both of Ash's toughest rivals. The first is Gary by using Mewtwo in his control after their Gym battle. The second is Hugh where he quickly defeats him by using his Persian against his Samurott.