Giovanni (anime)

Giovanni is a character appearing in Pokémon the Series, who is the leader of Team Rocket and was the Gym Leader of Viridian City in the Kanto region. He usually appears in Team Rocket Trio's fantasies, where they dream of getting rewards if they bring him a specific Pokémon.
==Appearance==
Giovanni is a middle-aged man that wears a black formal suit with a white long sleeve button shirt with a red tie at the collar. He has short, brown hair and wears black dress shoes. He also always has a sinister look on his face. This is his current main outfit at the end of The Dream Continues! from the Best Wishes series and onwards.
Earlier in the first season anime, he was shadowed to hide his identity until his face is now shown getting frustrated towards James, Jessie and Meowth after seeing their failures for allowing Ash to gain the Earth Badge from their defeat. His suit from his primary appearance is shown to be orange instead of black and has a green vest beneath his button shirt and red tie. This is his primary outfit until the Diamond and Pearl series.
From third season until the thirteenth season, Giovanni is mostly seen in Jessie, James and Meowth's fantasies once they steal most Pokémon, Giovanni wears various outfits during their fantasies.
In the fourteenth season when he had a brief rendezvous with James, Jessie and Meowth in their missions, the confrontation against another organization, Team Plasma in the two unaired episodes, and his Operation Tempest to capture the Mythical Pokémon Meloetta until he was consumed by his own ambitions to destroy Unova due to the possession of the Reveal Glass, Giovanni wears a dark green military attire and his folded sleeves are red and his dress shoes are completely black.
==Personality==
Giovanni, being the leader of Team Rocket, is pure evil. In the Original series, Giovanni shows his seriousness in battle as a Gym Leader when he faces Gary Oak in a Gym battle. He also shows his frustration towards Jessie, James and Meowth due to their various failures after his theme park and his Gym are destroyed because of the incident they made. But this behavior subsides when the trio are promoted as Advanced Agent after defeating Team Galactic led by Cyrus and Pokémon Hunter J.
Giovanni has a great trust on Cassidy and Butch due to their superiority over Jessie and James and have no frustration toward his two top agents even if they failed him. Giovanni is also knowledgeable on different criminal organizations from other regions.
In the Best Wishes series, Giovanni shows no hesitation to defeat his opponent and his Pokémon. He has a confident and ambitious side when his Operation Tempest is finally engaged and had full control of the Kami trio to attack Ash and the group. But this soon changes into evil and derangement when he was possessed by the Reveal Glass only to be returned to normal after James, Jessie and Meowth tackled him on the ground as their plans to conquer Unova were thwarted.
==Etymology==
==Biography==
===Anime===
====Pokémon the Series: The Beginning====
To steal Pokémon from Trainers, the Team Rocket Trio called their boss, Giovanni. As they told their plan to invite Trainers to St. Anne, the ship at Vermilion City, Meowth became jealous that a Persian took Giovanni's place as the boss' pet.TB015: Battle Aboard the St. Anne The shipwreck of St. Anne caused the Team Rocket Trio and the heroes to be stranded on an island park. The Trainers destroyed giant mecha Pokémon attractions, believing them to be a threat, which displeased Giovanni, since it was a park under his ownership.TB017: Island of the Giant Pokémon! He tasked Butch and Cassidy to steal Pokémon from Trainers, as they pretended to be in charge of a breeding center. Butch and Cassidy were successful, to which Giovanni applauded them, believing Jessie and James would've messed up if he gave the mission to them.TB057: The Breeding Center Secret
Gary, who won many Badges, went to challenge Giovanni at Viridian City's Gym. Giovanni took on his challenge, sending Golem and Kingler, who were easily defeated by Gary's Nidoking and Arcanine. However, Giovanni brought out a powerful Pokémon encased in an armor: Mewtwo. Gary couldn't identify it with his Pokédex, and Mewtwo brutally defeated his Pokémon. Giovanni permitted Gary to use as many Pokémon as he liked, but it made no difference, since he couldn't win against Mewtwo either way. Gary stormed out, while the Team Rocket trio approached Giovanni to give him Togepi that they had captured. Giovanni was not interested, and not to pleased that he learned about that they let Ash and his friends beat them, but he was notified of an incident at a lab. He gave three Pokémon to the trio, to take on challengers in his stead while he went to inspect the incident. He went with Mewtwo, informing the Pokémon that it had a new assignment for it.TB063: The Battle of the Badge
Later, Team Rocket apologized to Giovanni for having the Viridian Gym destroyed, due to an explosion. Giovanni was furious.They went to capture a rare Pokémon, while Giovanni was more focused on Mewtwo.TB064: It's Mr. Mime Time Having doubts about their worth in being part of Team Rocket, Jessie, James and Meowth went to the headquarters to quit their jobs. However, they saw the headquarters being destroyed in an explosion, and Mewtwo escaped. Giovanni emerged, unhurt, and entered his helicopter with Persian. This motivated the trio to do better, as they decided not to resign from Team Rocket organization.TB067: Showdown at the Po-ké Corral Giovanni went for a vacation but ordered the Team Rocket trio to break into Professor Westwood V's laboratory and steal his research.TB068: The Evolution Solution
Later, Giovanni sent the Team Rocket trio on a blimp for a mission. Team Rocket was honored by this mission, while Giovanni remembered that the blimp was in a bad state, and only had his insurance on it covered.TB084: A Scare in the Air
====Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver====
Giovanni sent Butch and Cassidy to Johto for another scheme to steal Trainers' Pokémon. They were successful and reported to the boss, until the heroes arrived to stop them.GS041: The Fortune Hunters He was contacted by a Team Rocket grunt named Wendy, who reported that the scout found some new possible recruits. She remembered an incident involving Jessie, and suggested that she, James and Meowth fired from the organization. Giovanni refused to do so, but ordered Wendy to keep an eye on them, since they had to pay their loans to the organization. He later had Jessie and James keep their job, since they still needed more recruits, which angered Wendy.GS115: Dues and Don'ts
====Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire====
The Team Rocket trio followed Ash to Hoenn, where they called Giovanni from. Giovanni expected good results from them, but refused to send any money to them. Still, he gave them the mission to establish a Secret Base within Hoenn. While Team Rocket cheered for this mission and logged out, Giovanni expected of them to be fodder and unveil activities from Team Aqua and Magma.RS002: A Ruin with a View Having kicked out a kid from his room in a Secret Base, the trio called Giovanni. The latter remarked how the interior looked like a child's room, but the trio promised to redecorate the Secret Base. The boss expected of them to call him once they did so and logged out.RS027: A Three Team Scheme Giovanni called them about their report on their Secret Base, to which they state it got destroyed. Giovanni became annoyed, threatening to send Butch and Cassidy to do their job. The trio promised to solve the situation, while Giovanni exclaimed, he would like better news in the next call. His Persian taunted the trio as he logged out.RS079: Pearls Are a Spoink's Best Friend
During one of the Contests Jessie participated in, she had Meowth carve a sculpture of Giovanni and Persian. Meowth later scratched the statue, so the Persian displayed a Meowth in its place.RS116: Mean With Envy Returning to Team Rocket's HQ in Kanto, the trio reported to Giovanni, lying that they eliminated Team Aqua and Magma. Giovanni was impressed and sent them on another mission.RS133: The Scheme Team
====Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl====
Following Ash to Sinnoh region, the trio called Giovanni from James' mansion. They swore to conquer the Sinnoh region, just like they did in Hoenn.DP002: Two Degrees of Separation! They later captured a Yanma, and sent it to the headquarters. However, Giovanni revised that they already had plenty of Yanma, and returned the package to the trio.DP080: The Thief That Keeps On Thieving! With their mission in Sinnoh accomplished, the secretary called the Team Rocket trio. She called them back to the HQ, as the boss had prepared a special mission for them.DP191: Memories Are Made of Bliss!
====Pokémon the Series: Black and White====
Giovanni sent the Team Rocket trio to Unova. He believed if they were to cause trouble, the mysterious organization in Unova would unveil themselves.BW001: In the Shadow of Zekrom! They later requested their Pokémon for the mission, but Giovanni and his secretary reminded that their Pokémon weren't native to Unova and would draw attention. They suggested that they could catch new Pokémon and sent some of the supplies for their mission.BW002: Enter Iris and Axew!
He later called the trio for a mission in Striaton City.BW004: The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice! He ordered the trio to collect research about the recent technology on the Dream Energy. He expected to use this to amass an army of Pokémon for his purposes, all for the goal of Team Rocket.BW005: Triple Leaders, Team Threats! The trio was successful in taking the energy, to which Giovanni promised to call them for a new mission, and logged out.BW006: Dreams by the Yard Full! Once his underlings were successful in obtaining the meteorite in Unova, Giovanni went in his helicopter to Unova.BW022: A Venipede Stampede!
Once Team Rocket, who worked with Dr. Zager, discovered Meloetta, he went to Unova to launch Operation: Tempest. He wore the goggles created by Dr. Zager to see the mythical Pokémon, even when it was invisible. He had his grunts surround the heroes and were able to record Meloetta's singing. Ash went with Meloetta away, but Giovanni quickly showed up and defeated Ash by using his Persian. With Meloetta captured, Giovanni rejoined Jessie, James, Meowth and Zager. Team Rocket led Giovanni to the Underwater Temple, and Giovanni used Meloetta's song to summon the Reveal Glass and rise the Unverwater Temple.BW098: Meloetta and the Undersea Temple!
Meloetta suffered in this ceremony, whereas the Weather trio was summoned, and the Reveal Glass transformed them into their Therian forms. Thus, he had the Weather Trio battle the resistance created by the escaped Ash, Pikachu and their friends. In the midst of a titanic battle, Ash and Pikachu confronted Giovanni along with James, Jessie, Meowth and Doctor Zager. Ash orders Pikachu to use Electro Ball: because Pikachu had been charged up from an earlier attack to save Iris, the Electro Ball's size and power were augmented significantly. The electric attack destroys the platform Giovanni was standing on and severs the link between him and Meloetta, but he was soon possessed by the Reveal Glass.
However, Giovanni lost his mind because of his own evil ambitions, ordering the Weather Trio to destroy the Unova region. Seeing his plan had been changed from destroying the Unova region instead of conquering it due to his insanity, Jessie, James and Meowth tackled their boss and successfully saved him. He gained control of himself after being knocked off by the trio. Doctor Zager informed him that they couldn't control the Weather Trio because of Meloetta. and they needed to retreat. Giovanni agreed, as they left while being assisted by James and Jessie until James uses his Yamask to create Haze on Ash and the group to escape the premises. As they escaped on the jet plane, Giovanni finally realized by his own actions after being possessed earlier as he thought on his mind, and he directly ordered to make a total retreat back in Kanto.BW099: Unova's Survival Crisis!
After Team Plasma was defeated, Giovanni was contacted by the trio about their success of defeating Team Plasma led by Ghetsis and Colress. Giovanni was mostly pleased to the trio as he told them to keep up the good work and do it for the name of Team Rocket before hanging up.BW125: Farewell, Unova! Setting Sail for New Adventures! Giovanni was in his office at Team Rocket's HQ after James, Jessie and Meowth were blasted off by all of Ash's Pokémon at his hometown in Pallet Town for intending to capture his Pikachu. Giovanni was pleased to see the trio defeated Team Plasma and wanted to know of the results. Meowth lied that they found a unique Pokémon in the Unova region, to which James and Jessie gave each of their two Unova Pokémon, which Giovanni accepted for its safekeeping.BW144: The Dream Continues!
====Pokémon the Series: XY and XYZ====
Having arrived to Kalos, the Team Rocket trio called Giovanni. The latter expected of them to work hard and logged out.XY003: A Battle of Aerial Mobility! Giovanni was impressed to see both James and Jessie gained their Kalos Pokémon - Inkay and Pumpkaboo - after they tricked Clemont on making their robot and the transporter to capture Pikachu.XY029:_Heroes—Friends_and_Faux_Alike!
The Team Rocket trio learned of Team Flare and the mysterious Z-2 being. Giovanni was called, and was intrigued by the organization's existence, and ordered them to capture Z-2 at any cost.XY107: An Explosive Operation! Team Rocket took the credit for defeating Team Flare, to which Giovanni congratulated them. He promised to reward them, which pleased the trio.XY137: Battling with a Clean Slate! The trio showed the report to Giovanni, who informed the trio to return in Team Rocket HQ in Kanto.XY144:_Till_We_Compete_Again!
====Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon====
Giovanni had the trio go to Alola region, to capture the Pokémon not found in the other regions.SM003: Loading the Dex! He called the trio with his assistant, Matori, to learn more on the status of their mission. The trio claimed they made a base in a cave, and have captured Mimikyu and Bewear, to which Giovanni expected more work from them before logging out.SM012: The Sun, the Scare, the Secret Lair! Giovanni and Matori called the trio, in the base where their Alolan Meowth walked in. The trio claimed they were trying to see what abilities and powers it had, to which the assistant reminded them to report anything they learned. Giovanni expected more work from them and logged out.SM062: Acting True to Form!
Matori called the trio, which annoyed Jessie, as she yelled out, they were studying Z-Moves. Since they had no Z-Ring, Giovanni suggested that they could go to Nanu, an Island Kahuna of Ula'ula Island, an old acquaintance of his.SM073: Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime? Giovanni later called Nanu, referring to him as his "old friend". He admitted his surprise that Nanu became an Island Kahuna and a police officer. Nanu brushed Giovanni off, who wanted to ask Nanu about the Blinding One. However, Nanu ended the call, hearing trouble outside the station.SM074: Tough Guy Trials! Matori later flew to Alola, learning that an Ultra Wormhole had opened and that *it* may come out. Giovanni urged her to complete the mission and logged out.SM087: Filling the Light with Darkness!
Giovanni sent Matori to join the Team Rocket trio, to collect the Bewear they supposedly captured.SM122: Spying for the Guy! He later called the trio, asking of them to return to the HQ in Kanto. The assistant exclaimed that they had been withholding information for too long. Still, Giovanni expected other great things from them and ended the call.SM146: Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!
====Pokémon Journeys: the Series====
===Other appearances===
==Pokémon==
===On hand===
===Status unknown===
===Temporary===
===Escaped===
===Given===
===Rejected===
==Voice actors==
*Japanese:
**Hirotaka Suzuoki (EP015-AG132 until his death in 2006)
**Kenta Miyake (DP002-present)
**Akio Ōtsuka (Pokémon Generations)
*English:
**Ted Lewis (EP015-AG132, DP080-present)
**Craig Blair (DP002-DP043)
*Korean:
**Jang Hobi (Original Series & Pokémon Generations)
**Seok Jeong-yang (Seasons 6 and 7)
**Jang Gwang (Seasons 8 and 9)
**Shin Yong-woo ("Pocket Monsters DP"-present)
*Hindi:
**Abdullah Al-Farhad (Cartoon Network dub)
**Shailendra Pandey (Mewtwo Returns)
**Sam Parker (Hungama dub)
*Greek:
**Charis Grigoropoulos
*Italian:
**Tony Fuochi (EP015-EP017, EP063-EP082, EP231-AG079, Double Trouble)
**Pietro Ubaldi (BW123, TPCi redubbing of EP015-EP057)
**Oliviero Corbetta (EP157)
**Giovanni Battezzato (DP191-BW097, XY107-JN024, M22 until his death in 2022)
**Federico Danti (DP002-DP080, BW142-XY209, TPCi redubbing of EP157)
**Giorgio Bonino (Pokémon Generations)
**Raffaele Farina (Pokémon Origins)
**Riccardo Rovatti (EP057)
**Marco Balbi (M01)
**Marco Pagani (HS12)
**Sergio Romanò (AG132)
*Arabic:
**Ibrahim Madi/إبراهيم ماضي (M22)
*Filipino:
**Jefferson Utanes
*Swedish:
**Johan Hedenberg
*Canadian French:
**Daniel Picard
==Trivia==
*Giovanni is partly inspired by Ernst Stavro Blofeld from James Bond, especially in the first season. Similarly, to the Bond villain, he is the leader of a criminal organization, his face cannot be seen initially, and he has a pet cat, in this case a Persian.
*It is unknown if he is the father of Silver in the anime continuity.
==Gallery==
Giovanni.jpg|Giovanni the Boss of Team Rocket
Domino and Giovanni.png|Giovanni with his Persian, Domino & Rocket Grunts
==See also==
*Giovanni (Origins)
*Giovanni (Generations)
*Giovanni (Masters trailer)
==References==
pl:Giovanni (anime)
Category:Villainous group leaders
Category:Pokémon movie antagonists