A Traveler's Guide to the World of Pokémon/Kanto/Viridian City

Viridian City (トキワシティ, Tokiwa Shiti, Tokiwa City in the original Japanese) is a fictional city in the Pokémon series. It is located in the Kanto region.

Viridian City
トキワシティ Tokiwa City
File:Viridian city.png
The Eternally Green Paradise
Location info
Region	Kanto
Connecting routes	Route 2 (North) Route 1 (South) Route 22 (West)
Gym info
Gym Leader(s)	Giovanni, Blue
Gym Badge	Earthbadge
Type	Ground

Overview

In Pokémon Red and Blue, Viridian City is the first city that the player arrives at after leaving Pallet Town. Several important things unfold here. It is the first city that the player arrives at but the last city to battle a Gym Leader. To the west side is Route 22, which takes the player up to the Indigo Plateau area. In Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal, Viridian City is connected to New Bark Town in Johto.

Places of interest

Viridian Forest

North of Viridian is the Virdian Forest. It first appears in Pokémon Red and Blue as a winding maze of trees and grass where several items and Pokémon could be encountered. It was the player's first experience with Bug-type Pokémon. In the remake Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the layout was slightly changed but otherwise remained itnact.

In Pokémon Gold and Silver, set three years after Red and Blue, the forest ceases to exist. It is reduced to a small maze with tiny trees and has a Pokémon Center near the end of the.

Pokémon Gym

In the Pokémon Red, Blue, Leaf Green and Fire Red games, the Pokémon Gym will initially be closed, but once the player beats seven Gym Leaders, the Viridian City Gym will open and the player will be able to battle Giovanni, the Viridian City Gym Leader. After defeating Giovanni, the player can go west to being the journey on Route 22 to the Indigo Plateau to challenge the Elite Four. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Blue is the gym leader here.

Spoilers end here.

Missingno.

The Red and Blue versions of Pokemon contain a well-known glitch. In north-western Viridian City there will be an old man with a cup of coffee. When the player first arrives in Viridian City, this old man won't let them leave since he's in a grumpy mood. By entering the pokemart and getting a package, they will need to deliver it to Professor Oak back in Pallet Town. After getting a Pokedex from Oak in Pallet Town, the old man will be better. Also he will be happy to show the player how to catch Pokémon. For some reason, when the player responds to the old man by saying "Yes", watches the old man demonstrate how to catch a Pokémon, and then flies down to Cinnabar Island and surfs along the east coast, the player will almost always encounter Missingno. and 'M, two glitch Pokémon that can only be found by doing this trick, other than doing the Mew glitch.

This was removed in FireRed and LeafGreen. The old man only shows the player how to capture a Pokémon once. He also gives the player an Key Item called Teachy TV, which acts as a tutorial for playing the game.

In the anime

File:AG240.jpg

The Viridian City Gym...

Viridian City is a prominent location in the anime, as the main character, Ash, constantly returns to the place.

The first visit was in episode two, (Pokémon Emergency). After Pikachu was badly injured in the first episode, it has to be healed in the Pokémon Center. While there, Ash first saw Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy. Misty also confronted him about her bike, eventually deciding to join him. Jessie and James of Team Rocket also appear for the first time, and decide to follow Ash until they capture Pikachu. Ash also accidentally blows up the Pokémon Center with a powered-up electrical attack from Pikachu.

File:Viridian Gym.jpg

...falls to the ground!

When Ash returns, near the end of the Kanto saga, the Pokémon Center has been rebuilt. Ash also seeks his eighth and final badge required to enter the Indigo Plateau tournament. However, Ash's rival Gary arrived first and challenged Giovannni, but was defeated by Giovanni's last Pokémon, Mewtwo. Fortunately for Ash, Giovanni had to leave, and left Jessie and James in charge of the Gym. After Ash wins the battle, Jessie refuses to give him the Earthbadge. In a climatic final, the Virdian City Gym is destroyed.

At the end of the Johto saga, Ash, Misty and Brock return to Kanto on their way to Pallet Town, stopping in Viridian City first. Misty finds out that her sisters are going on a World tour, and expect her to run the Cerulean City Gym while they are away. She also discovers that Nurse Joy has repaired her bike. Ash, Brock, and Misty part ways, and Ash returns to Pallet Town alone.

At the end of the Hoenn saga, Ash again passes through Viridian City on his way to Pallet Town. He discovers that the Gym is repaired, but currently has no Gym Leader. It is being run by Agatha (a member of the Elite Four, although Ash does not know this until after the battle) until a new Gym Leader is found. Ash uses Pikachu to battle her Gengar, but loses. Despite his defeat, Scott (the owner of the Battle Frontier) is impressed, and invites Ash to visit the Battle Frontier.

Spoilers end here.