Gimmighoul has twoforms:Chest Form andRoaming Form. Chest Form Gimmighoul only appears in the core series, in which it is the only form that can be nativelybattled andcaught, while Roaming Form Gimmighoul will flee when interacted with, leaving behind Gimmighoul Coins. Roaming Form appears inPokémon GO, where it can be caught; it can then betransferred to the core series games via theGO Transporter.
Gimmighoul is a small, blue-gray, metallic, bipedal Pokémon, with bands of two thin black stripes present around its torso and between its gold, circular eyes. It has a pair of thin black antennae and a tail, which are bent near the base and tipped with small gold circles.
Its antennae vibrate when detecting something it deems notable, and will point at objects of interest. When Gimmighoul gathers 999Gimmighoul Coins, it evolves intoGholdengo.
Forms
Gimmighoul has two separate forms: Chest Form and Roaming Form. The two Forms are virtually identical to each other, with the main differences being their habits and personalities.
Chest Form
Chest Form Gimmighoul's closed chest
Chest Form Gimmighoul hides inside a red chest, decorated with black and golden accents and a silver buckle with an ornate oval pattern, resembling the number 1,000 when viewed from the side. The chest it resides in is full of thecoins that it collects.
Chest Form Gimmighoul was born inside a chest 1,500 years ago.Jacq is the one who discovered the Chest Form and coined its name. Its treasure chest provides solid defense but makes it hard for it to move due to the weight. Chest Form Gimmighoul are typically encountered in ancientPaldean buildings, such as watchtowers and fort ruins, and even secluded islands. Its disguise and low movement speed cause it to be commonly mistaken for an antique and get left behind or taken away. Chest Form Gimmighoul can move by hopping while its chest is closed. When Chest Form Gimmighoul senses an approaching person or Pokémon, it uses ghost energy to control its target and force them to collect coins for its chest. It tends to hide in less frequented places such as warehouses and shop corners to ambush people and Pokémon while pretending to be an old treasure chest. Its control has notable persistence;[1] one old tale tells of a Gimmighoul who manipulated a young girl to gather 999 coins to fill its chest.[2] It is also known to drain the life out of anyone who attempts to steal its coins.
Roaming Form
Roaming Form Gimmighoul, unlike its counterpart, doesn't hide in a chest and instead carries anancient coin on its back, being held by its tail. Without its chest, it is among thesmallest andlightest of all Pokémon.
Roaming Form Gimmighoul was born from passion that seeped into a coin.Professor Willow is the one who discovered the Roaming Form and coined its name. Roaming Form Gimmighoul can be spotted in hiding places across Paldea, such as by signs, rocks, and bridges, as well as ancient ruins. It is extremely timid, running away and dropping its coin as soon as anyone approaches.[1] It does not manipulate people and Pokémon to give it coins like its Chest Form counterpart; instead, it is able to gather coins by itself.[2] Despite being found inPaldea, no one has ever been able to capture this form of Gimmighoul. It constantly wanders, believed to be searching for the chest it used to live in. For sustenance, it drains the life force of humans who try to steal its coin. This form of Gimmighoul has also been seen appearing where Professor Willow lives in, where it tags along near Trainers who pick up Gimmighoul Coins.[1] Gimmighoul has also been observed being lured over through theCoin Bag andGolden Lure Modules.[3] Roaming Form Gimmighoul can sense when it's about to be found by a human or a Pokémon. If either of the two comes close, Gimmighoul will become invisible to avoid being detected, leaving only itsGimmighoul Coin visible.
Gimmighoul has two non-interchangeable forms: Chest Form and Roaming Form. Both can be found inPaldea's overworld, but only Chest Form can bebattled andcaught, while Roaming Form will flee upon being interacted with, leaving behind Gimmighoul Coins, which are necessary for Gimmighoul to evolve. Roaming Form can only be obtained bytransferring it fromPokémon GO via theGO Transporter.
Roaming Form Gimmighoul made its animated series debut in a bonus scene that aired withHZ042, under the ownership ofProfessor Willow. This bonus scene was not dubbed into English.
A Roaming Form Gimmighoul appeared inThe Terapagos I Don't Know, thus marking the form's English dub debut.
Gimmighoul, Roaming Form. The Coin Hunter Pokémon. AGhost type. This Pokémon emerged from passion that seeped into a coin. It carries an old coin on its back.
Three Gimmighoul appeared inBreathe Together, duringOhara,Aliquis, andHohma's video presentation aboutNaranja Academy. Two of them were in their Roaming Form, and the last one was in its Chest Form.
Gimmighoul only learns 2 moves by level-up, the fewest of all Ghost-type Pokémon.
It is not possible toflee from a Chest Form Gimmighoul; even if the player's Pokémon is aGhost type or is faster. Attempting to flee via pressing the "Run" option or use a Pokémon with theRun Away Ability will give the "You can't escape!" message. Using thePoké Doll will give the same dialogue that a player would receive if they try to use certainKey Items such as theShiny Charm. Using the movesWhirlwind orRoar will fail.
Pre-release teasers
Chest Form Gimmighoul was teased through a special website[4] that went live on November 5, 2022 at 13:00 UTC. It showcased Gimmighoul's chest and a counter, which periodically ticked upwards every few hours as it was slowly filled with coins. The counter eventually capped out at 999 on November 6, 2022 at 14:00 UTC, and the site became a redirect to a new page on thePokémon Scarlet and Violet website.[5]
Roaming Form Gimmighoul was also teased on November 5, 2022, appearing in Pokémon GO after theDratiniCommunity Day Classic event ended. GoldenPokéStops were added to the game, and spinning one would cause a Roaming Form Gimmighoul to show up and follow the player for a short time, although it could not be properly encountered or caught.
Prior to the release of its teasers, an obscured Roaming Form Gimmighoul could be seen very briefly in the English version of the "Jump into a Paldean Journey" trailer forPokémon Scarlet and Violet, posted on October 6, 2022.[6] It does not appear in the Japanese version of this trailer.
Two of the stages of Gimmighoul's Chest Form shown during the initial website teaser.[7]
Origin
As indicated by its English name, Gimmighoul may be based on theghoul, a mythical creature from Arabic folklore known for luring people into deserted places before preying on them, and stealing coins. The wordghoul (Arabic: غُولghūl) stems from the Arabic word غَالَghāla, meaning "to seize". Gimmighoul's antennae and tail resembledowsing rods, which are believed to be able to help people locate buried treasures. The association of a ghost with coins, as well as its eyes resembling coins, may also draw inspiration fromCharon's obol, where the deceased are buried with coins as a preparation for the afterlife. The coins were frequently placed in the mouth or on the eyes.
Gimmighoul's Chest Form may be based on themimic, a monster archetype commonly found in RPGs, known for disguising itself as treasure chests. Its Roaming Form may be based on the Catalan folktale ofPatufet, a tiny child who carries a coin. It may also be based on thetoyol (also known astuyul), an infant-like spirit from Indonesian and Malay folklore invoked to steal riches from people. Gimmighoul's association with the number 999 may be a reference to999 fine gold, equivalent to 24 karat gold.
Considering its Evolution, Gimmighoul's design may also draw inspiration fromEl Dorado, a legend now believed to originate in Spanish conception ofMuisca rituals performed in pre-colonialColombia. Its laminated body shape resemblestunjos, Muisca figurines made of molded gold in the shape of divine humans or animals. Its Ghost type could be based on the fact that tunjos are commonly found in burial places and places of worship.
Name origin
Gimmighoul may be a combination ofgimme (informal pronunciation of "give me"),gimmick,mimic, andghoul. Altogether, it sounds like the phrase "Give me gold."
Collecurei may be a combination ofcollect, 霊rei (spirit), and a pun on the phrase これくれkore kure ("Give me this").
This Pokémon article is part ofProject Pokédex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please seeGimmighoul images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
