Can Hitmonchan or Hitmonlee be Shiny in Pokémon Go?

Some Pokémon run in pairs, and in the case of Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee, they are a prime Fighting-type duo that have been in Pokémon Go since the game launched. But does that mean you can find Shiny variants of the Kanto-based battlers?

You might only see some of these Gen I Pokémon that have been in Pokémon Go since 2016 on specific occasions like when specific events are happening. That doesn’t mean they won’t appear frequently, however, since Niantic loves pushing Kanto content in events for new and old players alike. And, thanks to some past updates, finding a Shiny Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee is a winnable battle for you.

Are Shiny Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee available in Pokémon Go? Answered

As of Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto in February 2021, every Gen I Pokémon is available to encounter as a Shiny. Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee had their Shinies added to Pokémon Go during that event and have been available ever since.

While both Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee can be Shiny, they aren’t the only Pokémon featured in that evolutionary line. Both evolve from Tyrogue, along with Johto’s Handstand Pokémon, Hitmontop. You might have a favorite of the three evolutions, however, all three and Tyrogue can be Shiny if you get lucky.

If you are looking to use either Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee on a PvP team, neither shows much promise. Hitmontop has always been the best Tyrogue evolution for competitive play thanks to its balanced stats and move pool, though Hitmonchan does fair much better than Hitmonlee in the Pokémon Go Battle League’s Great and Ultra Leagues, where it sees fringe play in the top 200 Pokémon, according to PvPoke.

So it’s best to stick to Shiny hunting rather than training them up.