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For complete filmography, see here.
GIR
Name GIR
Species SIR Unit
Gender Robot
Affliation Irken Empire
Zim
First Appearance The Nightmare Begins
Voice Actor(s) Rosearik Rikki Simons (English)
Wasabi Mizuta (Japanese)
Irwin Daayán (Spanish)
Sabine Manke (German)

GIR is the insane, hyperactive robotic assistant of Zim and the closest thing the incompetent Irken has to a friend, having been constructed from scrap parts and given to Zim by the Almighty Tallest just before it was handed to Zim, instead of a regular SIR (Standard-issue Information Retrieval Unit).

GIR is voiced by Rosearik Rikki Simons, and played a main role in three episodes: "Invasion of the Idiot Dog Brain", "Walk of Doom" and "GIR Goes Crazy and Stuff", and played minor or secondary roles in almost all other episodes. He was voiced by Wasabi Mizuta in the Japanese dub and Irwin Daayán in the Spanish dub.

Appearance

OH MY GOSH!

GIR without his disguise

The only differences between GIR and regular SIR units are the unique coloration of the luminous parts of GIR's body (teal instead of red), a different configuration for the eyes, and his cross-hatched mouth. The similarities in construction suggest that the components from which he was built came from an out-of-date model of SIR unit.

Gir so adorable

GIR in his "mongoose-dog" suit

GIR's usual Earth disguise consists of a green "mongoose-dog" suit with a zipper on the stomach, and a head that can be pulled over like a hood. It also includes a small tail that he is inexplicably capable of wagging like a human dog's. The large eyes sometimes blink while at other times they don't. Also, the mouth will sometimes open when he speaks, whereas other times it stays closed.

He also has a small child disguise with blonde hair and the mouth hanging open so he can see, but it was only used in two episodes.

Personality

Hyper GIR

GIR's hyperactivity

GIR is happy-go-lucky and extremely hyperactive, and will eat just about anything, regardless of whether it is edible or not. Most of the time he spouts nonsense, but does have a few, short moments of clarity: for instance, in "Walk for Your Lives" he actually contemplated whether making the explosion go faster would make things worse ("But if the big 'splody goes fast, won't it get all bad?"), and in "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy" he questioned the wisdom of sending a machine into the past to destroy Dib.

GIR usually fools around when Zim gives an order, and always goes right back to what he was doing before once he has completed the order (which is only done occasionally) or, more often, when Zim leaves. Zim has described GIR's intelligence as "bad"; indeed, the little robot is often one of the many reasons why Zim's plans frequently fail. GIR has also been known to disobey orders whenever it conflicts with getting something he wants, such as rubber piggies or food.

Zim has taken advantage of GIR's poor intelligence in the past, having once attached GIR to a power amplifier in "Plague of Babies" to incapacitate Sergeant Shnooky and his underlings with an amplified wave of the little robot's stupidity. However, despite his stupidity, GIR also has shown an occasional manipulative side, having used his antics in the past to bend others to his will.

GIR pic for Zim WIKI

GIR drinking tea and eating cupcakes

Unlike Zim, GIR does not mind getting involved with typical Earth culture; on several occasions he has even admitted to loving Earth. GIR also has a strong love of Earth snacks, such as tacos, taquitos, candy, chocolate bubblegum, waffles, cupcakes, tuna, biscuits, chicken with mayonnaise, pizza, Suck Monkeys, numerous Poop products, mashed potatoes, muffins and corn. He can eat and enjoy them, even though he is a robot, and was even shown somehow becoming fat in the "Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom" after stealing all of the Halloween candy from trick-or-treaters.

GIR and Monkey 1

GIR watching his favorite show, The Scary Monkey Show

Despite his sub-par disguises, GIR is actually quite good at blending in with the humans, due to his behavior and intelligence being similar to theirs. In "Attack of the Saucer Morons", he even befriended multiple teenage human females. His favorite assignment from Zim is "monitoring Earth broadcasts" (in other words, watching TV); when doing so, he usually watches The Scary Monkey Show, which he has declared to be his "favorite show". His favorite movie is Intestines of War, which he has seen over one hundred times ("FBI Warning of Doom"). GIR is also very loyal to Zim, despite disobeying him often and mainly being a hindrance to his plans.

There have been times where Dib has "tricked" him into doing things, like putting a camera in Zim's Base in "Zim Eats Waffles", and even inviting him into the base during "The Frycook What Came from All That Space". This is probably because Dib doesn't seem to bother GIR as much as he does Zim, saying in "Planet Jackers" that "he seems nice". By the time of "Mysterious Mysteries" however, GIR seemed to be aware of Dib's antipathy toward his master, and flat-out defended him, though this was probably because Zim told GIR exactly what to say.

GIR does not hate or dislike anyone, which contrasts very sharply with Zim, Dib and especially Gaz. He instead approaches everything in the world, living or not, with boundless affection and enthusiasm.

Duty Mode

Duty duty duty duty duuuu

GIR in the rare Duty Mode

Every so often, GIR will display brief instances of complete functionality. Usually triggered by Zim giving an order, this "Duty Mode" is made manifest by the teal parts of GIR's body and eyes flashing red, his voice changing from high-pitched to harsh, deep and rough, and GIR himself snapping to attention, alert and utterly obedient. He concludes it with a salute and response of "Yes, sir!". These random bouts never last for long, though, and after a few seconds, GIR is right back to his gleeful, hyperactive self.

GIR's newfound anger

GIR's personality changes drastically after an intelligence boost

As it turns out, however, this brevity is probably a good thing for Zim: As he learned the hard way when he tried to lock GIR into Duty Mode via a Behavioral Modulator, if GIR was fully lucid all the time, he would quickly realize that his own master was a threat to their mission to conquer Earth, and would quickly eliminate him ("GIR Goes Crazy and Stuff").

Equipment

Search Mode GIR

GIR's vision while using his advanced GPS

Piggy Volcano

GIR releasing rubber pigs from his head

GIR possesses "superior geographic abilities" that were given to him by Zim. In his head there are an array of various weapons, but he rarely uses them. There is also a great deal of empty space that he uses to store things, like a giant pile of rubber piggies, a puppy, or even a beehive. This is implied to be the "thermos" function stated by Tallest Red to be built into all SIR units. He also has X-ray vision, the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes, and jets in his feet.

GIR goes crazy 3

GIR's vision while analyzing Zim

GIR can also analyze living things and inanimate objects, from race to intelligence.

Role in Invader ZIM

Get off my head

GIR, Zim's "evil" henchman

GIR serves as Zim's "evil" henchman, but is usually more of a hindrance than a help. As stated above, he has complied when Dib asked favors from him and replaced vital equipment with food in "Walk of Doom". Moreover, his erratic behavior has often ended up having catastrophic consequences and ruining Zim's plans. However, GIR has bailed Zim out occasionally, saving him from alien fanatics in "Attack of the Saucer Morons". He can also be used as a form of transportation when the Voot Cruiser is unavailable, such as in "The Nightmare Begins".

Bloody GIR

Main article: Bloody GIR
BloodyGIR 01

Bloody GIR as seen before the Dib sequence in Mortos Der Soulstealer

Bloodygir

The infamous Bloody GIR

Bloody GIR is an Easter egg visible in several episodes of Invader Zim. Bloody GIR was born when Nickelodeon refused to allow a scene involving GIR covered with blood. The crew inserted the forbidden image into single frames in a few episodes. Post-production supervisor Jason Stiff has confirmed that the image appears in "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy". The existence of Bloody GIR has been confirmed by director Steve Ressel in interviews. The frames were reportedly scattered throughout the episodes following "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy" by Ressel and Chris Graham. Bloody GIR can be seen the most clearly during the opening in Mortos der Soulstealer, when the purple pipe from Zim's house envelops the shot right before Dib's sequence. In fact, it is almost in plain sight. Although many claim to see Bloody GIR in almost every episode, Simons stated at the 2011 InvaderCON that he only inserted Bloody GIR into a couple of episodes.

Facts of Doom

  • GIR apparently has a "defensive mode" activated by voice command via Zim, although it typically results in GIR being actually even more unhelpful than usual. In "Abducted", for example, Zim activated GIR's Defensive Mode with the intent of preventing two aliens from abducting them; instead, GIR simply leaped into the sack that the aliens had brought. Defensive mode was used again in "Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom", when Zim was barricading the house against an onslaught of trick-or-treaters; its activation led GIR to cheerfully hop out of the nearest window. Defensive Mode was last used in "Zim Eats Waffles", when Zim activated it in desperation against an attacking Giant Flesh-Eating Cyborg Squid; GIR responded by offering the squid two ice cream cones out of his head as it beat Zim with a microwave.
GIR Globs Of Doom

GIR as he appears in Nicktoons: Globs of Doom, holding the first piece of the Vessel of Portentia (which happens to resemble a metal taco)

  • GIR literally breaks the fourth wall by running into the screen during the title sequence.
  • GIR's feet squeak when he walks, regardless of whether or not he is wearing his dog disguise.
  • Rikki Simons originally had his recorded dialogued increased in pitch post-recording to voice GIR, his natural voice being much too low to perform it. A metallic effect is also added to make his voice sound more mechanical. At OMGCon 2010, Simons claimed he had learned to perform GIR's voice without the need to digitally increase the pitch, although the metallic effect was still necessary.
  • He also appears in many games like Nicktoons: Globs of Doom, Nicktoons: MLB (as an announcer) and is playable in a game called Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots, although in AOTTB DS edition, his voice is a lower pitch then his normal voice, resembling his voice in the Pilot Episode despite the fact he is still voiced by Rikki Simons in the games.
  • He is the color commentator in Nicktoons MLB, according to his collectible card. When he was told he was going to be the CC, he said, "I WON ALL THE SQUISHY TACO SOAP!".
  • He seems to like anything he sees, but especially loves tacos, cupcakes, monkeys, pigs, T.V., and most food.
  • GIR has been featured on more Invader Zim merchandise than any other character.
  • In the title sequence when Zim falls into his Voot Cruiser, GIR's eyes are green.
  • GIR's brain consists of pocket lint, a paperclip, a penny, and a marble, all of which were the contents of Tallest Purple's pockets at the time he was hastily assembled.
  • GIR makes an appearance in two of Snafu's web comics: PowerPuff Girls Doujinshi, and Invader Zim: Manifest Doom.
  • GIR also makes an appearance in the Night After School series.
  • GIR's Japanese voice actress is also known for voicing Doraemon from the series of the same name.
  • While Irwin Daayán voices GIR in the Spanish dub, Víctor Ugarte voices him in duty mode in "Gir Goes Crazy and Stuff"
  • GIR's famous "bacon soap" quote from Rise of the Zitboy, much like Courteney Lily's shouting from almost being crushed by Mars in Battle of the Planets, had also become an audio meme on Flipnote Hatena back when it was still active

See also

Gallery

Want to see more photos? Visit GIR:Screenshots!

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