Hisuian Zorua has arrived in Pokémon Go-but spotting this ghostly fox is trickier than you might expect. Disguised as your own buddy Pokémon during the Hisui Celebration event, catching one (and its eerie evolution, Hisuian Zoroark) will test even the sharpest-eyed trainers.
Below we explain how to find Hisuian Zorua in Pokémon Go, how to evolve it into Hisuian Zoroark, and if you can catch it shiny.
How to get Hisuian Zorua in Pokémon Go
Hisuian Zorua made its Pokémon Go debut during the Ultra Unlock: Hisui Celebration event from July 8 to July 13, 2025, appearing as a featured wild spawn with increased encounter rates during this period. To catch Hisuian Zorua, explore areas with high Pokémon density and keep an eye out for wild spawns, as it may also disguise itself as your current buddy Pokémon-tapping and catching these disguised Pokémon will reveal the true Hisuian Zorua. Additionally, Hisuian Zorua can be obtained as a reward for completing special Collection Challenges linked to the event, and encountering space-time anomalies can further boost your chances. If you miss the event, trading with another Trainer who caught one is your best option.
Similarly to its Unovan counterpart, Hisuian Zorua will disguise itself as your buddy on the overworld screen. Once you tap the Pokémon and catch it, a screen will appear saying “Oh?” showing your fake buddy turn into Hisuian Zorua.
That said, if you’re in an area with a high number of spawns, you can set your buddy to something unique to make it stick out of the crowd. Picks like Legendary Pokémon or shiny Pokémon are good choices, as you know you wouldn’t usually see those on the overworld screen.
If you’re striking out finding Hisuian Zorua in the wild, you can grab it during the “Ultra Unlock: Hisui Celebration” event until July 13 as rewards for the “Shock, Flame, and Spike” and “Evolution in Flight” Collection Challenges.
How to evolve Hisuian Zorua into Hisuian Zoroark in Pokémon Go
To evolve Hisuian Zorua into Hisuian Zoroark in Pokémon Go, you simply need to collect 50 Zorua Candy. There are no special evolution requirements beyond this-just like with many other Pokémon species, using 50 candies will trigger the evolution. If you’re running low on Zorua Candy, try using Pinap Berries when catching Hisuian Zorua to increase the candy yield, and set it as your buddy to passively earn more as you walk.
Hisuian Zorua doesn’t have any fancy evolution requirements to evolve it. You can just use 50 Zorua Candy to evolve it, as you would most other Pokémon. Whew!
Can Hisuian Zorua be shiny in Pokémon Go?
Hisuian Zorua cannot be shiny in Pokémon Go as of its debut during the Ultra Unlock: Hisui Celebration event in July 2025. Multiple authoritative sources confirm that the shiny variant of Hisuian Zorua-and its evolution, Hisuian Zoroark-has not been introduced to the game yet, and only the standard forms are currently available. While trainers can prepare for a future shiny release by catching and evolving Hisuian Zorua now, the shiny forms will be added at a later, as-yet-unannounced date.
What secrets does Hisuian Zorua’s disguise hold during catchings
Hisuian Zorua’s disguise in Pokémon Go is unique in that it always takes on the appearance of your current buddy Pokémon in the wild, not revealing its true identity until caught. This means:
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You might see a “copy” of your buddy on the map-even if it’s a shiny, legendary, or otherwise rare Pokémon-and only after catching it will it unmask itself as Hisuian Zorua.
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The disguise maintains any unique features your buddy has (e.g., shiny forms, shadows, purified auras), helping clever players identify imposters if they notice unusual spawns matching their buddy’s rarity.
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Using Hisuian Zorua as your buddy theoretically allows Zorua to spawn without a disguise, making it easier to catch directly in its original form after your first catch.
The core secret is that Hisuian Zorua’s mimicry is based on your chosen buddy, meaning the best way to spot it is to watch for unexpected doubles of your buddy Pokémon in the wild-especially if it’s something you’d rarely encounter otherwise. The disguise disappears only after it is caught, so until that moment, its true identity is masked to all players.
What specific features reveal when Hisuian Zorua is disguised during catchings
During wild encounters, Hisuian Zorua’s disguise is extremely thorough: it appears as an exact copy of your current buddy Pokémon, including specific features such as:
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Shiny status: If your buddy is shiny, the disguised Zorua will display the shiny sparkle and coloration, but Zorua itself will not be shiny unless you are lucky.
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Costumes: Any costumes or special outfits worn by your buddy will be mirrored in the disguise.
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Best Buddy Ribbon: The ribbon indicating “Best Buddy” status will appear if your buddy has it.
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Shadow or Purified Aura: The glowing purple (Shadow) or white (Purified) aura your buddy wears will be copied in the disguise.
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Other unique visual traits: Any special characteristics applied to your buddy (event forms, hats, etc.) will be present.
These features are purely visual and only apply to the illusion; they don’t affect the actual Zorua you catch. The disguise is only revealed after catching, at which point Zorua returns to its true form in a transformation cutscene.
