Key Takeaways
- Celebi is unlocked via the A Ripple in Time Special Research task, which requires evolving both Espeon (daytime) and Umbreon (nighttime)
- This gate exists to ensure time investment — Espeon needs 10 km + 10 km + 10 km candy, Umbreon the same
- The requirement is not arbitrary — both evolutions demand different times of day, forcing players to engage with the game across multiple sessions
- Celebi itself is a Mythical Pokémon, making the hoops arguably justified
Why Does Celebi Want Two Eeveelutions?
Celebi isn't handed out for free in Pokémon GO. Unlike Mew, which you can obtain through A Mythical Discovery after reaching level 5, Celebi is locked behind A Ripple in Time, a six-step Special Research line introduced in July 2020.
And that sixth step? It doesn't just ask you to evolve an Eevee. It demands you evolve both Espeon and Umbreon — a duo that, between them, requires a minimum of 50 km of walking (25 km each if using Pinap berries to double candy) and strict attention to day/night timing.
Step 6: "Evolve an Espeon and an Umbreon"
Reward: [Special Encounter] Celebi
The Time Investment Hustle
Espeon evolves only during the day (in-game day, roughly 6 AM to 8 PM local time). Umbreon evolves only during the night (in-game night). Both require 25 candy — which means walking Eevee as your buddy for 10 km at minimum (if you feed it a Pinap Berry when you claim the candy, you get double, but you still need to walk).
This is the core design philosophy: force engagement. Niantic didn't want players to power-level through the game in a weekend. They wanted you to care for an Eevee, walk with it, time your evolution carefully, and do it twice.
Why Not Just Any Evolution?
Could they have asked for a Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon instead? After all, those are easier — just use a Water Stone, Thunder Stone, or Fire Stone (via the Move Tutor event). No walking required.
The answer: storytelling. Celebi is a timid, nature-attuned Legendary/Mythical Pokémon. Espeon (a Psychic-type connected to the sun and light) and Umbreon (a Dark-type connected to the moon and darkness) represent duality — day and night, light and shadow. It's a narrative beat that makes the research feel like a quest rather than a checklist.
Celebi Is Mythical
Celebi is classified as a Mythical Pokémon, a tier above Legendary. In the main-series games, Mythicals are almost always distributed via event. They are the rarest collectibles. The fact that you can obtain Celebi purely through gameplay — without an event code or limited-time window — is generous.
The double-Eeveelution requirement is the price of admission. And given that Celebi is a Grass/Psychic-type with access to moves like Leaf Storm, Psychic, and Future Sight, plus its exclusive move Synthesis in raids, the hoops feel reasonable.
Pro Tip: If you've already evolved an Espeon and Umbreon for this task and want to evolve them again later (for raids or GO Battle League), you can use the Name Trick — name an Eevee "Tamao" for Umbreon, or "Sakura" for Espeon. But these name-tricks only work once per account.
How Long Does It Actually Take?
| Requirement | Time Needed |
|---|---|
| Walk Eevee to 10 km (1st) | ~2–3 days of light walking |
| Evolve to Espeon (day) | Anytime between 6 AM – 8 PM |
| Walk Eevee to 10 km (2nd) | ~2–3 days |
| Evolve to Umbreon (night) | Anytime between 8 PM – 6 AM |
| Complete Special Research | Steps 1–5 take ~1 week of passive play |
Realistically, most players finish A Ripple in Time in 10–14 days if they're not hardcore walkers. If you're in a rural area with sparse PokéStops or bad weather, it can stretch to a month.
The Celebi You Get
The Celebi you receive from A Ripple in Time is not shiny-locked. Players have reported shiny Celebi encounters from this encounter. However, the odds are standard shiny odds (~1 in 450 for wild encounters, likely boosted for research encounter).
The base stats are:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 170 |
| Defense | 152 |
| Stamina | 207 |
Celebi's typing (Grass/Psychic) gives it decent coverage, but its low Defense and mid-tier Attack make it more of a collector's item than a meta-relevant pick for PvE or PvP.
Bottom Line: Celebi's requirement of both Espeon and Umbreon is a deliberate design choice to gate the rarest Pokémon behind a time-and-effort investment. It's annoying, but it makes obtaining her feel earned. And once you have her, you'll flex on the trade lobby.
FAQ
Can I skip the Espeon and Umbreon requirement?
No. Both evolutions are hard requirements. You cannot use a Level-Up item, a TM, or a name trick instead.
Can I evolve my existing Espeon and Umbreon from before?
Yes — as long as you haven't transferred them or used them in a prior research task. The game checks for the evolution event, not the source.
Is shiny-eligible Celebi confirmed?
Yes, but very rare. Most players report non-shiny Celebi. If you're hunting for shiny, be prepared for disappointment — or extreme luck.
Does Celebi have exclusive moves?
Celebi can learn Synthesis (via Elite TM or event move), but it's not exclusive. Its other moves (Leaf Storm, Psychic, Future Sight) are all standard TM/E-TM moves.