Team Skull Grunt (Trainer class)/Anime

Team Skull Grunts debuted in Alola to New Adventure! when three of them, Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp, were seen harassing and then taking him on in a Pokémon battle. The three grunts made a bet with Kiawe, saying they would get his if they won. Kiawe accepted the challenge and then sent out. and stepped in to assist Kiawe as they felt that what the three grunts were doing was unfair. Kiawe was able to defeat the three grunts by having his Turtonator use the Z-Move,, causing them to retreat. They reappeared in Young Kiawe Had a Farm!, using their, , and to get revenge on Kiawe. However, they were soon defeated by Pikachu's.

Several Grunts appeared in a flashback in Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio!. They were attacking a when  appeared with her  and defeated them with.

Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp appeared again in Alolan Open House!, in which they attempted to steal three Ride. They then battled and, but were soon defeated by Pikachu's Gigavolt Havoc again.

The trio reappeared in A Team-on-Team Tussle!, where they tried to take a Darkinium Z that was stuck in a mountain which was being guarded by multiple and. One of the Raticate was a Totem Pokémon. They fought against, who were also trying to take the Z-Crystal. In the end, Team Rocket ended up with the Darkinium Z. In A Glaring Rivalry!, they confronted in an attempt to steal his, but were swiftly defeated by his.

In Turning Heads and Training Hard!, Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp, alongside multiple other Team Skull Grunts, arrived at the Pokémon School, where they challenged Ilima to a battle. However, the Grunts were soon defeated by Ilima's, who was powered up by.

Multiple Team Skull Grunts appeared in SM115, with a Grunt named Akitoshi being among them. They were seen at the Shady House alongside Guzma and Plumeria, watching 's announcement on TV with them.