James
- If you were looking for the voice actor, seeEli James.For the graphic designer, seeJames Turner. For the recurring character whose Japanese name is James, seeHobbes.
James (Japanese:コジロウKojirō) is a member ofTeam Rocket, and one of the main antagonists ofPokémon the Series as part of theTeam Rocket trio. AlongsideJessie andMeowth, he followsAsh Ketchum andhis friends around thePokémon world, usually trying to stealAsh's Pikachu.
In animation
Pokémon the Series
History
Pre-series
As an only child of millionaires, James was forced to endure formal society while growing up. Often having to take part in numerous lessons and activities he had little to no interest in, he eventually began to grow weary of the rules and standards that appeared to be ever-present within the upper-class.
At a young age, he was engaged to a girl namedJessebelle. It was revealed inThe Treasure Is All Mine! that he wanted to marry her at some point but he changed his mind after he saw how controlling and overbearing she was. Unable to stand her, he ran away, leaving his lavish lifestyle as well as his beloved petGrowlie behind.
InThe School of Hard Knocks,Jessie and James toldMeowth that while they were at thePokémon Trainers' schoolPokémon Tech, they both received the lowest scores in the school's history. The school later brought back bad memories for both Jessie and James.
After this, as revealed inThe Bridge Bike Gang, Jessie and James joined a bicycle gang inSunnytown. During his tenure there, James was known for using training wheels, subsequently acquiring the nicknames "Little Jim" and "Trainer James".
Due to conflicts in canon between Kanto and Johto episodes and the special episodeTraining Daze, what happened between James and Jessie after the bike gang is unknown. What is known, as shown in the special episode, is that they joined Team Rocket separately and were on initially unfriendly terms after being grouped withMeowth but they quickly made up and became good friends.
Pokémon the Series: The Beginning
James debuted inPokémon Emergency alongside Jessie and Meowth. The trio first set their sights on the injured Pokémon in theViridianPokémon Center. Sending out theirEkans andKoffing from theirMeowth balloon, they quickly overtook the Pokémon Center, which only hadNurse Joy,Ash, andMisty inside. Before they could steal any of the Pokémon, however,Ash's Pikachu, who teamed up with many otherPikachu in the Pokémon Center, used an electric attack, causing the entire Pokémon Center to explode. It was here that Team Rocket decided to capture Pikachu, deeming him as an exceptionally powerful Pokémon, and made it their goal to capture him.
InElectric Shock Showdown, after hearing that Pikachu would fight to defend his own honor and Ash's, the trio were inspired to cheer on Pikachu before his rematch againstVermilionGym LeaderLt. Surge'sRaichu.
InBattle Aboard the St. Anne, the Team Rocket trio worked together with otherTeam Rocket Grunts to steal the Pokémon of all theTrainers on board theS.S. Anne. Out on the open ocean, Team Rocket began taking the Pokémon of everyone by force. Ash led a counterattack against the Rockets, leading to a large battle and many of the members of Team Rocket being blasted off through the side of the ship. Afterwards, the S.S. Anne started taking on water and sunk, trapping Team Rocket, Ash, and his friends underwater.When the two groups met up, they initially fought, but Misty took charge and directed all of them in an emergency escape plan before the ship fell into the depths of the sea floor. They eventually found an exit, with Team Rocket nearly drowning due to having to rely onJames's Magikarp to swim them to safety. After getting stranded, Magikarp evolved intoGyarados and sent them all flying with a cyclone made fromDragon Rage.
InHoly Matrimony!, James returned to his home as a result of a trap byhis parents, who pretended to be dead in order to get him to come back to the estate, knowing he would return to pay his respects. He suspected that it was a trap, but he ended up being forced into participating by Jessie and Meowth, who wanted the fortune. After the deception was revealed, he was once again subjected to Jessebelle's torment until Growlie came to his rescue. After temporarily chasing Jessebelle away, James soon left his family's manor and as a result declined his inheritance. Growlie stayed behind upon James's request when he returned to Jessie and Meowth.
InThe Ultimate Test, James expressed interest in joining theIndigo Plateau Conference and decided to take thePokémon League Admissions Exam in order to accomplish that. However, when the results of an exam that measured his knowledge on Pokémon were revealed, he was shown to be one of the lowest ranking applicants along with Jessie and Ash. Later, during the practical skills exam, where he had to faceone of the instructors in three consecutiveSingle Battles, he broke the rules by sending two Pokémon at once and was expelled.
InThe Battle Of The Badge, James, Jessie, and Meowth were made the temporaryGym Leaders of theViridian Gym in Giovanni's place. Having rigged the platforms so that the Trainer feels the pain their Pokémon feels, they battled against Ash. Despite using Giovanni's Pokémon and cheating, they ultimately lost and were sentblasting off.
The Team Rocket triocontinued to follow Ash to theOrange Islands, where they were ordered by Giovanni to operate a blimp in an attempt to get rid of them. The three performed their duty as wait staff before realizing no one was piloting the blimp, and because of this it drifted straight into a storm. They then found Ash and friends and started a battle, which tore a hole in the blimp. Meowth attempted to make a parachute from some of the broken fabric, butJigglypuff landed on top of it andsang a song. Meowth, unable to stay awake, let go of the fabric, causing the trio to fall into the ocean and drift away.
After Jessie fell ill from inhalingVileplumeStun Spore inThe Stun Spore Detour, James and Meowth attempted to findSalveyo weed. However, they had to contend withMisty and her newly befriendedPoliwag, also on a mission to heal her friends, for the rare medicinal plant. Despite their antics, Misty later gave them some Salveyo weed.
Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver
InThe Trouble with Snubbull, Team Rocket first tried using Meowth as bait for a newly evolvedGranbull so they could collect a reward from the Granbull's owner,Madame Muchmoney. This failed, and they subsequently used a Meowth-shaped mecha for their next attempt. Through a misunderstanding over Meowth trying to release Granbull from the mecha's tail, Team Rocket were mistakenly assumed to have tricked Madame Muchmoney. When Team Rocket was blasted off following a battle between the mecha and Granbull, Granbull returned home and no longer followed Meowth.
InDues and Don'ts, the Team Rocket trio learned they'd been disbanded from Team Rocket for unpaid dues. However, aRocket Scout informed them she could get them back in if they prove themselves to her by defeating Ash and his friends. The three begged to borrow herDelibird to help them, which she agreed to. Even with the support, they failed to complete the mission, but were reinstated anyway due to a labor shortage. Their signing bonus helped pay off their bills, but the Rocket Scout informed them Delibird would be following them to make sure it didn't happen again. ByCan't Beat the Heat!, Delibird stopped following them, satisfied with the money they earned during theSilver Conference.
InWill the Real Oak Please Stand Up?, James impersonated the world-renownedProfessor Oak, while Jessie was disguised asDJ Mary, in a bid to enjoy all the perks of being famous. The real Oak and Mary arrived inMaroon Town for a meet-and-greet event when they were confronted with their doppelgangers. To solve the issue, James and Professor Oak went head-to-head. While James did well on the Pokémon knowledge,Nurse Joy saw through his poetry recital and accused him of being the fake. James attempted to impersonate Oak again during theTwinleaf Festival inA Faux Oak Finish!, where his true identity was again revealed.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
James went with Jessie and Meowth to Hoenn while they were stuck on the hull of the ship.
InThat's Just Swellow, James partook in theCrossgate PokéRinger competition. He was able to get to the final round withJessie's Dustox but lost toAsh's Swellow. He was taken by Jessie and Meowth to their balloon in which they reveal the stolen Pokémon. Swellow freed them withWing Attack and then Team Rocket was sent flying byPikachu.
InA Scare to Remember!, Pikachu developed amnesia after an attack by Team Rocket and their machine. Team Rocket took advantage of this and tricked Pikachu into joining them. Trying to get Pikachu back, Ash jumped on their balloon, and the trio ordered Pikachu to hit Ash with Thunderbolt. This caused them to get blasted off, while Ash and Pikachu fell into a river. As Ash protected him, Pikachu managed to regain his memory and got rid of Team Rocket once again.
InSweet Baby James, James reunited withNanny and Pop-Pop. While there, they looked after his sickChimecho while James got aMime Jr.
InOff the Unbeaten Path, James along his Team Rocket colleagues participated inPokémon Orienteering. He was able to win the contest with Mime Jr. Despite winning, James gave the fruit toAsh andhis friends for their actions earlier.
InThe Ole' Berate and Switch!, following a failed attempt of getting Ash's Pikachu, James separated with Jessie and Meowth, and met up withCassidy. James went back with Jessie and Meowth after Team Rocket were caught stealing a load of Poké Balls.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
The trio arrived in Sinnoh using their balloon. InTwo Degrees of Separation!, the trio arrived in James's vacation house and James retrieved hisCarnivine that he caught a long time ago. James left the house with Jessie and Meowth becauseMr. Cheeves told James thatJessebelle would be coming to the house soon. Giovanni approved the trio's plans to set up a Team Rocket branch in Sinnoh.
The trio were hired byTeam Galactic to steal theAdamant Orb from theEterna Historical Museum inA Secret Sphere of Influence!. Team Rocket successfully made the theft, framingNando in the process, but ultimately failed to get away with the orb.
James said goodbye to his cherishedCacnea inOnce There Were Greenfields, whileGardenia offered to train it. He struggled with the decision for sometime, like inThrowing the Track Switch andThe Keystone Pops! where he was particularly sad. Though he was pleased to hear that Cacnea had masteredDrain Punch inBarry's Busting Out All Over!.
InSleight of Sand!, the trio argued with Butch and Cassidy over who would steal aHippowdon. Their constant bickering made it easy for Ash and his friends to save the Heavyweight Pokémon.
InPursuing a Lofty Goal!, James borrowedJessie's Yanmega to enter theSquallville PokéRinger competition. In the first round, he and Yanmega faced off againstSteveland and hisSkiploom. James was confident he could win the match, but when an updraft hit the two Pokémon, Yanmega was left disoriented and fell to the ground. Skiploom used this opportunity to grab the ring from the balloon and bring it to the goal, earning Steveland the win. As a result, James was eliminated from the competition.
InDressed for Jess Success!, James disguised himself as Jessilina and entered theLilypad TownPokémon Contest in Jessie's place because she had caught a cold. In thePerformance Stage, James had Meowth use hisFury Swipes to slice ramen for theContest Judges, which impressed them enough and put James among the eightCoordinators moving on to theBattle Stage. There, James faced off againstDawn in the semifinals. During their battle, he took advantage of the fact thatMamoswine usually started the battle off by swallowingIce Shard and had Carnivine steal the Ice Shard withVine Whip before it happened. As a result, Mamoswine became enraged and James was able to win. James went on to the finals and won, earning himself aRibbon and gave it to Jessie afterwards.
AfterAsh's Monferno accidentally uncovered James's long-hidden treasure chest, containing a childhood love letter, all matter of chaos unfolded inThe Treasure Is All Mine!. While trying to keep the chest's content a secret, James's obsessed fiancée,Jessebelle, made an unwelcome appearance and tried to again get James to marry her.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
Jessie, James, and Meowth were sent to theUnova region under orders fromGiovanni after they were promoted inMemories are Made of Bliss!. Now wearing black uniforms instead of their previous white ones, Jessie and James, along with Meowth, followed various missions given to them by Giovanni through other people. To prevent them from getting too much attention, Giovanni did not allow their other Pokémon to be sent to them, making them use only Pokémon native to Unova. Unknown to the trio, Giovanni was not certain they would be successful; however, he knew that their presence in the region would forceTeam Plasma to reveal themselves. InBattling for the Love of Bug-Types!, Jessie and James go back to wearing their white uniforms. The trio seems to be more serious and is much less comedic than before, using thought-out methods of escape, such as jetpacks, and thus has not been sentblasting off inPokémon the Series: Black & White. They also appear much less often than in previous series.
The trio completed multiple missions for Giovanni in the early episodes of this series, with their first mission coming inTriple Leaders, Team Threats!. After arriving inStriaton City, Giovanni ordered them to visit a former laboratory located at the nearbyDreamyard, where they were tasked to take control of the area's mysterious ‘Future Energy'.They arrive and assemble a machine to collect data to be sent back to headquarters, though the machine ended up alerting Ash, his friends, andOfficer Jenny of their plan. The machine is destroyed, but not before they transmitted the data back to HQ for analysis.
InThe Bloom Is On Axew!, Giovanni instructed the trio to head to theDesert Resort and meet up with another Team Rocket agent to investigate ameteorite fragment located there.Upon arriving at the meetup location, the trio were surrounded by the police. As Officer Jenny prepared to arrest them, the agent-Pierce-arrived and rescued them. As they escaped, Pierce handed a briefcase to James with vital information.
InA Home for Dwebble!, the trio succeeded in their mission to steal data concerning the Meteonite from theAntimony Research Lab.
InA Night in the Nacrene City Museum!, the trio was given a mission to break into theNacrene Museum and swap out a fake meteorite with the real one, which they accomplished in thenext episode, andlater handed it off toDr. Zager.
InA Venipede Stampede!, they located the Meteonite in the Desert Resort. This would be their final mission from Giovanni, and after this they were advised to act on their own in the best interest of Team Rocket. The three decided to focus on what they do best-trying to capture Ash's Pikachu.
InStopping the Rage of Legends! Part 2,afterdestroying the shrines ofTornadus andThundurus, Team Rocket tried to capture the forces of nature, but were thwarted by Ash and his friends.
InA Restoration Confrontation! Part 1, the trio were given a mission by Dr. Zager to obtain aCover Fossil insideTwist Mountain, which would be used to open a time gate to steal countlessFossil Pokémon from the past. Once they stole one fromFerris, they retreated to Dr. Zager's helicopter. The Cover Fossil was successfully revived into aTirtouga, but it escaped from the group. Team Rocket chased it down-where it evolved into aCarracosta-and held it down in front of the Time Gate. As they were about to pass through the gate, Ash and his friends arrived to stop them. This, along with Carracosta from the past, forced Team Rocket to flee emptyhanded.
The trio reappeared inAn Epic Defense Force!, where they tried to capture aMeloetta for a future job: OperationTempest. The plan continued in All for the Love of Meloetta!, where they were able to injure Meloetta before it was found by Ash andCynthia. InMeloetta and the Undersea Temple!, the operation began in full, with the trio capturing Ash, Pikachu, and Meloetta and bringing them to theAbyssal Ruins.
Once there, Giovanni used Meloetta's song to summon theReveal Glass and the forces of nature. During the battle, Giovanni possessed by the Reveal Glass, and Meowth, Jessie, and James jumped in and removed him from its influence. He then ordered a full retreat from the Unova region, with the trio joining him.
Along withJessie andMeowth, James reappeared inNew Places... Familiar Faces!, where he returned to Unova for the first time since their Operation Tempest and temporary retreat back to Kanto. He went back to this old ways by catching Pikachu but with a new addition to his team, with James catching anAmoonguss sometime before meeting up with Ash and his friends. InThe Dream Continues!, he is forced to give away his Pokémon to Giovanni under the pretense that he captured them for him.
Pokémon the Series: XY
Team Rocket followed Ash into theKalos region. InA Battle of Aerial Mobility!, Giovanni approved the trio's plan to steal as many rare and powerful Pokémon as they could in Kalos. In the same episode, James caught anInkay.
InA Battle by Any Other Name!, the Team Rocket trio entered thePoké Puff Contest. After failing the preliminary round, the three decided to instead steal all the food and Pokémon at the event. They are stopped by a combined attack from the twerps Pokémon.
The episodeFacing the Grand Design! focuses highly on the strong bond between James and Inkay. During the episode, Inkay was furious whenMalamar showed up with two other evil Malamar, and while Jessie and Meowth believed it was because Inkay wanted to hand them over to the evil Malamar, James knew otherwise, but was still concerned about why Inkay was acting the way he was. Later on after escaping being caught by the evil Malamar along with Meowth, Inkay, and Clemont, James found out through Meowth's translation that Inkay was furious with the evil Malamar for hypnotizing him in the past and wanted to make Malamar pay for what it had done.
Inkay then began talking to the forest Inkay and Malamar to try and get them to help with the quest to stop the evil Malamar. At first, the good Malamar were skeptical about Inkay's story until one of the Malamar showed up and attacked the forest Pokémon withHyper Beam. As the gang worked to stop the evil Malamar, the leader captured Inkay and brainwashed him withHypnosis and made him attack his Trainer. James took Inkay'sTackle head on and then fed him a croissant, Inkay's favorite food. As he ate, Inkay began to remember all the times he and Inkay spent together, and Inkay was successfully returned to normal. When the group finally defeated the evil Malamar, Team Rocket watched the forest Pokémon as the Inkay led James's Inkay into the forest to play with them. James got up to leave without Inkay, but Inkay went back to him. Although at first James told Inkay that all he wanted was for him to be happy, so he wasn't going to ask him to stay with him, Inkay began shouting at James and Meowth translated this to say that being with his Trainer and the rest of Team Rocket makes him happy. James was overcome with tears of joy after hearing this.
InParty Dancecapades!, James and his team members decided to attend a dance party hosted byMonsieur Pierre. After seeing Serena and her friends go inside, James noted that it was no surprise that they were there as well, and Meowth noted that it would be a perfect chance to catch Pikachu. Jessie andGourgeist then approached the two, and Jessie decided that James would be her date while Gourgeist decided Inkay to be hers. Later, he was seen being flailed by Jessie during their dance. With the dance party over, Monsieur Pierre announced a Tag Battle and Miette and James were partnered against Ash and Serena, much to the chagrin of James. However, despite putting up a good fight, James and Miette lost, much to the frustration of Jessie and Gourgeist.
InAn Explosive Operation!, Jessie, James, and Meowth were first seen contacting Giovanni and informed them aboutTeam Flare anda powerful Pokémon which can exhibit various Formes. Intrigued, Giovanni assigned them with the task to catch thePokémon. As the trio searched for Squishy, they met up withanother Pokémon resembling Squishy but having a blue core and Team Flare scientistsAliana andMable. After his Inkay successfully damaged the device which was used by Team Flare to catch Z2, Jessie sent out her Gourgeist to attackMable's Weavile andAliana's Druddigon withSeed Bomb which created smoke, successfully allowing Team Rocket to escape with Z2. Upon noticing the tired condition of Z2, he climbed up a small cliff and put it on the top which allowed it to regain its energy byphotosynthesis. He and his teammates were confronted once again by Team Flare but despite putting up a good fight, his Inkay ended up losing. Later, he witnessed Z2 transform into its 50% Forme to fight against Team Flare's Pokémon and laterAlain's Charizard. When the Order Pokémon lost, he along with his teammates jumped in front of Z2 to rescue it from Team Flare but ended up being blasted off by Mable'sWeavile and Aliana'sDruddigon.
InMaster Class Is in Session!, James first appeared praising Jessie, who had entered theGloire CityPokémon Showcase Master Class, as the future Kalos Queen. He seemed visibly excited just before the first round of Master Class, claiming that they could successfully return to the life of crime if Jessie managed to win this. He, time and again, cheered Jessilee from the sidelines during her performances, causing his neighbors to be bothered. When the Master Class was over, he, along with Meowth, Inkay, Gourgeist and Wobbuffet, were seen walking behind a silent Jessie through Gloire City, fearing her wrath on losing. However, she shrugged their fears and decided that she just wanted to give them a feast for supporting her, which causes them to be overjoyed and jump over her; Jessie then angrily declared that the feast shall be financed by James, something James readily accepted.
He, his teammates, and Jessie's Wobbuffet worked asMalva's assistants during theLumiose Conference fromA League of His Own! toDown to the Fiery Finish!, with the aim of earning money and capturing any strong Pokémon in the Kalos League. However, they were not very pleased with their job and felt that they were overworking; despite this, they did not quit their jobs. InKalos League Passion with a Certain Flare!, they made it a point to steal the two finalists, Ash andAlain's, Pokémon after the battle, but could not execute their plan due to Team Flare wreaking havoc inLumiose City.
InComing Apart at the Dreams!, he, in disguise of a news reporter, set out with his teammates,Serena,Mairin andProfessor Sycamore towardsLysandre Labs in an attempt to take over the base and bring Team Flare down. They reached theLysandre Labs inThe Right Hero for the Right Job!, where a surprise attack fromCelosia'sDrapion caused him, and his teammates, to be enraged enough to remove their disguises and take on Celosia and Drapion with his Inkay. Inthe next episode, he finally subdued Celosia, Mable, and their Pokémon by trapping them in a net, and after theGiant Rock transformed into a Zygarde, fled theLysandre Labs along with his teammates on their helicopter. He piloted the helicopter as they followed the Rock on its way towardsAnistar City, and like his teammates, was utterly surprised to see the sevenGym Leaders and Kalos ChampionDiantha arrive on the scene to deal with the Giant Rock. He later assisted Ash and Alain in infiltrating the Giant Rock by sending out his Inkay inForming a More Perfect Union! to fight the Megalith Zygarde. One of the roots, however, blasted him and his teammates out of the helicopter, but they were saved byDiantha's Gardevoir.
After the disaster, he and his teammates claimed sole credit for defeating Team Flare to Giovanni.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
InLoading the Dex!, the trio arrived in theAlola region to obtain some rare Alolan Pokémon for Giovanni, as well as Ash's Pikachu, which they were surprised to find onMelemele Island. They had also left Inkay and Gourgeist behind at the headquarters. They allied with aMimikyu which hated Pikachu, but at the end of the episode, a wildBewear kidnapped Jessie and James. InFirst Catch in Alola, Ketchum-Style!, the Bewear looked after the trio, giving them food and shelter at its den. Jessie used James'sLuxury Ball to capture Mimikyu.
InThe Sun, the Scare, the Secret Lair!, James made an attempt to catch aCarvanha, but he failed. However, in the same episode, he managed to catch a femaleMareanie after saving her from aTentacruel.
InA Seasoned Search!, the trio completed their secret base in Bewear's den.
InA Team-on-Team Tussle!, the trio, upon learning aboutZ-Moves, began their search for aZ-Crystal. They discovered aDarkinium Z in a nest ofAlolanRattata andRaticate, led by aTotem Raticate, and attempted to retrieve it. However, they were intercepted by members ofTeam Skull, also after the same Z-Crystal. Ultimately, after a clash with the other team, and with the Totem Pokémon, the trio obtained the Z-Crystal for themselves.
InPulling Out the Pokémon Base Pepper!, James, along with his teammates, playedPokémon Base against Ash andhis classmates in an effort to getOluolu's autograph for Jessie, but lost.
InAlola, Kanto!, Team Rocket was revealed to have flown to Kanto as per orders from the headquarters. At the airport, the trio noticedMisty andBrock meet up with Ash and his classmates, and after eavesdropping on the group's conversation, decided to steal Pokémon off ofProfessor Oak's Laboratory to present them to Giovanni. However, their attempt to steal the group's Pokémon was thwarted, and they were carried back to Alola by Bewear inWhen Regions Collide!.
InFighting Back the Tears!, James fought with Mareanie's former crush, aToxapex, for her affections. Later, James talked about leaving Mareanie with Toxapex. She eavesdropped on this and subsequently ran away, later finding sanctuary with Ash atProfessor Kukui's house. The next morning, James saw Mareanie being attacked by another Tentacruel, and saved her again. Despite their reunion, he still insisted onreleasing Mareanie, leaving her in tears. However, James was then challenged to a fight by Toxapex to make Mareanie happy, which ended in a tie. Following the fight, Mareanie decided to stay with James, which he accepted.
InWhy Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, Mareanie learnedKnock Off, meaning the trio finally had a move that worked with their Darkinium Z. They reported this to Giovanni and Matori, who informed them they needed a Z-Ring to use it. Giovanni told them to head toUla'ula Island to meetNanu, an old acquaintance of his who could help them out. They later arrived on the island and ran into aGengar-nicknamed Greedy Rapooh-who stole their Darkinium Z. They chased it down, with Mimikyu attacking it with Shadow Ball. Greedy Rapooh jumps from body to body possessing them; James used the distraction to retrieve the Darkinium Z. As the battle continued, Nanu arrived and gave the trio aZ-Power Ring. The Greedy Rapooh is then defeated with Mareanie'sBlack Hole Eclipse. Afterwards, Jessie was given aMimikium Z fromAcerola.
InA Battle Hand-Off!, Team Rocket acted as Ash's opponent during hisThrifty Megamarttrial. Mimikyu battled Pikachu, and eventually Mimikyu usedLet's Snuggle Forever, with all of Team Rocket working together to provide the Z-Power. However, Pikachu was able to survive the Z-Move when he shielded himself with his newly learnedElectroweb. When Ash'sElectrium Z turned into aPikashunium Z, Pikachu was able to use10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt, which defeated Mimikyu.
InSpying for the Big Guy!, Giovanni informed the trio that he wanted them to send Bewear to him, as they had earlier stated they had caught her. They attempted to catch her before realizing it would be impossible, after which Matorni and her Meowth appeared demanding the Strong Arm Pokémon. They managed to stall by promising other strong Pokémon-namely those belonging to Ash and his friends andGrandpa Forest. Both attempts failed, and Matori settled for takingStufful. Unable to let their friend be taken, the trio tricked Matori into taking Meowth disgused as Stufful. When the ruse was discovered, Matori's Meowth attacked, which summoned Bewear to the rescue.
InBattle Royal 151!, James entered theManalo Conference alongside Jessie. Disguised asJamesio (Japanese:デコジロウDekojirō), James was among the 151 Trainers taking part in theBattle Royal preliminary round. Using Mareanie, James was one of the 16 Trainers still standing at the end of the round. The match-ups for the next round revealed that he would be battling Jessie.
InThe Battlefield of Truth and Love!, James used Mareanie against Jessie and Wobbuffet, but resigned himself to defeat and took a halfhearted approach to the match. When Mareanie became locked in a stalemate with Wobbuffet, James advised her to throw the match by pretending to be defeated. However, her resolve to continue battling inspired James to take the fight more seriously, and his newfound determination to win allowed Mareanie to defeat Wobbuffet with a relentlessSpike Cannon barrage. James subsequently advanced to the second round, where he was set to faceGladion.
InImitation Is the Sincerest Form of Strategy!, Jessie gave James the trio'sZ-Power Ring to be used in his battle against Gladion, telling him not to lose. Remembering his motivation to reach the Masked Royal in the Manalo Conference'sexhibition match, James and Mareanie resolved to give it their best in the battle. In the match, Mareanie was getting badly beaten up byGladion's Lycanroc, so James decided to performBlack Hole Eclipse. However, Gladion countered it withContinental Crush, before dealing the finishing blow on Mareanie. Despite James's fear of being scolded by Jessie for his loss, she instead comforted him, and the trio returned to selling Malasadas.
InThank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!, Team Rocket received a call from HQ to return to headquarters. Unable to believe Mimikyu and Mareanie would be happy there, they released the two Pokémon before returning to Kanto.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
InIvysaur's Mysterious Tower!, Giovanni ordered Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet to steal strong and rare Pokémon for the organization and make Team Rocket known and feared across the world. He then promised to deliver them a new secret weapon meant to help them achieve these objectives: TheRocket Prize Master. They used it for the first time against Ash andGoh, receiving aTyranitar andGyarados. Despite the powerful Pokémon, they lost to Ash's Pikachu.
Sometime prior toKicking It from Here Into Tomorrow!, Team Rocket was revealed to have made a secret base inVermilion City.
InA Talent for Imitation!, Team Rocket encountered a movie-starDitto who'd run away due to its inability to properlyTransform and itsTrainer's short temper. Deciding to make Ditto a new member of Team Rocket, the group worked to teach Ditto to control its nerves and transform properly. After learning that Ditto was needed back, however, Team Rocket pretended they'd kidnapped Ditto to cover up the fact it ran away. The trio provoked Ash and Pikachu to blast them off, and with that Ditto was returned to the studio.
InA Little Rocket R & R!, Team Rocket was ordered to go on vacation to theResort Area inSinnoh. However, the reward was a ploy by Matori and her agents, who planned to steal many Pokémon from the Resort Area. After overhearing her insulting them, the four decided to get their revenge by helping Ash and Goh free the Pokémon. The subsequent battle quickly turned against Matori and her unit, and whenOfficer Jenny arrived, they retreated.
InSword and Shield: The Darkest Day!, the trio were sent toGalar on Giovanni's command. During the trip, theDarkest Day began, and the trio planned on using the opportunity to captureEternatus. The plan failed, however, when Meowth was hit by a beam ofDynamax energy, causing him toGigantamax. Unable to handle the energy, he began to attack his teammates. Heeventually regained control of himself and went to attack Eternatus withG-Max Gold Rush, but was robbed of hisDynamax energy and subsequently sentblasting off by the Gigantic Pokémon.
InThe Good, The Bad, and The Lucky!, Team Rocket met up with Cassidy, who was running a café in a small snowy village with herRaticate. James grew to like the place and was encouraged by the others to stay, which he agreed to. He eventually got kicked out after hisMorpeko started eating all the food for the customers and returned to his friends.
InRadio Lulled the Mischievous Stars!, Team Rocket was ordered by Giovanni to recruit new members for Team Rocket. They figured radio was the best method, and as a result started a new late-night radio show. However, after their first episode, they discovered not a single person tuned in to listen. The second episode went no better, and as a result they gave the show a major overhaul. Through many changes, Team Rocket's radio program started to become more and more popular, but along the way they forgot about the goal of recruitment. They were later scolded by Giovanni for this, though they occasionally did the show for fun.
InTeam Rocket Expedition which stands by the evils of love and truth, James briefly travels alongside Jessie and Meowth to thePaldea region.
InRocket Revengers!, James, Jessie, and Meowth reunited with their Pokémon that had been residing atTeam Rocket HQ. Realizing the potential of such a large group, the team hatched a scheme to isolate Ash's Pikachu and capture him. The trio waited at the end of the trap, where they ambushed an isolated Pikachu. Despite their efforts, however, Pikachu was able to evade capture, and a wildLatias that had been following Ash intervened and sent the evil groupblasting off. Upset over the failure, the trio decided it was time to go their separate ways.
InAsh and Latios, he returned to the headquarters and gained a job working in the cafeteria, though the work was harder than he imagined. Helater snuck out to try and steal Pikachu once again, where he unexpectedly ran into Jessie and Meowth, who had gotten the same idea. Tired of working at the cafeteria, the Team Rocket trio rekindled their friendship and decided to work together once more. They launched their attack, snatching Pikachu in a net and reciting their motto to celebrate their reunion.Ash's Pidgeot came to Ash and Pikachu's rescue, and Pikachu delivered the usual blast-off Thunderbolt. Despite failing once again, the Team Rocket trio were happy to be together again and vowed to never give up on chasing after Pikachu as a team as they disappeared into the distance.
Character
James' well-traveled and wealthy lifestyle afforded him luxuries and time to become well-versed in various activities, including Pokémon Haiku,Pokémon Orienteering, andPokéRinger, among other things. Despite James' wealthy upbringing, he often criticizes it as sheltered and because ofJessebelle's harassment. JoiningTeam Rocket offered him an adventurous escape from his families demands, riches, and expectations.
However, there are certain instances where James has shown that he is not a bad person at all. His horrible past is the only reason he joinedTeam Rocket. Unlike his teammatesJessie andMeowth who have more rude personalities, James is actually shown to love and adore Pokémon since childhood. James has an odd and rather submissive personality. He regularly complies withJessie andMeowth's schemes, the results of which often do not fare in his favor, including the loss of his bottle caps and trading away hisVictreebel. He and Meowth also bear the brunt of Jessie's many tirades. However, James is sometimes shown to get angry himself, though not to the same extent as Jessie. Despite the arguments, James' self-doubt and lackluster confidence is bolstered by his teammates. InA Hole Lotta Trouble, Ash and Brock attempted to make James aware that he needed to assert himself without his teammates.
James also has atendency to cross-dress. He commonly impersonatesNurse Joy,Officer Jenny, and Jessie. He also often dresses up like famous celebrities likeProfessor Oak,Juan, andNorman, and impersonates other non-human objects, including Pokémon, animals, and shrubs. Largely because of this cross-dressing trait and his more submissive personality, the English dub often exaggerates this by making jokes inferring he is effeminate.
James has collected an impressive amount of rare bottle caps since he was a young child. In the episodeAll That Glitters! it is revealed that he has "drunk enough soda pop to float an aircraft carrier".
At times, instead of aPokédex, he uses a deck of cards to identify Pokémon, such as inGymbaliar! when he first learned ofCroagunk'sPoison Jab, or inMass Hip-Po-Sis! when he used it to look upHippopotas. The cards, used in theSinnoh region, shared similar details to an electronic Pokédex, including statistics like height and weight. InPokémon the Series: XY, James's Pokémon flash cards returned in the form of a handheld computer with a Pokédex function.
Victreebel andMareanie's overenthusiastic displays of affection are evidence of James' strong relationships with his Pokémon. James has been shown to be emotional and shares a close bond with his Pokémon, in which he prioritizes their health and potential. For example, James left hisChimecho at his old vacation home so it could recover fully from a fever inSweet Baby James. Also, inOnce There Were Greenfields, James acceptedGardenia's offer to trainCacnea on how to masterDrain Punch.
James has a tendency to be swindled by theMagikarp salesman, who, despite James's increasing wariness and personal vendetta against the shady character, has on many occasions tricked him into buying a Magikarp or other useless Pokémon and items for large sums of money.
Throughout most of the series, James and his two friends were presented as horribly failing and erroneous criminals, always botching their missions to capturePikachu or other Pokémon. However, early inPokémon the Series: Black & White, the Team Rocket trio had developed a more serious work attitude. This slowly reverted to the previous, blundering attitude by the end ofPokémon the Series: Black & White.
In the TCPi dub, James was given a Southern English dialect to his dialogue, occasionally using British terms such as "bloody" as well as referring to Mime Jr. as "Old Bean" once.
Pokémon
As the standards of the Team Rocket organization dictated, James was first shown with a Poison-type Pokémon. However, James seems to have a fondness for carnivorous (or at least dangerous)Grass-typePokémon, owningVictreebel,Cacnea,Carnivine, andAmoonguss. It was shown during a flashback inCream of the Croagunk Crop! how James, as a boy, foundCarnivine in theGreat Marsh. It was trapped in the mud and James rescued it; the two forming a bond of friendship. The capture of Cacnea early inHoenn furthered his apparent preference for Grass types. Often, when going into battle, his Grass Pokémon will show great affection towards James, which usually results in pain for him since all of them either have sharp teeth or spines.
It is also shown that James develops a strong bond with each of his Pokémon in general; James almost treats them as his own children, and they in turn are all greatly attached to him. This could stem from the childhood memories he occasionally brings up, where it is shown that while growing up James hadn't really had any friends other than his Pokémon. When it comes time to leave a Pokémon behind for one reason or another, James often has great difficulty in letting go of his beloved friends, as shown inA Poached Ego! when he had to release hisWeezing, and inThrowing the Track Switch, when he spend much of the episode depressed due to leaving hisCacnea behindone episode prior. He also repeatedly delayed telling hisMareanie that he was being recalled to headquarters and leaving her behind inThank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!. He ended up whispering his goodbyes while she was sleeping.
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon the Series: The Beginning
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon the Series: Gold and Silver (excludingLickitung)
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon the Series: Black & White
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon the Series: XY
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
Jessie and James's Pokémon fromPokémon Journeys: The Series
On hand
 Mime Jr. |  Carnivine |  Yamask ♂ |
 Amoonguss |  Inkay ♂ |  Morpeko |
Travels with
This section is for the Pokémon that James currently travels with, but has not caught.
 Meowth  ♂ |  Rotom Phone |
In training
 Cacnea |
At home
 Growlie |
With housekeepers
 Chimecho |
Released
 Koffing → Weezing |  Magikarp → Gyarados |  Weepinbell → Victreebel |  Mareanie ♀ |
Traded away
 Weepinbell → Victreebel |
Escaped
 Hoppip |
Lived with
This section is for the Pokémon that James lived with, but has not caught.
 Bewear ♀ |  Stufful |
Temporarily owned
Status unknown
| Debut | Tanks a Lot! |
|---|
MultiplePidgey were seen in one of Team Rocket's mottos in the episode. However, it is unknown if they still have the Pidgey with them or if the Pidgey even belong to them.
None of Pidgey's moves are known.
| Debut | Game Winning Assist |
|---|
SevenNumel were seen in a flashback of James's. He said he used to have them warm him up while he was sleeping. However, it is unknown if he owned them, or he just befriended them. It is also unknown if they still reside at his home.
None of Numel's moves are known.
Achievements
Pokémon League
James has competed in the followingPokémon League Conferences:
- Manalo Conference - Top 8 (as "Jamesio";Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Strategy!)
Pokémon competitions
James has competed in the followingPokémon competitions:
- Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest - N/A (with Jessie as "Rocket Boosters";Beauty and the Beach)
- P1 Grand Prix - Runner-up (with Jessie as "Giant";The Punchy Pokémon)
- Sunflora Festival - Disqualified (with Jessie as "Rock" and "Eta";Grin to Win!)
- Pokémon Beauty Contest - Disqualified (with Jessie;Beauty and the Breeder)
- Grass Tournament - Top 32 (as "Mr. Semaj";The Grass Route)
- Pokémon Balloon Race -DNF (with Jessie;The Big Balloon Blow-Up)
- Trick House Contest - DNF (A Poké-BLOCK Party!)
- PokéRinger
- Crossgate PokéRinger - Runner-up (That's Just Swellow)
- Squallville PokéRinger - Round 1 (as "Jamus";Pursuing a Lofty Goal!)
- Pokémon Orienteering - Winner (as "Jameson";Off the Unbeaten Path)
- Pokémon Dress-Up Contest - N/A (All Dressed Up With Somewhere To Go!)
- Pastoria Croagunk Festival - N/A (with Jessie;Cream of the Croagunk Crop!)
- LilypadContest - Winner (as "Jessilina";Dressed for Jess Success!; given to Jessie)
- Scalchop King Competition - Disqualified (with Jessie as "Jacen" and "Jesty";Crowning the Scalchop King!)
- Poké Puff Contest - Preliminary round (with Jessie;A Battle by Any Other Name!)
- Pokémon Sky Relay - Disqualified (with Jessie as "Team R";A Relay in the Sky!)
- Pokémon Pancake Race - Disqualified (Racing to a Big Event!)
- Charjabug race Koko Cup - Disqualified (with Jessie as "Bewear Max";Mounting an Electrifying Charge!)
- Alola Bread Festival - Unknown (with Jessie and Meowth;Sours for the Sweet!)
- Vikavolt race Fini Cup - DNF (as "Road Rocket Racer";A High-Speed Awakening!)
- Pokémon Grand Eating Contest - Runner-up (Crowning the Chow Crusher!)
Outfits
- Main article:Team Rocket trio's clothing
Jessie and James typically wear the same whiteuniforms across their appearances. However, early on inPokémon the Series: Black & White, they temporarily swapped these out for black uniforms instead. They also frequently weardisguises and have been known tocross-dress on numerous occasions.
Voice actors
| Language | Voice actor | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 三木眞一郎Shin-ichiro Miki | |
| English | Ted Lewis (EP002-EP008,A Sneak Peek at Pokémon) Eric Stuart (EP009-AG145,M01-M08,Mewtwo Returns,Pokémon Chronicles) Carter Cathcart (AG146-JN147,M09-M23,The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon) | |
| Arabic | زياد الرفاعيZeyad Errafae'ie (EP002-EP105) عبدو حكيمAbdo Hakim (EP106-EP209,EP263-AG040,M22-M23,JN003-JN147) Unknown voice actor (M04-M07) | |
| Catalan | Jordi Nogueras (VHS dub) Sergi Mani (Pokémon Journeys: The Series) | |
| Mandarin Chinese | 孫誠Sūn Chéng 符爽Fú Shuǎng 陳進益Chén Jìnyì 吳東原Wú Dōngyuán | |
| Croatian | Hrvoje Klobučar | |
| Czech | Michal Michálek (EP002-JN147,M01-M03,M11,M17-M18,M20-M22) Pavel Tesař (DP126-DP135) Robert Jícha (M04) Radek Škvor (M06-M07) | |
| Danish | Thomas Kirk | |
| Dutch | Bram Bart (EP002-AG092,M01-M03) Paul Disbergen (AG093-JN147,M08-M23) Unknown voice actor (M04-M07) | |
| Filipino | Jefferson Utanes | |
| Finnish | Velimatti Ranta (EP002-EP051,EP054-EP057,EP117-EP136,AG041-DP052,DP071-DP072,M01-M02,M04,M10,MR,MoMP) Anssi Känsälä (EP052,EP053,EP058-EP063,EP066-EP079,M03) Antti Jaakola (EP064,EP065,Holiday Hi-Jynx,Snow Way Out!,EP137-EP142) Peter Pihlström (EP158-EP183,DP053-DP070,DP073-JN147,M11-M23) Saku Mäkynen (EP263-AG026) | |
| French | Canada | Antoine Durand |
| Europe | David Manet Luc Boulad (M06) Thomas Roditti (M04,M07) | |
| German | Matthias Klie | |
| Greek | Φώτης ΠετρίδηςFotis Petridis | |
| Hebrew | גיא נתיבGuy Nativ (EP002-AG040,M01-M04) לירון לבLiron Lev (AG041-AG092,AG146-DP157,M12,Pokémon Chronicles) גיל צרנוביץGil Chernovich (AG093-AG145) גילן שחףGilan Shahaf (XY001-JN147) | |
| Hindi | किशोर भट्टKishore Bhatt (Cartoon Network dub) राजेश शुकलाRajesh Shukla (Hungama dub) | |
| Hungarian | Tamás Toth (Original Series) István Fazekas (M03) Gábor Seder (M04) Tamás Markovics (DP) | |
| Icelandic | Atli Rafn Sigurðarson (M03) Orri Huginn Ágústsson (M05) | |
| Indonesian | Boy Muki (Kanto saga) Rudi Sukistiyono (Johto saga-Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl,M02-M07) Dandi Lesmana (Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl-DP191,Pokémon the Series: Black and White,M08-M13 &M16) Kamal Nasuti (DP160-DP161) Denis Setiano (Pokémon the Series: Black and White, Disney dub) Ary Wibowo (Pokémon the Series: XY,XY001-XY093) Hardianto (Pokémon the Series: XYZ,XY094-XY140) Dadan Sundana (Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon) Biantoro (M22) Dimas Setiaji (original series,EP001-EP037,EP039-EP053, YouTube dub,Pokémon the Series: Black and White,BW001-BW024, Disney dub) | |
| Italian | Simone D'Andrea | |
| Korean | 김일Gim Il (EP002-EP274) 김영선Gim Yeong Seon (AG001-JN147) | |
| Norwegian | Ola Fjellvikaas (EP002–EP079,M01-M03) Kim Fangen Simen Sand | |
| Polish | Jarosław Budnik (EP002-AG040,DP053-JN147,M01-M23,Mewtwo Returns) Marcin Przybylski (DP001-DP052) | |
| Portuguese | Brazil | Márcio Araújo (S01-S18,M01-M18,M06-M07 second dub) Thiago Fagundes (XY094-SM146,M19-M22) José Leonardo (JN003-present,M23-present) Bruno Casemiro (M06 third dub) |
| Portugal | Peter Michael (EP001-EP093,M01-M04) Rui Quintas (EP094-DP052,Pokémon Live!,Pokémon Chronicles) Tiago Raposinho (M07) Pedro Mendonça (DP053-JN147,M10-M23) | |
| Romanian | Doru Fârte (original series) Dan Lupu (Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl) | |
| Russian | Анатолий ЗиновенкоAnatoly Zinovenko (EP002-EP105) Сергей ЧеканSergey Chekan (M01-M03) Прохор ЧеховскойProhor Chekhovskoy (DP001-DP052) Виктор БакинViktor Bakin (DP053-DP104;M11) Евгений ВальцEvgeni Valtz (DP105-BW142;M12-M16) Сергей СмирновSergey Smirnov (AG001-AG192,XY001-SM146;M08-M10,M17-M22) Михаил ТихоновMikhail Tikhonov (JN003-JN147;M23) | |
| Spanish | Latin America | José Antonio Macías Eduardo Garza (young,EP048) Gabriel Gama (one scene ofAG098,AG121,AG132 andAG144) Gerardo García (AG105-AG110, one scene ofAG174) |
| Spain | Iván Jara Luis Manuel Martín Díaz (M03 andMewtwo Returns) | |
| Swedish | Andreas Nilsson | |
| Thai | สุภาพ ไชยวิสุทธิSupap Chaiwisut นิธิวัชร์ ตันติภัสร์สิริNitiwat Tantipatsiri (DP054 - Present) อรุษ โรจนานันท์ (M22) | |
| Turkish | Levent Sülün Aydoğan Temel Murat Sarı (SM001-JN147) Uğur Taşdemir (M06) | |
| Ukrainian | Андрій СвистунAndrii Svystun | |
| Vietnamese | Lê Trường Tân (BW001-BW097,M22) Hồ Tiến Đạt (EP002-EP080,BW109-JN147,M19-present) Thái Minh Vũ (M10-M18) | |
I Choose You! trilogy
 | This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Expansion of role in M20, full role in M21, M23, and JNS05 |
James appeared inI Choose You!, which is set in a different continuity fromPokémon the Series. He first appeared in disguise withJessie andMeowth in a Pokémon Center, being wanted for stealing Pokémon. When a Trainer who had just battled anEntei hurried inside the Pokémon Center, Team Rocket eavesdropped on the conversation and decided to hunt for Entei themselves. While looking for Entei in the forest, they were blasted off by a ragingOnix.
Pokémon
Travels with
This section is for the Pokémon that James currently travels with, but has not caught.
 Meowth ♂ |
Outfits
- Main article:Team Rocket trio's clothing
InI Choose You,Jessie and James wore their mainuniforms from thePokémon the Series continuity. InThe Power of Us andSecrets of the Jungle, they wore unique, alternate variations of their uniforms.
Voice actors
| Language | Voice actor | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 三木眞一郎Shin-ichiro Miki | |
| English | Carter Cathcart | |
| Arabic | عبدو حكيمAbdo Hakim | |
| Dutch | Paul Disbergen | |
| Finnish | Peter Pihlström | |
| European French | David Manet | |
| German | Matthias Klie | |
| Hebrew | גילן שחףGilan Shahaf | |
| Italian | Simone D'Andrea | |
| Norwegian | Simen Sand | |
| Polish | Jarosław Budnik | |
| Portuguese | Brazil | Thiago Fagundes |
| Portugal | Pedro Mendonça | |
| Russian | Сергей СмирновSergey Smirnov (M20-M21) Михаил ТихоновMikhail Tikhonov (M23) | |
| Spanish | Latin America | José Antonio Macías |
| Spain | Iván Jara | |
| Turkish | Murat Sarı | |
| Vietnamese | Hồ Tiến Đạt | |
Gallery
Artwork
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Official artwork from the original series | Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire | Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: Black & White | Official artwork from the Sun and Moon series | Official artwork from the Pokémon Radio Show | Official artwork from the Trading Card Game byKen Sugimori[2] |
 | |||||
| Raw artwork for theWeezing card fromHidden Fates illustrated byHideki Ishikawa | |||||
Sprites and models
 | This section is missing one or more images. Please feel free to add any missing images to this section. Needed images can beuploaded to the Bulbagarden Archives. Reason: Missing overworld model from LGPE, need higher quality images from LGPE |
 |  |
| Jessie and James's sprite from Yellow | James's VS model from Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! |
 | |
| James's overworld sprite from Yellow |
In the core series games
Both Jessie and James appear inPokémon Yellow as in-game bosses, collectively referred to as theRocket Trainer class rather than by name. They first attack theplayer inMt. Moon while trying to take one of the rareFossils uncovered there.
Later, inCeladon City'sRocket Hideout, Jessie and James guardGiovanni's room. During that time, as theplayer runs into them, they are eager for revenge after the main character busted up their plans at Mt. Moon.
They holdMr. Fuji hostage atPokémon Tower, attacking the player on the seventh floor.
Finally, atSilph Co. inSaffron City, Jessie and James make their final appearance, once again trying to stall the main character from reaching their Boss.
UnlikePokémon the Series, Jessie and James do not follow the main character around and come up with their usual evil plans to capturePikachu.
Jessie and James appear inPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! on the same level as admins. They are more powerful than other Team Rocket Grunts and will always challenge the player to aDouble Battle. If the player tries to leave Viridian City without delivering Oak's Package, they will be blocking the north exit to the city. Above the entrance to Mt. Moon,Meowth is sleeping, but when the player takes a few steps into the cave, Jessie and James appear, Meowth wakes up and joins them, and the trio runs away, leaving the player to follow them into Mt. Moon. When the player gets a Fossil and starts leaving the cave, Jessie and James challenge them to a battle.
Pokémon
Pokémon Yellow
First battle
Second battle
Third battle
Fourth battle
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
First battle
Second battle
Third battle
Fourth battle
Fifth battle
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Puzzle League
James is teamed with Jessie inPuzzle League, with a party of Weezing, Arbok, andGolbat. They are the main opponents in the "Spa Service" line clear challenge.
Pokémon Zany Cards
James and Jessie are the first opponents in both Wild Match mode and Special Seven mode.
Pokémon GO
InPokémon GO, James is a member ofTeam GO Rocket. From July 7 to September 30, 2020, from December 14, 2020, to February 28, 2021, and from October 1, 2021, to October 15, 2021, he can be encountered if a Meowth balloon appears in the overworld. He will battle theplayer immediately afterJessie is defeated. Like with otherTeam GO Rocket Grunts,
500 and aMysterious Component are rewarded upon defeating him. When Jessie and James are active in game, they may both Photobomb when takingsnapshots of Pokémon, this will provoke aMeowth orWobbuffet encounter.
Pokémon
James uses a team of threeShadow Pokémon in aTrainer Battle. Green-colored cells denote the Pokémon that may be encountered during the bonus challenge. The Shadow Pokémon James leaves behind also has a chance of becomingShiny, as denoted by the
icon.
December 14, 2020 - February 28, 2021 & October 1 - 15, 2021
| ||||
| #1 | #2 | #3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
   |  |  | ||
July 7 - September 30, 2020
| ||||
| #1 | #2 | #3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|  |  | ||
Pokémon Masters EX
- Main article:James (Masters)
James forms async pair withWeezing inPokémon Masters EX. James became a playable sync pair on September 17, 2020.
In this game, James, from the alternate movie continuity, somehow got transported toPasio while chasing aShinyCelebi. He first appeared as an NPC during thespecial eventDouble Trouble. Unlike most characters in Pokémon Masters EX, James's appearance is based directly on hisPokémon the Series incarnation, and retains his Japanese and English voice actors.
| Dex | Trainer | NDex | Pokémon | Type | Weakness | Role | EX role | Base potential | Availability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #104 |  | James | #0110 |  | Weezing♂ | Poison | Psychic |  | ★★★ | Event Blasting Off Again | |
Quotes
- Main article:Team Rocket trio/Quotes
In the manga
The Electric Tale of Pikachu
James debuts inPikachu's Excellent Adventure. He, Jessie and Meowth tag along with a group of lost Pokémon, includingPikachu, to try to find theHidden Village. When they arrive, he and Jessie attempt to steal the Pokémon living in the village, but they are quickly expelled by aKangaskhan. In this chapter, he uses aKoffing in battle.James's next appearance is inYou Gotta Have Friends. He and Jessie attempt to steal a herd of wildPikachu. At this point in the manga, James'sKoffing has evolved intoWeezing, though its Evolution is not depicted in the manga.
Following this, James and Jessie begin more regularly appearing in the manga, following Ash to thePokémon League championship atIndigo Plateau and cheering him on at theOrange League. James, along with Jessie, seems to maintain a friendship or at least acquaintance with Ash, as he has theTeam Rocket trio deliver a letter to his mother as they are passingPallet Town inEpilogue: Wild Type.
While the nature of James's relationship with Jessie is not explicitly stated in the animated series, in the epilogue of the manga, he is shownconfessing his love to her. Afterwards, he is shown to be married to Jessie, who is visibly pregnant.
Pokémon
On hand
 Koffing → Weezing |
Movie adaptations
As James has appeared in every movie to date, he has appeared in the manga adaptations of them.
Ash & Pikachu
InAsh & Pikachu, which is based on theanimated series, James appears along with the rest of theTeam Rocket trio,Jessie andMeowth.
Pokémon
On hand
 Chimecho |
Temporary
 Pikachu ♂ |
Pokémon Journeys
James debuted inFlash of the Titans!. In the manga, the role of the Team Rocket trio is quite reduced compared to the animated series, so their participation ends up being removed or much smaller than the episodes on which each chapter is based.
In the TCG
James has aneponymousTheme Deck in theEX Team Rocket Returns expansion. This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring James or his Pokémon in thePokémon Trading Card Game.
James may also be on theGym Challenge set cardRocket's Secret Experiment, as there is a Rocket Grunt in the background, seen only from the back, who has his hairstyle.
Trivia
- Early homepage of the anime described James and Jessie being a "couple", although it is not clear whether or not this meant affection between the two.[3]
- James uses the alias "Jameson" at times.
- None of James's Pokémon have evolved outside theoriginal series, the last case occuring inHere's Lookin' at You, Elekid!.
- James is the only main character to haveone Pokémon and release it or give it away, then getanother Pokémon of the same species.
- James is the only main character to not obtain any Pokémon in theJohtoregion, if his second Victreebel is not counted.
- James is the first main character to releasea Pokémon.
- A running gag in theanimated series involves James's Pokémon hurting him in a show of affection.
- Victreebel would often try to swallow him when called from itsPoké Ball.
- Cacnea would hug him around the neck or waist, driving the spikes on its arms into James.
- Chimecho would wrap its tail around him, leaving him unable to see.
- Carnivine would often get a death grip on James's head with its mouth.
- Mareanie would wrap her tentacles around James's head and poison him.
- InPokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, aNewscaster onArea 4 ofMt. Battle references James, claiming she is looking for someone with the same Pokémon as she has. The Pokémon she uses areCacnea andChimecho.
- He shares both his Japanese and Brazilian voice actors with Ryusuke Yamino, fromDetective Loki.
- Excluding Victreebel, James has never battled any of his Pokémon before catching them.
- Including theHoppip that James briefly owned, James has owned aGrass-type Pokémon from every generation untilGeneration VI.
- In early concept art, James was depicted wearing a hat. The homepage included him wearing a black uniform.[3]
- In promotional material for theManalo Conference, James was given the title of (Japanese: ホワイトホールソルジャーWhite hole soldier).
Origin
James is based onLeonardo Medici Bundle from theGoShogun anime (originally written byTakeshi Shudō), and the young thiefBenten Kozō Kikunosuke from the "Five Men of the White Waves"kabuki.[specify]
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | コジロウKojirō | From 佐々木小次郎Sasaki Kojirō, a famous Japanese swordsman who was defeated by his rivalMiyamoto Musashi (Jessie's namesake in Japanese) |
| English, German, European Spanish, Latin American Spanish, French, Italian | James | FromJesse James, an American outlaw |
| Korean | 로이Roy | From the starting syllable of 로켓단Rocket-dan (Team Rocket) and similar to 로사Rosa (Jessie) |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 小次郎Xiǎocìláng /Síuchilòhng | From the Japanese name 小次郎Kojirō |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 小次郎Xiǎocìláng | |
| Hindi | जेम्सJems | Transcription of his English name |
| Indonesian | Kojiro[n 1] James[n 2] | Transcription of his Japanese name Same as his English name |
| Russian | ДжеймсDzheyms | Transcription of her English name |
| Thai | โคจิโร่Kojiro | Transcription of her Japanese name |
Notes
References
- ↑James is affected by the same lethargy as other adults inFilling the Light with Darkness!
- ↑Here Comes Team Rocket! (EX Team Rocket Returns 111)
- ↑3.03.1Nintendo,CHARACTER & CAST
Related articles
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