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| {{ship}}
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| [[File:Jessie James AG.png|220px|thumb|Jessie and James choose flight over fight in ''[[AG040|Watt's with Wattson?]]'']] | | [[File:Jessie James AG.png|220px|thumb|Jessie and James choose flight over fight in ''[[AG040|Watt's with Wattson?]]'']] |
| '''RocketShipping''' (Japanese: '''コジムサ''' ''KojiMusa'') is the belief that [[Jessie]] and [[James]] of [[Team Rocket]] belong in a [[shipping|romantic relationship]]. It is also known as '''JAJL''', or ''Jessie and James Love''.
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| ==History of RocketShipping== | | '''RocketShipping''' (Japanese: '''コジムサ''' ''KojiMusa'') is the ship between [[Jessie]] and [[James]], and alongside [[PokéShipping]] and [[AmourShipping]], is one of the most common pairings within the Pokémon fandom. It is also one of the few officially recognized by The Pokémon Company, with evidence found across multiple adaptations. |
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| | Jessie and James first appeared in ''[[EP002|Pokemon Emergency!]]'', alongside {{MTR}} as members of the [[Villainous team|villainous organization]] [[Team Rocket]]. From that point on, they have served as the show's primary antagonists over its history, frequently performing schemes to try and steal Pokémon from other {{pkmn|Trainer}}s, primarily [[Ash's Pikachu]]. It is frequently shown throughout the series that Jessie and James are shown to have a lot more physical contact than that between other characters, including hugging, hand-holding, and even sleeping on each other. They are shown to frequently share Pokémon who frequently show affection to the pair in similar ways, as well as equipment, such as their [[Z-Power Ring]]. |
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| | There is a wide amount of variation in how the character's relationship is presented depending on the language being translated. Notably, this includes James and Meowth fearing retribution when Jessie doesn't win Contests or Showcases in [http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/comparisons/diamond_pearl/ep161.html English], compared to being supportive and wishful for her success in the original Japanese versions. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James frequently calls Jessie “mamita” or “querida” (terms of endearment like “honey” or “sweetie”), “mi Jessie” (my Jessie), or by the pet name “Jessita”. |
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| | ==History of the RocketShipping Fandom== |
| [[File:RocketShipping.png|thumb|206px|An image from the epilogue to Electric Tale of Pikachu]] | | [[File:RocketShipping.png|thumb|206px|An image from the epilogue to Electric Tale of Pikachu]] |
| | The RocketShipping fandom has undergone substantial change over the years, with peaks of popularity naturally coinciding with the occurrence of Shipping "hints" in the source material. |
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| The term "RocketShipping" was the first time the suffix "[[Shipping]]" had been applied to any couple outside of the {{wp|X-Files}} fandom where it originated. Maria Rocket and other fans on the message board of [[TRHQ]] applied the term to Jessie and James. Other names for the pairing were coined later. | | The first major event in the RocketShipping fanbase occurred when a member of [[TRHQ]] came across an untranslated graphic novel in a bookstore, the [[Electric Tale of Pikachu volume 4|final volume]] of [[Toshihiro Ono]]'s [[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]] manga. [[ET20|The epilogue]] of the manga contained two important scenes: one was a panel showing James confessing his love to Jessie; the other was a full-page illustration in which Jessie and James were married and Jessie visibly pregnant. Most importantly of all for fans, this was official and approved by [[Nintendo]], some believed that it was only a matter of time before something similar happened in the anime series. |
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| The RocketShipping fandom has seen some changes over the years. In the beginning, there was only one kind of RocketShipper—the one who thought that Jessie and James were attracted to each other. Some fans hoped they would eventually become a full-fledged couple. The situation grew more intense when a member of TRHQ came across an untranslated graphic novel in a bookstore.
| | However, not long after this, the number and frequency of hints in the anime decreased, along with other changes in characterization. Around this time, a website named [[Pokemopolis]] was getting attention for rebutting the "evidence" found in the manga. Pokemopolis became a prominent anti-RocketShipping site in the fandom, as well as the main proponent of the theory that James is gay, and that Jessie and James are no more than friends. |
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| Upon first glance, it appeared to be simply the [[Electric Tale of Pikachu volume 4|last volume]] of [[Toshihiro Ono]]'s [[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]] manga, which was in the process of being released in the United States. However, inside the book was something that changed the face of the fandom. Inside [[ET20|the epilogue]] were two important scenes: one was James confessing his love to Jessie; the other was a full-page illustration in which Jessie and James were married and Jessie visibly pregnant. Most importantly of all, this was all official and approved by [[Nintendo]].
| | RocketShipping had resurgences in popularity following the episode ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]'', during the airing of ''[[Team Rocket's Secret Empire]]'' and again after ''[[XY063|A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!]]''. |
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| The RocketShipping fan community went crazy. It finally had officially sanctioned proof that Jessie and James were a romantic couple. Some believed that it was only a matter of time before something similar happened in the TV anime series.
| | ==Anime== |
| | ===Pre Series=== |
| | [[File:James Jessie HS12.png|220px|thumb|right|Jessie blushing after James accidentally falls on top of her in ''[[HS12|Training Daze!]]'']] |
| | In the side-story episode ''[[HS12|Training Daze!]]'', the history of the {{TRT}} formation was shown. Jessie was a loner who didn't work well in a team, with James being the first partner she was shown to trust. After having a heart-to-heart one night, they vow to be there for each other and make their team shine. After James is hurt during their mission, Jessie wants to give up but James doesn't let her, not wanting to let the team down despite his injuries. Jessie's dedication to James is shown again at the end of the episode where James prepares to sacrifice himself, but Jessie doesn't let that happen with a declaration of their friendship being more important than succeeding. |
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| Eventually, the famous manga was translated and released in the United States, and RocketShippers rejoiced now that they could hold the evidence in their own hands. Around the same time, a website named [[Pokemopolis]] was getting attention for rebutting the "evidence" found in the manga. Pokemopolis became and has remained the most prominent anti-Rocketshipping site in the Pokémon fandom, as well as the main proponent of the theory that James is gay.
| | ====[[Original series]]==== |
| | Early on in the series Jessie and James were shown to be close teammates, frequently seen protecting and encouraging each other when faced with hardships, whether it be declarations of friendship, commitment or compliments in the face of death and danger as seen when trapped aboard the [[S.S. Anne]], during their encounters with {{p|Gastly}} during the events of ''[[EP020|The Ghost of Maiden's Peak]]'' or with [[Kaiser]] brandishing a gun at them during [[EP035]]. |
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| Around the same time, the number and frequency of the Rocketshippy hints on the anime decreased, along with other changes in characterization. As a result, the RocketShipping fan community split into several sects, each with different takes on RocketShipping.
| | The pair are occasionally mistaken as a couple, seen when [[DJ Mary]] casts them as a married king and queen during ''[[EP160|Air Time!]]''. This is something they are only too happy to play up during their schemes, even disguising themselves as married couples in ''[[EP100|Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?]]''. Meowth also comments during ''[[M02|The Power of One]]' that "You two don't need the opposite sex because you got each other." |
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| Nowadays, thanks to the episode ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]'', RocketShipping has had a resurgence in popularity, and RocketShippers feel more confident about their ship than ever.
| | James is shown to be jealous when other men show interest in Jessie, such as [[Dr. Proctor]] in ''[[EP047|A Chansey Operation]]''. He is also quick to comfort her when their poverty is at its peaks and helps and encourage her in her aspirations outside of Team Rocket, such as during ''[[EP052|Princess vs. Princess]]''. Jessie desires to win the competition and the prized {{wp|Hinamatsuri}} dolls. Despite her loss, James, Meowth, and their Pokémon dress up as the dolls, with James and Jessie dressed as the Emperor and Empress in their "doll" set. |
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| ==Sects of RocketShipping==
| | Jessie frequently compliments him for his positive traits that help them towards their plans, whether it be picking locks, having a good memory, or doing well in Pokémon battles. She is also shown to be impressed when he exhibits talents outside of their work, such as his mastery of haiku's in ''[[EP245|Will the Real Oak Please Stand Up?]]''. |
| These sects were in use to differentiate between various "types" of RocketShipper who each had a different perception of the ship. It should be noted, however, that they have not actively been in use in the fandom since the {{series|Advanced Generation}} of the anime started airing in America.
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| '''RocketShippers'''<BR> | | A recurring story throughout the anime with James is his history of being engaged to a girl named [[Jessebelle]]. A woman who bears a striking resemblance to Jessie that he fell in love with at first sight. First highlighted in ''[[EP048|Holy Matrimony!]]'', Jessie is crushed when she thinks James has abandoned her and Meowth to get his inheritance and marry Jessebelle. She is delighted when this is revealed that James decided to return to Team Rocket, swooping down in the [[Meowth Balloon]] to pick her up. When he tells her he wasn't able to get the inheritance, she brushes it off, saying they don't need it as long as they have their freedom. They shake hands to reaffirm their friendship. Their hands form a heart and the viewers are shown a prolonged scene of them gazing into each other's eyes as the music swells. They are so caught up in the moment that they forget to pick up Meowth. |
| This is the general term for anyone who supports the idea of Jessie and James being a couple, whether past, present, or future. It is was also a term for a sect consisting of people who believe that Jessie and James are currently not in love but believed that they eventually would be.
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| '''R*cketShippers'''<BR> | | ====''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]''==== |
| This was a more extreme type of RocketShipper, who believed that Jessie and James are currently attracted to each other. They fervently denied that James is anything but heterosexual.
| | Throughout the course of this series both Jessie and James are given the opportunity to depart from Team Rocket, James in the side story episode ''[[HS03|We're No Angels!]]'' (in the dub this was extended to Jessie as well) and Jessie during ''[[AG187|The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!]]''. Both express sadness at this possibility and are happy when the other decides to stay. |
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| '''QueerShippers'''<BR> | | In the previous season where James was seen getting jealous, of [[Dr. Proctor]] in this series, he is shown to be wary of [[Harley]]'s intentions towards Jessie. Jessie is also shown to be jealous of women paying attention to James when he's dressed as [[Juan]] in ''[[AG111|Eight Ain't Enough]]''. |
| Self-proclaimed "in-character RocketShipping". Supporters generally believed that James plays the role of a woman and Jessie plays the role of a man, but that they would become a couple nevertheless.
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| '''WrongRocketShippers'''<BR> | | In the Latin American Spanish dub of ''[[AG053|Game Winning Assist]]'', when {{TP|James|Cacnea}} affectionately attacks James he says, "¿Cacnea, por qué me quieres besar si sabes que ya tengo novia?"; or, "Cacnea, why do you want to kiss me if you know that I already have a girlfriend?". Although ''novia'' can mean both “girlfriend” and “fiancée”, James never uses novia when he is saying "fiancée." Instead, he uses ''prometida'', an unambiguous word for "fiancée”. He always refers to [[Jessebelle]] as his "prometida," and Jessebelle in turn calls him her "prometido." By the same token, during James's brief engagement to [[Temacu]], she, James, and Jessie all use the term "prometido". On top of that, James does not mention Jessebelle between catching Cacnea and ''Game Winning Assist'', so Cacnea would not understand any reference to Jessebelle. Therefore, "novia" would mean "girlfriend" and can only reasonably refer to Jessie. |
| Smaller sect which believed that Jessie and James are currently in a "friends with benefits" type relationship. They didn't necessarily believe that they are in love with each other, but did believe that they have some kind of secret physical relationship going on. They took a more relaxed and joking stance to the Ship.
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| '''AntiRocketShippers'''<BR> | | During the events of ''[[AG072|The Bicker the Better]]'' [[Oscar and Andi]] assume Jessie and James are a couple in the English dub (in the original they simply suggest that the two have a good relationship). James looks confused at this and Jessie just ignores it. Since they don't get upset at it like {{Ash}} and {{an|May}} do, it could be interpreted that Jessie and James find the assumption acceptable. This comfort can also be seen in ''[[AG081|Take This House and Shuppet]]'' when James comments "They say that you always hurt the ones you love!" during a fight, and in ''[[AG085|Sky High Gym Battle!]]'' where Jessie and James imagine themselves dancing together at the Team Rocket nightclub with the R insignia covered in hearts |
| Supporters denied any sort of romantic relationship between Jessie and James. They liked to see them as best friends, but nothing more. In most cases, they believed that James is undeniably gay, based on the more camp portrayal of James by [[Eric Stuart]] and James's cross-dressing. Opinions on Jessie's sexuality varied.
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| ==Evidence==
| | There were also other small events between the pair, such as when the pair view {{p|Illumise}} and {{p|Volbeat}} perform a "mating" dance in ''[[AG042|Love at First Flight]]'', that is said to bring good fortune to spectators who are in love. James sells his bottle caps in ''[[AG174|New Plot, Odd Lot!]]'' so that Jessie could buy a dress she wanted. Finally, James attempting to save Jessie from {{p|Regirock}} and {{p|Registeel}} by trying to carry her away in ''[[AG190|Pace - The Final Frontier!]]''. |
| The following is a list of points that point to a potential relationship between James and Jessie.
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| ===Anime evidence===
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| ====Jessie's hints====
| | James history with [[Jessebelle]] surfaces again in ''[[AG147|Sweet Baby James]]'' when the {{TRT}} visits one of his families estates. The housekeepers mistake Jessie for Jessebelle, Jessie is unimpressed by James's reaction to the thought of being married to her and further upset when he introduces her as his secretary in an attempt to cover up his being in Team Rocket. She spends most of the rest of the episode going against James's request to keep the peace and only becomes supportive again after James has been honest about their identity. Throughout their stay, the housekeepers continue to ask about Jessie, even when she isn't around and even approving of her after finding out they are members of Team Rocket, saying that “it seems like his friends are also good people”. |
| [[File:James Jessie SS012.png|220px|thumb|Jessie blushing after James accidentally falls on top of her in ''[[SS012|Training ''Daze!]]'']]
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| * [[EP008|''The Path to The Pokémon League'']]
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| : Jessie and James argue over who should carry the bag. Jessie explains a real gentlemen always carries a bag for a lady. Her facial expression shows she may be trying to flirt with him.
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| * ''[[EP032|The Ninja Poké-Showdown]]''
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| : Jessie gives James a rose, much to his surprise.
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| * ''[[EP044|The Problem with Paras]]''
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| : Both James and Meowth blush when talking about [[Cassandra]], so Jessie hits them with a fan.
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| * [[EP045|The Song of Jigglypuff]]
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| : Jessie gets furious at the guy who beats up James.
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| * ''[[EP086|Pikachu Re-Volts]]''
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| : [[Cassidy]] claims that there is a rumor that Jessie is getting fired. James scrambles on all fours over to [[Cassidy]], grabs her arm, and asks if she heard any rumors about him. Jessie angrily drags him back to the other side of the room.
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| * ''[[EP090|Stage Fight!]]''
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| : When Hitmonchan hit James in the face Jessie quickly jumps to his defense, saying, "How dare you strike my friend." This implies that Jessie does care for James and she is willing to protect him.
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| * ''[[EP145|A Farfetch'd Tale]]''
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| : Jessie blushes and looks at James adoringly when he is doing well in battle against Ash and company.
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| * ''[[EP123|Spinarak Attack]]''
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| : After James picks a lock with a paper clip, Jessie nudges James with her elbow and says, "Ooo, nice work James," in a flirtatious way.
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| * ''[[EP198|The Heartbreak of Brock]]''
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| : Although Jessie seems enthusiastic about James marrying [[Temacu]], her reason for getting them together is so that Team Rocket can steal the Pokémon [[Temacu]]'s father's keeps for research. She assures the reluctant James that he will only have to stay with [[Temacu]] as long as it takes for them to get close enough to the Pokémon. When telling [[Temacu]]'s father a false story of how [[Temacu]] and James came to be together, she adds that the meeting was "perfect, beautiful, like something someone with an overactive imagination would dream up in her unfulfilled fantasies!"
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| * ''[[SS003|We're No Angels]]''
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| : Jessie becomes alarmed when [[Kate]] is about to ask James to live with her.
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| : When James asks Jessie and Meowth if maybe they could try living in the village to see if they'd like it, Jessie unenthusiastically agrees to it, rather than leaving James behind.
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| * ''[[AG084|Who's Flying Now?]]''
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| : James starts to describe a memory and Jessie interrupts, saying that if it has to do with his past love life, she'd rather jump off a cliff than hear it. It turns out that he was simply describing why he always wanted a {{p|Chimecho}}.
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| * ''[[AG111|Eight Ain't Enough]]''
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| : James, disguised as [[Juan]], flirts with three [[Juan]] fans, who swoon in return. He kisses the hand of the closest fan, who blushes and complements him on his way with words. Jessie looks either uncomfortable, disappointed, or saddened by this.
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| : Later, Jessie gets angry when James laments having to leave [[Juan]]'s mob of adoring fans, who all happen to be women.
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| * ''[[AG147|Sweet Baby James]]''
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| : James's housekeepers think Jessie's a nice catch and mistake her for [[Jessiebelle]].
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| : Jessie looks annoyed when James freaks out at the idea of being married to her.
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| : Throughout Team Rocket's stay, the housekeepers continue to enjoy Jessie's company and ask about her when she's not around. They even approve of her after a guilt-ridden James explains that they're both in Team Rocket.
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| * ''[[AG154|Reversing the Charges]]''
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| : When blasting off, James says that no matter how many times this happens, he's fine as long as he's with with his {{TP|James|Mime Jr.}} This causes Jessie to turn and look at him, very annoyed. Normally she and Meowth are the objects of James's attention.
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| * ''[[AG176|The Ole' Berate and Switch]]''
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| : After Jessie, James, and Meowth decide to split up, [[Cassidy]] convinces James to join her. Jessie sees her drag him away and kicks a fire extinguisher in anger.
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| : Later, Jessie and James try to steal Pokéballs to impress each other, and apologize for having argued.
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| * ''[[DP029|The Champ Twins!]]''
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| : Jessie wraps her arm around James's neck and pulls him to her shoulder. She refers to him as her training partner and friend.
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| * ''[[DP045|Ill-Will Hunting!]]''
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| : James comments, "That haughty Hunter [[J]]. Try as we might, she manages to maintain her one-upmanship." Jessie yells back, "When it comes down to bushels of unbridled beauty, try using those eyes connected to that pea brain of yours and see who rules! I do!"
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| * ''[[DP071|Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1)]]''
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| : This episode is one of several examples where Jessie feels the need to compete with Hunter [[J]] in reaction to James's observations about [[J]]'s skills. Here James complains with: "First we get pre-empted by a pack of Pokémon Hunter henchmen, then we get upstaged by a Pokémon Ranger." Not wanting to acknowledge that [[J]] and her henchmen were quicker on the draw, Jessie says, "That Hunter hussy. Hunter [[J]] is going to pay. I'll turn the tables on her so fast, her head will spin." In disbelief, James says, "Bold, but this is Hunter [[J]] you're putting away." Jessie responds with, "The 'j' stands for 'jerk.'" Jessie's comment is directed at [[J]], but can also be aimed at James for being impressed with [[J]].
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| * ''[[DP103|Jumping Rocket Ship!]]''
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| : James tricks [[Ash]]'s [[Staravia]] into falling for a fake [[Staravia]] and declares, "Truth is only love can break your heart." Jessie responds with, "I'm a big fan of your game."
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| * ''[[DP172|With the Easiest of Grace!]]''
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| : Jessie wants [[Dawn]]'s [[Togetic]], so he says to James and Meowth, "So be dears and find me a stealing strategy." James and Meowth respond in unison with, "Dears? You mean us?"
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| ====James's hints==== | | ====''[[Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl]]''==== |
| Throughout the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}}, when James watches Jessie participate in events under an assumed name, he keeps forgetting to call her by her fake name and instead calls her Jessie before correcting himself. This appears to mean that he cares more about watching her participate than the current plan Team Rocket is up to. In ''[[DP171|Dawn of a Royal Day!]]'', James cheers on Jessie using her real name and does not correct himself. In ''[[DP175|Opposites Interact!]]'', James tries to get Jessie to let him watch her performances.
| | [[Image:DP133 Scale.png|250px|thumb|right|A motto sequence from ''[[DP133|Uncrushing Defeat!]]'']] |
| | Jessie's Contest arc in ''Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl'' is a major source of development for her relationship with James. The hesitancy he feels towards her participation, carried over from ''Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire'', eventually dissipates and he becomes increasingly involved, loaning her his Pokémon and on [[DP146|one occasion]] stepping in for her when she is sick. He repeatedly forgets to cheer her by her Jessilina alias and instead calls her Jessie before correcting himself, such as in ''[[DP171|Dawn of a Royal Day!]]''. In ''[[DP175|Opposites Interact!]]'' James tries to get Jessie to let him watch her performances instead of selling merchandise. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James frequently calls Jessie by nicknames including ''[[DP022|his marigold queen]] or [[DP175|Jessie-Jess]], which is Jessie's nickname from her days at [[Team Rocket Academy]]. |
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| * ''[[EP056|The Ultimate Test]]''
| | In this series, there were few instances of implied imagery between Jessie and James, primarily in ''[[DP142|Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!]]'', where inside their base there is no bed in James's room, and a double bed in Jessie's. During ''[[DP073|Crossing Paths]]'', once Jessie releases {{TP|Jessie|Dustox}}, James is touched by Jessie's explanation about this being Dustox's chance of love. The narrator also suggests that Jessie will find happiness too as the shot pans down to show Jessie and James, the English dub narrator changes "finding happiness" to "finding love". |
| : After Jessie is expelled from the test, James says in a determined voice that he'll do his best for her.
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| * ''[[EP035|The Legend of Dratini]]''
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| : James and Meowth compliment Jessie on her ambition. She snickers and blushes.
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| : After dodging bullets from [[Kaiser]], James stands in front of Jessie to block her from any forthcoming bullets. Jessie wails and James tells her to relax and trust him. He grabs her by the waist and jumps off the roof with a parachute. After they land, their parachute falls on top of them and they scramble to get out of it. During this, Jessie says, "Where do you think you're touching?!" implying that James is doing more than simply trying to get out of the parachute, by accident or by design. Ash uncomfortably asks Team Rocket what they're doing under there.
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| : Later, as revenge, Jessie and James point guns at [[Kaiser]] and demand to know where the local [[Dratini]] lives. When Jessie removes her gun, [[Kaiser]] stands up suddenly and yells at her with a clenched fist in the air, calling her a liar. This makes James very angry and he grabs onto [[Kaiser]]'s arms. [[Kaiser]] breaks free and elbows James in the face, knocking James to the floor. Jessie gets angry and has her [[Arbok]] restrain [[Kaiser]].
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| * ''[[EP037|Ditto's Mysterious Mansion]]''
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| : Jessie shows a {{p|Ditto}} a photo of a boyfriend that she had when she was little. James insists on seeing the picture and triumphantly rolls on the floor laughing when Ditto does a bad imitation of it.
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| * ''[[EP047|A Chansey Operation]]''
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| : When [[Dr. Proctor]] asks Jessie on a date, James cocks and eyebrow and looks unimpressed.
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| : To get [[Dr. Proctor]] to defend her against Ash and company, Jessie puts her hand on Proctor's chest. James glares angrily at Jessie and clenches his fists.
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| : [[Dr. Proctor]] asks Jessie to assist him, and she agrees, so James volunteers to assist as well.
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| * ''[[EP110|The Stun Spore Detour]]''
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| : Jessie frolics in a field of flowers and manages to get her head stuck inside of a {{p|Vileplume}}. She becomes extremely sick, and quite convinced of an imminent death, so James crossdresses to try to trick {{an|Misty}} into giving him [[Salveyo weed]] for Jessie's recovery.
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| * ''[[EP133|Tanks a Lot!]]''
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| : James says that he's been buying less candy to save money so that Jessie will be proud of him.
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| * ''[[EP203|The Screen Actor's Guilt]]''
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| : When Jessie gets very excited about playing with [[Brad]]'s {{p|Smoochum}}, James looks suspicious and either annoyed or jealous. James may have thought that who Jessie really wanted to see was [[Brad]].
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| * ''[[EP226|Espeon, Not Included]]''
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| : Disguised as geishas and getting ready to dance, James asks, "My dear Jessie, shall we show 'em?"
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| * ''[[AG009|Taming of the Shroomish]]''
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| : In the Spanish dubb, during the motto, James references the song "Estar Enamorado" by Raphael. The song is about how when people are in love, their whole outlook on life changes for the better. The line James sings says, "To be in love is to confuse night with day."
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| * ''[[AG012|The Lotad Lowdown]]''
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| : Jessie, James, and Meowth are dehydrated, so James faints. When he comes to, he tells them to go on without him, without returning, so that he won't be a burden. Jessie and Meowth cry, clench their fists, and refuse. James cries and tells them that he is going to miss them terribly because they're such good friends. Nearby, Jessie and Meowth find a [[Tamato Berry]] and James asks only for a sip of its juice. Jessie and Meowth bite into it, but find out it's extremely spicy. {{p|Wobbuffet}} finds a body of water for them.
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| : Despite Jessie and Meowth's greediness, James asks them if they're all right.
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| : While Jessie is drinking water, James seems to be checking her out.
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| * ''[[AG086|Lights, Camerupt, Action!]]''
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| : After seeing a movie, Jessie cries. James assures her that "It will be OK," because they will have a more successful plan next time. However, it turns out that those are tears of joy because the movie had a happy ending.
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| * ''[[AG095|The Evolutionary War]]''
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| : During the motto, James seems to be checking out Jessie.
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| * ''[[AG143|The Saffron Con]]''
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| : Jessie gets her hair tangled in {{p|Cacnea}}'s spikes, so she has to get a haircut. James and Meowth attempt to steal Pokémon as gifts to cheer her up. They fail, but the attempt cheers Jessie up.
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| * ''[[AG174|New Plot, Odd Lot!]]''
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| : James says that he sold his bottlecaps so Jessie could buy the dress she wanted.
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| : James is annoyed when [[Harley]] insults both Team Rocket and Jessie, holds Jessie's hands, and tells her that he is nevertheless a fan of her Contests. Jessie giggles and James looks at her with a disappointed or concerned expression, arms folded.
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| : When Jessie and Harley hold hands again, James looks disappointed or concerned.
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| * ''[[AG175|Going for Choke!]]''
| |
| : James tells [[Harley]] that he's being too hard on Jessie.
| |
| * ''[[AG190|Pace - The Final Frontier!]]''
| |
| : A [[Bulbasaur]] uses [[Solar Beam]], causing Team Rocket to blast off. As they are soaring through the air, James has his arm around Jessie.
| |
| : As {{p|Regirock}} and {{p|Registeel}} use {{m|Lock-On}}, James carries Jessie away to save her, and she holds onto him. James continues to have his arm around Jessie as they are blasting off.
| |
| * ''[[DP002|Two Degrees of Separation!]]''
| |
| : Jessie, James, and Meowth are hanging out at one of James's homes. A housekeeper alerts James that his parents and [[Jessiebelle]] will come see him in a day's time. Jessie and Meowth continue to enjoy their stay, but James decides that he can't take the risk. He declares that he must leave right away, but doesn't ask Jessie or Meowth to leave early. Nonetheless, Jessie and Meowth drop what they're doing and leave with him.
| |
| * ''[[DP022|Borrowing on Bad Faith!]]''
| |
| : When Jessie wins a small town practice Contest, James and Meowth cry, and James says, "Our girl's gotten her first victory!"
| |
| : James leaves, returns in their hot air balloon, and throws down a rope ladder. Jessie hangs onto it saying, "Listen, I think my ride is here." James pulls the ladder up as he says, "Your chariot calls for you loud and clear."
| |
| * ''[[DP036|A Secret Sphere of Influence]]''
| |
| : After landing on top of James, Jessie shouts, "Would you fall a bit lighter next time?!" He nods and agrees, smiling. She responds with, "Enough of the sweet talk!" to which he says, "Yes, dear."
| |
| * ''[[DP056|The Keystone Pops!]]''
| |
| : After Jessie introduces herself as a mystic, James introduces himself as, "Her guy, Friday."
| |
| * ''[[DP059|Luxray Vision!]]''
| |
| : James asks Jessie if she thinks their aliases are too much of a stretch. Jessie retorts that she let him put on a disguise out of the goodness of her heart. James sarcastically remarks, "What a gal."
| |
| * [[DP075|Our Cup Runneth Over!]]
| |
| : Jessie, under the alias Jessilina, tries seducing [[Wallace]] in hopes that he will go a bit easy on her at the [[Wallace Cup]]. When she strokes his chest, James becomes furious. James and Meowth drag her away.
| |
| * ''[[DP091|One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team!]]''
| |
| : James and Meowth are so proud of Jessie's accomplishments in the [[Pokémon Summer Academy]], that they completely forget about stealing Pokémon. James also accidentally calls her Jessie, instead of her alias Ms. Jessalinda.
| |
| * ''[[DP112|Cheers on Castaways Isle!]]''
| |
| : While Jessie, James, and Meowth are in disguise, James and Meowth refer to Jessie as, "My lady."
| |
| * ''[[DP113|Hold the Phione!]]''
| |
| : After a [[Phione]] encases Jessie in a block of ice, James says, "Why, that [[Ice Beam]] casts you in an artistic light!"
| |
| * ''[[DP123|Old Rivals, New Tricks]]''
| |
| : Up until this episode, James has never liked Jessie using his Pokémon in Contests, mostly due to her mistreatment of {{TP|James|Chimecho}}. He now has no problem with it (most likely due to the fact Jessie has treated all his Pokémon very well since, and she is doing well in Contests) and even tells {{TP|James|Mime Jr.}} that's he counting on it and that Jessie's third Ribbon depends on it.
| |
| * ''[[DP188|Battling a Thaw in Relations!]]''
| |
| : Jessie, James, and Meowth pile their hands after a long day's work and say, "Great form!" Though Meowth simply puts an open paw on top of James's hand, James actually cups his hand around Jessie's.
| |
| * ''[[BW124|Danger, Sweet as Honey!]]''
| |
| : When a swarm of [[Beedrill]] are getting ready to chase Jessie and James, Jessie stands frozen in terror, having been attacked by [[Beedrill]] many times in the past. James puts his hands on her shoulders and guides her out of the way.
| |
|
| |
|
| ====Shared hints====
| | The events of ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]'' features the {{TRT}} going their separate ways, with Meowth joining a noodle cart, Jessie wanting to focus on being a coordinator, and James remaining with Team Rocket. A depressed James decides to try and capture a {{shiny}} {{p|Metagross}}. When Jessie hears that James is in danger, she immediately drops the façade of pursuing her contest career and rushes to his aid, causing James to fall to his knees and cry, overjoyed she has returned. With the shiny MEtagross about to attack them, James apologizes for getting Jessie involved, which she brushes off saying they're friends. He goes on to say life wasn't wasted because he spent it with good friends, looking at her significantly. Closing their eyes for the final blow, Jessie says, “If there is another world after we die, let’s meet again there.” James agrees and smiles, no longer looking afraid. This is an addendum to James's implied promise in ''[[HS12|Training Daze]]'' to always be at Jessie's side. |
| Jessie and James have a tendency to hug or hold onto each other when they are scared (dubbed "fearhugs" by RocketShippers) or happy. Jessie and James also don't have a problem with physical contact such as sleeping on parts of the other's body or holding each other in ways that people who were simply friends normally wouldn't. | |
|
| |
|
| * ''[[EP004|Challenge of the Samurai]]''
| | During ''[[DP002|Two Degrees of Separation!]]'' while visiting one of James's families summer homes, Team Rocket decide to leave quickly before [[James's parents|his parents]] and [[Jessebelle]] arrive. Although disappointed, James expresses the desire to live in a cottage in the future with Jessie and Meowth. Later on, during the episode ''[[DP153|The Treasure Is All Mine!]]'', James refers to Jessebelle as his first love, implying that he'd fallen in love with someone else. To escape Jessebelle later in the episode he asks {{Ash}} to get Pikachu to use {{m|Thunderbolt}} on them to send them blasting off. |
| : James falls asleep on top of Jessie.
| |
| * ''[[EP016|Pokémon Shipwreck]]''
| |
| : Upon hearing that the St. Anne has sunk, James flips out. Jessie yells at him to calm down, and then calmly assures him that she has an idea.
| |
| : When it looks like Jessie and James are going to die, James says, "Jessica, whoever said beauty doesn't last, must have been thinking of us." This is the only time "Jessica" is used instead of "Jessie," other than when Jessie gives her name to a Referee in ''[[AG052|Cheer Pressure]]'', so the "Jessica" adds to the seriousness of James's statement.
| |
| : James wants the others to leave him behind, but Jessie tells him they'll go across together. James looks touched and hugs Jessie, begging her to not abandon him. She assures him that she won't.
| |
| : Later, James is too scared to go any further, so Jessie slaps him to snap him out of it, which causes both Jessie and James to blush. In a caring tone she assures him that they will cross together and that she won't abandon him. James continues to blush, and cries in Jessie's arms. Ash interrupts, which annoys Jessie.
| |
| : When nightfall hits, James sleeps on top of Jessie.
| |
| : At the end of the episode, Jessie and James hug from fear of a swarm of {{p|Gyarados}}.
| |
| * ''[[EP020|The Ghost of Maiden's Peak]]''
| |
| : Although Jessie is angry with James for his obsession with the [[Ghost of Maiden's Peak|ghost]], she holds onto his pants so that he won't jump into the water and swim to her shrine. Jessie becomes distracted and lets go. James doesn't notice and starts to lose his grip on the guardrails. Jessie grabs him, but falls down with him.
| |
| : When the [[Ghost of Maiden's Peak|ghost]] is dragging James away and he cries that he doesn't want to go to the [[Ghost World]], Jessie pulls out a bazooka and shoots the ghost. Jessie then shouts, "Hey girl, you can't take him! You haven't got a ghost of a chance!" James cries and exclaims, "Jessie, you really do care!", though Jessie attempts to hide the fact that she did it for his sake.
| |
| : After Jessie attacks the [[p|Gastly]], she grabs James's empty hand, lets go, and reminds him to send out his Pokémon.
| |
| *''[[EP028|Pokémon Fashion Flash]]''
| |
| : James points out the fact that roses are the flowers of love and romance. Later, during the motto, they are both surrounded by red roses and James is holding one.
| |
| * ''[[EP039|Holiday Hi-Jynx]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James hug for warmth.
| |
| : James cries and blushes happily when Jessie gets her doll back.
| |
| : At the end of the episode, Jessie and James are sleeping next to each other.
| |
| * ''[[EP044|The Problem with Paras]]''
| |
| : When Meowth falls in love with [[Cassandra]] James tells him that he understands what he's going through. He goes on to say that, "Cupid's Arrow strikes when you least expect it." Immediately after he says that Jessie hits him with a paper fan. This is symbolic of James being "struck" by Cupid's arrow.
| |
| * ''[[EP048|Holy Matrimony!]]''
| |
| : At the end of the episode, Jessie is upset that James might have left to marry his fiancee and inherit his money, but then he appears in their Meowth balloon and picks her up. James nervously goes on to tell her he'd rather have his freedom than money. They then smile and stare into each others eyes. They shake hands, making a heart-shape, and they don't let go. They also completely forget to pick up {{MTR}}.
| |
| * ''[[EP050|Who Gets to Keep Togepi?]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James sleep next to each other.
| |
| * ''[[EP052|Princess vs. Princess]]
| |
| : James and Meowth toss confetti at Jessie while she tries on clothes at a mall.
| |
| : James and Meowth are quite taken by the way Jessie looks at the Princess Festival Contest, and to them she appears as if sparkling.
| |
| : Before Jessie's battle with {{an|Misty}}, James and Meowth offer to take {{an|Misty}} out to fix Jessie's win, by use of Thompson submachine gun fire.
| |
| : Jessie cries so James holds her hands and tells her that he hopes she will win. He tries to be strong for Jessie and not cry very much, but he ends up bawling, as does Jessie. During this exchange the background is full of rose bushes, symbolizing love.
| |
| : After Jessie loses to {{an|Misty}}, James dresses himself and their Pokémon as the Hina Matsuri dolls that were the grand prize. Jessie is touched and cries.
| |
| * ''[[EP060|Beach Blank-Out Blastoise]]''
| |
| : James falls asleep on top of Jessie.
| |
| : When their submarine is under attack, James holds onto Jessie, rather than his handlebars.
| |
| : James falls asleep on top of Jessie a second time.
| |
| * ''[[EP062|Clefairy Tales]]''
| |
| : Jessie sleeps on top of James.
| |
| * ''[[EP065|Showdown at the Po-ké Corral]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James are headed toward a Team Rocket Headquarters, when suddenly it explodes. Alarmed, Jessie puts her hands on her chest, over her heart. James holds onto her arms to console her. [[Mewtwo]] is seen flying away. Jessie and James are shown watching [[Mewtwo]], but are now pressed against each other, with Jessie's hands on James's chest. Jessie, James, and Meowth run to the ruins to rescue {{an|Giovanni}}. Seeing them tests {{an|Giovanni}}'s nerves and he demands to know what they want. Jessie hides behind James and grabs onto his arm. This implies that Jessie feels safe with James protecting her. James is scared, but swallows hard and puts on a braver expression. {{an|Giovanni}} tells them to get back to their field work.
| |
| : Later, a swarm of [[Beedrill]] corner Jessie, James, and Meowth. Jessie and James hold onto each other's arms, and have their arms wrapped around Meowth.
| |
| * ''[[EP073|Bad to the Bone]]''
| |
| : James tells Meowth that he will recognize Jessie no matter how she is disguised, because she thinks like him. While he is recalling their costumes, one of the images is of Jessie and James in their Salon Roquet outfits. Jessie is on bended knee with her hand slid underneath James's hand, as if asking him to marry her. They both have very serious facial expressions.
| |
| * ''[[EP094|Snack Attack]]''
| |
| : When trying to figure out what to do about grapefruit that are not intended to be eaten as fruit, James recalls having eaten their rinds candied. That gives Jessie the idea to sell the grapefruit, so she flirtatiously nudges him with her elbow and James blushes.
| |
| * ''[[EP100|Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?]]''
| |
| : Jessie plans to steal two [[Nidoran]] who are in love to teach them that "The heart always leads one to heartache." James and Meowth become concerned and Jessie starts crying because she can't find love. James dejectedly agrees and says, "All in love's unfair."
| |
| : The original plan does not work out, so Jessie and James crossdress as a married couple, hide their hot air balloon in a mock wedding cake, paint two hearts pierced by Cupid's arrow on their balloon basket, and tie honeymoon cans to the bottom of the balloon basket.
| |
| * ''[[EP116|The Rivalry Revival]]''
| |
| : During the motto, there are two hearts pierced by Cupid's arrows in the background. James is holding a rose as well.
| |
| * ''[[EP120|Roll On, Pokémon!]]''
| |
| : Jessie is sleeping on top of James.
| |
| * ''[[EP141|Good 'Quil Hunting]]''
| |
| : Jessie, James, and Meowth cry at the thought of their poverty. Jessie cries a little harder than she can handle and has to sit down. She apologizes for crying so hard, so James holds her hands and stops his crying for her.
| |
| : Later, Jessie and James hug happily.
| |
| * ''[[EP155|Forest Grumps]]''
| |
| : Jessie wonders if James and Meowth worry about her when she's away.
| |
| : Jealous of all of the food that Ash and company have, Jessie recalls an occasion where she, James, and Meowth were eating instant noodles and crying from joy. James complimented Jessie on the way she prepared the noodles. The compliment caused her to grin widely.
| |
| * ''[[EP200|Turning Over A New Bayleef]]''
| |
| : During the motto, James is holding a bouquet of flowers and is running after Jessie, as if trying to give them to her. He appears to have tossed some flower petals in her direction. Jessie is also holding a bouquet of flowers, and is running through a field of flowers.
| |
| * ''[[EP241|Hocus Pokémon!]]''
| |
| : Close to falling off a cliff, Jessie and James hug. Jessie tells everyone to calm down, but James panics and says, "If I never see you guys again, just know that I love you." [[Lily]] unobservantly runs up to them. Jessie and James nervously hold hands, while continuing to hug. James's lips appear to be pressed against their laced hands. [[Lily]]'s weight causes the piece of cliff to fall off, so Jessie and James resume hugging.
| |
| * ''[[EP245|Will the Real Oak Please Stand Up?]]''
| |
| : Disguised as {{an|Professor Oak}} and [[DJ Mary]], Jessie puts her arms around James's neck, rocks him back and forth, and complements him on his confidence.
| |
| : Later, before James presents a haiku to compete with the real {{an|Professor Oak}}, Jessie says, "You don't know a thing about poems." James responds, "That's where you're wrong, dear Jessie." James goes on to recite a haiku that those present prefer over the real Oak's haiku. Jessie is especially impressed.
| |
| * ''[[EP260|A Crowning Achievement]]''
| |
| : During the motto, James and Jessie are dressed as the king and queen of a playing card deck.
| |
| * ''[[SS012|Training Daze!]]''
| |
| : Jessie gives her food ration to Meowth and James, despite James having declined her offer.
| |
| : Jessie's generosity does not go unnoticed, for James subsequently vows to always do his best so that she can always trust him to be there for her.
| |
| : Despite having had twelve previous partners and managing to abandon them all without regret, Jessie becomes hysterical when James is injured and almost gives up on Team Rocket altogether. She refuses to let him become injured again later in the episode.
| |
| : Jessie feels really bad for James when she is visiting him in the medical facility at [[Team Rocket Academy]].
| |
| : In spite of being severely injured, James comes back to participate in his team's mission, to Jessie's shock. He assures her that she never has to worry about being on her own when she's his partner. Jessie is touched and cries. As they perform the mission, "[[Double Trouble]]" plays in the English dubb; wherein, James characterizes himself as a king and Jessie characterizes herself as a queen.
| |
| : Later, James almost falls, but Jessie and Meowth do not let him. He reminds them that the police are already on their way and tries to convince them to go on without him to save time, but Jessie assures him that they are in it together. James concedes, visibly touched. When Jessie manages to pull James up, he falls on top of her. Jessie blushes, and the two stare into each other's eyes until Meowth interrupts.
| |
| : Upon receiving Field Agent status, Jessie and James hold onto each other's arms and wrap their arms around Meowth.
| |
| * ''[[AG029|Ready, Willing, and Sableye]]''
| |
| : Meowth remarks that the mine must be haunted, so Jessie tells him to stop scaring James.
| |
| : A [[Taillow]] starts to mess up Jessie's hair, so she pulls out a bomb. In hopes of placating Jessie, James says, "But Jessie, sweetheart..." though she doesn't respond.
| |
| * ''[[AG042|Love at First Flight]]''
| |
| : When [[Illumise]] and [[Volbeat]] perform a "mating" dance, they are said to bring good fortune to spectators who are in love. Jessie wonders if it could work for her since she's in love with the idea of being married and living happily ever after. She pictures a prince from a fairytale, since she's not talking about anyone in particular. There's a possibility that she is dropping a hint for James. Either way, James is disappointed by her explanation.
| |
| : During the motto, Jessie dresses as an [[Illumise]] and James dresses as a [[Volbeat]]. In costume, James walks behind Jessie, with his hands on her hips, then they wiggle their behinds to show off the light fixture on the back of James's costume.
| |
| : In the Spanish dubb, during the motto, James references the song "A Mover la Colita" by La Sonora Dinamita. The song is about chasing the sadness away by dancing. The line James sings says, "Let us see. Let us see you shake your tail. If you don't, then it [your heart] won't be any good."
| |
| * ''[[AG052|Cheer Pressure]]''
| |
| : Impressed by James's battling, Jessie blushes when James's {{TP|James|Cacnea}} gets up after a strong [[Tackle]] from [[Brock]]'s [[Forretress]].
| |
| : In the Spanish dubb, during the motto, James references the song "La Mesa Que Más Aplauda" by Climax. The song is about a woman who travels a lot and, wherever she goes, men in all professions and walks of life-from rich men to thieves-vie for her attention. James is unhappy at the time because Jessie's stealing his spotlight, but the song reference may imply he's jealous of other guys giving her attention. The line James sings could indicate that the woman in the song is a Japanese criminal. The line's spelling in the music video is, "Za Za Za Ya-Cu-Za Ya-Cu-Za"; and 'yacuza' would be a logical Hispanicization of ''yakuza''.
| |
| * ''[[AG057|Going for a Spinda]]''
| |
| : During the motto, there are hearts in the background followed by Jessie clinging to a giant heart that James is carrying.
| |
| * ''[[AG072|The Bicker the Better]]''
| |
| : When [[Oscar and Andi]] assume Jessie and James are a couple, James looks confused and Jessie just ignores it. Since they didn't get upset at it like {{Ash}} and {{an|May}} did, it could be interpreted that neither has a problem with the idea.
| |
| :Later, James was teasing Jessie about being ugly in a joking way, and Jessie smiled and covered her ears and pretended not to hear it. Since Jessie is obsessed with her appearance, her lack of getting mad about it and the joking way James did it might be interpreted as flirting.
| |
| : At the end of the episode when Jessie and James make up, they link arms and smile at each other.
| |
| * ''[[AG081|Take This House and Shuppet]]''
| |
| : While Jessie and James are fighting, a {{p|Shuppet}} hits them with {{m|Dream Eater}} to calm their nerves. Jessie observes, "Strange, I hated you both moments ago." James echoes, "Yes, I hated you too." Jessie tries to rationalize the situation by saying, "Well, maybe that had something to do with being such great friends." James agrees, explaining, "They say that you always hurt the ones you love!"
| |
| * ''[[AG082|A Shroomish Skirmish]]''
| |
| : A group of {{p|Breloom}} are pursuing Jessie and James, so they hug out of fear. They end up having to choose between [[Breloom]] attacks or jumping off a cliff. Indecisive, they hug again and Jessie cries in James's arms.
| |
| * ''[[AG089|A Scare to Remember!]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James hug out of fear before their mecha breaks.
| |
| : After Team Rocket crashes into a tree, Jessie says in a dramatic tone, "You know James, I never felt this close to you before." Equally dramatically, James comments, "I feel the same about you…” In a displeased tone, James adds, “and [[Jessie's Wobbuffet|Wobbuffet]].”
| |
| : Jessie motions that once she and James figure out where they are, they should go home and Meowth will eventually show up there. James attempts to figure out how she expresses emotion. He muses that her logic hides the fact that she doesn't care and her anger hides the fact that she does care.
| |
| * ''[[AG141|Hail to the Chef]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James are seen asleep on a bed with the covers partly over them. Jessie is sleeping on top of James.
| |
| [[Image:DP133 Scale.png|250px|thumb|left|A motto sequence from ''[[DP133|Uncrushing Defeat!]]'']]
| |
| * ''[[AG187|The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!]]''
| |
| : James feels sorry for Jessie when she agrees to [[Harley]]'s plan after Harley's coercion.
| |
| : Harley asks Jessie to travel with him to [[Johto]] to be his training partner. James seems annoyed with Jessie during this. Jessie politely declines the invitation, pointing out that she has Team Rocket-related work elsewhere. This pleases James, but Harley throws a fit. The fallout marks the end of Jessie and Harley's friendship, even though, in ''[[AG174|New Plot, Odd Lot!]]'', [[Harley]] had called Jessie his soul mate.
| |
| * ''[[DP008|Gymbaliar!]]''
| |
| : When [[Minnie]] is poised to battle Jessie, who is disguised as a Gym Leader, [[Brock]] tells [[Minnie]] that she will win because of her "ravishing beauty." Jessie takes her glove off and punches him with an uppercut, knocking him off his seat. [[Brock]] gets up and insists that [[Minnie]] is more beautiful, so Jessie yells at James-the Gym Referee-to make a ruling. James, having just seen how hard Jessie hits, declares Jessie the winner. Jessie happily spins around in circles. [[Brock]] yells at James for being a bad Referee.
| |
| : Jessie ends up battling [[Minnie]] with a [[Croagunk]]. When the [[Croagunk]] faints, James draws out his ruling until [[Croagunk]] comes to. As a consequence, James once again gets insulted by [[Brock]], and by [[Ash]] as well. James comments that [[Croagunk]] is unable to resist Jessie's voice.
| |
| : While blasting off, James motions that they run a Gym together for real. Jessie replies, "When you act like a real man!"
| |
| * ''[[DP020|Mutiny in the Bounty!]]''
| |
| : After Jessie and James rescue Meowth from [[J]], they hold onto each other's arms and have their arms wrapped around Meowth.
| |
| : When Jessie, James, and Meowth are at risk of being blown out of [[J]]'s plane, Jessie holds onto James's waist. When the risk decreased, Jessie and James hold onto each other's arms and wrap their arms around Meowth.
| |
| : Jessie feels the need to jealously bring up her own attractiveness whenever James mentions Hunter [[J]]. First James says, "When it comes to slippery fingers, she rules," and Jessie chimes in with, "Unlike the looks department, where I rule." Next, James says, "Pokémon Hunters, the lowest of the low," and Jessie asks in an irritated tone, "What are you, the president of their fan club?" She adds, "Though it pains me to say it, looks aren't everything... I know I'm much prettier than her, but I will not be out-nastied." At the end of the episode, James says, "I may respect that wench, but I don't like her," causing Jessie to admit that, "I may be prettier than J, but when it comes of devilry, I have work to do."
| |
| * ''[[DP021|Ya See We Want An Evolution!]]''
| |
| : Jessie can't remember what the 'B' in [[B-Button League]] stands for, so James pulls her aside and whispers in her ear, "Beautiful." In response, the [[B-Button League]] asks them what the C on their shirts stands for. Jessie flounders, so James comes up with "Crystal" and puts his hand on Jessie's shoulder as if to tell her to relax.
| |
| : When the [[B-Button League]] are going to battle Jessie and James, they hug out of fear.
| |
| * ''[[DP024|Cooking Up a Sweet Story!]]''
| |
| : As [[Abigail]]'s [[Raichu]] is pounding the mecha, Jessie and James speak in what is potentially sexual innuendo.
| |
| * ''[[DP044|Mass Hip-Po-Sis!]]''
| |
| : While Jessie's asleep, she says, "How sweet to be swept away by the special someone that I hold dear." She wakes up to find that she is literally being swept off her feet because James's battle sent them blasting off. James reminds her to be careful what she wishes for.
| |
| * ''[[DP054|Once There Were Greenfields]]''
| |
| : [[Gardenia]] insists that James give her his {{TP|James|Cacnea}} and proves that Cacnea isn't realizing its full potential under James's tutelage. Jessie is very annoyed by this and watches James stare into space crestfallen. She clenches her fists and goes over to James, telling him to forget what [[Gardenia]] said. James looks back at her sympathetically and tries to assure her that he's fine.
| |
| : To Ash and company, Jessie guiltily confesses that James didn't sulk until she asked if he was serious about giving up Cacnea. In actuality, James was sulking earlier than that.
| |
| : When James tries to talk Cacnea into going with [[Gardenia]], Jessie and Meowth try to stop him. Without turning to face them, James says that he isn't a good Trainer. He proceeds to give Cacnea's Poké Ball to [[Gardenia]] and runs off, trying very hard not to cry. Jessie and Meowth are extremely worried and chase him.
| |
| * ''[[DP055|Throwing the Track Switch]]''
| |
| : Although Jessie is running a scam unbeknownst to James, James immediately recognizes Jessie in spite of her disguise.
| |
| : James is still silent and depressed over losing {{TP|James|Cacnea}}, so Jessie and Meowth try to cheer him up by giving him pineapple slices. James doesn't even want to look at the food, so they try to cheer him up by stealing {{AP|Buizel}} and {{TP|Dawn|Aipom}}. When James hears about it, he is touched and he, Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet cry and hug. James helps them steal the Pokémon and, even though they end up stealing the wrong Pokémon, James is moved to tears and he and Jessie hold hands. Jessie sees James no longer being distant as a sign that they are a "true" team again.
| |
| * ''[[DP073|Crossing Paths]]''
| |
| : While Jessie is unconscious, James is watching her sleep. When she wakes up, she explains that she wants to release her {{p|Dustox}}, despite the pain it will cause her. James assures her that he will do anything he can to help. Jessie replies, "That's sweet of you, James."
| |
| : The narration at the episode's closing goes: "True friendship is forever, although life's pathways can twist and turn in unexpected directions; but the everlasting bond between Pokémon and Trainer makes love like this possible. Perhaps one day Jessie will find the love she's been searching for as well." During the "makes love like this possible" part, the visual is Jessie and James standing next to each other.
| |
| * ''[[DP092|A Lean Mean Team Rocket Machine!]]''
| |
| : Due to James's overtly dark and villainous attitude, Jessie admiringly calls him "strong."
| |
| : Jessie calls the mecha a hunk and James, holding a rose, brags that he modeled it after himself.
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| * ''[[DP098|If the Scarf Fits, Wear It!]]''
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| : James says he will become "king of the Team Rocket hill" and Jessie says she will be the queen.
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| : Later, they hug and say that together they will be "Lording over Sinnoh, East to West."
| |
| : When Jessie tells James to catch a {{p|Lickilicky}}, James answers, "Yes dear."
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| * ''[[DP115|Stealing the Conversation!]]''
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| : Worn out from dealing with an uncooperative [[Chatot]], Jessie, James, and Meowth lay down, as if ready to sleep off the stress. Jessie lays on top of James.
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| * ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]''
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| : After finishing her bowl of ramen, Jessie says, "Be a love, James, and pick up the tab."
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| : When Meowth leaves to pursue a career as a ramen chef, James wants to run after Meowth. Jessie puts her hand on James's shoulder to calm him down.
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| : When Jessie suggests that James marry [[Jessiebelle]], James cries.
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| : When Jessie leaves to pursue a career in Contests, James runs off, crying and clenching his fists tightly. That night, he is still crying and ponders how strong their bond really is. The next morning he is still depressed and decides to risk his life by battling a {{shiny}} {{p|Metagross}} that has caused people to "vanish" before.
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| : Jessie freaks out when she hears that James is fighting the {{p|Metagross}}.
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| : When Jessie saves James from the {{p|Metagross}}, James gets on his knees and cries with joy.
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| : When the {{p|Metagross}} is about to kill Jessie and James, James smiles sweetly at Jessie and says that life wasn't a waste because he spent it with good friends. Jessie agrees and says that if they end up in the same place in the afterlife, James should find her. James agrees to that, smiles, and no longer looks afraid.
| |
| : When the {{p|Metagross}} gets ready to use [[Gyro Ball]], Jessie and James hug out of fear.
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| * ''[[DP133|Uncrushing Defeat!]]''
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| : During the motto, Jessie and James are on a set of scales with a pink heart on it. They are seemingly at balance, despite it swinging slightly.
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| : When [[Ash]]'s Pokémon get ready to launch a group attack on Team Rocket, Jessie and James hug out of fear.
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| * ''[[DP146|Dressed for Jess Success!]]''
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| : When a sick Jessie overexerts herself and begins to faint, James catches her, helps her stand up, and supports her weight as he walks her back to bed, all the while having a comforting smile on his face. When Meowth says Jessie should rest, James agrees, scolds with a caring tone, "Dr. James's orders."
| |
| : Later, James disguises himself as Jessalina and enters his first Contest. He is reluctant at first, but knows depression will make Jessie's sickness worse, so he puts on a performance that is met with the some of the loudest cheers that Master of Ceremonies [[Marian]] has ever heard. He ends up winning the ribbon.
| |
| : When James and Meowth get back to their cabin, Jessie hugs them and nuzzles her Ribbon in a childlike manner. Meowth comments that, "''This'' Jessie was worth the wait," and James shares the sentiment.
| |
| * ''[[DP190|The Brockster Is In!]]''
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| : A swarm of [[Tentacruel]] gather around the [[Magikarp]] submarine to protect an item that James knows to be a bottle cap, but Jessie and Meowth are lead to believe is a precious metal or a precious stone. Jessie puts her hand on James's shoulder and says, "James, make sure nothing stands between our fortune and us."
| |
| : When the [[Tentacruel]] back Jessie, James, and Meowth into a corner on a ferry, Jessie and James hold hands. Once [[Ash]] and [[Dawn]] show up, Jessie lets go of James's hands.
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|
| ===Movie evidence=== | | ====''[[Pokémon the Series: Black & White]]''==== |
| | ''Pokémon the Series: Black & White'' is noteworthy for attempting to put Jessie, James, and Meowth in more serious, antagonistic roles. Their normal personalities and relationships are so much suppressed during the series that it inspired the creation of the [[Team Rocket's Secret Empire]] radio show, in the introduction to which [https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/User:Rocket_Girl/TR_Radio_show/Transcript James accuses Jessie of only speaking to him these days to confirm mission plans]. This change resulted in a complete absence of shipping evidence until the ''[[Decolora Adventure]]'' portion of the saga when they start to revert to their prior selves. An example of this is in ''[[BW124|Danger, Sweet as Honey!]]'', when Jessie freezes in terror at the prospect of being attacked by a swarm of {{p|Beedrill}}, James takes her by the shoulders to guide her out of harm's way. |
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| ====Jessie's hints==== | | ====''[[Pokémon the Series: XY]]''==== |
| * ''[[M08|Lucario and the Mystery of Mew]]''
| | In a progression of his involvement in Jessie's Contest arc in ''[[Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl]]'', James is a bedrock of support for Jessie during the [[Pokémon Showcase]] competition. As before, he often forgets to call her by her stage name and is now frequently shown to be the loudest supporter in the crowd, to the point that it becomes a nuisance for the audience members seated near him. During the Pokémon Showcase Master Class, despite worrying she'd be angry at her loss, Jessie thanks her friends for helping her get as far as she had. Everyone tackles and hugs her, with James saying he'd follow her anywhere. |
| : Jessie tells James and Meowth that they are going to be her dates for the ball. Meowth wanders off to eat immediately, so Jessie dances with James. When James mentions stealing Pokémon, Jessie explains that she just wants to dance all night.
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|
| ====James's hints====
| | ''Pokémon the Series: XY'' generally had smaller moments between Jessie and James peppered throughout the episodes, such as pushing each other out of the way of danger. One such moment is during ''[[XY124|A Gaggle of Gadget Greatness!]]'' when Jessie struggles to open a trick wall, James whacks a hand against it, briefly trapping Jessie between his body and the wall until it opens. Annoyed, she tells him, "That was misleading." The frames are presented like a classic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabedon Kabedon] scene, a trope often used in anime and manga for love confessions. In ''[[M17|Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction]]'' when the trio believe they are about to get rich from {{an|Diancie}}’s diamonds, James's first suggestion is they could build a house with the money and Jessie follows this up by saying they might get a holiday home too. |
| * ''[[M04|Pokémon 4Ever - Celebi: Voice of the Forest]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James hold hands out of fear when they run into [[Iron-Masked Marauder]].
| |
| : While Jessie is kidnapped by [[Iron-Masked Marauder]], James worries about her and feels bad that he is not able to rescue her.
| |
| : When James does reach Jessie, he says, "Oh Jessie, thank goodness you're safe."
| |
| * ''[[M08|Lucario and the Mystery of Mew]]''
| |
| : After the leukocytes get Jessie, James uses his {{TP|James|Cacnea}} to try and rescue her. In an uncommon show of seriousness, he dodges {{TP|James|Cacnea}} when it tries to hug him. After he fails to rescue Jessie, she and James cry out to each other as she is dragged down. James stands there speechless, visibly heart broken, quickly releases his Pokémon, and gets engulfed as well.
| |
| * ''[[M12|Arceus and the Jewel of Life]]''
| |
| : When Jessie puts on an ancient tiara, James and Meowth oo-and-ahh.
| |
| * ''[[M13|Zoroark: Master of Illusions]]''
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| : A {{p|Skiploom}} knocks Jessie out of Team Rocket's aircraft, so James grabs her, falling out himself.
| |
| * ''[[M15|Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice]]''
| |
| : Even though James and Meowth constantly joke about not being as physically strong as Jessie, they give her a courtesy pass on the heavy lifting. In this case, their 1950s Chevrolet pick-up truck has car trouble, so James and Meowth push it uphill. The work proves rewarding, because they get to watch to sun set over the Grand Canyon.
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|
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|
| ====Shared hints====
| | Jessie again dabbled with the idea of parting with Team Rocket during ''[[XY063|A Fork in The Road! A Parting of The Ways!]]''. After being separated during a blast-off, James and Meowth find Jessie telling {{Ash}} and company she is quitting Team Rocket to stay with [[Dr. White]], who she has fallen in love with. Meowth is about to stop Jessie, but James tells him they shouldn't get in the way of her happiness. James then runs away crying as he reminisces about the life he has shared with his partner. After Jessie and James Pokémon are stolen by a [[Pokémon hunter (XY063)|hunter]] James pleads Ash and his friends for help. In the original Japanese, {{an|Serena}} begins to ask an ambiguous question of James about Jessie which he cuts off with an affirmative grunt before she can express the verb. Given the context, it is hinted that she may have been about to ask if he likes her as more than a friend. Jessie, having overheard the conversation Jessie chooses to return to Team Rocket and help rescue their Pokémon. When Meowth begs her to live for love, not evil, to which she replies that she is carrying out the evils of love and truth, quoting their {{motto}}. |
| * ''[[M01|Mewtwo Strikes Back]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James hug out of fear when the clones wake up, and continue to hug until [[Ash]] enters the room.
| |
| : Immediately after [[Ash]] leaves the room, Jessie and James hug again, out of fear. They stop hugging when the cloning system is showing signs that it is being tampered with.
| |
| : Jessie and James hug out of fear when Pokémon that were being cloned come out of their Poké Balls. They stop hugging when they leave the room.
| |
| : While the Pokémon are befriending their clones, Jessie and James apologize to each other for past arguments. Then they hug and cry.
| |
| * ''[[M02|The Power of One]]''
| |
| : In the Japanese version, Meowth says to Jessie and James, "You guys act love-love all the time." In the English dubb, the line is, "You two don't need the opposite sex because you got each other."
| |
| : While a [[Zapdos]] is shooting electricity in all directions, Jessie and James hug out of fear. They stop hugging when [[Zapdos]] gets captured by [[Lawrence III]].
| |
| : During the motto, Jessie and James hold hands.
| |
| : After falling off of a [[Lugia]], Jessie, James, and Meowth hold hands. They embrace before they plunge into the water below.
| |
| * ''[[M06|Jirachi: Wish Maker]]''
| |
| : At the end of the movie, Jessie, James, and Meowth are hugging, then Jessie and James look into each other’s eyes and James holds her hands. Next, they put the palms of their hands and are cheek-to-cheek. All three proclaim that they don't need to make wishes because the only thing they've ever really wanted was the feeling they have when they are together.
| |
| * ''[[M08|Lucario and the Mystery of Mew]]''
| |
| : Jessie and James are holding onto each other after they are freed from the leukocytes.
| |
| * ''[[M13|Zoroark: Master of Illusions]]''
| |
| : At the end of the movie, Jessie, James, and Meowth are taking a quiet scenic route on their black rose boat. They determine that they no longer want to know future events because everything is perfect in that moment.
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|
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|
| ===Non anime evidence=== | | ====''[[Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon]]''==== |
| * ''[[Pokémon Puzzle League]]''
| | Throughout this series, there were multiple subtle signs indicating how much Jessie and James care for each other, whether it be through their desire to protect one another from danger or support each other during competitions. |
| : During Round Four in Spa Service, they are wearing their bride and groom clothing from the episode ''[[EP100|Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?]]''. Unlike the episode, the background music is the "Bridal March" and Meowth is dressed as a flower girl. | |
| * ''[[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]]''
| |
| : Throughout the manga, there is some suggestive physical contact between Jessie and James.
| |
| : At the end of the manga, Jessie and James end up married with a child on the way.
| |
| : In the epilogue there is a panel in which we see a flashback to James confessing his love and/or proposing to Jessie. It seems that James, too "old-fashioned" to directly propose, wrote a letter by hand several times-seemingly a marriage proposal-and distributed it to people in [[Pallet Town]] who promised to present it to Jessie on behalf of James. Interestingly enough, he is just as old-fashioned in the anime, since, in a flashback in the episode ''[[DP153|The Treasure Is All Mine!]]'', his marriage proposal to [[Jessiebelle]] has the same sensibility. First, he composed a written marriage proposal, next [[James's parents|his parents]] and Jessiebelle's parents met and agreed to the union, and, finally, Jessiebelle's parents allowed James to come over and present his written proposal to [[Jessiebelle]] with a chaperone present.
| |
| * ''[[It's a White Tomorrow, Team Rocket!]]
| |
| : When Jessie, James, and [[Mondo]]-who is most likely [[Christopher (Sinnoh)]] in the anime-are about to be attacked by a hoard of {{p|Beedrill}}, they recite the lines of a famous {{wp|Kabuki}} scene when two lovers do a double suicide.
| |
| * [[Team Rocket's Secret Empire]]
| |
| : During one of James's occasional Q&A sessions on Twitter, a follower asked him, "Jessie is cute! Since you are together all the time, haven't you fallen in love with her?" James answered, "Because (she's my) eternal partner!" (「永遠のパートナーだからな！」)
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|
| ==Similarities==
| | Key moments include in ''[[SM058|Fighting Back the Tears!]]'' when James gets {{status|poison}}ed by a wild {{p|Toxapex}} multiple times during the episode, with Jessie getting increasingly concerned. She determines that Jame's health is more important than getting a rare and powerful Pokémon. James is equally concerned when he protects Jessie from an {{alo|Raticate}}'s {{m|Bite}} attack in ''[[SM025|A Team-on-Team Tussle!]]'' or when he has to attack Jessie to free her from a {{p|Gengar}}'s control in ''[[SM073|Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?]]'', even requesting {{TP|James|Mareanie}} to do it gently so as not to injure her. |
| * Jessie and James have both owned {{type|Poison}} Pokémon until the {{series|Advanced Generation}}.
| | |
| * Jessie's earrings are the same shade of green as James's eyes.
| | Whilst there are no competitions in the same vein as contests or showcases this series, some episodes feature Jessie wanting to pursue an acting career, which James supports and assists with, even admitting she looks beautiful before her audition in ''[[SM113|This Magik Moment!]]''. At the conclusion of the series in the [[Manalo Conference]] both characters make it through the [[Battle Royal]] and into the {{pkmn|battle}} portion of the competition. When Jessie loses in the first round she demands James win, giving him their shared Z-Ring. She also gives the announcers a biography for James calling him a "ferocious warrior who has traveled the world and conquered [[Gyms]]s". Meowth pointing out that she's getting overexcited in cheering him on, much like James used to during her contests and showcases. After his loss, she struggles to tell him that she is proud regardless, offering a can of iced {{DL|Pokémon Center Café|Drinks|Komala Coffee}} and reminding him that Team Rocket always moves forward. James recognizes the offering for what it is from her and appears to be very touched by her action. |
| * Jessie and James frequently use each other's Pokémon. Neither they nor their Pokémon have had a problem with this on most occasions. Borrowing others' Pokémon is usually a big deal to other Trainers; whereas, Jessie, James, and their Pokémon are almost always excited at the prospect.
| | |
| * James's {{type|Grass}} Pokémon have occasionally 'attacked' Jessie the same way they do James, which is to say with affection. Similarly, Jessie's [[Yanmega]] affectionately rests on James's head for a change in ''[[DP080|The Thief That Keeps on Thieving!]]'' This may speak to an uncommon closeness between Jessie, James, and their Pokémon.
| | <!--====''[[Pokémon Journeys: The Series]]''==== |
| * Jessie and James have a similar style of dress and normally coordinate their outfits.
| | * [[JN003|Ivysaur's Mysterious Tower!]] |
| : They have also donned various disguises pretending to be a couple, most notably as newlyweds in ''[[EP100|Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?]]''; a {{p|Volbeat}} and an {{p|Illumise}} in ''[[AG042|Love at First Flight]]''; and, in ''[[EP028|Pokémon Fashion Flash]]'', ''[[EP073|Bad to the Bone]]'', ''[[EP088|In the Pink]]'', and ''[[AG047|I Feel Skitty!]]'', wearing outfits similar to the ones [[Oscar and Andi]] wear. The latter is likely a reference to the the manga ''{{wp|The Rose of Versailles}}''. Jessie is incapable of fooling James with disguises, as is evident in ''[[EP073|Bad to the Bone]]'' and ''[[DP055|Throwing the Track Switch]]''. This is saying something, as even their close friend [[Christopher (Sinnoh)]] fails to recognize Jessie's disguise in ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]''.
| | : The duo performs a ballroom dance sequence in the new stock motto animation. They dance holding hands and James dips Jessie.--> |
| * Both [[James's parents|James's mother]] and [[Jessiebelle|fiancée]] look very similar to Jessie. James's housekeepers in ''[[AG147|Sweet Baby James]]'', as well as James's housekeeper and [[Jessiebelle]]'s security guards in ''[[DP153|The Treasure Is All Mine!]]'' mistake Jessie for [[Jessiebelle]].
| | |
| : Indeed, in ''[[EP048|Holy Matrimony!]]'', Meowth thinks Jessie is exactly like [[Jessiebelle]] in looks and personality. By ''[[DP002|Two Degrees of Separation!]]'', Meowth has decided that Jessie is nicer.
| | ==Other media== |
| : Ironically, Jessie calls one of her primary aliases Jessiebella. | | ===''[[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]]''=== |
| : Furthermore, in ''[[DP142|Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!]]'', Jessie opens her closet door, revealing a full wardrobe in a style quite similar to what [[James's parents|James's mother]] and [[Jessiebelle]] wear.
| | Throughout the manga, there is suggestive physical contact between Jessie and James and they also revealed to share a bed. In [[ET20|the epilogue]], there is a panel in which we see a flashback to James confessing his love to Jessie and at the end of the manga, Jessie and James are shown to be married with a child on the way. |
| | |
| | ===''[[Pokémon Puzzle League]]''=== |
| | [[Image:EP100 Team Rocket Disguises.png|250px|thumb|left|Jessie and James dressed as newlyweds in ''[[EP100|Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?!]]'']] |
| | During Round Four in Spa Service, they are wearing their bride and groom clothing from the episode ''[[EP100|Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?]]''. Unlike the episode, Meowth is dressed as a flower girl and the background music is "{{wp|Bridal Chorus|Treulich Geführt}}" by {{wp|Richard Wagner}}, known in English as the "Bridal Chorus". |
| | |
| | ===Radio=== |
| | ====''[[It's a White Tomorrow, Team Rocket!]]''==== |
| | During the radio drama, Jessie says the only thing she can rely on is her partner, James asks hopefully whether she means him, however, she reveals she meant her [[Jessie's Arbok|Arbok]], which upsets James. Later on when trapped and anticipating a fatal attack from an angry hoard of {{p|Beedrill}}, Jessie and James recite the lines of a famous {{wp|Kabuki}} scene from a show called ''Kuruwa Bunsho'' (translated as ''Love Letters from the Licensed Quarter''), where two lovers commit a double suicide. |
| | |
| | ====''[[Team Rocket's Secret Empire]]''==== |
| | A radio drama that aired in the latter half of 2012, ''[[Team Rocket's Secret Empire]]'' featured a lot of interaction between the three members of Team Rocket, the show was presented over several segmented stories where they portrayed different characters within them. The {{OBP|Team Rocket's Secret Empire|Twitter}} Twitter account featured several in-character tweets that indicated how close Jessie and James are, including an interaction during one of James's occasional Q&A sessions on Twitter, a follower asked him, "Jessie is cute! Since you are together all the time, haven't you fallen in love with her?" James answered, "So (she's my) eternal partner, right!" (「永遠のパートナーだからな！」). |
| | |
| | In the chapter [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBoUED_EnQ8 "Space People No. 1"], the opening drama of Episode 7, the aftermath of a rocket ship accident is explored. The character of James is frantically searching for Jessie's character and is distraught to find her injured and trapped under rubble. He is unable to free her despite his best efforts, so holds her as she dies. She tells him how happy she is that he is with her at the end and encourages him to save himself, as she believes their relationship is destined by fate and they will be reunited in another life. When asked in the final episode, Jessie cites this as her favorite opening skit of the series and James agrees. |
| | |
| | In the final episode, the trio is asked to say what they like about each other. James is initially rendered incoherent and only able to describe Jessie as "good", before eventually saying they are a good balance. Jessie cites James always being there, saying that whenever she thinks she's alone she looks behind her and James is there. Although framed as a joke implying that James is creepily ever-present, there is also an underlying reference to the promise he makes in ''[[HS12|Training Daze!]]'' to stick with her. |
|
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| ==Trivia== | | ==Trivia== |
| [[File:Jessie James fear hug.png|220px|thumb|Jessie and James's first fearhug in ''[[EP005|Showdown in Pewter City]]'']] | | * Scriptwriter [[Junki Takegami]] is responsible for writing what are generally considered to be the 3 most important Rocketshipping episodes: ''[[EP048|Holy Matrimony!]]'', ''[[HS12|Training Daze]]'' and ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]''. Interestingly, he also received joint writing credit with Shōji Yonemura for ''[[XY063|A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!]]'' in promotional material, although his name did not appear in the episode's end credits. |
| * Jessie and James's first fearhug was at the end of the episode ''[[EP005|Showdown in Pewter City]]''.
| | * [[Toshihiro Ono]] who created [[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]] manga, in which Jessie and James are shown married and expecting a child, continues to express his support for the pairing on [https://twitter.com/kamirenjack3 his Twitter account]. |
| * In the episode ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]'', Jessie and James have a {{wp|ramen}} shop named after them. | | ** He is also infamous for producing an unofficial hentai doujinshi which fills in the details of how they conceived their child. |
| * Jessie and James have had voice actors with prominent roles in the {{wp|Slayers}} anime series. Jessie's seiyuu, [[Megumi Hayashibara]], is also seiyuu to the main protagonist and heroine of Slayers, {{wp|Lina Inverse}}, while James's most famous English voice actor, [[Eric Stuart]], dubbed the voice for Lina's self-proclaimed guardian and constant traveling companion, {{wp|Gourry Gabriev}}. Incidentally, the two characters fell in love with each other over time. | | <!--* In the episode ''[[DP117|Noodles! Roamin' Off!]]'', Jessie and James have a {{wp|ramen}} shop named after them.--> |
| * Due to a mistranslation before release of ''[[M04|Celebi: Voice of the Forest]]'', it was mistakenly thought for a time that the [[Iron-Masked Marauder]] was the future son of Jessie and James. | | * In addition to numerous appearances with Meowth and their other Pokémon, Jessie and James have featured together by themselves in 3 TCG cards: |
| <!--
| | ** [[Here Comes Team Rocket! (Team Rocket 15)|Here Comes Team Rocket!]] ([[EX Team Rocket Returns (TCG)|EX Team Rocket Returns]] print) |
| ==Notable RocketShippers==
| | ** [[Team Rocket's Harassment (Ash vs Team Rocket Deck 26)|Team Rocket's Harassment]] |
| *{{MTR}}
| | ** [[Jessie & James (Hidden Fates 58)|Jessie & James]] (Regular print) |
| *[[Nanny and Pop-Pop]]
| | <!--* It was mistakenly thought for a time that the [[Iron-Masked Marauder]] was the future son of Jessie and James due to a mistranslation before the release of ''[[M04|Celebi: Voice of the Forest]]'', describing him as their "descendant".--> |
| *[[Oscar and Andi]]
| |
| *[[Toshihiro Ono]] (please note how and why they are shippers)-->
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| ==External links== | | ==External links== |
| * [http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/showthread.php?t=55903 Rocketshipping General Discussion] | | * [https://bulbagarden.net/threads/rocketshipping-general-discussion.55903/ Rocketshipping General Discussion] on Bulbagarden Forums |
| | |
| ===RocketShipping support===
| |
| * [http://type-wild.net/rocket/ A White Tomorrow] The fanlisting for the relationship between Jessie and James (Musashi and Kojiro)
| |
| * [http://www.freewebs.com/rocketshipper/ The Rocketshipper Photo Album]
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| * [http://rocketshippyclub.deviantart.com/ Rocketshippy Fanart Club on Deviantart]
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| * [http://z10.invisionfree.com/Rocketshipper_Forum/index.php?act=idx Rocketshipper forum]
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| * [http://rocketshippinganthology.webs.com/ Rocketshipping anthology] A fan art and fiction project by fans
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| * [http://fuckyeahrocketshipping.tumblr.com/ FYRocketshipping] A dedicated tumblr
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| | |
| ===AntiRocketShipping support===
| |
| * [http://www.pokemopolis.net/rocket/rockship.htm Pokemopolis' AntiRocketshipping page]
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| {{-}}
| | {{Project Fandom notice}} |
| {{Project Shipping notice}} | | [[Category:Shipping]] |
| [[Category:Shipping|{{PAGENAME}}]] | |
| [[Category:Anime ships|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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| [[Category:Manga ships|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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| [[Category:Electric Tale of Pikachu ships|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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| [[Category:Ships with James]]
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| [[Category:Ships with Jessie]]
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RocketShipping (Japanese: コジムサ KojiMusa) is the ship between Jessie and James, and alongside PokéShipping and AmourShipping, is one of the most common pairings within the Pokémon fandom. It is also one of the few officially recognized by The Pokémon Company, with evidence found across multiple adaptations.
Jessie and James first appeared in Pokemon Emergency!, alongside Meowth as members of the villainous organization Team Rocket. From that point on, they have served as the show's primary antagonists over its history, frequently performing schemes to try and steal Pokémon from other Trainers, primarily Ash's Pikachu. It is frequently shown throughout the series that Jessie and James are shown to have a lot more physical contact than that between other characters, including hugging, hand-holding, and even sleeping on each other. They are shown to frequently share Pokémon who frequently show affection to the pair in similar ways, as well as equipment, such as their Z-Power Ring.
There is a wide amount of variation in how the character's relationship is presented depending on the language being translated. Notably, this includes James and Meowth fearing retribution when Jessie doesn't win Contests or Showcases in English, compared to being supportive and wishful for her success in the original Japanese versions. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James frequently calls Jessie “mamita” or “querida” (terms of endearment like “honey” or “sweetie”), “mi Jessie” (my Jessie), or by the pet name “Jessita”.
History of the RocketShipping Fandom
An image from the epilogue to Electric Tale of Pikachu
The RocketShipping fandom has undergone substantial change over the years, with peaks of popularity naturally coinciding with the occurrence of Shipping "hints" in the source material.
The first major event in the RocketShipping fanbase occurred when a member of TRHQ came across an untranslated graphic novel in a bookstore, the final volume of Toshihiro Ono's The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga. The epilogue of the manga contained two important scenes: one was a panel showing James confessing his love to Jessie; the other was a full-page illustration in which Jessie and James were married and Jessie visibly pregnant. Most importantly of all for fans, this was official and approved by Nintendo, some believed that it was only a matter of time before something similar happened in the anime series.
However, not long after this, the number and frequency of hints in the anime decreased, along with other changes in characterization. Around this time, a website named Pokemopolis was getting attention for rebutting the "evidence" found in the manga. Pokemopolis became a prominent anti-RocketShipping site in the fandom, as well as the main proponent of the theory that James is gay, and that Jessie and James are no more than friends.
RocketShipping had resurgences in popularity following the episode Noodles! Roamin' Off!, during the airing of Team Rocket's Secret Empire and again after A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!.
Anime
Pre Series
Jessie blushing after James accidentally falls on top of her in
Training Daze!In the side-story episode Training Daze!, the history of the Team Rocket formation was shown. Jessie was a loner who didn't work well in a team, with James being the first partner she was shown to trust. After having a heart-to-heart one night, they vow to be there for each other and make their team shine. After James is hurt during their mission, Jessie wants to give up but James doesn't let her, not wanting to let the team down despite his injuries. Jessie's dedication to James is shown again at the end of the episode where James prepares to sacrifice himself, but Jessie doesn't let that happen with a declaration of their friendship being more important than succeeding.
Early on in the series Jessie and James were shown to be close teammates, frequently seen protecting and encouraging each other when faced with hardships, whether it be declarations of friendship, commitment or compliments in the face of death and danger as seen when trapped aboard the S.S. Anne, during their encounters with Gastly during the events of The Ghost of Maiden's Peak or with Kaiser brandishing a gun at them during EP035.
The pair are occasionally mistaken as a couple, seen when DJ Mary casts them as a married king and queen during Air Time!. This is something they are only too happy to play up during their schemes, even disguising themselves as married couples in Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?. Meowth also comments during The Power of One' that "You two don't need the opposite sex because you got each other."
James is shown to be jealous when other men show interest in Jessie, such as Dr. Proctor in A Chansey Operation. He is also quick to comfort her when their poverty is at its peaks and helps and encourage her in her aspirations outside of Team Rocket, such as during Princess vs. Princess. Jessie desires to win the competition and the prized Hinamatsuri dolls. Despite her loss, James, Meowth, and their Pokémon dress up as the dolls, with James and Jessie dressed as the Emperor and Empress in their "doll" set.
Jessie frequently compliments him for his positive traits that help them towards their plans, whether it be picking locks, having a good memory, or doing well in Pokémon battles. She is also shown to be impressed when he exhibits talents outside of their work, such as his mastery of haiku's in Will the Real Oak Please Stand Up?.
A recurring story throughout the anime with James is his history of being engaged to a girl named Jessebelle. A woman who bears a striking resemblance to Jessie that he fell in love with at first sight. First highlighted in Holy Matrimony!, Jessie is crushed when she thinks James has abandoned her and Meowth to get his inheritance and marry Jessebelle. She is delighted when this is revealed that James decided to return to Team Rocket, swooping down in the Meowth Balloon to pick her up. When he tells her he wasn't able to get the inheritance, she brushes it off, saying they don't need it as long as they have their freedom. They shake hands to reaffirm their friendship. Their hands form a heart and the viewers are shown a prolonged scene of them gazing into each other's eyes as the music swells. They are so caught up in the moment that they forget to pick up Meowth.
Throughout the course of this series both Jessie and James are given the opportunity to depart from Team Rocket, James in the side story episode We're No Angels! (in the dub this was extended to Jessie as well) and Jessie during The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!. Both express sadness at this possibility and are happy when the other decides to stay.
In the previous season where James was seen getting jealous, of Dr. Proctor in this series, he is shown to be wary of Harley's intentions towards Jessie. Jessie is also shown to be jealous of women paying attention to James when he's dressed as Juan in Eight Ain't Enough.
In the Latin American Spanish dub of Game Winning Assist, when Cacnea affectionately attacks James he says, "¿Cacnea, por qué me quieres besar si sabes que ya tengo novia?"; or, "Cacnea, why do you want to kiss me if you know that I already have a girlfriend?". Although novia can mean both “girlfriend” and “fiancée”, James never uses novia when he is saying "fiancée." Instead, he uses prometida, an unambiguous word for "fiancée”. He always refers to Jessebelle as his "prometida," and Jessebelle in turn calls him her "prometido." By the same token, during James's brief engagement to Temacu, she, James, and Jessie all use the term "prometido". On top of that, James does not mention Jessebelle between catching Cacnea and Game Winning Assist, so Cacnea would not understand any reference to Jessebelle. Therefore, "novia" would mean "girlfriend" and can only reasonably refer to Jessie.
During the events of The Bicker the Better Oscar and Andi assume Jessie and James are a couple in the English dub (in the original they simply suggest that the two have a good relationship). James looks confused at this and Jessie just ignores it. Since they don't get upset at it like Ash and May do, it could be interpreted that Jessie and James find the assumption acceptable. This comfort can also be seen in Take This House and Shuppet when James comments "They say that you always hurt the ones you love!" during a fight, and in Sky High Gym Battle! where Jessie and James imagine themselves dancing together at the Team Rocket nightclub with the R insignia covered in hearts
There were also other small events between the pair, such as when the pair view Illumise and Volbeat perform a "mating" dance in Love at First Flight, that is said to bring good fortune to spectators who are in love. James sells his bottle caps in New Plot, Odd Lot! so that Jessie could buy a dress she wanted. Finally, James attempting to save Jessie from Regirock and Registeel by trying to carry her away in Pace - The Final Frontier!.
James history with Jessebelle surfaces again in Sweet Baby James when the Team Rocket visits one of his families estates. The housekeepers mistake Jessie for Jessebelle, Jessie is unimpressed by James's reaction to the thought of being married to her and further upset when he introduces her as his secretary in an attempt to cover up his being in Team Rocket. She spends most of the rest of the episode going against James's request to keep the peace and only becomes supportive again after James has been honest about their identity. Throughout their stay, the housekeepers continue to ask about Jessie, even when she isn't around and even approving of her after finding out they are members of Team Rocket, saying that “it seems like his friends are also good people”.
Jessie's Contest arc in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl is a major source of development for her relationship with James. The hesitancy he feels towards her participation, carried over from Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, eventually dissipates and he becomes increasingly involved, loaning her his Pokémon and on one occasion stepping in for her when she is sick. He repeatedly forgets to cheer her by her Jessilina alias and instead calls her Jessie before correcting himself, such as in Dawn of a Royal Day!. In Opposites Interact! James tries to get Jessie to let him watch her performances instead of selling merchandise. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James frequently calls Jessie by nicknames including his marigold queen or Jessie-Jess, which is Jessie's nickname from her days at Team Rocket Academy.
In this series, there were few instances of implied imagery between Jessie and James, primarily in Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!, where inside their base there is no bed in James's room, and a double bed in Jessie's. During Crossing Paths, once Jessie releases Dustox, James is touched by Jessie's explanation about this being Dustox's chance of love. The narrator also suggests that Jessie will find happiness too as the shot pans down to show Jessie and James, the English dub narrator changes "finding happiness" to "finding love".
The events of Noodles! Roamin' Off! features the Team Rocket going their separate ways, with Meowth joining a noodle cart, Jessie wanting to focus on being a coordinator, and James remaining with Team Rocket. A depressed James decides to try and capture a Shiny Metagross. When Jessie hears that James is in danger, she immediately drops the façade of pursuing her contest career and rushes to his aid, causing James to fall to his knees and cry, overjoyed she has returned. With the shiny MEtagross about to attack them, James apologizes for getting Jessie involved, which she brushes off saying they're friends. He goes on to say life wasn't wasted because he spent it with good friends, looking at her significantly. Closing their eyes for the final blow, Jessie says, “If there is another world after we die, let’s meet again there.” James agrees and smiles, no longer looking afraid. This is an addendum to James's implied promise in Training Daze to always be at Jessie's side.
During Two Degrees of Separation! while visiting one of James's families summer homes, Team Rocket decide to leave quickly before his parents and Jessebelle arrive. Although disappointed, James expresses the desire to live in a cottage in the future with Jessie and Meowth. Later on, during the episode The Treasure Is All Mine!, James refers to Jessebelle as his first love, implying that he'd fallen in love with someone else. To escape Jessebelle later in the episode he asks Ash to get Pikachu to use Thunderbolt on them to send them blasting off.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White is noteworthy for attempting to put Jessie, James, and Meowth in more serious, antagonistic roles. Their normal personalities and relationships are so much suppressed during the series that it inspired the creation of the Team Rocket's Secret Empire radio show, in the introduction to which James accuses Jessie of only speaking to him these days to confirm mission plans. This change resulted in a complete absence of shipping evidence until the Decolora Adventure portion of the saga when they start to revert to their prior selves. An example of this is in Danger, Sweet as Honey!, when Jessie freezes in terror at the prospect of being attacked by a swarm of Beedrill, James takes her by the shoulders to guide her out of harm's way.
In a progression of his involvement in Jessie's Contest arc in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, James is a bedrock of support for Jessie during the Pokémon Showcase competition. As before, he often forgets to call her by her stage name and is now frequently shown to be the loudest supporter in the crowd, to the point that it becomes a nuisance for the audience members seated near him. During the Pokémon Showcase Master Class, despite worrying she'd be angry at her loss, Jessie thanks her friends for helping her get as far as she had. Everyone tackles and hugs her, with James saying he'd follow her anywhere.
Pokémon the Series: XY generally had smaller moments between Jessie and James peppered throughout the episodes, such as pushing each other out of the way of danger. One such moment is during A Gaggle of Gadget Greatness! when Jessie struggles to open a trick wall, James whacks a hand against it, briefly trapping Jessie between his body and the wall until it opens. Annoyed, she tells him, "That was misleading." The frames are presented like a classic Kabedon scene, a trope often used in anime and manga for love confessions. In Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction when the trio believe they are about to get rich from Diancie’s diamonds, James's first suggestion is they could build a house with the money and Jessie follows this up by saying they might get a holiday home too.
Jessie again dabbled with the idea of parting with Team Rocket during A Fork in The Road! A Parting of The Ways!. After being separated during a blast-off, James and Meowth find Jessie telling Ash and company she is quitting Team Rocket to stay with Dr. White, who she has fallen in love with. Meowth is about to stop Jessie, but James tells him they shouldn't get in the way of her happiness. James then runs away crying as he reminisces about the life he has shared with his partner. After Jessie and James Pokémon are stolen by a hunter James pleads Ash and his friends for help. In the original Japanese, Serena begins to ask an ambiguous question of James about Jessie which he cuts off with an affirmative grunt before she can express the verb. Given the context, it is hinted that she may have been about to ask if he likes her as more than a friend. Jessie, having overheard the conversation Jessie chooses to return to Team Rocket and help rescue their Pokémon. When Meowth begs her to live for love, not evil, to which she replies that she is carrying out the evils of love and truth, quoting their motto.
Throughout this series, there were multiple subtle signs indicating how much Jessie and James care for each other, whether it be through their desire to protect one another from danger or support each other during competitions.
Key moments include in Fighting Back the Tears! when James gets poisoned by a wild Toxapex multiple times during the episode, with Jessie getting increasingly concerned. She determines that Jame's health is more important than getting a rare and powerful Pokémon. James is equally concerned when he protects Jessie from an Alolan Raticate's Bite attack in A Team-on-Team Tussle! or when he has to attack Jessie to free her from a Gengar's control in Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, even requesting Mareanie to do it gently so as not to injure her.
Whilst there are no competitions in the same vein as contests or showcases this series, some episodes feature Jessie wanting to pursue an acting career, which James supports and assists with, even admitting she looks beautiful before her audition in This Magik Moment!. At the conclusion of the series in the Manalo Conference both characters make it through the Battle Royal and into the battle portion of the competition. When Jessie loses in the first round she demands James win, giving him their shared Z-Ring. She also gives the announcers a biography for James calling him a "ferocious warrior who has traveled the world and conquered Gymss". Meowth pointing out that she's getting overexcited in cheering him on, much like James used to during her contests and showcases. After his loss, she struggles to tell him that she is proud regardless, offering a can of iced Komala Coffee and reminding him that Team Rocket always moves forward. James recognizes the offering for what it is from her and appears to be very touched by her action.
Other media
Throughout the manga, there is suggestive physical contact between Jessie and James and they also revealed to share a bed. In the epilogue, there is a panel in which we see a flashback to James confessing his love to Jessie and at the end of the manga, Jessie and James are shown to be married with a child on the way.
During Round Four in Spa Service, they are wearing their bride and groom clothing from the episode Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?. Unlike the episode, Meowth is dressed as a flower girl and the background music is "Treulich Geführt" by Richard Wagner, known in English as the "Bridal Chorus".
Radio
During the radio drama, Jessie says the only thing she can rely on is her partner, James asks hopefully whether she means him, however, she reveals she meant her Arbok, which upsets James. Later on when trapped and anticipating a fatal attack from an angry hoard of Beedrill, Jessie and James recite the lines of a famous Kabuki scene from a show called Kuruwa Bunsho (translated as Love Letters from the Licensed Quarter), where two lovers commit a double suicide.
A radio drama that aired in the latter half of 2012, Team Rocket's Secret Empire featured a lot of interaction between the three members of Team Rocket, the show was presented over several segmented stories where they portrayed different characters within them. The Team Rocket's Secret Empire Twitter account featured several in-character tweets that indicated how close Jessie and James are, including an interaction during one of James's occasional Q&A sessions on Twitter, a follower asked him, "Jessie is cute! Since you are together all the time, haven't you fallen in love with her?" James answered, "So (she's my) eternal partner, right!" (「永遠のパートナーだからな！」).
In the chapter "Space People No. 1", the opening drama of Episode 7, the aftermath of a rocket ship accident is explored. The character of James is frantically searching for Jessie's character and is distraught to find her injured and trapped under rubble. He is unable to free her despite his best efforts, so holds her as she dies. She tells him how happy she is that he is with her at the end and encourages him to save himself, as she believes their relationship is destined by fate and they will be reunited in another life. When asked in the final episode, Jessie cites this as her favorite opening skit of the series and James agrees.
In the final episode, the trio is asked to say what they like about each other. James is initially rendered incoherent and only able to describe Jessie as "good", before eventually saying they are a good balance. Jessie cites James always being there, saying that whenever she thinks she's alone she looks behind her and James is there. Although framed as a joke implying that James is creepily ever-present, there is also an underlying reference to the promise he makes in Training Daze! to stick with her.
Trivia
- Scriptwriter Junki Takegami is responsible for writing what are generally considered to be the 3 most important Rocketshipping episodes: Holy Matrimony!, Training Daze and Noodles! Roamin' Off!. Interestingly, he also received joint writing credit with Shōji Yonemura for A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways! in promotional material, although his name did not appear in the episode's end credits.
- Toshihiro Ono who created The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, in which Jessie and James are shown married and expecting a child, continues to express his support for the pairing on his Twitter account.
- He is also infamous for producing an unofficial hentai doujinshi which fills in the details of how they conceived their child.
- In addition to numerous appearances with Meowth and their other Pokémon, Jessie and James have featured together by themselves in 3 TCG cards:
External links
