RocketShipping

This article is about shipping. As hints and evidence for ships are mostly speculation, this page may contain personal points of view.

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Jessie and James

RocketShipping (Japanese: コジムサ KojiMusa) is the belief that Jessie and James of Team Rocket belong in a romantic relationship. It is also known as JAJL, or Jessie and James Love.

History of RocketShipping

An image from the epilogue to Electric Tale of Pikachu

The term "RocketShipping" was the first time the suffix "Shipping" had been applied to any couple outside of the 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 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.

Upon first glance, it appeared to be simply the 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Nowadays, thanks to the episode Noodles! Roamin' Off!, RocketShipping has had a resurgence in popularity, and RocketShippers feel more confident about their ship than ever.

Sects of RocketShipping

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 Advanced Generation series of the anime started airing in America.

RocketShippers
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.

R*cketShippers
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.

QueerShippers
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.

WrongRocketShippers
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.

AntiRocketShippers
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' cross-dressing. Opinions on Jessie's sexuality varied.

Evidence

The following is a list of points that point to a potential relationship between James and Jessie.

Anime evidence

Jessie's hints

File:James Jessie SS012.png

Jessie blushing after James accidentally falls on top of her in Training Daze!

• The Ninja Poké-Showdown

Jessie gives James a rose, much to his surprise.

• Pikachu Re-Volts

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.

• A Farfetch'd Tale

Jessie blushes and looks at James adoringly when he is doing well in battle against Ash and company.

• Spinarak Attack

After James picks a lot with a paper clip, Jessie nudges James with her elbow and says, "Ooo, nice work James," in a flirtatious way.

• The Heartbreak of Brock

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!"

• We're No Angels

Jessie becomes alarmed when Kate asks James to live with her. 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.

• Training Daze!

Jessie gives her food ration to Meowth and James, despite James having declined her offer.

Despite having had twelve previous partners and managing to abandon them all without regret, when James is in the hospital and cannot join her for the final task, Jessie almost gives up. She then blushes when James accidentally falls on top of her.

• Sweet Baby James

Jessie looked annoyed when James freaked out at the idea of being married to her.

• Reversing the Charges

When blasting off, James says that no matter how many times this happens, he's fine as long as he's with with his Mime Jr. This causes Jessie to turn and look at him, very annoyed. Normally she and Meowth are the objects of James's attention.

• The Ole' Berate and Switch

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.

Later, Jessie and James try to steal Pokéballs to impress each other and apologize for having argued.

• Crossing Paths

While Jessie is unconscious, James is watching her sleep. When she wakes up, she explains that she wants to release her 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."

James's hints

Throughout the Diamond & Pearl series, 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 Dawn of a Royal Day!, James cheers on Jessie using her real name and does not correct himself. In Opposites Interact!, James tries to get Jessie to let him watch her performances.

• Pokémon Shipwreck

When it looked like Jessie and James are going to die, James says, "Jessica, whoever said beauty doesn't last, must have been thinking of us."

• The Ultimate Test

After Jessie is expelled from the test, James says in a determined voice that he'll do his best for her.

• The Legend of Dratini

When Kaiser starts shooting at Team Rocket, James smiles and tells Jessie to trust him, then grabs her by the waist and jumps off the roof to what he believed to be to safety. 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.

• Ditto's Mysterious Mansion

Jessie shows a 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.

• A Chansey Operation

When Dr. Proctor asks Jessie on a date, James cocks and eyebrow and looks unimpressed.

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.

Dr. Proctor asks Jessie to assist him, and she agrees, so James volunteers to assist as well.

• Princess vs. Princess

Before the Princess Festival Contest, James tells Jessie that he hopes she will win, holds her hands, and cries with her.

After Jessie loses to Misty, James dresses himself and their Pokémon as the Hina Matsuri dolls that were the grand prize.

• Snack Attack

James blushes after Jessie compliments him on having a good memory.

• The Stun Spore Detour

Jessie frolics in a field of flowers and manages to get her head stuck inside of a Vileplume. She becomes extremely sick, and quite convinced of an imminent death, so James crossdresses to try to trick Misty into giving him Salveyo weed for Jessie's recovery.

• 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.

• Pace - The Final Frontier!

As Regirock and Registeel use 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.

• 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."

• 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.

• Cheers on Castaways Isle!

While Jessie, James, and Meowth are in disguise, James and Meowth refer to Jessie as, "My lady."

• Noodles! Roamin' Off!

When Jessie left to pursue a career in Contests, James was visibly hurt and wondered how strong their bond really was. He then ran off and cried. Later in the episode after Jessie saved him, James got on his knees and cried because he was happy she came back.

• Old Rivals, New Tricks

Up until this episode, James has never liked Jessie using his Pokémon in Contests, mostly due to her mistreatment of 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 told Mime Jr. that's he counting on it and Jessie's third ribbon depends on it.

• Dressed for Jess Success!

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, saying with a caring tone of voice that, "That would be best." Later, James disguises himself as Jessalina and enters his first contest in her place. 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 loudest cheers that Master of Ceremonies Marian has ever heard. He ends up winning the ribbon. When James and Meowth get back to the cabin, Jessie hugs them and adorably nuzzles her ribbon. Meowth comments that, "THIS Jessie was worth the wait," and James seems to share the sentiment.

Shared hints

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.

• Pokémon Shipwreck

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.

At the end of the episode, James sleeps on top of Jessie.

• The Ghost of Maiden's Peak

When the ghost is dragging James away and he cries that he doesn't want to be separated from her, 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.

• Holiday Hi-Jynx

Jessie and James hug for warmth.

James blushes and cries happily when Jessie gets her doll back.

At the end of the episode, Jessie and James are sleeping next to each other.

• 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 goes on to tell her he'd rather have his freedom with Team Rocket rather than money. They then smile and stare into each others eyes. When they shake hands they seem to look like a heart shape. They also completely forget to pick up Meowth.

• Who Gets to Keep Togepi?

Jessie and James sleep next to each other.

• 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.

• Clefairy Tales

Jessie sleeps on top of James.

• 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 in James in their Salon Roquet outfits. Jessie is on bended knee with her hand underneath James's hand, as if asking him to marry her. They both look very serious.

• 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.

• Roll On, Pokémon!

Jessie sleeps on top of James.

• Hocus Pokemon!

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.

• Training Daze!

In spite of being severely injured from a fall, James comes back to join their mission, to Jessie's shock. He assures her that he won't run away this time. She gets touched by his act and wipes away her tears.

Later, James falls again, but Jessie and Meowth do not let him go. He tries to convince them to go on without him and because a great team, but Jessie assures him that they are "in this together." James concedes, visibly touched.

• 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.

• 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 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.

• 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.

The scale in the Rocket motto

• Throwing the Track Switch

James is depressed over losing 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 Buizel and Aipom. The wrong Pokemon get stolen, but James is just as touched. Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet cry and hug; then later Jessie and James hold hands and cry again. Jessie sees James no longer being distant as a sign that they are a "real" team again.

• If the Scarf Fits, Wear It!

James says he will become "king of the Team Rocket hill" who will be "lording over Sinnoh," and Jessie says she will be the queen.

When Jessie tells James to catch a Lickilicky, James answers, "Yes dear."

• Noodles! Roamin' Off!

When a Shiny Metagross was 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 lookes afraid.

• Uncrushing Defeat!

One scene during the their motto shows Jessie and James on a set of scales with a pink heart symbol on it, seemingly at balance despite it swinging slightly.

Movie evidence

Jessie's hints

• Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

Jessie tells James and Meowth that they are going to be her dates for the ball. Meowth wanders off, so Jessie dances with James. When James mentions stealing Pokémon, Jessie explains that she just wants to dance all night.

James' hints

• Pokémon 4Ever - Celebi: Voice of the Forest

While Jessie is kidnapped by Iron-Masked Marauder, James worries about her and feels bad that he is not able to rescue her.

• Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

After the leukocytes gets Jessie, James uses his Cacnea to try and rescue Jessie. He gets out of the way when it tries to hug him showing how serious he is taking this. After he fails to rescue Jessie they both cry out to each other and she is dragged down. James stands there speechless, visibly heart broken, and then gets engulfed as well.

Shared hints

• Mewtwo Strikes Back

Jessie and James are hugging each other throughout most of the movie.

• The Power of One

Meowth says to Jessie and James "You guys act love-love all the time," causing Jessie and James to get upset and blush. A few minutes later they are seen hugging each other.

• 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 their cheeks together. 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.

• Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

Jessie and James are seen holding onto each other after they are freed from the leukocytes.

• Zoroark: Master of Illusions

A Skiploom knocks Jessie out of Team Rocket's aircraft, so James grabs her, falling out himself.

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.

Non anime evidence

• The Electric Tale of Pikachu

At the end of the manga, Jessie and James end up married with a child on the way, and in the epilogue there is a panel in which we see a flashback to James confessing his love to Jessie. There is also some suggestive physical contact between the two throughout the manga.

• It's a White Tomorrow, Team Rocket!

When Jessie, James and Mondo are about to be attacked by a hoard of Beedrill, they recite the lines of a famous Kabuki scene when two lovers do a double suicide.

• Pokémon Puzzle League

During stage five in The Spa, they are dressed as a bridal couple, with the Bridal March as the theme.

• Team Rocket's Secret Empire

During one of James' 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！」)

Similarities

• Jessie and James have both owned Poison-type Pokémon until the Advanced Generation series.
• They both have a similar style of fashion and always coordinate their outfits. They have also donned various disguises pretending to be a couple, most notably as a couple getting married, as Volbeat and Illumise, and wearing outfits similar to the ones Oscar and Andi wore, which may be a reference to the the manga The Rose of Versailles.
• Jessie's earrings are the same shade of green as James's eyes.
• Jessie and James frequently use each other's Pokémon. Their Pokémon have rarely ever had a problem with this, and sometimes are happy about it.
• James' Grass-type Pokémon have occasionally "attacked" Jessie the same way they do James. Since James' Pokémon do it out of affection, some RocketShippers use this, among other things, to show that Jessie and James have a close relationship.

Trivia

Jessie and James' first fearhug in Showdown in Pewter City

• Both James's mother and fiancée look very similar to Jessie.
• Jessie and James' first fearhug was at the end of the episode Showdown in Pewter City.
• Jessie and James have a ramen shop named after them.
• Jessie and James have had voice actors with prominent roles in the Slayers anime series. Jessie's seiyuu, Megumi Hayashibara, is also seiyuu to the main protagonist and heroine of Slayers, 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, Gourry Gabriev. Incidentally, the two characters fell in love with each other over time.
• Due to a mistranslation before release of 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.

External links

• Rocketshipping General Discussion

RocketShipping support

• A White Tomorrow The fanlisting for the relationship between Jessie and James (Musashi and Kojiro)
• The Rocketshipper Photo Album
• Rocketshippy Fanart Club on Deviantart
• Rocketshipper forum
• Rocketshipping anthology A fan art and fiction project by fans
• FYRocketshipping A dedicated tumblr

AntiRocketShipping support

• Pokemopolis' AntiRocketshipping page

This article is part of Project Shipping, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each couple in Pokémon.