In the anime, Jessie, James, and Meowth have several mottos, saying one of them in nearly every episode when they reveal themselves to Ash and his friends. Early on, they had an irresistible urge to say it whenever hearing the word "trouble", but this seemingly is no longer the case. This motto would usually be said by all members of the trio, but when one of them is not present, another member takes their line.
Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!
Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
コジロウ:ホワイトホール、白い明日が待ってるぜ
Kojirō: A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us!
James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight!
ニャース:にゃんてにゃ
Nyarth: Something like that!
Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
Note that the lines "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" and "To extend our reach to the stars above!" were often said by both Jessie and James in the first season. In many later episodes, starting from Fit To Be Tide, James said "fight, fight, fight" instead of just the singular "fight" at the end of his last line. Wobbuffet also began saying his name at the end of the motto in Tunnel Vision, and has done so in most episodes since. There were many occasions in which the trio would use a radio or something similar to play the background music.
Since the episode Team Rocket was introduced in, the duo has been rhyming "prepare for trouble" and "make it double" phrases. Also, in almost all episodes after the Orange League, they tend to alter the first two sentences to match the current situation. An example from ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training Seviper and Meowth filled in for her, is:
Meowth: Prepare for trouble, here in the wood...
James: ...and make it double like you know that you should!
This version of the motto was used in commercials for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen with each line being said by different children, omitting the parts at which Jessie, James and Meowth say their own names and the line "Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light." This motto was also adapted into the songs Team Rocket Forever and Double Trouble
Team Rocket used this motto in A Lean Mean Team Rocket Machine, as a return to their "hip and cool" ways, done by only Jessie, James, and Meowth, without the usual ending additions of Wobbuffet and Mime Jr.
This motto was also used in Alola, Kanto!, where Team Rocket had followed Ash and his classmates to Kanto during their extracurricular activity.
Musashi:Evil flowers who have courageously bloomed!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ:ハードでスイートな敵役
Kojirō: In the role of the villains who are hard and sweet!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ:ムサシ
Musashi: Musashi!
Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ:コジロウ
Kojirō: Kojirō!
James: And James!
ニャース:ニャースでニャース
Nyarth: And Nyarth!
Meowth: And Meowth are the names!
ムサシ:ロケット団のあるところ
Musashi: The place where Team Rocket is
Jessie: Anywhere there's peace in the universe...
コジロウ:世界は
Kojirō: The world-
James: ...Team Rocket...
ニャース:宇宙は
Nyarth: The universe-
Meowth: ...Will be there...
All:君を待っている
All: Awaits you!
All: To make everything worse!
ソーナンス:ソーナンス！
Sonans:Sōnansu!
Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Since the first episode, they have adapted their traditional rhyming phrases "Prepare for trouble" and "Make it double" into the motto, thereby restoring the first two lines of the original motto. James's Chimecho and Mime Jr. also contribute their names at the end of the motto in most episodes they appear in.
James: We'll answer these questions when we feel the need!
ムサシ:フューチャー 白い未来は悪の色
Musashi: Future! A white future reflects the color of evil!
Jessie: Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future!
コジロウ:ユニバース 黒い世界に正義の鉄槌
Kojirō: Universe! The hammer of justice in a black world!
James: Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe!
ニャース:我らこの地にその名を記す
Nyarth: Our names will be remembered in this place!
Meowth: Carving our names in the Rock of Eternity!
ムサシ:情熱の破壊者 ムサシ!
Musashi: Destroyer of passion, Musashi!
Jessie: The fiery destroyer, Jessie!
コジロウ:暗黒の純情 コジロウ!
Kojirō: Pure heart of darkness, Kojirō!
James: And with thunderous emotion, I am James!
ニャース:無限の知性 ニャース!
Nyarth: Infinite intelligence, Nyarth!
Meowth: Wisest of the wise, Meowth!
All:さあ集え! ロケット団の名のもとに!
All: Come gather! Under the name of Team Rocket!
All: And now gather, under the name of Team Rocket!
"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.
Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N and Best Wishes! Season 2: Decolora Adventure!
Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon the Series: Black & White Season 2
In New Places... Familiar Faces!, Jessie, James and Meowth reverted to their original motto with some slight alterations, after having failed in their latestoperation and making a brief retreat back to Kanto. Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.
Japanese
Translation
English
ムサシ:なんだかんだと聞かれたら
Musashi: If you ask us this or that...
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, you know the drill!
コジロウ:答えてあげるのが世の情け
Kojirō: The pity of the world is what responds!
James: And make it double, you'll get your fill!
ムサシ:世界の破壊を防ぐため
Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
コジロウ:世界の平和を守るため
Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world!
James: To unite the people within our nation!
ムサシ:愛と真実の悪をつらぬく
Musashi: To stand by the evils of love and truth!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ:ラブリー・チャーミーな敵役
Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ:ムサシ
Musashi: Musashi!
Jessie: It's Jessie!
コジロウ:コジロウ
Kojirō: Kojirō!
James: And it's James!
ムサシ:銀河をかけるロケット団の二人には……
Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!
Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon the Series: XY
Just like in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, Jessie, James and Meowth still currently use their original motto from the original series, but it is altered to the situation at hand in the episode.
Japanese
Translation
English
ムサシ:なんだかんだと聞かれたら
Musashi: If you ask us this or that...
Jessie: Prepare for trouble!
コジロウ:答えてあげるのが世の情け
Kojirō: The pity of the world is what responds!
James: And make it double!
ムサシ:世界の破壊を防ぐため
Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
コジロウ:世界の平和を守るため
Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world!
James: To unite all people within our nation!
ムサシ:愛と真実の悪をつらぬく
Musashi: To stand by the evils of love and truth!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ:ラブリー・チャーミーな敵役
Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ:ムサシ
Musashi: Musashi!
Jessie: It's Jessie!
コジロウ:コジロウ
Kojirō: Kojirō!
James: And James!
ムサシ:銀河をかけるロケット団の二人には……
Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!
Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
As James was under the trance of Gastly, he was not present with Jessie and Meowth when they encountered the twerps, and Jessie was left to say most of the motto herself. However, James later reacted to hearing the motto, and made his whereabouts known by saying his last three lines.
In this episode, Team Rocket recites this one after they see Ash and his friends in a forest at night.
Ash: Well, I think I learned my lesson, Pikachu.
Jessie: Your lesson is just beginning! To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Meowth: They know the rest.
Jessie and James: (both groan)
The rest of the motto was not followed in this episode. After the motto, Jessie and James presented the newly evolved forms of their Pokémon: Arbok and Weezing.
In this episode, Team Rocket has followed Ash and his friends to Professor Oak's Laboratory. When they start singing their motto, Meowth is constantly trying to get a phrase for himself.
Meowth: May I invite you to prepare...
Jessie and James: For trouble!
Meowth: Yeah! And while you're at it, you're better make it a triple!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Meowth: Meowth...!
Jessie (thrashes Meowth to the ground): You stay out of this, Meowth!
James (thrashes Meowth): Stop stealing our material!
Meowth: All right, all right!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight for that Pikachu!
In this episode, Team Rocket starts to sell fake Badges to Trainers in the Indigo Plateau. Near the end of the episode, they realize that they are much more successful selling stuff than when they are stealing stuff. At some point, Meowth says that they will eventually open a fast-food restaurant. This leads to the following dialogue:
Jessie: That's not a bad idea. We can call it "Jessie's".
James: "James's".
Jessie: Want a burger and fries without trouble?
James: If you are really hungry, make it double!
Jessie: To protect the world from hunger and thirst.
James: Our food isn't bad, at least not the worst.
Jessie: The Team Rocket Restaurant blasting for a bite.
Jessie and James: We stay open all day, we stay open all night!
This variation is a heavy variation of the usual motto and sounds like a restaurant motto.
In this episode, Meowth, being hit by Squirtle's Water Gun, flies up and falls on an island where a strange tribe that worships Meowth lives. Almost in the end of the episode when Meowth feels lonely and says he misses Jessie and James, they both appear and recite a special version of their motto for Meowth. At the same time, the tribal priest and high priest beg Meowth to stay with the tribe.
The priest: Great One, our people need you here!
Jessie: I'm the one who needs you too!
James: Make it double, we both need you!
Jessie: You protect us both from desperation!
James: You unite us all in jubilation!
Jessie: You help chase away our loneliness!
James: You're a mess, but we love you nevertheless!
Team Rocket comes down from a cliff along a zip-line, but just when they are about to recite their names, Jessie and James crash into a tree and become a bit dizzy.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble!
James: Make it double!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie (crashes into a tree mid-word): Jes-!
James (also crashes into the tree mid-word): Ja-!
Jessie (dizzy): Team Blocket... rest off at the lead of spite... tonight...
James (dizzy): Surrender now or prepare... to surrender now... surrender now...
Meowth: Meowth! Say the motto right!
Meowth scratches both Jessie and James to their faces
Meowth: We didn't mean to wake 'em all, but now we're gonna take 'em all!
In this episode Jessie and James try to imitate The Black Arachnid, a well-known burglar. Upon breaking into a rich mansion and seizing a valuable trophy, they introduce themselves to the stunned witnesses with the following motto.
Ash: How did they get in?!
Jessie: Check your eyes and prepare for trouble!
James: We've got the prize, so make it double!
Jessie: To protect the world from its own greed!
James: To steal all the treasure that they don't need!
Jessie: To work every heist like there are none other!
After quickly taking Chikorita off the Pokémon Center dressed as doctors, Nurse Joy ask where they are from. They respond with a variation of their motto:
Jessie: We are from the team that causes trouble.
James: I hope you're insured 'cause we make it double.
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Doctor Jessie!
James: Doctor James!
Jessie: Team Rocket doctors, blast off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now, because we're not making any more house calls.
In this episode, Ash challenges Bugsy of the Azalea Gym. During the battle, Team Rocket tries to dig a hole underneath Pikachu. While they are excavating, they start dreaming about the bonus that they will receive from their boss. During the beginning of the motto, they recite it without the usual music and stopping the words in the syllables.
Jessie: Oh, prepare for trouble, that's what they should do.
James: And make it double, we're grabbing Pikachu.
Meowth: Haah!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Meowth: Sing it!
Beginning of the usual music and normal recitation
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket digging to the Pikachu at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight the crowns on opening night!
In this episode, Jessie and James try to steal all Pokémon in the Pokémon Swap Meet using a fake trade machine. After all the Trainers have discovered that their Poké Balls are empty, they try to get them back from Team Rocket. After this, Team Rocket recites a simple variation of their motto:
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, it's true, we've been stealing.
James: Make it double, it beats relying and dealing.
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket stealing Poké Balls at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!
This motto was recited by Jessie and James after they had confused some wares at a food store with free samples and had been caught by a saleswoman.
Jessie: Now you're in for a bunch of trouble!
James: We're eating lunch, so make it double!
Jessie: To eat and drink to our hearts' content!
James: Without even having to spend a single cent!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of paying for food!
James: We won't leave a single sample unchewed!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket loves scarfing down free samples at the speed of light!
James: Yes, and we like to eat even more than we like to fight!
Meowth: You got that right!
This episode is also notable due to the fact that Team Rocket did not shout out their usual "blasting off" phrase in it, even before disappearing in the Magnet Train tunnel although the shining star did appear.
In this episode, Team Rocket breaks into a castle that later appeared to be a hospital, where Pokémon were used to treat people. Upon stealing some food from the dining room and trying to get away, Team Rocket was caught by Dr. Anna and Brock.
Dr. Anna: Excuse me, do you have an appointment?!
Jessie: We have no appointment, but we've been having some trouble!
James: So prescribe us some ointment on the double!
Jessie: To protect us from all that chafing and itching!
James: It might finally stop all of Jessie's... complaining!
Jessie: To eradicate the evils of athlete's feet!
James: Maybe I can get rid of my prickly heat!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket's been scratching at the speed of light!
James: So give us some salve or we'll never sleep tonight!
In this episode Jessie and James enter a Pokémon Beauty Contest, pretending not to be members of Team Rocket (they even forbid Meowth to talk). Because they want to be the first to show their Pokémon in order to make a better impression on the judges, they lock up the first contestant and appear on the stage instead of him. A small delay happens due to this.
Jessie: Sorry we're late, it takes a while...
James: ...to give our Pokémon flare and style!
Jessie: We hope our Pokémon will amaze all of you!
James: We're giving each one a look that's brand new!
Jessie: We're creating a trend and it's gonna be big!
James (combing a wig on Jessie's Wobbuffet): And this doesn't even look like a wig!
Jessie: We two aren't fakers!
James: We're style makers!
Jessie: We're cutting and curling at the speed of light!
James: Put yourself in our hands and we'll make you look right, right, right!
In this episode Team Rocket tries to catch Madame Muchmoney's Snubbull in order to return it to her and receive a reward, which they suppose to be quite large.
Jessie: Prepare to say good-bye to all of our trouble!
James: Prepare to say hello to Snubbull!
Jessie: To protect ourselves from being poor!
James: When we get enough, we'll still get more!
Jessie: We'll capture Snubbull and return it to its rich owner and get a big reward!
James: Then there won't be anything we can't afford!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket likes blasting off at the speed of light!
James: But catching that Snubbull and getting that reward would be a delight!
Team Rocket recites this motto before trying to steal treasures that people have brought to the Xatu for predicting a flood in order to pay the bill that Delibird had just brought to them.
Jessie: I predict that you prepare for trouble!
James: The crystal ball says make it double!
Jessie: To protect the future from devastation!
James: To unite all psychics within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of non-belief!
James: To read our fortunes from a green-tea leaf!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket searches for mystical truth at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now and tell me your sign, or prepare to fight, fight, fight,
Jessie, James and Meowth recite this motto upon being caught by other Team Rocket members while trying to sneak into a Team Rocket's secret base thinking it was a farmhouse, where they could find something to eat.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble and a nice surprise!
James: Make it double with an order of fries!
Jessie: To protect our tummies from rumbling too much!
James: To enjoy our meals with a gourmet touch!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of excessive hunger and thirst!
James: To consume so much food, you’d think you might burst!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off in search of wonderful treats!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fork over tons of your sweets!
Jessie, James and Meowth recite this motto as they steal Egan's Poké Ball with his freshly caught Magcargo. For some reason, they are dressed up as baseball players (maybe because Egan demands that they return his Poké Ball).
Jessie: Prepare for trouble like a hot lava flow!
James: And make it double or to the showers you'll go!
Jessie: To protect our team from the volcano's wrath!
James: We keep cool while you get a molten rock bath!
Jessie: To denounce truth and love from my very first pitch!
James: Hit it out of the park, wouldn't that be a switch?
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Winding up, we prepare for a home run! Hah!
Jessie throws a ball.
James: Keep your eye on the ball, here comes a hard one!
James hits the ball. Meowth catches it and seems to have been struck.
Team Rocket recites this motto after snaring a herd of Lapras. The research theme is present in the motto due to the presence of Naomi, a Pokémon researcher, in the episode.
Jessie: Our research warns, prepare for trouble!
James: Our data's conclusive, so make it double!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie and James are shown lying on chaises longues in swimsuits
Jessie: To denounce the evils of a string bikini!
James: And extend our reach a teeny-weeny!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie and James are now riding on surfboards
Jessie: Team Rocket surfs the wind at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now and shoot the curl, or prepare to fight!
In this episode, Team Rocket recites this simple variation of their motto after they appear in disguises of a man and woman by a haystack and tell Ash he is being a "goody two-shoes", and Ash demands to know who they are.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble and stop your dreaming!
James: Make it double, cause we're busy scheming!
Jessie: To protect the world from goody two-shoes!
James: And let you know that when you snooze, you lose.
Jessie: Go ahead, take your nap and float off to dreamland.
James: Then your Pokémon will be under our command.
Jessie: Jessie!
James: Eeeee! James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light.
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!
In this episode Jessie and James approach "the twerps" disguised as food researchers giving out free milk in order to entrap Ash and his Pokémon.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, we don't care for defiance!
James: And make it double, it's all for science!
Jessie: As researchers, we search for the truth in food and drink!
James: We're here to say what we think!
Both: What's really important when you eat a treat,
Both: Not the flavor but the time you eat!
They also recite their slightly altered usual motto later in the episode, as they attempt to steal Nelson's Misdreavus in order to use its Mean Look for their own purposes.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, with Misdreavus in a sack!
James: Make it double, with that great Mean Look attack!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Mean Look Jessie!
James: Meaner Look James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off, your secret's been told!
Jessie: Surrender now or battle the brave and the bold!
Team Rocket begins reciting this motto after launching their new Pokémon-sucking machine that creates a blast.
Ash: This can't be just a storm, can it?
Jessie and James laugh
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, we're here to inform,
James: Make it double, we're the eye of the storm!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evil of living well enough alone!
James: To extend our reach and make these Pokémon our own!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!
Meowth: Meowth, that's right!
Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Good version
In The Power of One, when Team Rocket decides to help Ash, they use a different version of their motto. This was in the dubbed version only, as the original Japanese version had them do their regular motto.
Jessie: If that kid thinks we're here for trouble...
James: ...we're certainly going to burst his bubble!
Jessie: Instead of causing tribulation...
James: ...we've undergone a transformation!
Jessie: Though it's way outside our usual range...
James: ...we're going to do something nice for a change!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Up till now Team Rocket's been quite unscrupulous!
James: Being good good guys for once would be super-dupulous!
Jessie, James and Meowth recite this motto when Ash and Romeo find out that they have stolen Juliet's Illumise. While reciting this motto, Jessie and James are dressed up as Illumise and Volbeat, respectively.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, don't we look divine?
James: And make it double, looking good – feeling fine!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To walk the line towards the sweet scent of success!
James: To light up whole world with my volbeatness!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the scented speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare yourself for a sweet-scented fight!
In this episode Jessie can't register in a Pokémon Contest, so she tries to steal May and Savannah's Ribbons. James and Meowth aren't really in the mood to Jessie's evil plans, so they recite their lines with low emotion.
Savannah: Hey, those aren't yours!
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, they are today!
James (unmotivated): If you can't win them, steal them, that's what we always say!
Jessie: To protect my entry status from devastation!
James (unmotivated): To allow a certain contestant to complete her registration!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of losing, that's true!
James (unmotivated): To extend her winning streak from 0 to 2!
Jessie: Jessie!
James (unmotivated): And James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
James (unmotivated): Surrender now, do me a favor or I'll have to fight!
Jessie: This Contest will have a cute winner by tonight!
In this episode the main antagonists temporarily split up, only to get reunited in the end of the episode. During the time they were split, Jessie teamed with Butch, and James joined Cassidy and Butch (even though Butch never was with them). During the experience, both teams tried to recite a motto, which really didn't work because neither could remember the correct version.
Cassidy's and James's motto
Cassidy: Prepare for trouble, it's a brand new day!
James: We're making it double anyway!
Mime Jr.: Mime mime, mime mime mime!
Cassidy: Let's see if I can remember my lines! An evil as old as the galaxy!
James: Sent here to fulfill our destiny!
Cassidy: To denounce the goodness of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Cassidy: Whenever there's a piece of pie in the universe...
James: Of pie?
Cassidy (stopping the motto): Aaah... I goofed it, so what!?
James (despairing): Forget it...
Jessie's and Butch's motto
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, we've shuffled the deck!
Butch: It's not my thing, but what the heck!?
Jessie: An evil as old as the galaxy!
Butch: I'm doing this all from memory!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
Butch: To extend my arm with a big white glove!
Jessie (angrily looking at him): Jessie!
Butch (realizing that his previous line was somewhat idiotic): Aaah, Butch...
Jessie (kicking him in the face): Cut! Do it right or don't do it at all!
Jessie and Meowth are angry about losing the dress-up competition and they plan on stealing the Pokémon Egg that's the prize for the winner of the competition, and when they interrupt James and Mime Jr. were in the middle of their performance, and they were both bummed out about getting interrupted so when James and Mime Jr. do their parts of the motto they show little emotion.
Jessie: That growling of Growlithe once filled us with fear.
James (unenthusiastic): Though who growls louder is not all that clear.
Jessie: On the wind!
James (unenthusiastic): Past the stars.
Meowth: And in your ear!
Jessie: Bringing chaos at a break neck pace!
James (unenthusiastic): Dashing all hope putting fear in it's place.
Jessie: A rose by any other name's just as sweet.
James (unenthusiastic): When everything's worse our work is complete, and how much worse can it get?
Jessie Jessie!
James (unenthusiastic): James.
Meowth Meowth, now that's a name!
Jessie: Putting you do-gooders in your place.
James (unenthusiastic): Team Rocket.
All (James is still unenthusiastic): In your face.
While Ash, Dawn, and Brock are at the store buying groceries, they leave their Pokémon on the steamboat, and while the Pokémon are on the steamboat alone, Team Rocket shows up dressed as entertainers and puts on a show for the Pokémon with some lines from the motto mixed in along with singing.
All (singing): Left, right, twist, turn, feel the beat, feel the burn, don't just stand there like a schlup, you can do a whole lot more. Shake that thing one two, shake your things three, four. I listen very closely, but no twerp voice do I hear which means the time is right without a fight the fiendish coast is clear.
Jessie (speaking): The wind!
James (speaking): And the stars!
Meowth (speaking: Straight in your ear!
All (speaking): So let's get those booties busy!
Jessie (speaking): Are we having fun yet?
James (speaking): We will be the minute you find the groove and start to move!
Meowth (speaking): Pokémon are supposed to rock the house. You're in the house.
All (speaking): So let's rock!
All (singing): Sing it left and sing it right plié and do-si-do because the time is right to have some fun the twerps will never know, yo! Left foot left kick show them how it's done! Rock the place with style and grace and fun, fun, fun! Ready set let's get jiggy! Party down and let's get wiggy!
Meowth (speaking): And now for the big pay off.
Jessie (speaking): It's time to enter the super tunnel of fun.
James (singing): March, march, keep in step, trust me this is worth a schlep.
Jessie falls asleep halfway into the motto due to Hippopotas's Yawn, so James says her parts sounding like her while moving her body.
Jessie: Listen, is that a twerp I hear?
James: Obnoxiously loud and clear!
Jessie (sleepily): On the wind!
James: Stars!
Meowth: In your ears!
Jessie: Bring chaos at b- (falls asleep)
James: Uh-oh. Dashing hope, putting fear in its place! (Imitating Jessie) A rose by any other name is just as sweet. (In his voice) When everything's worse, our work is complete! (Imitating Jessie) Jessie! (In his voice) And it's James!
Meowth: Meowth, now that's a name!
James: (Imitating Jessie) Putting the do-gooders in their place! (In his voice) We're Team Rocket...!
In this episode, Team Rocket steal water to build a hot spring, at the expense of Leona's family's hot spring. The first line builds off an earlier line about juvenile court.
Jessie: Looks like this court sides with the twerps. But we object, of course!
Jessie is angry at losing the Hearthome Collection Contest, but James is upset with Jessie for ruining his accessories—and not a happy camper making him very unenthusiastic during the motto (even the music is turned off during his parts):
Jessie: You know you could use a little makeup to!
James (unenthusiastically): Please, a pompous platitude coming from you...
Jessie: On the wind!
James (unenthusiastically): What's the point?
Meowth: Yoo-Hoo!
Jessie: Bringing chaos with a breakneck pace!
James (unenthusiastically): Wow I'm so excited. Can you tell by my face?
Jessie: A rose by any other name's just as red!
James (unenthusiastically): I knew that I should've stayed at home in bed.
Team Rocket only says the introduction of their motto while their asleep when Jessie was a student and James and Meowth were janitors at Professor Rowan's Summer Academy.
Jessie (sleepily): Listen, is that the sound of success I hear?
James (sleepily): It's speaking to me loud and clear.
(Team Rocket does the motto when surprising Ash and the co. from a room at the Litwick Mansion where they had found their Pokémon that had been stolen by the Litwick)
Jessie: You must have questions, we're impressive indeed.
James: But answers will come when we feel the need.
Emolga has temporarily sided with Team Rocket after she and Iris had gotten into an argument at the beginning of the episode so she has her own lines in the motto as well.
Ash: What was that?
Jessie: The sound of trouble, you'd best prepare.
James: With additional backup, you'd better beware.
Emolga: Emol!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite the people within our nation!
Emolga: Emolga!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of emo and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: It's Jessie!
James: And James!
Emolga: Emolga!
Jessie: Team Rocket plus one blast off at the speed of light.
James: Prepare for what I can only call a feisty fusion fight.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble, are you all that surprised?
James: Just make it a double, and super-sized!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation.
James: To unite all people within our nation.
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love.
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: And James!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now, or prepare for a lop-sided fight!
Meowth: Meowth, that's right!
Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Meowth filling in for Jessie or James
This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Lyrics
On many occasions, because Jessie or James weren't around, Meowth would fill the missing member lines. This first happened in Island of Giant Pokémon, when Meowth, along with Ekans and Koffing, were separated from Jessie and James. When they discover Ash's Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, who were separated from their Trainer as well, Meowth attempted to recite the motto but failed because Jessie and James weren't around. In The Stun Spore Detour, where Meowth and James were following Misty to get some Salveyo Weed to heal Jessie from an attack by a wild Vileplume's Stun Spore. It happened again in ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth and Wobbuffet tried to steal Ash's Pikachu. Later, in That's Just Swellow, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves. In The Saffron Con, meanwhile Jessie was at an operation room, Meowth and James tried to steal some Pokémon. When Ash and his friend saw them, they said a special motto. Also, in Off the Unbeaten Path, while James was participating in the Pokémon Orienteering Contest, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the prize and some Pokémon. When they were spotted by his friends, they said their motto. Meanwhile, they were saying that Ash and his friends saved the Pokémon and the prize, leaving Jessie and Meowth really angry. In Bonnie for the Defense!, Jessie and Meowth said the motto together, surprising Ash and his friends while they were escorting a lost Lapras back to the ocean. James's absence was later explained by him being waiting further ahead, ready to catch the group off-guard in case they got away.
Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves.
Jessie: Prepare for trouble as we steal then split!
Meowth: Make it double as we get away with it!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
Meowth: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
Meowth: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Jessie!
Meowth: And Meowth!
Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
Jessie was at a contest, so James and Meowth had to say the motto, and steal Ash's Pikachu and other Pokémon again.
Meowth: Prepare for trouble, cause we're stealing Pokémon and having a ball!
James: Make it double, that's all!
Meowth: Evil as old as the galaxy!
James: Sent here to fulfill our destiny!
Meowth: Just look at me!
James: To denounce the evils of truth and love and extend our reach to the stars above! I'm James!
Meowth: And I'm Meowth!
James: Whenever there's peace in the universe, Team Rocket!
Meowth: Will be there!
Both: To make everything worse!
Butch and Cassidy
Butch and Cassidy also have a set of mottos, which are similar to Jessie and James's mottos. In The Breeding Center Secret, it is implied to be based on Jessie and James's motto, though in Pikachu Re-Volts, they state that theirs is actually the correct version. During Pokémon Chronicles, they add "(now) here's our mission, so ya better listen!" after Butch's first line of their version of the "original" motto. Like Meowth and Wobbuffet, Cassidy's Raticate appears at the end. Apparently, they have switched to a new motto, which is itself similar to Jessie and James's Sinnoh motto, with Butch's Shuckle appearing instead of Cassidy's Raticate.
Original motto
Japanese
Translation
English
ヤマト：何だかんだと聞かれたら
Yamato: If you ask us this or that...
Cassidy: Prepare for trouble...
コサブロウ：答えないのが普通だが
Kosaburou: We usually don't respond
Butch: ...and make it double!
二人：まあ特別に答えてやろう
Both: But we'll make an exception this time and answer!
Both: Here's our mission, so you better listen!
ヤマト：地球の破壊を防ぐため
Yamato: To prevent the destruction of the Earth!
Cassidy: To infect the world with devastation!
コサブロウ：地球の平和を守るため
Kosaburou: To protect the peace of the Earth!
Butch: To blight all people in every nation!
ヤマト：愛と誠実な悪を貫く
Yamato: To stand by evil with love and sincerity!
Cassidy: To denounce the goodness of truth and love!
コサブロウ：キュート でお茶目な敵役
Kosaburou: The cute, mischievous villains!
Butch: To extend our wrath to the stars above!
ヤマト：ヤマト
Yamato: Yamato!
Cassidy: Cassidy!
コサブロウ：コサブロウ
Kosaburou: Kosaburou!
Butch: And Butch, of course!
ヤマト：宇宙を駆ける ロケット団の二人には
Yamato: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the universe!
Cassidy: We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!
コサブロウ：ショッキングピンク桃色の明日が待ってるぜ
Kosaburou: Shocking pink, a pink tomorrow awaits us!
Butch: Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!
Sinnoh motto
This is the version used in Sleight of Sand. Because of some of the lines included, it was probably composed especially for whenever the two Team Rocket groups crossed paths.
Japanese
Translation
English
ヤマト:何だかんだの声がして
Yamato:
Cassidy: A shrieking whine! A blast from the past!!
Cassidy: Administering justice with lightning speed!
コサブロウ:宇宙に伝えよギールティー
Kosaburō: The guilt we will convey to the universe!
Butch: Bashing the bad guys, should we feel the need.
ヤマト:天国か地獄かその名を呼べば
Yamato: Whether heaven or hell, if you call the name,
Cassidy: So here's a newsflash from across the wire...
コサブロウ:誰もがシャキーンと背筋を正す
Kosaburō:
Butch: The real Team Rocket is now on fire!
ヤマト:ヤマト
Yamato: Yamato!
Cassidy: Cassidy!
コサブロウ:コサブロウ
Kosaburō: Kosaburō!
Butch: Butch!
ニャース:ツボツボ!
Tsubotsubo: Botsu-botsu!
Shuckle: Shu-ckle-ckle!
ヤマト:ホントの主役はあたしたち
Yamato: The main characters are us!
Cassidy: Teaching the losers one thing or two...
コサブロウ:我ら正統派の
Kosaburō: We are the orthodox...
Butch: ...The true Team Rocket...
All:ロケット団
All: Team Rocket!
All: ...Us, not you!
Ripoffs
Ash and Brock imitating JamesMisty and Duplica imitating Jessie
The motto has been ripped off repeatedly by Ash and his friends during the series. The first time it was done was in Bye Bye Butterfree, in which Ash, Misty and Brock entered the house where Team Rocket was by breaking the windows and by saying the first lines of the motto. In Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, Ash, Misty, and Brock, along with Duplica, put on Team Rocket uniforms and mocked the original motto, with Duplica severely angering the two by saying "ignite" instead of "unite". In Holy Matrimony!, James's parents revealed that they weren't dead by saying the lines "Prepare for trouble!" and "Yes dear, and make it double!".
The director Cleavon Schpielbunk used a motto to introduce himself — "Prepare for trouble! No stunt double!" — with Jessie saying, "Wait a second, aren't those our lines?" after the first two lines.
In It's Mr. Mime Time when Ash revealed that he was the one in the Mr. Mime costume, the Team Rocket background music was playing. The motto was mockingly mimicked again in The Chikorita Rescue!. In The Mother Of All Battles!, the Pokémon Poacher Brothers introduced themselves to Ash and the gang in a Team Rocket-style motto. However, there was no background music like in the Rocket's introduction; instead, they only said their names with a big "B" behind them. But even though it was different, Jessie stated that they were just imitating them. Much later, the DP motto was mocked in Mass Hip-Po-Sis and The Keystone Pops!. Like the many times before, the trio was angered.
In this episode Ash Ketchum breaks into a Team Rocket hideout to save a Chikorita, captured by Jessie and James. He recites a motto and Team Rocket instinctively says their phrases.
Ash: Team Rocket, prepare for trouble! On second thought, make that double!
Jessie (surprised): To protect the world from devastation?
James (surprised): To unite all peoples within our nation?
Ash: Maybe you think I'm a little too brash. But the master is here and my name is Ash!
Pikachu: Pikachu!
Ash: My Pokémon team is faster than light! Surrender now, or you're in for a fight!
Mirror Jessie: "What's with this place?" is compassion and right!
Mirror James: And goodness and caring with mercy and light!
Mirror Meowth: Heroes of Justice, that's right!
Mirror Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Team Rocket: Oh, no!
Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Mirror Jessie and James: Team Rocket, good night!
Blasting off
Team Rocket after being defeated
When defeated, and sent flying off due to a Pokémon's finishing attack (usually Pikachu's Thunderbolt or Gigavolt Havoc) or a malfunction in their mechas, Jessie, James, and Meowth usually cry, 「やな感じ！」 ("This feels bad!") in the original, which was dubbed "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!", "Team Rocket's blasting off again!"*, or simply "We're blasting off again!"* before disappearing into the distance where a twinkle appears. The first time they blasted off was in their debut episode, and the first time the twinkle was seen was during their following blast off, in Clefairy and the Moon Stone. In some episodes, they said their catchphrase while finishing each other's sentences or when it's told by one character or two.
Blasting off usually happens only one time per episode, but there have been many occasions in which it has happened multiple times, especially in Malice In Wonderland!, in which they are shown blasting off four times on screen, and heard to blast off many more times offscreen. Another occurrence when they blasted off more than once was in Noodles! Roamin' Off!, but this could be because the episode focused on Team Rocket. In A Faux Oak Finish!, James blasted off by himself. Butch and Cassidy have also "blasted off"; however, James noted once that he, Jessie and Meowth had copyrighted it in Off The Unbeaten Path.
Sometimes, when Team Rocket blasts off, they shout something other than "We're blasting off again!", such as in Team Rocket's Shocking Recruit! when instead they shouted "We're blasting off family style!" after being defeated by Dragonite and Charizard, or A Battle by Any Other Name!, where they shouted "There's nothing sweet about blasting off! AND WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN!!!" after their Octillery mecha was destroyed. There are also occasions where they do not blast off per se, but they disappear with the trademark twinkle by other means such as running away. In some very rare instances, they blast off without a twinkle, as seen in their debut, The Island of Illusions! where they fell into the sea instead, Tracey Gets Bugged, where they get their hair and fur cut short by a Scyther, or To Find a Fairy Flower!, where they were relaxed by a Flabébé's Aromatherapy.
During Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, rather than blasting off, Bewear would unexpectedly appear and take the trio away; Jessie, James, and Meowth would cry, 「何この感じ！？」 ("What's with this feeling!?") in response, which was dubbed as "Off with a new blast!". In To Top a Totem!, they were about to blast off, only for Bewear to jump into the air and catch them before the 'ping' sound. They Might Not Be Giants! was the first episode where the trio successfully blasted off without interference, although Bewear was able to catch them before they hit the ground. Later, they also successfully blasted off in A Team-on-Team Tussle! and Mimikyu Unmasked!. In Alola, Alola!, the trio successfully blasted off without Bewear seizing them in midair or the location where they landed. They were successfully blasted off along with Matori in Spying for the Big Guy! when they were hit by Pikachu's Corkscrew Crash. In Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!, after Bewear gives Team Rocket a farewell hug, Bewear spins around in a whirlwind-like effect and successfully sends Team Rocket blasting off into the air, followed by the blast off star and the ping sound.
Команда Р опять в пролете Komanda R opyat' v prolyetye* Мы опять в пролете Mi opyat' v prolyetye* Мы снова летим Mi snova lyetim* Мы опять летим My opyat' lyetim*
Lại bay lên nữa rồi! (ACE Media, VTV2) Một cảm giác thật đáng ghét! (HTV3)
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
In Pokémon Adventures, the "Rocket" in Team Rocket is apparently their motto, which is an acronym for:
Raid
On
City
Knock out
Evil
Tusks
When translated from Japanese, this motto means, "Attack cities one after another!! Devastate them!! We are the fangs of evil!!"
In the games
In the core series
During their appearances in Pokémon Yellow, Jessie and James use parts of their original Kanto motto in their dialogue, as well as their blast off phrase. They never recite the whole thing, however. They say "Surrender now or prepare to fight!" before their battle at Mt. Moon, and "So render yourself invisible, or prepare to fight!" before their battle at Pokémon Tower. Upon being defeated at Mt. Moon, they say "Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!", and they say their usual blast off phrase after being defeated in every other encounter thereafter.
In Pokémon Masters EX, Jessie, James, Meowth, and the player recite the original motto during the limited-time event, Double Trouble. In the follow-up event, Blasting Off Again, the trio recites the same motto again, and also uses their blast off phrase after being defeated and blasted off by the player.
Pokémon Zany Cards
In Pokémon Zany Cards, Jessie and James recite their motto from the original series anime, at the start of the match against them. However, Meowth does not appear at this point, so the phrase "Meowth, that's right!" is not said.
In every one of Butch's appearances in the original series' English dub, he was the one who said the opening line "Prepare for trouble!", which is usually said by the female character. In The Breeding Center Secret, Butch, along with Cassidy, said "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In Pikachu Re-Volts, he was the one who began the motto showdown by saying "Then prepare for trouble!". In The Fortune Hunters, he said alone "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In The Mystery is History!, he said "Prepare for trouble, you got that right!". The last time he did this was in A Parent Trapped!, in which he said "It's time to prepare for trouble!". In Pokémon Chronicles, the motto was dubbed with the Cassidy saying the first line like how it is was in Japanese.
In the Sinnoh motto, Jessie's section of "A rose by any other name is just as sweet" alludes to Act II Scene II Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet argues:
What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;
In the Unova motto, Jessie likens herself to Reshiram with the words "white" and "fiery", while James likens himself to Zekrom with "black" and "thunderous".
The first two lines of the motto were mentioned and said by the Fortune Teller as a warning in an episode of Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, a show that was also dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment (and also based on a Nintendo franchise). The episode the Fortune Teller appeared in was "The Fofa Factor".
In the Finnish dub, the original motto was different than usual in Team Rocket's first two appearances (Pokémon Emergency! and Ash Catches a Pokémon), where it was translated directly from English without rhyming. The rhyming motto was used for the first time in Challenge of the Samurai.
In the European Portuguese dub, the expression "Preparar para azar!", the Portuguese equivalent to "Prepare for trouble!" (which literally translated is "Prepare for bad luck!") is still used in recent episodes as a Team Rocket's catchphrase, even during some mottos.
In the Korean dub of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, the expressions "화안류오 수월폐화", "비룡승운 영자삽상", and "일련탁생 연대책임", which are direct hanja to hangul translations of the Japanese motto, are given explanations at the bottom of the screen due to the difficulty in understanding these phrases.
Toward the end of the Pokémon Trading Card Game: Trainer Video, the original motto is recited by various kids. It omits "Prepare for trouble; Make it double," and Meowth's name, and the kids make various mistakes before correcting themselves.
In airings of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon on CITV in the United Kingdom, Team Rocket's blast off line is often misquoted in the closed captions as "Off with a new plan!"
In the Latin American Spanish dub, starting from the second season, James would often replace the line "Hasta las estrellas" (the translation for "to the stars above") with random places, most of the time citing places or cities from Latin American locations. The line of "Surrender now or prepare to fight!" would also be replaced by lines of songs from various Latin American performers.
Finnish
French
German
Hindi
Brazilian Portuguese
Russian
Latin America
Spain
Vietnamese
