Team Rocket motto

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Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon Journeys: The Series

The Team Rocket motto (Japanese: ロケット名乗 Rocket Gang's self-introduction) is a motto that Team Rocket members often recite and/or live by.

Jessie, James, and Meowth

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.

Original series

Team Rocket at the end of their motto in the original series

The original motto was used from Pokémon Emergency! to From Brags to Riches. The original background music was used until the end of the original series. The new music debuted in Get the Show on the Road!.

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: 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 peoples 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: Jessie!
コジロウ: コジロウ Kojirō: Kojirō! James: 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!
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.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

During the Battle Frontier saga, Jessie, James, and Meowth changed their motto. This motto was used from The Scheme Team to Two Degrees of Separation!.

Japanese Translation English
ムサシ: なんだかんだと声がする Musashi: There is a voice saying something. Jessie: Prepare for trouble from the skies!
コジロウ: 地平線の彼方から Kojirō: From beyond the horizon... James: From beyond the stars, a nasty surprise!
ムサシ: ビッグバンの彼方から Musashi: From beyond the big bang... Jessie: An evil as old as the galaxy...
コジロウ: 我らを呼んでる声がする Kojirō: A voice is calling us! James: ...sent here to fulfill our destiny!
ニャース: お待たせにゃ Nyarth: Sorry to keep you waiting! Meowth: Plus, there's me!
ムサシ: 健気に咲いた悪の花 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.

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

In Sinnoh, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from When Pokémon Worlds Collide! to Bucking the Treasure Trend!.

Japanese Translation English
ムサシ: なんだかんだの声を聞き Musashi: We hear voices saying this and that... Jessie: Listen, is that a voice I hear?
コジロウ: 光の速さでやってきた Kojirō: We come along in a swift current of light... James: It's speaking to me loud and clear.
ムサシ: 風よ Musashi: The wind! Jessie: On the wind!
コジロウ: 大地よ Kojirō: The land! James: Past the stars!
ニャース: 大空よ Nyarth: The sky! Meowth: In your ear!
ムサシ: 世界に届けよう デンジャラス Musashi: The danger we will deliver to the world! Jessie: Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace.
コジロウ: 宇宙に伝えよう クライシス Kojirō: The crisis we will convey to the universe! James: Dashing hope, putting fear in its place.
ムサシ: 天使か悪魔か その名を呼べば Musashi: Whether angels or demons, if you call the name, Jessie: A rose by any other name is just as sweet.
コジロウ: 誰もが震える魅惑の響き Kojirō: The captivating echo that shakes everyone... James: When everything's worse, our work is complete.
ムサシ: ムサシ Musashi: Musashi! Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: コジロウ Kojirō: Kojirō James: And it's James!
ニャース: ニャースでニャース Nyarth: And Nyarth! Meowth: And Meowth, now that's a name!
ムサシ: 時代の主役はあたしたち Musashi: The stars of the era are us! Jessie: Putting the do-gooders in their place...
コジロウ: 我らは無敵の Kojirō: We are the invincible... James: ...we're Team Rocket...
All: ロケット団 All: Team Rocket! All: ...in your face!
ソーナンス: ソーナンス Sonans: Sōnansu! Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!

In the dub, they often replace the first two lines with

Jessie: Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?
James: It's shrieking to me loud and clear.
Jessie: Listen, is that a pitiful head of a Pokécenter I hear?
James: It whines to me loud and clear.

or something similar. As in Battle Frontier, Mime Jr. contributes its name after Wobbuffet.

It is notable that the Sinnoh motto is modified more often even in the Japanese version.

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Best Wishes! and Best Wishes! Season 2

Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon the Series: Black & White

In Unova, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from Enter Iris and Axew! to A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1.

Japanese Translation English
ムサシ: 」と聞かれたら Musashi: If we were asked "*" Jessie: What a question, twerpish indeed!
コジロウ: 答えてあげよう明日のため Kojirō: We will answer for the sake of tomorrow! 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 latest operation 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!
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!

Pokémon the Series: XY

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 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!
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!

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

Team Rocket at the beginning of their motto in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
Team Rocket at the end of their motto in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

In Alola, the trio once again changed to a new motto, which debuted in Loading the Dex!. The Japanese version of the Alolan motto is based on a series of yojijukugo, a type of Japanese proverb made up of four kanji. In English, the motto is very similar to the Unovan one.

Japanese Translation English
ムサシ: 「*」と言われたら Musashi: If asked, "*" Jessie: Did someone ask something? We're here to find out!
コジロウ: 聞かせてあげよう 我らが名を Kojirō: We shall tell you our names James: Noble answers are what we're all about!
ムサシ: 花顔柳腰 羞月閉花 Musashi: A flower's face and a willow's waist, makes the moon abashed and flowers wilt Jessie: The beauty so radiant, the flowers and moon hide in shame.
ムサシ: 儚きこの世に咲く一輪の悪の花 Musashi: A single flower of evil blooming in this fleeting world Jessie: A single flower of evil in this fleeting world:
ムサシ: ムサシ! Musashi: Musashi! Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: 飛竜乗雲 英姿颯爽 Kojirō: An exquisite talent and the perfect gentleman James: The nobly heroic man of our times!
コジロウ: 切なきこの世に一矢報いる悪の使徒 Kojirō: A disciple of evil fighting back against this tragic world James: The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world!
コジロウ: コジロウ! Kojirō: Kojirō! James: It's James.
ニャース: 一蓮托生 連帯責任 Nyarth: Walking the same path, the deeds of one are the deeds of all Meowth: It's all for one and one for all!
ニャース: 親しき仲にも小判輝く悪の星 Nyarth: Even among friends, the star of evil shining like gold Meowth: A glittering dark star that always shines bright!
ニャース: ニャースでニャース! Nyarth: Nyarth! Meowth: Dig it, while Meowth takes flight!
ムサシ、コジロウ: ロケット団 参上! Musashi, Kojirō: We are Team Rocket! Jessie, James: Team Rocket, let's fight!
ニャース: なのニャ! Nyarth: We are! Meowth: That's right!
ソーナンス: ソ~ナンス! Sonans: Sōnansu! Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!

"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

As in Pokémon the Series: XY, Jessie, James and Meowth use their original motto from the original series.

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: 愛と真実の悪を貫く 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: Jessie!
コジロウ: コジロウ Kojirō: Kojirō! James: And James!
ムサシ: 銀河を駆けるロケット団の2人には Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy! Jessie: Team Rocket blasts 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 for a fight!
ニャース: ニャーンてな! Nyarth: Something like that! Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
ソーナンス: ソーナンス! Sonans: Sōnansu! Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!

Variations

Original series

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Only the line Jessie copies from and the line she begins the motto with are shown. The rest of the motto follows.

Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.

Pokémon the Series: XY

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Meowth filling in for Jessie or James

050Diglett.png 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.

ZigZag Zangoose!

Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth and Wobbuffet tried to steal Ash's Pikachu, and Meowth and James recite the motto.

Meowth: "Prepare for trouble," I've always wanted to say!
James: Huh?
Meowth: Just do it like you always do, you gotta end in a rhyme.
James: What?
Meowth: Oh, come on, I'm Jessie! Prepare for trouble here in the wood!
James: Make it double like you know that you should!
Meowth: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Meowth: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Meowth: Meowth!
James: And James!
Meowth: Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!
Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
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.

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!
Meowth: So surrender now or prepare to fight!
Wobbuffet: Wobba...hic!
The Saffron Con

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 at the end of their original series motto

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

Butch and Cassidy at the end of their Diamond and Pearl 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: I heard a voice saying something. Cassidy: A shrieking whine! A blast from the past!!
コサブロウ: ジャイロボールのようにやってきた Kosaburō: We come along like a Gyro Ball! Butch: Spinning like a Gyro Ball and moving fast!
ヤマト: スターよ! Yamato: The stars! Cassidy: To the moon!!
コサブロウ: ムーンよ! Kosaburō: The moon! Butch: And beyond!
All: スペースよ! All: The space! All: What a blast!
ヤマト: みんなに届けよジャースティス Yamato: The justice we will deliver to everyone! 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: We'll straighten everyone's backs. 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: Shuck-uckle!
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 James
Misty 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 Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!, Bonnie and Serena imitated the motto, angering them once again.

In The Cave of Mirrors!, the Mirror World's version of Team Rocket performed their own motto, reflecting their heroic characteristics.

In Nightfall? Nightmares!, Chrysa and Ren performed the motto as members of "Team Cerise" in Ash and Goh's combined nightmare caused by a Darkrai.

Blasting off

292Shedinja.png The contents of this article have been suggested to be split into Blasting off.
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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. In Naval Maneuvers, when the trio blasts off a second time, they shout "We're blasting off again... again!". Similarly, in Get Along, Little Pokémon, when they once again blast off a second time, the trio cries out out "We're blasting off twice, but it ain't so nice!" 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.

After Memories are Made of Bliss!, Team Rocket initially didn't blast off during Pokémon the Series: Black & White. In Enter Iris and Axew! and A Sandile Gusher of Change!, they used smoke bombs and disappeared. In The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice! they tried to escape using their capsule, but after it gets destroyed by Ash's Pikachu, they escaped using gliders. From Scare at the Litwick Mansion! onwards, they usually used jet packs in order to escape. For this reason, those blastoffs weren't against their will nor involved pain, so they did not cry out their famous quote. Also, there was no twinkle visible when the jet packs were used, except for Scare at the Litwick Mansion! and Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!. Starting from New Places... Familiar Faces!, Team Rocket has blasted off like before, although they didn't say the catchphrase until Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!. They still occasionally used their jet packs in some episodes.

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. Sometimes, like the previous series, they say other things, like in Balloons, Brionne, and Belligerence!, where they say "We're off with a watery blast..." when Bewear takes Team Rocket and lifts it off from underwater, and in Alola, Kanto!, where they say "And it's lift off with a new blast!" with the same thing, but on land and to the air.

In other languages


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

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: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, they do not quote their motto, but they do say their usual blast off phrase after every battle, with the exception of their Route 17 battle.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

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.

Trivia

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

This is a commonly quoted phrase meaning that the names of things do not matter, only what the thing is. This quote is also the origin of the title for A Battle by Any Other Name!.
  • 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.
  • In the Russian dub, the original motto has three variants of translation due to the changes in dubbing companies during the original series, Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, and Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl.
  • 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.
  • In the Italian dub, the motto used during Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl debuted directly in the first episode of that series, and in its full version in the next episode, instead of using the motto from the Battle Frontier saga.
  • In the Polish dub, their catchphrase during blasting off is based on the twinkle that appears after they disappear in the sky.
  • In Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, one of the intro Catchphrases references blasting off. It reads, "Are you ready to blast off?"


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