RocketShipping

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370Luvdisc.png This article is about shipping.
As hints and evidence for ships are mostly speculation, this page may contain personal points of view.

Jessie and James choose flight over fight in Watt's with Wattson?

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

History of the RocketShipping Fandom

An image from the epilogue to Electric Tale of Pikachu

The RocketShipping fandom has undergone substantial change over the years, with peaks of popularity naturally coinciding with the occurrence of Shipping "hints" in the source material.

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 term "RocketShipping" was the first time the suffix "Shipping" was applied to any couple outside of the X-Files fandom where it originated. Maria Rocket and other fans on the message board of TRHQ used the term to describe a romantic relationship between Jessie and James, following which this naming convention was adopted by the rest of the Pokémon Shipping community.

The first major event in the RocketShipping fanbase occurred when a member of TRHQ came across an untranslated graphic novel in a bookstore, the last volume of Toshihiro Ono's The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga. The epilogue of the manga contained two important scenes: one was a panel showing James confessing his love to Jessie; the other was a full-page illustration in which Jessie and James were married and Jessie visibly pregnant. Most importantly of all for fans, this was official and approved by Nintendo. 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.

However, not long after this, the number and frequency of the Rocketshippy hints in the anime decreased, along with other changes in characterization. Also around this time, a website named Pokemopolis was getting attention for rebutting the "evidence" found in the manga. Pokemopolis became the most prominent anti-RocketShipping site in the Pokémon fandom, as well as the main proponent of the theory that James is gay. As a result, the RocketShipping fan community split into several sects, each with different takes on RocketShipping.

RocketShipping had notable resurgences in popularity following the episode Noodles! Roamin' Off!, during the airing of Team Rocket's Secret Empire and again after A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!. It continues to have a strong international fan following.

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 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 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 in love. They generally preferred the idea of Jessie and James in more stereotypical gender conforming roles.

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 many cases, they believed that James is gay, based on the more camp portrayal of James by Eric Stuart and James's cross-dressing. Opinions on Jessie's sexuality varied.

Evidence

General

Jessie and James's first fearhug in Showdown in Pewter City
  • James fell in love at first sight with his fiancée Jessebelle, who is a doppelgänger of Jessie and also shares her voice actress in the original and majority of international dubs. They look so similar that James's housekeepers in Sweet Baby James, as well as his butler and Jessebelle's own security guards in The Treasure Is All Mine! mistake Jessie for Jessebelle.
  • Jessie and James have more numerous examples of intimate physical contact than any other humans in the anime, including holding hands, linking arms, hugging and sleeping on one another. This occurred most frequently in the original series but has remained a staple throughout their appearances across the franchise, so much so that it is beyond the scope of this page to list every instance.
  • Jessie and James are very comfortable with using each other's Pokémon. Neither they nor their Pokémon have had a problem with this on most occasions whereas borrowing others' Pokémon is usually a big deal to other Trainers.
  • They are the only known characters to share a Z-Power Ring.
  • James's Pokémon have occasionally affectionately attacked Jessie the same way they do James. Similarly, Jessie's Yanmega affectionately rests on James's head in The Thief That Keeps on Thieving! and Jessie's Mimikyu shields James as well as Jessie from seeing its true form (and consequent death) in Mimikyu Unmasked!, a protection it does not extend to Meowth.

Anime

There is significant variation in the characterization of Jessie and James across languages, most notably between the original and the English dub (from which the majority of other international dubs are derived). This has generally had a negative impact for Rocketshipping.

In addition to Eric Stuart's stereotypical gay interpretation of James (at odds with Shin'ichirō Miki's original performance), the TPCi dub is infamous for adding discord to the Team Rocket trio's relationship where there originally was none. For example, during Contests James's original lines would often be fundamentally altered from expressions of support towards Jessie to ones of fear of retribution if she failed.

On the other hand, some viewers of the Latin American Spanish dub report that Jessie and James are hinted to already be in a canonical relationship in their localization. James frequently sings lines from love songs during the motto and calls Jessie “mamita” or “querida” (terms of endearment like “honey” or “sweetie”), or by pet name “Jessita”.

Due to this wide regional variation, evidence listed in this section which was not present in the original will be specified by the dub from which it originates.

Original Series

When the two are convinced they are going to die, they hold hands, promising never to forget each other. James says to Jessie "Whoever said that beautiful people are destined to have a sad fate must have meant us," implying that he thinks she is beautiful.
The English line is similar: "Jessica, whoever said beauty doesn't last, must have been thinking of us." Of note, this is the only time James calls Jessie "Jessica", emphasizing the seriousness of his feelings.
When James is scared to cross Bulbasaur's vines and begs Jessie and Meowth to go on without him, Jessie refuses to leave him behind, insisting they'll cross together.
  • The Ghost of Maiden's Peak
    • James declares his love to the Ghost of Maiden's Peak's statue in a precarious position on the edge of a cliff. Jessie is holding onto his pants to keep him from falling off until she gets distracted and he falls. She tries to grab him but ends up falling with him into the sea.
    • When the ghost is dragging him away at the climax, James finally cries that he doesn't want to be separated from Jessie. She pulls out a bazooka and shoots the ghost. James smiles tearfully and says her name adoringly, to which she responds, "Don't get the wrong idea!" and attempts to hide the fact that she did it for his sake.
  • The Ninja Poké-Showdown
Jessie gives James a rose, much to his astonishment. She goes on to say that beautiful things can be painful.
After dodging bullets from Kaiser, James stands in front of Jessie to block her from the line of fire. He tells her to relax and trust him, grabs her by the waist and jumps off the roof with a parachute. The parachute falls on top of them after they crash-land and they scramble underneath it, during which time Jessie says, "Where do you think you're touching?!" When they emerge, James is wearing an unnaturally wide grin.
Jessie shows the Ditto a photo of a childhood crush. James insists on seeing the picture and both blush ferociously through the exchange.
Jessie and James are missing at the beginning of the episode. They finally pop out from behind a rock, looking smug, in response to Meowth's irritated calls. No explanation is offered for their absence. They are seen holding one another for a significant proportion of the remainder of the episode.
James expresses obvious unhappiness at the flirting between Dr Proctor and Jessie. When Dr Proctor asks Jessie on a date, James cocks an eyebrow and looks unimpressed. Later Jessie puts her hand on Proctor's chest to which James responds by glaring angrily at Jessie and clenching his fists. When Dr Proctor asks Jessie to assist him and she agrees, James volunteers to assist as well.
At the end of the episode, Jessie is crushed, conceding that James has decided to marry his fiancée Jessebelle and come into his inheritance. To her delighted surprise, James calls out with the motto, swooping down in the balloon to pick her up. When he tells her he wasn't able to get the inheritance, she brushes it off, saying they don't need it as long as they have their freedom. They shake hands to reaffirm their friendship. Their hands form a heart and the viewers are shown a prolonged scene of them gazing into each others' eyes as the music swells. They are so caught up in the moment they forget to pick up Meowth.
  • Princess vs. Princess
    • James is visibly awed at the way Jessie looks when she is dressed in traditional Japanese dress for the pageant part of the Festival.
    • After Jessie tells James and Meowth about her history with the holiday and starts crying, James tears up, holds her hands and looks into her eyes, promising to wholeheartedly support her. The background during this whole scene is a pink sky filled with rosebushes.
    • After Jessie loses to Misty, James dresses himself and their Pokémon as the Hinamatsuri dolls that were the grand prize. Jessie is touched and cries, calling them idiots but reluctantly admitting that this has made her feel good. James and Jessie dress as the Emperor and Empress in their "doll" set.
  • The Ultimate Test
After Jessie is expelled from the test, James says in a determined voice that he will do his best for her.
The sudden explosion of Team Rocket Headquarters sends Jessie into James's arms and they press closer together when Mewtwo flies away from the wreckage. When Giovanni expresses his annoyance at seeing them, Jessie hides behind James who swallows hard and puts on a braver expression.
James tells Meowth that he will recognize Jessie no matter how she is disguised, because she thinks like him. While he is recalling their costumes, one of the images is of Jessie and James in their Salon Roquet outfits. Jessie is on bended-knee with her hand slid underneath James's hand, as if asking him to marry her. They both have very serious facial expressions.
When James scrambles over to Cassidy and grabs her arm, Jessie angrily drags him away from her. Later, they hug out of fear when they are about to be attacked by their own Pokémon.
James blushes after Jessie flirtatiously nudges him and compliments him on having a good memory.
  • Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?
    • James becomes concerned when Jessie recounts her trouble in finding love, trying to comfort her when she starts crying.
    • Later on, they dress as a married couple with Jessie as the groom and James as the bride. They hide their hot air balloon in a mock wedding cake, paint two hearts pierced by Cupid's arrows on their balloon basket, and tie honeymoon cans to the bottom of the balloon basket.
  • The Rivalry Revival
During the motto, there are two hearts pierced by Cupid's arrows in the background. James is holding a rose as well.
After James picks a lock with a paper clip, Jessie nudges James with her elbow and flirtatiously compliments his skills.
In the English dub, James says that he has been buying a smaller amount and less expensive candy to save money so that Jessie will be proud of him.
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, so James takes her hands, looks into her eyes and tells her it's ok and that these are really tears of joy.
Jessie blushes and looks at James adoringly when he is doing well in battle against Ash and company.
  • Forest Grumps
    • Jessie wonders if James and Meowth worry about her when she's away.
    • Jealous of all of the food that Ash and company have, Jessie recalls an occasion where she, James, and Meowth were eating instant noodles and crying from joy. In the English dub, James complimented Jessie on the way she prepared the noodles, causing her to grin widely.
  • The Fortune Hunters
Jessie goes to defend James after a disguised Cassidy throws him against a wall.
For one of DJ Mary's radio dramas, Jessie and James are cast as a married queen and king.
Jessie makes up a love story between her and Cullen to calm her nerves when she is preparing to ride into a fierce storm by hot air balloon. James tunes it out at first, and then evidently hears part of it and looks disappointed.
During the motto, James is holding a bouquet of flowers and is running after Jessie, as if trying to give them to her. He appears to have tossed some flower petals in her direction.
When Jessie gets very excited about playing with Brad's Smoochum, James looks suspicious and either annoyed or jealous. James may have thought that the person Jessie really wanted to see was Brad, which may be the reason that when they eventually battle him, he immediately sends Weezing out to battle when it is usual Jessie who goes first.
In the English dub, when disguised as geishas and getting ready to dance, James asks, "My dear Jessie, shall we show 'em?"
Close to falling off a cliff, Jessie and James hug. In the English dub, James says, "If I never see you guys again, just know that I love you."
  • Will the Real Oak Please Stand Up?
    • Disguised as Professor Oak and DJ Mary, Jessie puts her arms around James's neck, rocks him back and forth, and complements him on his confidence.
    • Later, before James presents a haiku to compete with the real Professor Oak, Jessie in the English dub says, "You don't know a thing about poems." James responds, "That's where you're wrong, dear Jessie." James goes on to recite a haiku that those present prefer over the real Oak's haiku. Jessie is especially impressed.

Advanced Generation

James seriously considers staying with Kate, a village girl who has developed a crush on him. He broaches this with his teammates and just as he is suggesting that he and Kate could develop a new Team Rocket base together, he casts an uncomfortable glance at Jessie and seemingly unconsciously presses the launch button to their mecha, thereby ending any possibility of him staying. Stuck in a tree, James laments that he's lost his chance at happiness and Jessie tells him to give it up, referencing their team quest for a "white tomorrow". Ash and friends walk past and Jessie and James hold each other's gaze for a moment before he agrees. The incident is never again brought up.
Jessie blushing after James accidentally falls on top of her in Training Daze!
  • Training Daze!
    • In a flashback to the team's formation, Jessie is set up as a loner who does not tolerate or trust her partners. When Meowth has eaten both his and James's loaves of bread, Jessie insists on sharing hers with them. This marks the first time Jessie puts her partners' needs before her own.
    • When Meowth is sleeping, James admits to Jessie that he has been putting on a front and that he's actually been running away his whole life. She then opens up about having been alone her whole life. Having shared their greatest vulnerabilities with each other, they vow to be there for each other and to make their team shine.
    • When James is hurt during the mission, Jessie almost gives up, stating that loneliness is all there is to her life. James appears, not wanting to let the team down despite his injuries, and recites a variation of what will become the first line of the Japanese motto, "If you ask us 'is that all there is', the answer will be the world's compassion."
    • Towards the end of the episode, James and Meowth fall in a deep pit and again find themselves being held up by Jessie. James, not wanting to jeopardise the mission, decides to let go but Jessie refuses to leave him behind, declaring that she can't go on alone and that their friendship is more important than succeeding. She pulls him up and he lands on top of her. The camera pans to a shot of them panting heavily and staring into each other's eyes in this suggestive position, with Jessie visibly blushing.
  • Ready, Willing, and Sableye
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..."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, James uses the word "querida," meaning "sweetheart," "dear," or "darling."
Jessie moves close to James's face to yell at him, but he blushes before she says anything. They proceed to talk about stealing a Wailord, while James continues to blush. Jessie also briefly blushes. James stops blushing once they start talking about Giovanni.
  • Love at First Flight
    • When Illumise and Volbeat perform a "mating" dance, they are said to bring good fortune to spectators who are in love. Jessie wonders if it could work for her since she's in love with the idea of being married and living happily ever after. She pictures a prince from a fairy tale, since she's not talking about anyone in particular. James is disappointed by her explanation.
    • During the motto, Jessie dresses as an Illumise and James dresses as a Volbeat. In costume, James walks behind Jessie, with his hands on her hips, then they wiggle their behinds to show off the light fixture on the back of James's costume. The back of Jessie's costume has a heart on it, which is not a feature found on Illumise.
  • Candid Camerupt!
When Jessie and James emerge from hiding, James no longer has any interest in helping his friend Vito, for having put them in danger.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, when Cacnea affectionately attacks James he says, "¿Cacnea, por qué me quieres besar si sabes que ya tengo novia?"; or, "Cacnea, why do you want to kiss me if you know that I already have a girlfriend?"
Although novia can mean both “girlfriend” and “fiancée”, James never uses novia when he is saying "fiancée." Instead he uses prometida, an unambiguous word for "fiancée”. He always refers to Jessebelle as his "prometida," and Jessebelle in turn calls him her "prometido." By the same token, during James’s brief engagement to Temacu, she, James and Jessie all use the term "prometido". On top of that, James does not mention Jessebelle between catching Cacnea and Game Winning Assist, so Cacnea would not understand any reference to Jessebelle. Therefore, "novia" would mean "girlfriend" and can only reasonably refer to Jessie.
During the motto, there are hearts in the background, and in the foreground is James carrying Jessie on a giant heart.
Jessie and James dress up as Gym Leader Norman and his wife Caroline. Meowth and Wobbuffet clash on the disguises, so in the English dub James, playing the role of a married man, says to Jessie, "Everything was going as planned and then your kids had to mess it all up."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, James exclaims, "¡Ay, mamita!"; or, "Oh, honey!" when Jessie accidentally steals May's Torchic instead of Ash's Pikachu.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, in a drunken state, James calls Jessie "mi Jessie," meaning "my Jessie."
  • The Bicker the Better
    • Oscar and Andi assume Jessie and James are a couple in the English dub (in the original they simply suggest that the two have a good relationship). James looks confused at this and Jessie just ignores it. Since they don't get upset at it like Ash and May do, it could be interpreted that Jessie and James find the assumption acceptable.
    • Jessie and James’s quarrel after their failed Tag Battle is strongly reminiscent of a lovers' tiff, their insults more personal and the manner of delivery and receipt more flirtatious than Ash and May’s. It also gets physical: Jessie instinctively uses James as a body shield from May's Skitty, puts him in a headlock and somehow ends up piggybacking him.
    • They are still locked together when Meowth signs to them that this is an opportunity to get Pikachu. They immediately break apart, link arms and without apology or explanation the fight is over, and they are back in sync with their Pokémon attacks and a motto variation:
Jessie: Even if we sometimes quarrel
James: Even if we sometimes battle
Jessie: To stand by the evils of love and truth
James: We are the villains with an unshakeable bond
Jessie says her name after this with a wink at James, who is smiling back.
In the English dub, James tries to rationalise some bickering with, "They say that you always hurt the ones you love!"
A group of Breloom are pursuing Jessie and James, so they hug out of fear. They end up having to choose between Breloom attacks or jumping off a cliff. Indecisive, they hug again and Jessie cries in James's arms.
In the English dub, James starts to describe a memory and Jessie interrupts, saying that if it has to do with his past love life, she would rather jump off a cliff than hear it.
When Jessie and James imagine themselves dancing together at the Team Rocket nightclub, they do not include Meowth or any of their Pokémon in the fantasy. The 'R' on the wall of the club has hearts all over it.
Jessie cries after seeing a movie. James thinks she is crying because their plan failed and reassures her that "It will be OK," because they will have a more successful plan next time.
After Team Rocket crashes into a tree, Jessie in the English dub says, "You know James, I never felt this close to you before." Equally dramatically, James comments, "I feel the same about you..." his tone becomes markedly displeased as he adds, "and Wobbuffet."
  • Eight Ain't Enough
    • Jessie gets upset when James, disguised as Juan, flirts with his female fans.
    • In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the blast-off, Meowth says, "Perdimos todo el dinero"; or, "We lost all of the money." James adds, "Sí, y yo ya perdía todas mi chiquitas"; or, "Yes, and I lost all of my babes." Jessie fires back with, "¡Si no te callas, perderás tu perfil Griego!"; or, "If you don't shut up, you're going to lose that flawless face of yours!"
  • Hail to the Chef
A slow pan is shown of Jessie and James asleep in the same bed, nestled together, with Jessie half on top of James. Perhaps due to coloring error, the front of Jessie’s shirt appears to be open.
James and Meowth try to steal Pokémon in an attempt to cheer Jessie up after she has to get her hair cut. Although they fail the theft, they succeed in cheering her up.
  • Sweet Baby James
    • James's housekeepers mistake Jessie for Jessebelle and congratulate him on his marriage. James shouts "No!", imagining a married life in which he is doing chores while Jessie bosses him around. Although he appears to find this vision repulsive, in reality he is quite happy to do domestic tasks for Jessie at other times, for example ironing her contest outfit in Journey to the Unown!
    • Jessie is unimpressed by James’s reaction to the thought of being married to her and further upset when he introduces her as his secretary in an attempt to cover up his being in Team Rocket. She spends most of the rest of the episode wilfully going against James’s request to keep the peace and only becomes supportive again after James has been honest about their identity.
    • Throughout Team Rocket's stay, the housekeepers continue to ask about Jessie when she is not around and don’t seem to notice her bad behaviour. They even approve of her after finding out they are in Team Rocket, saying that “it seems like his friends are also good people”.
  • The Green Guardian
Jessie and James hug and hold hands after being rescued from dangerous thorns. They then salute with their hands on each others backs.
  • Spontaneous Combusken!
    • This episode marks the beginning of Jessie’s close relationship with James's Mime Jr. The interest and care Jessie takes builds over time and is later reflected in James’s increased investment in her contest career in the subsequent Diamond & Pearl series.
    • Having earlier heard that May may have a crush on Drew, Jessie gazes into the ocean and ponders the concept of first loves alongside Mime Jr., as James and Meowth watch from a distance. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Meowth remarks, "Yo olvidé el amor de verano"; or, "I don't even remember who my summer love was." James muses, "Tal vez no reconocemos la verdad cuando la vemos"; or, "Perhaps we don't know the truth when we see it."
  • King and Queen for a Day!
At the beginning of the episode, James does not allow his Mime Jr. to battle for fear of it getting hurt. However, when Brock's Bonsly relentlessly attacks Jessie, James angrily sends it into battle.
  • New Plot, Odd Lot!
    • James says that he sold his bottle caps so Jessie could buy the dress she wanted.
    • James is annoyed when Harley insults both Team Rocket and Jessie, holds Jessie's hands, and tells her that he is nevertheless a fan of her Contests. Jessie giggles and James looks at her with disappointment. He looks equally put out when they hold hands a second time.
  • The Ole' Berate and Switch
    • After Jessie, James, and Meowth decide to go their separate ways, Cassidy convinces James to join her. Upon seeing Cassidy manhandle James and then drag him away, Jessie kicks a fire extinguisher in anger.
    • Later, Jessie and James try to steal Poké Balls to impress each other, and apologize for having argued.
  • Aipom and Circumstance!
James gives Jessie some of his beloved bottle caps to cheer her up.
Harley asks Jessie to travel with him to Johto to be his training partner which she politely declines, saying that her work with Team Rocket is more important, something that pleases James.
When Regirock and Registeel use Lock-On on Team Rocket, James tries to carry Jessie away to save her. When they inevitably do get blasted off, he is still holding onto her. Of note, the last time (chronologically) the two met these Pokémon, Jessie seemingly died in front of James.

Diamond & Pearl

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.

Jessie, James, and Meowth are hanging out at one of James's homes when a housekeeper alerts James that his parents and Jessebelle will come see him in a day's time. Jessie and Meowth continue to enjoy their stay, but James decides that he cannot take the risk. He declares that he must leave right away, but does not ask Jessie or Meowth to leave early. Nonetheless, Jessie and Meowth drop what they are doing and leave with him.
James suggests that maybe someday he, Jessie, and Meowth can afford to live in a cottage together.
When Minnie is poised to battle Jessie, who is disguised as a Gym Leader, Brock tells Minnie that she will win because of her "ravishing beauty." Jessie takes her glove off and punches him with an uppercut, knocking him off his seat. Brock gets up and insists that Minnie is more beautiful, so Jessie yells at James-the Gym Referee-to make a ruling. James, having just seen how hard Jessie hits, declares Jessie the winner. Jessie happily spins around in circles. Brock yells at James for being a bad Referee.
Jessie ends up battling Minnie with a Croagunk. When the Croagunk faints, James draws out his ruling until Croagunk comes to. As a consequence, James once again gets insulted by Brock, and by Ash as well. James comments that Croagunk is unable to resist Jessie's voice.
While blasting off, James motions that they run a Gym together for real. Jessie replies, "When you act like a real man!"
After Meowth's boss fantasy, in the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie says, "Equipo, el tiempo vuela. ¿Ahora que haremos?"; or, "Team, time flies. Now what will we do?" James asks, "¿Quieres que te cantas una rancherita?"; or, "You want to sing a short ranchera, don't you?" The ranchera Jessie is referencing is "Vuela Paloma" by Miguel Aceves Mejía. The song is about a man says he will go after the person he loves should that person leave him, and they will reminisce over the fond memories that they have shared and get back together.
When Jessie, James, and Ash are entering Hunter J's aircraft, James is briefly holding Jessie's hand.
After Jessie and James rescue Meowth from J, they hold onto each other's arms and have their arms wrapped around Meowth.
When Jessie, James, and Meowth are at risk of being blown out of J's plane, Jessie holds onto James's waist. When the risk decreases, Jessie and James hold onto each other's arms and wrap their arms around Meowth.
Jessie feels the need to jealously bring up her own attractiveness whenever James mentions J. First James says, "When it comes to slippery fingers, she rules," and Jessie chimes in with, "Unlike the looks department, where I rule." Next, James says, "Pokémon Hunters, the lowest of the low," and Jessie asks in an irritated tone, "What are you, the president of their fan club?" She adds, "Though it pains me to say it, looks aren't everything... I know I'm much prettier than her, but I will not be out-nastied." At the end of the episode, James says, "I may respect that wench, but I don't like her," causing Jessie to admit that, "I may be prettier than J, but when it comes of devilry, I have work to do."
Jessie can't remember what the 'B' in B-Button League stands for, so James pulls her aside and whispers in her ear, "Beautiful." In response, the B-Button League asks them what the C on their shirts stands for. Jessie flounders, so James comes up with "Crystal" and puts his hand on Jessie's shoulder as if to tell her to relax.
When the B-Button League are going to battle Jessie and James, they hug out of fear.
Right before Jessie performs in the First Round of a practice Contest, James shouts encouragement from the audience. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "¡Órale, mi reina de cempasúchil!"; or, "Spot on, my marigold queen!" When Jessie completes the round, James says, "¡Ay, esa mi Jessie se la hizo!"; or, "Gosh, my Jessie did that!"
When Jessie wins the Contest, James and Meowth cry, and James says, "Our girl's gotten her first victory!"
After the Contest, James leaves, returns in the Meowth hot air balloon, and throws down a rope ladder. Jessie hangs onto it saying, "Listen, I think my ride is here." James pulls the ladder up as he says, "Your chariot calls for you loud and clear."
Jessie moves that instead of helping Ash and company, she and James wait out the danger. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "Sí, mamí. Sí, me encanta el color que tiene"; or, "Yes, honey, and I do love the color scheme."
In the hideout, Jessie and James sleep next to each other.
As Abigail's Raichu is pounding the mecha, Jessie and James speak in what is potentially sexual innuendo.
Jessie wraps her arm around James's neck and pulls him to her shoulder. She refers to him as her training partner and friend. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie calls James, "Jamesito," meaning "James dear."
When James is tired of dealing with Gym Leader Gardenia's obsession with his Pokémon, he puts his hand on Jessie's hand and asks her to battle Gardenia for him. Jessie accepts.
Jessie and James are traveling while exhausted. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie references the song "Princesa Tibetana" by Timbiriche. The song is about a man who is in love with a woman whom he would follow anywhere, even through a field of plants covered in thorns, because it is as if she is a flower planted in his heart and spreading through his being. Jessie says, "Prisa. Dolor de los pies. Son como de princesa Tibetana"; or, "Hurry. My feet are aching like a Tibetan beauty."
Instead of waiting to see if James can win a Pokémon cosplay competition fair and square, Jessie decides the odds are not in his favor and that it would be more advantageous to steal the prize while everyone is distracted. James is disappointed by this, but forces himself to say the motto with her. At the end of it, Jessie strikes a pose, but then moves over slightly to put her hand on James's shoulder.
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." In the Latin American Spanish dub, James uses the word "querida," meaning "sweetheart," "dear," or "darling."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the motto, Jessie says, "¡Descargan con terror porque soy la reina!"; or, "Unleashing terror because I'm the queen!" Then James says, "Eso te crees , mi reina"; or, "That's what you think, my queen."
While Jessie is asleep, she says, "How sweet to be swept away by the special someone that I hold dear." She wakes up to find that she is literally being swept off her feet because James's battle sent them blasting off. James reminds her to be careful what she wishes for.
While spying on Ash and company, Jessie has her hand on James's shoulder.
James comments, "That haughty Hunter J. Try as we might, she manages to maintain her one-upmanship." Jessie yells back, "When it comes down to bushels of unbridled beauty, try using those eyes connected to that pea brain of yours and see who rules! I do!"
Gardenia insists that James give her his Cacnea and proves that Cacnea isn't realizing its full potential under James's tutelage. Jessie is very annoyed by this and watches James stare into space crestfallen. She clenches her fists and goes over to James, telling him to forget what Gardenia said. James looks back at her sympathetically and tries to assure her that he is fine.
To Ash and company, Jessie guiltily confesses that James did not sulk until she asked if he was serious about giving up Cacnea. In actuality, James was sulking earlier than that.
When James tries to talk Cacnea into going with Gardenia, Jessie and Meowth try to stop him. Without turning to face them, James says that he is not a good Trainer. He proceeds to give Cacnea's Poké Ball to Gardenia and runs off, trying very hard not to cry. Jessie and Meowth are extremely worried and chase him.
Although Jessie is running a scam unbeknownst to James, James immediately recognizes Jessie in spite of her disguise.
James is still silent and depressed over losing 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. When James hears about it, he is touched and he, Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet cry and hug. James helps them steal the Pokémon and, even though they end up stealing the wrong Pokémon, James is moved to tears and he and Jessie hold hands. Jessie sees James no longer being distant as a sign that they are a "true" team again.
After Jessie introduces herself as a mystic, James introduces himself as, "Her guy, Friday."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the blast-off, James tries to cheer Jessie up. Jessie shouts, "¡No llegamos al fin!"; or, "We didn't get to see it through!" James reassures her, "¡Eso ya no importa, mamita!"; or, "That is no longer important, honey!"
James asks Jessie if she thinks their aliases are too much of a stretch. Jessie retorts that she let him put on a disguise out of the goodness of her heart. James sarcastically remarks, "What a gal." In the Latin American Spanish dub, James sarcastically says, "Que tierna," or, "How sweet."
Jessie is impressed by Dawn's Ambipom. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie says, "¡Wow, que haré para conseguirme un Ambipom!"; or, "Wow, what I wouldn't do to get an Ambipom!" James indignantly retorts, "¿Sin mi?"; or, "Without me?"
In the Latin American Spanish dub, when James takes a key out of his pocket, he references the song La Llave de Mi Corazón by Juan Luis Guerra. The song is about a man who is in love with a hopeless romantic, so he will do anything to get her to notice him more. James sings, "Aquí esta la llave de mi corazón"; or, "Here is the key to my heart."
Later, Jessie interrupts Brock and Autumn looking into each other's eyes. In the Latin American Spanish dub she says, "Es un concurso de admiraditas, OK?"; or, "So it's a competition between young lovers, is it?" This is wordplay because in the English dub Jessie calls it a "staring contest," and admiradas can mean "stares" or "admirers." The -itas suffix adds endearment, so the latter definition is used. Jessie and James then battle Brock and Autumn. It is noteworthy that in the Latin American Spanish dub of The Bicker the Better, Tag Battles are called "Batallas del Amor," meaning "Love Battles."
During the part of "Message of the Wind" that says magic spells are not the only way to get what one wants, Jessie is wielding a magic wand. She uses it to play pranks on James and Meowth. Despite all the material things Jessie says she wants throughout the anime, she evidently does not care all that much about them and would rather spend time with James and Meowth.
Jessie, James, and Meowth narrate a made-up story about how they found a hot spring. During it, in the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie says, "No podemos perder el tiempo con estas joyas cuando tenemos aguas termales que encontrar"; or, "We can't waste time with these jewels when we have hot springs to find." James sympathetically responds, "Ay, pues, a veces dimes toda la razón, aunque no seguido, mi reina"; or, "Uh, well, sometimes you make good points, although I can't always follow your train of thought, my queen."
When Jessie and James are in a hot spring together, it is clear that they are not wearing anything under the water.
When the meteorites glow, Jessie and James hug out of fear. After they stop hugging, Jessie momentarily leaves one hand on James's back.
After escaping from Officer Jenny and Team Galactic, Jessie, James, and Meowth gleefully stroll down a backstreet. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James references the song "Falsa" by Eddie Santiago. The song is about a man who was in a nightmare of a relationship with a deceptively charming woman who wears a thousand masks, so to speak. James sings, "¡Falso fue tu amor!"; or, "Yours was a hollow love!" The full line of the song is, "Tus promesas fueron falsas como falso fue tu amor"; or, "Your promises were as empty as your love." Although it is a song about heartbreak, James either seems to find heartbreak songs romantic or uses them to refer to how glad he is to be away from Jessebelle, because he sings them when he is very happy.
This episode is one of several examples where Jessie feels the need to compete with Hunter J in reaction to James's observations about J's skills. Here James complains with: "First we get pre-empted by a pack of Pokémon Hunter henchmen, then we get upstaged by a Pokémon Ranger." Not wanting to acknowledge that J and her henchmen were quicker on the draw, Jessie says, "That Hunter hussy. Hunter J is going to pay. I'll turn the tables on her so fast, her head will spin." In disbelief, James says, "Bold, but this is Hunter J you're putting away." Jessie responds with, "The 'j' stands for 'jerk.'" Jessie's comment is directed at J, but can also be aimed at James for being impressed with J.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the blast-off, James whines, "¡Ay, mama!"; or, "Oh, honey!" In this context, mama means the same thing as mamacita, which translates to "honey," "baby," or "babe."
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," then thanks Meowth. Jessie says the same thing in the Latin American Spanish dub, but she uses an interesting word choice. She says, "Que lindo eres, James." Lindo means a guy who is beautiful on the inside and/or physically attractive.
The narration at the episode's closing goes: "True friendship is forever, although life's pathways can twist and turn in unexpected directions; but the everlasting bond between Pokémon and Trainer makes love like this possible. Perhaps one day Jessie will find the love she's been searching for as well." During the "makes love like this possible" part, the visual is Jessie and James standing next to each other.
Jessie, under the alias Jessalina, tries seducing Wallace in hopes that he will go a bit easy on her at the Wallace Cup. When she strokes his chest, James becomes furious. James and Meowth drag her away. James probably likes Wallace even less in the Latin American Spanish dub, because Wallace calls Jessie "querida," meaning "sweetheart," "dear," or "darling" - something James also calls Jessie.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the blast-off, James whines, "¡Ay, mamacita!"; or, "Oh, honey!"
Jessie is upset about losing in the Sinnoh Wallace Cup, so James and Meowth go grab a TV camera. They suggest that Jessie cheer up by interviewing Coordinators and snubbing Ash and company. Jessie is touched and tears up. The plan goes better than expected, because Master of Ceremonies Marian congratulates her on a job well done, and further congratulates her for her work at the Kanto Grand Festival.
When Jessie and James find out that Jessie's Yanmega learned Ancient Power, they face each other and hold hands.
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.
Due to James's overtly dark and villainous attitude, Jessie admiringly calls him "strong."
Jessie calls the mecha a hunk and James, holding a rose, brags that he modeled it after himself.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, after James brags about designing the robot, he references a song. The song is definitely "Ah, Ah, Ah" by Pedro Fernández because Meowth hums the tune after James sings, and because James sings a song from the same album in A Bite to Remember. "Ah, Ah, Ah" is about a young man who is madly in love with someone, and always will be, but he lets his beloved go because he is slowing that person down. However, James paraphrases the song dramatically and mumbles it, so it is unclear what he saying specifically. He might be singing, "Que mundo sé, que mundo sé como me quiero"; or, "All the world knows, all the world knows how I want it."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the blast-off, James shouts, "¡Ay, mamita!"; or, "Oh, honey!"
James massages Jessie's shoulders while she drinks a cocktail.
James says he will become "king of the Team Rocket hill" and Jessie says she will be the queen.
Later, they hug and say that together they will be "Lording over Sinnoh, East to West."
When Jessie tells James to catch a Lickilicky, James answers, "Yes, dear." In the Latin American Spanish dub, James uses the word "querida," meaning "sweetheart," "dear," or "darling."
When Barry arrives early to pick up his Pokémon, James puts his hands on Jessie's shoulders and guides her out of the kiosk so that they can make their escape.
James tricks Ash's Staravia into falling for a fake Staravia and declares, "Truth is, only love can break your heart." Jessie responds with, "I'm a big fan of your game."
Since Staravia is out of the picture, Ash sends out Gliscor. Jessie says, "I think it's time to reprise your role as Cupid." James responds with, "I'm not exactly prepared for Gliscor love." However, it is equally possible that he instead says, "I'm not exactly prepared for Gliscor, love."
When Meowth says he wants to quit Team Rocket, Jessie says, "Are you pulling my leg?" James adds, "Jessie's ticklish!"
When Team Rocket are running from a Rotom, James is behind Jessie and is reaching for her with both hands. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James shouts, "¡Ay, mamita!"; or, "Oh, honey!"
While Jessie, James, and Meowth are in disguise, James and Meowth refer to Jessie as, "my lady."
After a Phione encases Jessie in a block of ice, James says, "Why, that Ice Beam casts you in an artistic light!" In the Latin American Spanish dub he says, "Ay, mamita, calladita te ves más bonita"; or, "Oh, honey, you're even prettier when you're silent." It is a common expression in Hispanic countries and is intended to be endearing in most contexts, and would be in this context.
James likes Jessie's stealing strategy. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "¡Bien, mi Jessie! ¡Eres una sabia!"; or, "Great, my Jessie! You're so wise!"
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the motto, Jessie says, "La dulce rosa es muy innoble"; or, "The sweetest rose is the most ignoble." James replies with a reference to the song "Cómo Te Voy A Olvidar" by Los Ángeles Azules. The song is about a man who can think of nothing other than kissing the person he love's red lips, because that person's essence is in his every breath and is in every rose. James sings the line that says, "¿Cómo te voy a olvidar?"; or, "How am I going to forget you?"
Worn out from dealing with an uncooperative Chatot, Jessie, James, and Meowth lay down, as if ready to sleep off the stress. Jessie lays on top of James.
When blasting-off, Jessie asks James if he still feels like a bowling pin getting knocked over. In the Latin American Spanish dub, since they are going up not down, James answers, "Pues, ya no sé, mamita"; or, "Well, now I'm not so sure, honey."
After finishing her bowl of ramen, Jessie says, "Be a love, James, and pick up the tab."
When Meowth leaves to pursue a career as a ramen chef, James wants to run after Meowth. Jessie puts her hand on James's shoulder to calm him down.
When Jessie suggests that James marry Jessebelle, James cries.
When Jessie leaves to pursue a career in Coordinating, James runs off, crying and clenching his fists tightly. That night, he is still crying and ponders how strong their bond really is. The next morning he is still depressed and decides to risk his life by battling a Shiny Metagross that has caused people to "vanish" before.
Jessie freaks out when she hears that James is fighting the Metagross.
When Jessie saves James from the Metagross, James gets on his knees and cries with joy.
When the Metagross is about to kill Jessie and James, James smiles sweetly at Jessie and says that life wasn't a waste because he spent it with good friends. Jessie agrees and says that if they end up in the same place in the afterlife, James should find her. James agrees to that, smiles, and no longer looks afraid. This is an addendum to James's promise in Training Daze to always be at Jessie's side.
When the Metagross gets ready to use Gyro Ball, Jessie and James hug out of fear.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, when Jessie approaches James after leaving him, he sarcastically calls her "migui," short for amiguita, meaning "dear friend." Shortly afterward, he bursts into tears and affectionately calls her "amigui."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, James sarcastically calls Jessie "chucha," meaning "honey," when Jessie blames the second failed plan of the day on him and when Jessie approaches him after having left him. Since he is rather angry, it is clear that he uses that particular word because it can either be used as a term of endearment or as various strong insults.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, James calls Jessie "mamita," meaning "honey," affectionately. He uses it when he asks Jessie how they are going to sneak out of the restaurant, when he agrees with Jessie that being nice to people has its perks, when he is crying over Jessie's suggestion that he marry Jessebelle, and when he is panicking right before Jessie asks him to be with her in the Ghost World.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, right after Jessie leaves, James yells, "¡Querer es poder!"; or, "Desire is power." It is analogous to saying 'When there is a will there is a way'; but querer literally means "to desire" or "to love," so it is a curious choice of expression.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, while crying before a campfire, James references the song "No Hay Quien Te Aguante" by Héctor Lavoe. The song is about a man whose relationship ended because he slaved away at work and spent every last penny on his girlfriend, but she only returned his sacrifices and affection with contempt. James says, "Ay, y yo solito me aguanto; y tampoco hay quien me aguante"; or, "Oh, and I alone can stand myself; and there won't be anyone to hold me either."
Jessie complains about not liking PokéRinging. In response, in the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "No haces así, mamita"; or, "Don't be that way, honey."
James likes Jessie's plan to go after Dawn. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "¡Ay, que malvada eres, mamita!"; or, "Oh, you're so wicked, honey!"
Jessie, James, and Meowth are still looking for Dawn by sunset. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "Pues, ya se lo está viniendo la noche, mamita"; or, "Well, night is approaching, honey."
James tells Mime Jr. that he is counting on it to get Jessie her third Ribbon.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, after Jessie loses in the Sandalstraw Contest, James says, "Además habrá otros Concursos y otros Listones, mamí"; or, "Besides, there will be other Contests and other Ribbons, honey."
A motto sequence from Uncrushing Defeat!
Since James chooses not to take a side in an argument between Jessie and Meowth, Jessie briefly blushes, though it is unclear why. Then she and Meowth fall over.
During the motto, Jessie and James are on a set of scales with a pink heart on it. They are seemingly at balance, despite it swinging slightly.
When Ash's Pokémon get ready to launch a group attack on Team Rocket, Jessie and James hug out of fear.
When Azure and Crimson tell Jessie and James that they would never join a gang, Jessie explains that they're in Team Rocket because of the "swashbuckling romance." Azure and Crimson respond by saying that "romance" is an old-fashioned idea. Jessie and James's faces turn red with anger, and possibly embarrassment.
Jessie obsesses about ruining other people's love lives and shifts to a yami-or dark-form. James tells himself that Jessie's just not being herself because she's having an off day.
When James, disguised as Professor Oak, gets roped into giving a lecture, Jessie and Meowth run instead of helping him get out of the situation. As they leave, in the Latin American Spanish dub, James references the song "Desapareció" by Wisin & Yandel. The song is about a group of men who fell in love with women that disappeared before the men could get their numbers; and if they do not find those women, it will be the end of them. James says, "Me quedado solo, solito, solitario"; or, "I've stayed alone, alone, alone." It is analogous to saying, 'It's just me, myself, and I.'
A kid accuses Jessie and James of rigging the kingyo-sukui game, so Jessie gets confrontational and James stops her. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "Espérate, mamita"; or, "Wait, honey."
In the Sinnoh Team Rocket base, there is no bed in James's room. However, there is a cat-sized pet bed in Meowth's room and a large bed in Jessie's room. Therefore, James would appear to share Jessie's bed.
When a sick Jessie overexerts herself and begins to faint, James catches her, helps her stand up, and supports her weight as he walks her back to bed, all the while having a comforting smile on his face. When Meowth says Jessie should rest, James agrees, scolds with a caring tone, "Dr. James's orders."
Later, James disguises himself as Jessalina and enters his first Contest. He is reluctant at first, but knows depression will make Jessie's sickness worse, so he puts on a performance that is met with the some of the loudest cheers that Master of Ceremonies Marian has ever heard. He ends up winning the Ribbon.
When James and Meowth get back to their cabin, Jessie hugs them and nuzzles her Ribbon in a childlike manner. Meowth comments that, "This Jessie was worth the wait," and James shares the sentiment.
After Meowth's boss fantasy, Jessie and James link arms.
James, desperate to destroy his written marriage proposal to Jessebelle, blushes, cries, and begs Jessie and Meowth to help him. They agree, so James stops crying and hugs them, while blushing.
James refers to Jessebelle as his first love, implying that he'd fallen in love with someone else subsequently after becoming engaged; otherwise, one would expect him to say she was his 'one love,' his 'only love' or his 'true love.' Yet, there are no other love interests in his past, and he did not even have any friends until he met Jessie.
Before intentionally getting hit by a Thunderbolt to escape Jessebelle, Jessie wraps both of her hands around one of James's hands. On impact, she lets go, but James grabs one of her hands. The recoil pushes Jessie out of the way.
When Jessebelle's security guards mistake Jessie for Jessebelle, and try to take her to Jessebelle's estate, Jessie refuses, throws a tantrum, and just wants to go find James and Meowth. This mirrors James choosing Jessie and Meowth over the luxuries of being married to Jessebelle in Holy Matrimony!.
During the motto, Jessie and James are seductively posed and looking at each other from the corner of their eyes. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie says, "Una rosa con otro nombre es igual de dulce"; or, "A rose by any other name is just as sweet." James quips, "No te ponga romántica porque hoy es babosa"; or, "Don't mix romance with lechery." He is using wordplay because babosa can mean "silly" or "lecherous."
Jessie asks James if he thinks a Metagross and a Magnezone buy their partially made-up story. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "Espero que hayas cruzado los dedos, mamita"; or, "I hope that you have your fingers crossed, honey."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, the motto opens with Jessie saying, "¿Acaso es una voz boba la que escucho?"; or, "Perchance, is that the voice of a numskull I hear?" James answers, "No, mamita, ya tienes una oído cucho"; or, "No honey, you're already hearing what you want to hear." Cucho literally means "off-kilter." Later in the motto, James makes a heart-shape with his hands.
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the motto, James references the song "Rosa, Rosa" by Sandro. The song is about a man who loves a woman so much that he cries agonizing over her; and that she can ask anything of him other than to stop loving her, because that could only happen if he died. James sings, "¡Rosa, Rosa, la rigurosa!"; or, "Rosa, Rosa is rigorous!"
After telling Dawn's Piplup a made-up story to lure it, Jessie and James high-five each other.
After Meowth's boss fantasy, Jessie and James hold hands.
James is proud when Jessie advances to the Final Round of the Neighborly Town Contest. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "¡Nuestra linda Jessie está que arde!"; or, "Our pretty Jessie is on fire!"
In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the First Round, James yells, "¡Eso es, mi Jessie!"; or, "That's how it's done, my Jessie!" Similarly, during the Final Round, James shouts, "¡A la otra ya se apestó, mi Jessie!"; or, "The other one is already done in, my Jessie!"
After Jessie loses, James worries about her and tells her that she was exemplary.
Jessie wants Dawn's Togekiss, so he says to James and Meowth, "So be dears and find me a stealing strategy." James and Meowth respond in unison with, "Dears? You mean us?"
In the Latin American Spanish dub, when Jessie says she wants Togekiss, James says, "Ay, mamí, se ves como una abusadora"; or, "Oh, honey, you're coming across as taking advantage of the situation." An abusadora is a woman who is either an opportunist at others' expense, or a heart-breaker. Jessie insists and says, "Se han lindos y busquen una estrategia de robo"; or, "Be cutie-pies and find a stealing strategy."
During the motto, Jessie and James are seductively posed and looking at each other from the corner of their eyes. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie, in a tender tone, says, "Una rosa con otro nombre es igual de dulce"; or, "A rose by any other name is just as sweet." In the same tone, James responds, "Y tus babosadas hacen que mi córazon pulse"; or, "And your daffiness makes my heart race."
James seems to be selling a surplus of Jessalina products.
James cheers when Jessie advances to the Top 16. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James shouts, "¡Wow, eso es mi Jessie-Jess!"; or, "Wow, that's my Jessie-Jess!" Jessie-Jess is Jessie's nickname from her days at Team Rocket Academy.
When Jessie advances to the Semi-Finals, James shouts, "¡Échale, mi Jessie!"; or, "Go for it, my Jessie!"
In the Latin American Spanish dub, when Team Rocket arrive at the ruins, James says, "No, es la forma de caer suavemente"; or, "No, this is the way to swoop in smoothly." He sings the word "suavemente" to the tune of "Suavemente" by Elvis Crespo. The song "Suavemente" is about a man who is in love with someone whose slow kisses stir his very soul, and there is no escaping dreams of those kisses. Likewise, when Team Rocket are blasting-off, Jessie sings, "A veces siento que el tesoro y yo somos uno mismo"; or, "Sometimes I feel that treasure and I are one in the same." However, she clearly sings this to the tune of "No Sé Qué Pasó" by Elvis Crespo. "No Sé Qué Pasó" is about a man who is in love with someone who is not returning his calls, so he is willing to do anything to fix things, because his life completely changed for the better when they met.
Jessie, James, and Meowth pile their hands after a long day's work and say, "Great form!" Though Meowth simply puts an open paw on top of James's hand, James actually cups his hand around Jessie's.
A swarm of Tentacruel gather around the Magikarp submarine to protect an item that James knows to be a bottle cap, but Jessie and Meowth are lead to believe is a precious metal or a precious stone. Jessie puts her hand on James's shoulder and says, "James, make sure nothing stands between our fortune and us."
When the Tentacruel back Jessie, James, and Meowth into a corner on a ferry, Jessie and James hold hands. Once Ash and Dawn show up, Jessie immediately lets go of James's hands.

Best Wishes!

In the Latin American Spanish dub, during the motto, James says, "Yo oliendo a rosa venus"; or, "I'm sniffing a rose of love." He is using wordplay because he is also referencing the planet Venus, as planet Earth is in the background during Jessie's line.
Jessie asks James where a hoard of Cottonee are aggregating. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James answers, "Ahorita te lo digo, mamacita"; or, "I will tell you right now, honey."
Jessie is a bit concerned that James is worrying about Meowth. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James tries to lighten the mood by referencing the song "La Que Me Quita El Sueño" by Peter Manjarrés. The song is about a man who did not want to fall in love but then he met a woman who is as sweet as a sunrise is pretty; however, all the other eligible bachelors want to be with her too. James says, "Pues, así como que me quite, que me quite el sueño no mucho"; or, "Well, that's what keeps me, what keeps me from sleeping much." He pauses for a reaction and Jessie continues to be silent, so he gives her a real answer. Jessie advises him to focus, so he formally responds, "Sí, madame," meaning "Yes, madam."
In the Latin American Spanish dub, James often calls himself "Jam-me-me-mes." In this motto, Jessie decides to introduce herself as "¡La mamita más agresiva, Jes-s-s-sie!"; or, "The most aggressive knockout, Jes-s-s-sie!" Mamita means an attractive woman. James then says, "¡Ja! ¡Y consume! ¡Yo soy Jam-me-me-mes!"; or, "Ha! And use me! I am Jam-me-me-mes!" Due to James's choice of verb and choice of its conjugation, this seems to be sexual innuendo.
Jessie, James, and Meowth chase a Carracosta into a cave. In the Latin American Spanish dub, James says, "Y estamos a nada de completar nuestra misión, Jessie mía"; or, "And we're so close to completing our mission, my Jessie."
Jessie, James, and Meowth eavesdrop on Ash and company talking to Professor Aurea Juniper. James's hand is on Jessie's thigh.
When a swarm of Beedrill are getting ready to chase Jessie and James, Jessie stands frozen in terror, having been attacked by Beedrill many times in the past. James puts his hands on her shoulders and guides her out of the way.
Jessie and James are sleeping next to one another under a tree. In contrast, Ash is sleeping in a tree, Cilan is sleeping under the tree, and Iris is sleeping in another tree - not near each other at all.
Jessie wants James's Amulet Coin, so James gloats, "Finders, keepers, dear."
Jessie, James, and Meowth eavesdrop on Ash and company talking to Alexa. Jessie's hand is on James's shoulder.
As soon as Team Rocket's Basculin submarine spirals out of control, Jessie wraps her arm around James's neck out of fear and to keep James from crashing into the walls of the vehicle.
When Jessie pitches her idea to travel to Kalos, she puts one hand on Meowth's back and the other on James's shoulder, looking at James all the while.

XY

Once James succeeds in controlling a Garchomp, Jessie and James put their hands together out of joy.
To get out of a storm, Jessie decides to hide out in a nearby home. She adds that if anyone is home, she can keep them company, and dashes towards the estate. James, feeling left out, says, "We're company too."
When the thunder outside gets louder, Jessie and James hug out of fear.
After being separated from her teammates, Jessie searches for them along with Wobbuffet. A wild Gloom attacks them and they fall over a cliff into the water. Jessie and Wobbuffet are rescued by Dr. White, and given a place to stay to recover. Jessie begins to fall in love with him. James and Meowth find her and overhear Jessie telling Ash and company she is quitting Team Rocket and staying with Dr. White instead. Meowth is about to stop Jessie, but James tells him they shouldn't get in the way of Jessie's happiness. This implies he cares very deeply for Jessie. James and Meowth walk away, as tears stream down James's face and he reminisces about his memories with his partner. Later, Jessie discovers Dr. White has feeling for someone else and rejoins her teammates to defeat a Pokemon Hunter. Wobbuffet also returns, and the trio recite their motto together.
Although James is dreading Jessie's outrage of losing, she actually thanks everyone for helping her get this far. She blushes as she says "it makes me want to sing". James and Jessie are both blushing when everyone tackles Jessie.

Sun & Moon

When Totem Raticate attacks Team Rocket with Bite, James jumps in front of Jessie to protect her.

Movies

Jessie and James spend a significant proportion of their time onscreen hugging.
While the Pokémon are befriending their clones, Jessie and James apologize to each other for past arguments. Then they hug and cry.
In the Japanese version, Meowth says to Jessie and James, "You guys act love-love all the time." In the English dub, the line is, "You two don't need the opposite sex because you got each other."
While Jessie is kidnapped by Iron-Masked Marauder, James worries about her and feels bad that he is not able to rescue her.
Once Celebi recovers from its control, James and Meowth both see Jessie falling into the ocean and watch with dismay.
When James reaches Jessie, he says, "Oh, Jessie, thank goodness you're safe."
In the Japanese version, the scene where Team Rocket are pedaling their Magikarp submarine is accompanied by the part of "You're Not Alone" that says one should never forget their loving and sharing heart.
Jessie and James are seen holding one another at the climax of the film. They, along with Meowth, express gratitude for still being alive and say that they don’t need wishes when living in the moment can make them happy. Jessie and James look into each other's eyes and James takes hold of her hands before putting their palms and cheeks together.
Jessie dances with James at the ball, and when James mentions stealing Pokémon, Jessie responds that she just wants to dance all night. Another dancer cuts in, and Jessie is very flattered, but she did not intend to seek out a second dance partner. She meets back up with James later in the ball, because they are seen holding hands when Lucario starts to emerge from Sir Aaron's staff.
When Jessie almost falls out of the car due to the rocky road, James grabs her. As a result, he almost falls out with her.
After the leukocytes get Jessie, James uses his Cacnea to try and rescue her. In an uncommon show of seriousness, he dodges Cacnea when it tries to hug him. After he fails to rescue Jessie, she and James cry out to each other as she is dragged down. James stands there speechless, visibly heart-broken. He quickly releases his Chimecho, and lets himself get engulfed as well.
The scene where the leukocytes take Jessie and James is quite different in the Latin American Spanish dub. In it, since Jessie and James are the only people or Pokémon around, and since James is babbling with starts and stops in a shaky voice, Jessie either thinks James is trying to tell her that he loves her or she is already aware of that and thinks he is going to ask her to marry him. Unbeknownst to her, the reason James is speaking awkwardly is because he is completely out of breath from running to catch up with her. Jessie asks, "¿Ay, cómo puedes hacer tan lejos?" or, "¿Oh, how can you be so distant?" She seems to mean "distant" both emotionally and in terms of James literally being in the distance. James says, "¿Ay, Jessie, no te haces más lina? Jessie, no me dejes. Mamita. Ay, Jessita, no me dejes"; or, "Oh, Jessie, can't you be more sweet? Jessie, don't leave me. Honey. Oh, Jessie dear, don't leave me." Next, James sees leukocytes behind Jessie and tries pointing to them. Consequently, he is also pointing to Jessie, making the gesture useless. It simply contributes to Jessie's belief that James is trying to say something important to her. James only musters enough courage to say, "Atrás de ti hay una..."; or, "Behind you there's a..." Jessie evidently does not hear him due to the distance, or tunes him out so as to only hear what she wants to hear. She gushes, "Me quieres mucho, ay. James, juego de huir de persecución"; or, "You love me so much, aww. James, I'm playful so as to avoid the chase." In other words, she is saying that she tries to be relatively upfront and wants him to do the same, instead of playing a game of cat and mouse. The joke is that the leukocytes then 'catch' Jessie. James switches gears, and in a deep, serious tone, sends out his Cacnea to help Jessie. He loses the tone upon seeing that Pin Missile has no effect on the leukocytes.
When the crystals turn red, Jessie and James hold hands out of fear. They let go when Cacnea 'attacks' James. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jessie says, "¡Siempre que nos enredamos con los bobos, terminamos quemamos!"; or, "Whenever we tangle with the numskulls, we end up getting burned in the end!" James reassures her, "¡Que malos quemados, pero siempre estaremos juntos!"; or, "How cruel it was to be burned, but we will always be together!" The joke is that Cacnea thinks James is talking about her and 'hugs' James.
When the crystals turn blue, Jessie and James are seen hugging. They include Meowth in the hug when he finds them.
A Skiploom knocks Jessie out of Team Rocket's aircraft, so James grabs her, falling out himself.
When Jessie starts to fall into a manhole, James grabs her and falls down with her, rather than letting go once he starts to lose his footing.
When the trio believe they are about to get rich from Diancie’s diamonds, James suggests they could build a house with the money and Jessie follows this up by saying they might get a holiday home with a hotspring also. In their excitement the two link arms and dance around the room.
Jessie and James instinctively hug before they are turned to stone by Yveltal. The scenes of them being frozen and unfrozen in each other’s arms are shown in parallel with those of Merilyn and Riot who become a canon couple at the end of the film.
The pair are stuck in a tree after being thrown out of a plane. James shoots a grappling hook onto the protagonists’ passing aircraft and with his other arm pulls Jessie. They ascend with Jessie’s arms wrapped tightly around James’ waist, her head nuzzling his chest.

Manga

  • The Electric Tale of Pikachu
    • Throughout the manga, there is suggestive physical contact between Jessie and James. They also share a bed.
    • In the epilogue, there is a panel in which we see a flashback to James confessing his love to Jessie.
    • At the end of the manga, Jessie and James are shown to be married with a child on the way.

Radio

When Jessie says the only thing she can rely on is her partner, James asks hopefully whether she means him. He becomes irritated when he realises she was referring to Arbok.
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 commit a double suicide.
"Space People No. 1", the opening drama of Episode 7, explores the aftermath of a rocketship accident. "James" is frantically searching for "Jessie" and is distraught to find her injured and trapped under rubble. He is unable to free her despite his best efforts, so holds her as she dies. She tells him how happy she is that he is with her at the end and encourages him to save himself, as she believes their relationship is destined by fate and they will be reunited in another life.
    • The characters played by Musashi (Jessie) and Kojirō (James) are named "Jessie" and "James" as an homage to their dub names.
    • When asked in the final episode, Jessie cites this as her favourite opening skit of the series and James agrees.

Game

During Round Four in Spa Service, they are wearing their bride and groom clothing from the episode Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?. Unlike the episode, Meowth is dressed as a flower girl and the background music is "Treulich Geführt" by Richard Wagner, known in English as the "Bridal Chorus".

Other

During one of James's occasional Q&A sessions on Twitter, a follower asked him, "Jessie is cute! Since you are together all the time, haven't you fallen in love with her?" James answered, "Because (she's my) eternal partner!" (「永遠のパートナーだからな!」)

Similarities

Jessie and James dressed as newlyweds in Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?!
  • Jessie and James have both owned multiple Poison-type Pokémon.
  • Jessie's earrings are the same shade of green as James's eyes, Jessie's eyes are the same shade of blue as James's hair and Jessie's hair (prior to the transition to digital coloring) is the same shade of red as James's signature rose in the Original Series.
  • Jessie and James have a similar style of dress and normally coordinate their outfits.
They have also donned various disguises pretending to be a couple, most notably as Gym Leader Norman and his wife Caroline in A Double Dilemma; newlyweds in Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?; and, in Pokémon Fashion Flash, Bad to the Bone, In the Pink, and I Feel Skitty!, wearing outfits similar to the ones Oscar and Andi wear. The latter is most likely a reference to the the manga The Rose of Versailles.
Jessie is incapable of fooling James with disguises, as is evident in Bad to the Bone, Throwing the Track Switch and A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!. This is saying something, as even their close friend Christopher fails to recognize Jessie's disguise in Noodles! Roamin' Off!
Indeed, in Holy Matrimony!, Meowth thinks Jessie is exactly like Jessebelle in looks and personality. By Two Degrees of Separation!, Meowth has decided that Jessie is nicer.
Ironically, Jessie calls one of her recurring aliases Jessebella.
Furthermore, in Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!, Jessie opens her closet door, revealing a full wardrobe in a style quite similar to what James's mother and Jessebelle wear.

Trivia

External Links


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