Boss fantasy

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A typical boss fantasy

The boss fantasy (Japanese: ニャース妄想 Nyarth delusion) is a segment in the Pokémon anime in which Meowth thinks of practical uses Giovanni can make of the Pokémon being focused on in the current episode. Through this, the Giovanni in Meowth's imagination rewards Team Rocket for their generosity, which gives Jessie and James the motivation to go through with their next plan, only for Ash and his friends to go after and foil it once it is carried out. The segment often depicts Giovanni in humorous and exaggerated situations.

The segment debuted in Bye Bye Butterfree!, but became regular only after The Kecleon Caper, appearing as often as the motto and blast offs during the Hoenn saga. The segment appeared less often in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl. Due to the trio shifting to a more serious tone, the boss fantasies did not appear in Pokémon the Series: Black & White, though afterwards they made a return in Pokémon the Series: XY and Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, although much less frequently than before.

Meowth's chibi view of Giovanni

It can be noted that the Giovanni in such fantasies almost always says he will reward "Meowth and his friends" for bringing (Pokémon so and so) instead of "Jessie, James, and Meowth" or a variation of that. This can be attributed to the fact that Meowth is usually the one who dreams up these fantasies, and his ego causes him to imagine Giovanni rewarding him first, then his friends. In one episode, James finishes off the fantasy, where he imagines Giovanni saying "James and his friends" instead. Occasionally, Meowth will imagine Giovanni in chibi form while in others, Meowth will imagine Giovanni with a muscle-covered body.

On rare occasions, the fantasy will not pan out as planned and Giovanni's unhappiness encourages the trio to do something else instead.

The reality, however, is that since Giovanni's behavior in these fantasies are solely based around Meowth's opinion on how he would react, they don't reflect Giovanni's true personality since the trio remain unaware of his personal dislike (and sometimes, his general disinterest) towards them at the time. On most occasions, Meowth is so overconfident with these fantasies that he doesn't realize that his plans are generally flawed and wouldn't actually work, usually due to Giovanni's desire for only strong Pokémon.

List of boss fantasies

Original series

Episode Item/Pokémon Use Image
Bye Bye Butterfree! Butterfree Meowth being in the Boss's lap (with Persian being down in the dumps). Boss fantasy EP021.png
The Battle of the Badge Togepi Giovanni praising the trio in his office. Boss fantasy EP063.png
Bound for Trouble Pikachu Meowth in the boss's lap, being his favorite Pokémon, after singlehandedly bringing Pikachu to Giovanni. Boss fantasy EP104.png
The Kecleon Caper Kecleon Captured for the jewelry box it swallowed, to impress Giovanni with the rarity of the Pokémon and the value of the jewels. Boss fantasy EP205.png
A Corsola Caper! Corsola To make Giovanni's estate look beautiful and pink. Boss fantasy EP213.png
Whichever Way the Wind Blows Bellossom To cheer him up when he wakes up. Boss fantasy EP239.png
EP250 Jynx, Swinub, and Piloswine Jynx will kiss Giovanni when he wakes up, Swinub will brush his hair with Powder Snow, and Piloswine will blanch the floor. Boss fantasy EP250 1.png
Boss fantasy EP250 2.png
Boss fantasy EP250 3.png
Just Add Water Mantine, Qwilfish, and Lanturn To swim with Giovanni in his pool in the morning. Boss fantasy EP256.png
Here's Lookin' at You, Elekid Elekid and Larvitar Elekid will power an electric razor and a hair dryer and Larvitar will show his sincere loyalty. Boss fantasy EP261.png

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

Episode Item/Pokémon Use Image
Tree's a Crowd Treecko To wake Giovanni up by rubbing his nose with its tail and to massage him. Boss fantasy AG007.png
The Lotad Lowdown Lotad To bring water to Giovanni for washing in the morning right in the bed. Boss fantasy AG012.png
Which Wurmple's Which? Wurmple To provide thread for sewing. Boss fantasy AG021.png
Seeing is Believing Seedot To help Giovanni with his morning exercises. Boss fantasy AG028.png
Now That's Flower Power! Bluk Berries To make Giovanni's hair look perfect.

This is the first fantasy with an item instead of a Pokémon, as well as the first time a negative effect appears in Meowth's fantasy scene (Giovanni's mouth becomes black from Bluk Berry juice), though only James mentions it verbally.

Boss fantasy AG033.png
Jump for Joy Shiftry To fan Giovanni with leaves on arms. Boss fantasy AG037.png
A Poké-BLOCK Party! Whismur To serve as an alarm clock and a lunch bell. Boss fantasy AG039.png
Watt's with Wattson? Voltorb, Magnemite, and Magneton Voltorb will wake Giovanni up with a slight zap and Magnemite and Magneton will provide him free electricity. Boss fantasy AG040 1.png
Boss fantasy AG040 2.png
What You Seed is What You Get Watermelons To slake Giovanni's thirst when he is in a desert. Boss fantasy AG041.png
Love at First Flight Volbeat and Illumise Entertain Giovanni while he's doing his work. Boss fantasy AG042.png
Let Bagons be Bagons Bagon To crack coconuts for Giovanni when he will be 1) wandering in a jungle or 2) flying a helicopter. The thought about helicopter came to Meowth when Bagon told him that he wanted to learn to fly. It is the first time two fantasies appear in one episode. Boss fantasy AG043 1.png
Boss fantasy AG043 2.png
I Feel Skitty! Fragrances To help Giovanni relax and brush his teeth better. Boss fantasy AG047 1.png
Skitty Make Giovanni happy early in the morning. Boss fantasy AG047 2.png
Maxxed Out Surskit Lift his spirit when it's cloudy. Boss fantasy AG049.png
Poetry Commotion! Torkoal To light Giovanni's barbecue grill and candles. Boss fantasy AG055.png
Delcatty Got Your Tongue? Skitty and Delcatty Giovanni will simply be happy to own both. Boss fantasy AG060.png
Take the Lombre Home Lombre To fill its lilypad with water to use as a sink. Boss fantasy AG063.png
True Blue Swablu Swablu Act as his pillow and make him fall asleep by using Sing. Boss fantasy AG064.png
Exploud and Clear! Exploud Act as an alarm clock. Boss fantasy AG066.png
Go Go Ludicolo! Ludicolo Entertainment for when he wakes up and to lighten his spirits. Boss fantasy AG067.png
Love, Petalburg Style! Slakoth, Vigoroth, and Slaking Vigoroth to wake him up, and Slakoth and Slaking to help him relax after a long day's work. Boss fantasy AG069 1.png
Boss fantasy AG069 2.png
A Six Pack Attack! Kanto and Hoenn first partner Pokémon To remind him of his early days as a Pokémon Trainer. Boss fantasy AG071.png
Pearls are a Spoink's Best Friend Spoink To make a crown. Boss fantasy AG079.png
Lights, Camerupt, Action! Movie projector and Camerupt To watch his favorite films on the big screen and ride Camerupt in the moonlight. Boss fantasy AG086.png
The Garden of Eatin' Snorlax To put the Boss on its shoulder so he can see the sunrise. Boss fantasy AG088.png
Judgment Day! Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Wartortle To remember himself the nice era. Boss fantasy AG092.png
Clamperl of Wisdom The blue pearl To make a crown or a ring. Boss fantasy AG093 1.png
Spoink, Clamperl, and the blue pearl To use as a stylish crown. (Spoink and the blue pearl, the reasoning for capturing Clamperl is not addressed.) Boss fantasy AG093 2.png
Boss fantasy AG093 3.png
Boss fantasy AG093 4.png
The Relicanth Really Can Sunken treasure To buy him sparkling furniture for his bedroom. Boss fantasy AG094.png
The Evolutionary War Huntail and Gorebyss To allow him to go "extreme surfing". Boss fantasy AG095.png
Training Wreck A physically fit Team Rocket To use as bodyguards. Boss fantasy AG096.png
It's Still Rocket Roll to Me! A space shuttle To inspire him and allow him to explore outer space. Boss fantasy AG099.png
Solid as a Solrock Lunatone and Solrock To shine light on him in a dark street, making him dance happily. Boss fantasy AG100.png
Where's Armaldo? Prehistoric Pokémon To awaken his wild side. Boss fantasy AG102.png
Once in a Mawile Mawile Entertainment with its ribbon dancing skills, a living fan by the use of its back jaw, and using said back jaw as a cushion to rest his weary head on. Boss fantasy AG105 1.png
Lombre Waking up to see its loamy face in the morning...or maybe walking out to the pool to see its...no. Maybe a staring contest? Boss fantasy AG105 2.png
Beg, Burrow, and Steal Trapinch Crack a walnut. Boss fantasy AG106.png
Absol-ute Disaster Absol Make him angry when he is brushing his teeth. Boss fantasy AG107.png
Do I Hear a Ralts? Ralts To stop thieves from stealing his things and putting him back to sleep after with Hypnosis. Boss fantasy AG109.png
Showdown At Linoone Linoone Make gifts to the Boss thanks to his Pickup Ability. Boss fantasy AG112.png
Date Expectations Donphan If he went bowling with it, then he would get a strike every time... if it didn't destroy the bowling alley.
Or he could use it for transportation... if he didn't mind leaving all of his belongings behind.
Or he could use it to get a massage... if he didn't mind being flattened.
Boss fantasy AG114 1.png
Boss fantasy AG114 2.png
Boss fantasy AG114 3.png
Less is Morrison Beldum Massager. Boss fantasy AG118.png
Like a Meowth to a Flame! Moltres's flame Source of fire. Boss fantasy AG125.png
Numero Uno, Articuno Articuno To cool Giovanni off after he has collapsed, barely dressed, from the blazing heat. Boss fantasy AG135.png
Rough, Tough, Jigglypuff Jigglypuff To be used as a decoration, exercise ball and sleep aid. Boss fantasy AG138.png
On Cloud Arcanine Arcanine To keep Giovanni warm at night. Boss fantasy AG139.png
Sitting Psyduck! Psyduck Make Giovanni happy he has a brain and non-webbed toes when he hurts his fingers and toes, and to make his mind go blank when he has an ice cream headache. Boss fantasy AG140.png
Odd Pokémon Out! Tropius To provide Giovanni with shade and fresh fruit from its neck. Boss fantasy AG161.png
Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys Crisis Deoxys To travel in space. Team Rocket abandoned the fantasy. Boss fantasy AG171.png
All That Glitters is Not Golden! Golden Sudowoodo It will make Giovanni happy by matching his golden house, clothes, and bathtub. Boss fantasy AG173.png
Grating Spaces Pokémon of the Pewter Gym Geodude will massage him, other Pokémon will keep him company. Boss fantasy AG177 1.png
Boss fantasy AG177 2.png
Aipom and Circumstance A crown For Giovanni to 1) wear in bed, 2) fill with water to use as a sink, and 3) use in a curling game. Boss fantasy AG183 1.png
Boss fantasy AG183 2.png
Boss fantasy AG183 3.png
Strategy Tomorrow, Comedy Tonight! Chatot To "quote" everything Giovanni says; to wish him a good morning, tell one-sided jokes, and help him berate Grunts. Boss fantasy AG184.png
Overjoyed! Chansey To box with Giovanni, and treat his injuries when it beats him up. Boss fantasy AG186.png

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

Episode Item/Pokémon Use Image
Like It or Lup It! Ludicolo Playing music for him while he's waking up in the morning, as well as during a work-out ("shaking his boss booty"). Boss fantasy DP007.png
A Staravia is Born! Bird Pokémon The boss is flying in the air, sitting on a chair strapped to a bunch of Flying-type Pokémon. Boss fantasy DP013.png
Leave It To Brocko! Nuzleaf To make the Boss think that money don't buy him happiness, so he will give all his money to the trio. Boss fantasy DP014.png
A Gruff Act to Follow! Fossil Pokémon Giovanni is using the revived Fossil Pokémon to take over Sinnoh, with him sobbing in happiness. Boss fantasy DP016.png
Drifloon on the Wind! Ampharos Calm the boss down when he is having nightmares. Boss fantasy DP028.png
Some Enchanted Sweetening Enchanted Honey He runs through the desert in a speedo, covered in Enchanted Honey. Then the wild Pokémon come and lick and rub against him.

This fantasy was completely removed from the dub, presumably due to the extremely suggestive nature of the shot where the Pokémon are rubbing up against Giovanni. This was the second boss fantasy after EP250 that was not seen in the English dub.

DP030 Removed Scene.png
All Dressed Up With Somewhere To Go! A Pokémon Egg To provide good sleeps to the boss thanks to the warm presence of the Egg. Boss fantasy DP033.png
Buizel Your Way Out of This! Buizel To save his life when he's out yachting during a storm and his boat capsizes. Boss fantasy DP034.png
An Elite Meet and Greet Lucian's Bronzong Um... Dancing? A hat? A paper weight? A door knocker?
Nah, there's no way Giovanni would like an extremely rare Pokémon owned by a member of the Elite Four.
Boss fantasy DP035 1.png
Boss fantasy DP035 2.png
Boss fantasy DP035 3.png
Steamboat Willies! All of the twerps' Pokémon To be playmates Boss fantasy DP039.png
Mass Hip-Po-Sis! Hippopotas Get his golf ball out of a sand trap and making a beach.

This fantasy was imagined by James, because Meowth fell asleep after being hit by Hippopotas's Yawn.

Boss fantasy DP044.png
Bibarel Gnaws Best! Machamp and Machoke Build a giant stone castle. Boss fantasy DP057.png
Hot Springing a Leak! Hot spring For Giovanni to be relaxed Boss fantasy DP063.png
Bells are Singing! Francesca's Chingling Alarm clock Boss fantasy DP070.png
Fighting Fear with Fear Gligar Gligar will shield Giovanni's eyes from the rising sun in the morning, so that he doesn't wake up and miss the best part of his dream. Boss fantasy DP085.png
A Lean Mean Team Rocket Machine! Mew, Riolu, Celebi, Milotic, and Shieldon Examples of rare Pokémon that can be caught for the boss. Boss fantasy DP092.png
Ancient Family Matters! Giant Anorith To offer it to the boss. Boss fantasy DP107.png
Hold the Phione! Phione For good luck, winning sweepstakes that he enters. Boss fantasy DP113 1.png
Boss fantasy DP113 2.png
Stealing the Conversation! Chatot To give Giovanni a confidence boost by asking it loaded questions, which Chatot will mimic. Boss fantasy DP115.png
The Lonely Snover! Snover To give Giovanni Snover Berries for breakfast, thereby inspiring him to open a snow-cone business. Boss fantasy DP121.png
Battling a Cute Drama! Cherubi To charm and relax Giovanni after a hard day of making a "zillion dollars". Boss fantasy DP125.png
Promoting Healthy Tangrowth! Tangrowth To use Absorb to cure Giovanni's insomnia. Boss fantasy DP134.png
A Rivalry to Gible On! Gible To play in the water with Giovanni and "help him find his inner Boss." Boss fantasy DP145.png
Try for the Family Stone! Mismagius To cast a spell that will make Giovanni happy. Boss fantasy DP148.png
Gotta Get a Gible! Gible To get rid of the scrap thanks to Gible eating it, and because in addition it is ecological. Boss fantasy DP157.png
The Fleeing Tower of Sunyshore! Sunyshore Tower To provide headquarters with warm floors (that the boss will want to sleep on), stoves and hot baths. Boss fantasy DP166.png
Pokémon Ranger: Heatran Rescue! Heatran To be used as a grill, a sauna heater, and a fireplace. Boss fantasy DP169.png
An Elite Coverup! Magby To help Giovanni light his barbecue and birthday candles. Also, to light the Team Rocket headquarters in the event of a blackout. Boss fantasy DP170.png
Dealing With a Fierce Double Ditto Drama! Narissa's Ditto 1 and 2 To help Giovanni catch Legendary Pokémon like Giratina and Regigigas. Boss fantasy DP173.png
For The Love of Meowth! Mamie's Glameow To make the boss happy when he wake up thanks to the beauty of Glameow. It was in fact a decoy because Meowth just wanted to escape with Glameow since he felt in love with her. Boss fantasy DP178.png
Four Roads Diverged in a Pokémon Port! Kenny's Floatzel When Giovanni can't sleep at night, Floatzel can give him its floatation sac to use as a pillow (Meowth doesn't consider the fact that Floatzel can't actually remove the sac from its body). Boss fantasy DP180.png

Pokémon the Series: XY

Episode Item/Pokémon Use Image
Awakening the Sleeping Giant! Poké Flute To gather an army of Snorlax. Boss fantasy XY018 1.png
Boss fantasy XY018 2.png
Battling at Full Volume! Pikachu Giovanni rewards Meowth lots of desserts, but Meowth doesn't like how his boss gave him too much desserts. Boss fantasy XY115.png

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

Episode Item/Pokémon Use Image
Tasting the Bitter with the Sweet! A rare Pokémon Meowth in the boss's lap. Boss fantasy SM059.png
Don't Ignore the Small Stufful! All the Pokémon from the Aether Paradise Conservation Area To please Giovanni and make all the Pokémon even happier than in the wild. Boss fantasy.png
A High-Speed Awakening! Vikavolt To pull Giovanni in a flying sled. Boss fantasy SM119 1.png
Boss fantasy SM119 2.png

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Episode Item/Pokémon Use Image
A Little Rocket R & R! All the Pokémon stolen from the Resort Area To make Giovanni scold Matori and congratulate with every member of the trio. Boss fantasy JN024.png

Trivia

  • Maddie Blaustein said that the boss fantasies were one of her favorite parts of her role as Meowth.
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