Misplaced Pages

#175824

48-530: Team Rocket is portrayed as a serious crime syndicate in the video games series, stealing Pokémon. In the TV-series, Team Rocket has a largely comedic role, as the trio of grunts repeatedly fail to steal Pokémon while operating increasingly flashy mecha . The Team Rocket trio in the anime is beloved by Pokémon fans who relate to their roles as young adults . Team Rocket first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red , Green , and Blue , where they are portrayed as

96-473: A bird 's legs, hence the name. However, birds actually have forward-facing knees; they are digitigrade , and what most call the "knee" is actually the ankle. The 1868 Edward S. Ellis novel The Steam Man of the Prairies featured a steam-powered, back-piloted, mechanical man. The 1880 Jules Verne novel The Steam House ( La Maison à Vapeur ) featured a steam-powered, piloted, mechanical elephant. One of

144-521: A cockpit , typically located in the chest or head of the mech. While the distinction is often hazy, mecha typically does not refer to form-fitting powered armor such as Iron Man 's suit. They are usually much larger than the wearer, like Iron Man's enemy the Iron Monger , or the mobile suits depicted in the Gundam franchise. In most cases, mecha are depicted as fighting machines, whose appeal comes from

192-449: A skyscraper ( Space Runaway Ideon , Genesis of Aquarion , Science Ninja Team Gatchaman , Neon Genesis Evangelion ), some are big enough to contain an entire city ( Macross ), some the size of a planet ( Diebuster ), galaxies ( Getter Robo , Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ), or even as large as universes ( Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Lagann-hen , Demonbane , Transformers: Alternity ). The first titan robots seen were in

240-636: A super robot , with Getter Robo (1974 debut). An early use of mech-like machines outside Japan is found in "The Invisible Empire", a Federal Men 's story arc by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (serialized 1936 in New Comics #8–10). Other examples include the Mexican comic Invictus by Leonel Guillermo Prieto and Victaleno León; the Brazilian comic Audaz, o demolidor , by Álvaro "Aruom" Moura and Messias de Mello (1938–1949), inspired by Invictus , created for

288-591: A transgender woman , a friend of her later metaphorically describing the character as "a human trapped in a Pokémon's body." In both their games and anime portrayals, Team Rocket have been cited as some of the best villains in the Pokémon franchise. Chris Carter of Destructoid called the English voice team for Jessie, James, and Meowth (Lillis, Stuart, and Blaustein) "some of the show's finest work." The relationship between Team Rocket and show's central cast has been noted as

336-706: A child. Team Rocket is the central antagonist in the 2000 stageplay Pokémon Live! , in which Jessie, James, and Meowth successfully steal Ash Ketchum's Pikachu and use it to train Giovanni's Mewtwo . Team Rocket characters additionally frequently appear on cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game , most notably in the Team Rocket expansion released in 2000. As comic relief characters, Jessie, James, and Meowth are very popular among Pokémon viewers. Yahoo! -writer Jay Castello notes that as Pokémon fans grew up,

384-498: A core part of the show by children, as was their moral ambiguity, due to their positive actions contrasting with their antagonistic role. Their complex relationship with the main cast was highlighted as an element that was a core part of the television series, acting as a contrast to Ash while viewers are also made to sympathize with them. Their role in Pokémon The Series: Black and White was cited by Polygon to be one of

432-401: A large scale for use in wars. The real robot genre also tends to feature more complex characters with moral conflicts and personal problems. The genre is therefore aimed primarily at young adults instead of children. Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) is largely considered the first series to introduce the real robot concept and, along with The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982), would form

480-448: A milking stool, imagine it a great body of machinery on a tripod stand." Ōgon Bat , a kamishibai that debuted in 1931 (later adapted into an anime in 1967), featured the first piloted humanoid giant robot, Dai Ningen Tanku ( 大人間タンク ) , but as an enemy rather than a protagonist. In 1934, Gajo Sakamoto launched Tank Tankuro ( タンクタンクロー ) on a metal creature that becomes a battle machine. The first humanoid giant robot piloted by

528-562: A positive response, being considered an integral and iconic part of the team. He has been highlighted as a key part of why his species was so well-known. The Fandom Post said Jessie and James were the "Best Villain Couple" due to their continuous hard work as well as interactions over several episodes. Mecha In science fiction , mecha ( Japanese : メカ , Hepburn : meka ) or mechs are giant robots or machines typically depicted as piloted and as humanoid walking vehicles . The term

SECTION 10

#1732902479176

576-440: A recurring character in the series. James was originally voiced by Eric Stuart . The two actors quickly started to play around with their voices, giving the characters a "prissy" attitude that contrasted with their inability to succeed. Meowth was voiced by Maddie Blaustein for seasons one to eight of the series until her death in 2008. James Carter Cathcart took over the roles of James and Meowth in 2006, and continued to voice

624-401: A serious and affluent crime syndicate aiming to capture and steal Pokémon for profit. The games present Team Rocket breaking and entering , murdering a mother Marowak , and chopping off the tails of Slowpoke to sell on the black market. In Pokémon Gold , Silver , and Crystal , it is revealed that Team Rocket's leader Giovanni had disappeared after being defeated in the original games, and

672-602: A standard vehicle (such as a fighter plane or transport truck) and a fighting mecha robot. This concept of transforming mecha was pioneered by Japanese mecha designer Shōji Kawamori in the early 1980s, when he created the Diaclone toy line in 1980 and then the Macross anime franchise in 1982. In North America, the Macross franchise was adapted into the Robotech franchise in 1985, and then

720-403: A strong camaraderie. They are not ideologically aligned with Giovanni and therefore frequently find themselves siding with the series' protagonists. Due to how frequently Jessie and James are shown to crossdress across the series, they are commonly read as queercoded . In 2011, the Pokémon series was building up to an arc in which Giovanni faces off against rival organization Team Plasma, but

768-504: Is an abbreviation, first used in Japanese, of 'mechanical'. In Japanese, mecha encompasses all mechanical objects, including cars , guns , computers , and other devices, and 'robot' or 'giant robot' is used to distinguish limbed vehicles from other mechanical devices. Outside of this usage, it has become associated with large humanoid machines with limbs or other biological characteristics. Mecha differ from robots in that they are piloted from

816-498: Is often tied in with toy manufacturers. Large franchises such as Gundam , Macross , Transformers , and Zoids have hundreds of different model kits. The size of mecha can vary according to the story and concepts involved. Some of them may not be considerably taller than a tank ( Armored Trooper Votoms , Yatterman , Megazone 23 , Code Geass ), some may be a few stories tall ( Gundam , Escaflowne , Bismark , Gurren Lagann ), others can be titan sized as tall as

864-527: The Shogun Warriors in the U.S., that were (and still are) very popular with children and collectors. Robot/mecha anime and manga differ vastly in storytelling and animation quality from title to title, and content ranges from children's shows to ones intended for an older teen or adult audience. Some of the first mecha featured in manga and anime were super robots . The super robot genre features superhero -like giant robots that are often one-of-a-kind and

912-634: The run and gun shooters Hover Attack in 1984 and Thexder in 1985, and Arsys Software 's 3D role-playing shooters WiBArm in 1986 and Star Cruiser in 1988. Historically mecha-based games have been more popular in Japan than in other countries. There are a few real prototypes of mecha-like vehicles. Currently almost all of these are highly specialized or just for concept purpose, and as such may not see mass production . Most of these experimental projects were made and first presented in East Asia. In

960-400: The 1948 manga Atomic Power Android ( 原子力人造人間 , Genshiryoku Jinzō Ningen ) and Mitsuteru Yokoyama's 1956 manga Tetsujin 28-go . However, it was not until the advent of Go Nagai 's Mazinger Z that the genre was established. Mazinger Z innovated by adding the inclusion of futuristic weapons, and the concept of being able to pilot from a cockpit (rather than via remote control, in

1008-685: The Diaclone toy line was adapted into the Transformers franchise in 1986. Some of Kawamori's most iconic transforming mecha designs include the VF-1 Valkyrie from the Macross and Robotech franchises, and Optimus Prime (called Convoy in Japan) from the Transformers and Diaclone franchises. In Japan, "robot anime" (known as "mecha anime" outside Japan) is one of the oldest genres in anime. Robot anime

SECTION 20

#1732902479176

1056-497: The Western world, there are few examples of mecha, however, several machines have been constructed by both companies and private figures. Pok%C3%A9mon Origins Pokémon Origins , known in Japan as Pocket Monsters: The Origin ( ポケットモンスター THE ORIGIN , Poketto Monsutā Ji Orijin ) , is a Japanese anime television special based on Nintendo 's Pokémon franchise which follows

1104-562: The antagonists in the anime who actually provide comedic relief through the characters Jessie and James, with Meowth portrayed as a "clever cat" who stands out among other Meowth. The book also mentions Jessie, who possesses a charming allure, as the leader above James. Although the Team Rocket trio is positioned as antagonists, they are not hesitant to help Ash Ketchum and his friends on several occasions, especially when they find themselves in difficult and dangerous situations, as often depicted in

1152-744: The basis of what people would later call real robot anime. Some robot mecha are capable of transformation ( Macross and Zeta Gundam ) or combining to form even bigger ones ( Beast King GoLion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ), the latter called 'combination'. Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa are often credited with inventing this in 1974 with Getter Robo . Not all mecha need to be completely mechanical. Some have biological components with which to interface with their pilots, and some are partially biological themselves, such as in Neon Genesis Evangelion , Eureka Seven , and Zoids . Mecha based on anime have seen extreme cultural reception across

1200-509: The biggest missed opportunities with their characters, due to the sudden cancellation of several episodes leading to Team Rocket's character changes in the series being for "nothing." American rapper Lil Uzi Vert named the eighth song on their mixtape, Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World , "Team Rocket", along with other Pokémon references on earlier songs. The book Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces reviews Team Rocket as

1248-456: The case of Tetsujin). According to Go Nagai: I wanted to create something different, and I thought it would be interesting to have a robot that you could drive, like a car. Mazinger Z featured giant robots that were "piloted by means of a small flying car and command center that docked inside the head." It was also a pioneer in die-cast metal toys such as the Chogokin series in Japan and

1296-580: The characters until 2023, when he retired from Pokémon due to oral cancer . Team Rocket appear as the main antagonists in several arcs of the Pokémon Adventures manga, including the Red, Green, and Blue, Yellow, and Gold and Silver arcs. The Team Rocket trio from the anime appear in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga adaptation, where Jessie and James are shown at the end to be married and expecting

1344-439: The combination of potent weaponry with a more stylish combat technique than a mere vehicle. Often, they are the primary means of combat, with conflicts sometimes being decided through gladiatorial matches . Other works represent mecha as one component of an integrated military force, supported by and fighting alongside tanks , fighter aircraft , and infantry , functioning as a mechanical cavalry. The applications often highlight

1392-597: The episodes were cancelled following the Great East Japan Earthquake . Team Rocket departed the series at the end of the Pokémon Journeys anime. The team also appears in Pokémon Origins and Pokemon Generations , in portrayals more closely aligned with their in-game counterparts. The names Jessie and James reference famous American outlaw Jesse James ; their Japanese names Musashi and Kojirō refer to

1440-503: The first appearances of such machines in modern literature was the tripod (or "fighting-machine", as they are known in the novel) of H. G. Wells ' famous The War of the Worlds (1897). The novel does not contain a fully detailed description of the tripods' mode of locomotion , but it is hinted at: "Can you imagine a milking stool tilted and bowled violently along the ground? That was the impression those instant flashes gave. But instead of

1488-518: The giant robot genre in Japan. The first anime featuring a giant mecha being piloted by the protagonist from within a cockpit was the Super Robot show Mazinger Z , written by Go Nagai and introduced in 1972. Mazinger Z introduced the notion of mecha as pilotable war machines, rather than remote-controlled robots. Ken Ishikawa and Go Nagai, later, introduced the concept of 'combination' ( gattai ( 合体 ) ), where several units slot together to form

Team Rocket - Misplaced Pages Continue

1536-577: The manga/anime franchise Patlabor and the American wargame BattleTech universe , also encompass mecha used for civilian purposes, such as heavy construction work, police functions, or firefighting . Mecha also have roles as transporters, recreation, advanced hazmat suits , and other research and development applications. Mecha have been used in fantasy settings, for example in the anime series Aura Battler Dunbine , The Vision of Escaflowne , Panzer World Galient , and Maze . In those cases,

1584-411: The mecha designs are usually based on some alternative or "lost" science-fiction technology from ancient times. In case of anime series Zoids , the machines resemble dinosaurs and animals, and have been shown to evolve from native metallic organisms. A chicken walker is a fictional type of bipedal robot or mecha, distinguished by its rear-facing knee joint . This type of articulation resembles

1632-424: The movies. The book Japanese Influence on American's Children's Television: Transforming Saturday Morning describes them similarly, citing them as comic relief or as a tension breaker despite being the series' core antagonists. It describes Jessie as being a strong female character, acting as James's superior, as well as how she did not fall into a stereotypical female role. Meowth's role on the team has been met with

1680-568: The plot of Pokemon Red and Blue . Like the television series, it was not owned by Media Factory (brand company of Kadokawa Corporation ). Animation is handled by Production I.G , Xebec , and OLM, Inc. , and the series is split into four parts, each directed by a different director from these studios. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo on October 2, 2013, ten days before the release of the X and Y video games, and began streaming internationally on Nintendo's Pokémon TV service from November 15, 2013 to December 2, 2013. On September 14, 2016,

1728-534: The primary antagonists of early seasons of the series, where each episode they attempt to kidnap the protagonist 's Pikachu . In the earliest produced episodes of the anime, the trio was halfway intelligent and at times were very formidable foes; while they have assumed a more sinister role in various parts of the series, most notably in the Black and White anime, the three mainly act as comic relief. The characters are presented as simple-minded, bringing slapstick antics to

1776-421: The product of an ancient civilization, aliens or a mad genius . These robots are usually piloted by Japanese teenagers via voice command or neural uplink , and are often powered by mystical or exotic energy sources. The later real robot genre features robots that do not have mythical superpowers, but rather use largely conventional, albeit futuristic weapons and power sources, and are often mass-produced on

1824-403: The protagonist appeared in the manga Atomic Power Android ( 原子力人造人間 , Genshi Ryoku Jinzō Ningen ) in 1948. The manga and anime Tetsujin 28-Go , introduced in 1956, featured a robot, Tetsujin, that was controlled externally by an operator by remote control. The manga and anime Astro Boy , introduced in 1952, with its humanoid robot protagonist, was a key influence on the development of

1872-416: The samurai Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro . In the English dubbed anime, Jessie was initially voiced by Rachael Lillis , until the dub switched production from 4Kids Entertainment to The Pokémon Company International in 2006, when she was replaced by Michele Knotz . During her audition, Lillis was instructed to make Jessie "sultry" while also keeping her "tough." Lillis did not expect Jessie to be

1920-425: The series progressed. As the Pokémon series evolved, the Team Rocket trio uses an increasingly large number of vehicles and mecha . Most notably, they travel in a Meowth-shaped hot air balloon throughout the show, and use a Gyarados -shaped submarine in its early seasons. Later on, Team Rocket became known for their large number of mecha and gadgets. The Team Rocket characters have sympathetic backstories and share

1968-453: The series. Team Rocket's Meowth - a common species of Pokémon- is unusual within the Pokémon canon, as he is the only Pokémon creature able to speak the human language, whereas all other Pokémon in the series only utter syllables of their own names. Jessie and James originally had an Arbok and a Weezing as their signature Pokémon, respectively, and the trio were later joined by a Wobbuffet as one of their only major recurring Pokémon as

Team Rocket - Misplaced Pages Continue

2016-413: The struggle of "twenty-somethings who couldn't quite find their place in the world or succeed at their ambitions" became increasingly relatable, and a sub-fandom dedicated to the trio sprang up. The LGBT community largely embraced Team Rocket's queercoding, interpreting them as bisexual drag artists . Blaustein was inspired by Meowth-focused episode "Go West, Young Meowth" to come out and transition as

2064-652: The supplement A Gazetinha from the newspaper A Gazeta ; Kimball Kinnison's battle suit in E. E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman novel Galactic Patrol (1950); the French animated film The King and the Mockingbird (first released 1952), and Robert Heinlein 's waldo in his 1942 short story, " Waldo " and the Mobile Infantry battle suits in Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1958). A transforming mech can transform between

2112-588: The syndicate is disbanded. Giovanni himself reappears in the 2009 remakes Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver . Each subsequent set of Pokémon video games has its own villainous teams, such as Team Aqua and Team Magma in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire , and Team Galactic in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl . Team Rocket and Giovanni returned as a major antagonist team in the 2017 video games Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon , as "Team Rainbow Rocket." Team Rocket

2160-558: The theoretical usefulness of such a device, combining a tank's resilience and firepower with infantry's ability to cross unstable terrain and a high degree of customization. In some continuities, special scenarios are constructed to make mecha more viable than current-day status. For example, in Gundam the fictional Minovsky particle inhibits the use of radar, making long-range ballistic strikes impractical, thus favouring relatively close-range warfare of Mobile Suits. However, some stories, such as

2208-631: The world. The personification of this popularity can be seen as 1:1-sized Mazinger Z , Tetsujin, and Gundam statues built across the world. Mecha are often featured in computer and console video games . Because of their size and fictional power, mecha are quite popular subjects for games, both tabletop and electronic. They have been featured in video games since the 1980s, particularly in vehicular combat and shooter games , including Sesame Japan's side-scrolling shooter game Vastar in 1983, various Gundam games such as Mobile Suit Gundam: Last Shooting in 1984 and Z-Gundam: Hot Scramble in 1986,

2256-950: Was first used in Japanese after shortening the English loanword 'mechanism' ( メカニズム , mekanizumu ) or 'mechanical' ( メカニカル , mekanikaru ) , but the meaning in Japanese is more inclusive, and 'robot' ( ロボット , robotto ) or 'giant robot' is the narrower term. Fictional mecha vary greatly in size and shape, but are distinguished from vehicles by their humanoid or biomorphic appearance, although they are bigger, often much bigger, than human beings. Different subgenres exist, with varying connotations of realism. The concept of Super Robot and Real Robot are two such examples found in Japanese anime and manga . Real-world piloted humanoid or non-humanoid robotic platforms , existing or planned, may also be called "mecha". In Japanese, "mecha" may refer to mobile machinery or vehicles (including aircraft) in general, piloted or otherwise . 'Mecha'

2304-519: Was introduced to Pokémon Go under the name of "Team GO Rocket" in 2019, allowing players to encounter and battle Team Rocket grunts. Team Rocket grunts also appear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as DLC costumes for Mii Fighters. In the long-running Pokémon anime series, a trio of Team Rocket grunts Jessie ( ムサシ , Musashi ) , James ( コジロウ , Kojirō ) , and Meowth ( ニャース , Nyarth ) are major secondary characters. The three were

#175824