Summary

• In the manga adaptation of Pokémon, Jessie and James are portrayed as a married couple raising a child together, a relationship that was not explored in the anime.
• The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga was more mature than the anime, and included elements such as sexual content that had to be censored in English releases.
• Fans were disappointed that the anime did not give a conclusive resolution to Jessie and James' relationship, leaving them as just friends, but there is debate about whether the anime should introduce a romance between the two.

In the wildly popular Pokémon anime, iconic Team Rocket Jessie and James are inseparable characters that always find ways to give series mainstay Ash Ketchum and his friends a hard time. But in the manga adaptation of the show, Jessie and James’ relationship is far different from their anime counterparts in a way that sees them become something more than just friendly coworkers.

A pair of evildoers that travel the Pokémon world with their talking Meowth, Jessie and James are oftentimes portrayed as bumbling antagonists who occasionally get lucky with their nefarious schemes.

Wanting nothing more than to steal Ash’s Pikachu to impress their boss, the Viridian Gym Leader Giovanni, Pokémon's Jessie and James are close-knit pals that complement each other well, with the manga adaptation capitalizing on a new kind of relationship for this duo that wasn’t seen in the show at all.

Pokémon Manga's Jessie and James Get Married and Have a Kid

Released between November 1998 and February 2000 across sixteen monthly issues and four volumes, Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu by Toshihiro Ono acted as a loose adaptation of the Pokémon anime, yet had more than a few different elements all its own. Inexplicably more “mature” than the anime, in the sense that this manga had some sexual content that the English releases had to censor, this series also addressed their relationship in a more realistic way as, by the conclusion of the final volume, Jessie and James are shown to be married and raising a child together!

A moment seen in the epilogue of the manga where a pregnant Jessie and ive James are drawn lovingly embracing one another, the end of this series also shows a blink-and-you-missed-it cameo by their kid as James delivers a letter to Ash’s mom. It’s no secret that fans have often speculated what Jessie and James’ true connection to one another is, as the anime has always danced around the idea rather than ever addressing it head-on.

So, while The Electric Tale of Pikachu exists in its own canon, it was given Nintendo’s seal of approval, suggesting that at least at the time of this Pokémon tale's release, the company and creative talent behind this narrative considered the characters to be lovers, parents, and ultimately, not as evil as they were always made out to be.

Jessie and James Get No Romance in the Pokémon Anime

Ash's time as the lead protagonist for the Pokémon anime has come to an end, and Jessie and James were retired with him. In the final miniseries, known as To Be A Pokémon Master, Jessie and James' relationship didn't see much growth. The pair continued scheming as usual and were ultimately reunited with many of their Pokémon from throughout the years.

However, when one scheme went awry, the trio got angry with each other and split up. They were later revealed to be working at Team Rocket HQ's cafeteria, and all were unhappy with the situation. Jessie and James made up and set out to capture Pikachu once again, following Ash into the distant horizon.

The Pokémon anime's final episodes seemed keen to avoid giving any of its characters conclusive endings, opting instead for a "the adventure continues" approach. For Jessie and James, that meant chasing Pikachu forever, with their relationship in exactly the same state it was for the majority of the series. Many fans, particularly those rooting for a Jessie and James relationship like The Electric Tales of Pikachu, were disappointed at the lack of resolution offered by the finale. While they could always make an appearance in Pokémon Horizons, for now, Jessie and James were left as just friends.

Should Pokémon's Anime Make Jessie x James Canon?

The question of whether the anime should develop a romance between Jessie and James is a thorny one. At this point, they've avoided the idea for so long that it would almost be weird to suddenly start it now. With the original anime starring Ash and Team Rocket now concluded, there's no real possibility for their relationship to develop on-screen, although a cameo of them together in Horizons could answer the question without spending time on it.

Team Rocket's Japanese Voice Actors Shut Down Any Potential Romance

Regardless of fan opinion, Team Rocket's Japanese voice actors have their own opinions on romance. In a Buzzfeed Japan interview (translated by Dogasu's Backpack) Jessie, James, and Meowth's voice actors all laughed at the suggestion of a potential romantic storyline between Jessie and James. The actors further went on to elaborate that the duo would not work so well together if there were feelings, and that gender played no role in their relationship. While the voice actors obviously aren't writing the series, they're probably closer to their characters than anyone, meaning their comments hold good weight.

Team Rocket has been shown to have a relationship more akin to found family in the anime, and that includes Meowth. Very little romantic tension, jealousy, or even hints of romance appeared throughout the series, especially as it went on. Instead, the emphasis has always been on their camaraderie, with many episodes focusing on the trio's friendship and putting it to the test. It may be better to keep Team Rocket's found family dynamic and include all three of them, should they appear again.

Team Rocket Just Works Better in Pokémon as a Found Family

Even though Ash’s adversaries have changed more than once throughout the anime to match his ever-growing skills as a Pokémon Trainer, the OG Team Rocket pairing of Jessie and James will always be his best rivals, especially in a manga story where they become so much more than annoying roadblocks for Ash to overcome. Pokémon's Jessie and James deserve the happy married life they got in The Electric Tale of Pikachu’s Continuity, and now fans deserve to see how their family’s future turned out, too!

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