Why has Team Rocket survived after all this time?

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Srebak

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This is just something that i've noticed from time to time, especially when i take the following into consideration:

Team Magma - Disbanded

Team Aqua - Disbanded

Team Galactic - Crushed

Team Plasma - Crushed


Why has Team Rocket been the one team that has remained active after so long? There have certainly been situations like the ones that took down the other teams in their path: Mewtwo, the Lugia incident, the Red Gyrados operation, the Weather Pokemon fiasco, the Meloetta debacle. And yet Team Rocket remains active and as strong as ever. What makes them so special? When will they be brought down for good?

Plus, they're constantly dealing with the same thing that played a role in the other Teams' downfall; Ash and his friends and pokemon
 
There are probably a couple of reasons for that. Fire and foremost, the Team Rocket trio are still popular characters, so they wouldn't want to get rid of the organization that help tie them together and give them motivation to keep on trying to steal Pikachu and any other valuable Pokemon they come across. There's also the issue of how they didn't really do much to adapt the parts from the storyline in the first generations that feature Team Rocket. They didn't include their take over of Saffron City or the confrontations with Giovanni that led to both Team Rocket being disbanded and the events of G/S/C. That really prevented them from doing much with the storyline of Team Rocket coming back and trying to get a hold of Giovanni. The biggest event that they covered was with the Red Gyrados, but that held significant differences as well due to what they could have possibly included for the anime.

They also probably want to have one of the evil organizations to be a constant threat and Team Rocket fits with that perfectly. Not only do they have popular characters like the Team Rocket trio, but also have people working for them around the world. Although, I think that we've only seen Team Rocket members working in Kanto, Johto and Unova thus far, but it still provides them as a possible constant threat that they can use to provide conflict and tension for the group. They include the other evil teams to help promote the games, but once that's done, there's no reason to keep them around, so they are disbanded/arrested.
 
Honestly, I think it's mainly for nostalgia reasons. I'd prefer it if the region's actual evil organization were the main antagonists of their specific series (Magma/Aqua in AG, Galactic in DP, etc.), especially because of how stale Jessie, James, and Meowth have become over the years. Has Team Flare even done anything of note yet in the anime? Has Lysandre appeared at all?!​
 
Jimmy Version 1.0 said:
Has Lysandre appeared at all?!​
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Lys: Hey guys, this swood guy is wondering if I've appeared in the Pokemon anime at all. What do you think?

Steven: Wait, aren't you standing right here? Isn't that an answer in itself? Our continuity's technically connected to the main show.

Alain: ... (What the hell are they talking about? "Anime?" What is THAT?)

Rocket's got the TRio as their main reason to stay in operation. It also helps that they have yet to pull off any major stunt that would get the majority of the organization (or just Giovanni, really) arrested.
 
I know that Lance joined Ash and Co in disbanding Team Aqua and Team Magma. I initially thought that Team Rocket was basically the Pokemon version of a Yakuza group, or in American terms, the Mafia. The real-life law enforcement to this day still haven't eradicated both organizations, so I wonder if this is just simply reflecting how real-life criminal organization operates. But then again, TR did more than just Yakuza-related stuff...

Or is Lance, his Pokemon G-Men, and the police force thinking, "Well, there are Teams Aqua and Magma who nearly blew up Hoenn, and then there's Team Galactic who nearly blew up the whole of Poke-Japan. Right, we've got too many big fishes to fry - Team Rocket can wait." And they didn't pay as much attention to the events in Unova because of that being Poke-New York City, and thus being outside of their national/Poke-Japanese jurisdiction? (And probably ditto for Kalos/Poke-France?)
 
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I think the reason for the Team Rocket Trio's longevity on the show is because they were there to get after Ash and try to capture his Pikachu almost from the beginning (the earliest appearance by them, I believe, was the second-ever episode). Because of this, I don't think we'll ever see them go away completely. It's just like how Ash and his Pikachu have never been replaced as the main characters no matter what region is featured in-show.
 
henrymidfields said:
I know that Lance joined Ash and Co in disbanding Team Aqua and Team Magma. I initially thought that Team Rocket was basically the Pokemon version of a Yakuza group, or in American terms, the Mafia. The real-life law enforcement to this day still haven't eradicated both organizations, so I wonder if this is just simply reflecting how real-life criminal organization operates. But then again, TR did more than just Yakuza-related stuff...

Or is Lance, his Pokemon G-Men, and the police force thinking, "Well, there are Teams Aqua and Magma who nearly blew up Hoenn, and then there's Team Galactic who nearly blew up the whole of Poke-Japan. Right, we've got too many big fishes to fry - Team Rocket can wait." And they didn't pay as much attention to the events in Unova because of that being Poke-New York City, and thus being outside of their national/Poke-Japanese jurisdiction? (And probably ditto for Kalos/Poke-France?)
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The Japanese government can't intervene with Yakuza since they helped Japan in World War II, as far as I'm concerned.
 
1) They operate in secret, like episode 14 and the Best Wishes series showed, and they probably have many connections in the Pokemon League and the government just like in the games and manga.

2) They have agents in many regions, apart of Jessie, James and Meowth. I highly doubt that JJM are the first grunts to arrive in Kalos, maybe there were grunts there in the past that did their job in secret and then left, hence why nobody has ever heard of Team Rocket there, not even in the news.

3)Related to the two above, they are effective, in movie 9 it was shown that they succesfully captured Rayquaza, and that's without counting what they did in BW....


Their role in Best Wishes may be controversial, but it was a good representation of their methods of acting.
 
Mainly it's to give the TRio motivation. Without Giovanni & the organization, they'd just be regular, everyday crooks committing random petty crimes for the helluvit.
 
Because the TRio are indispensable of course and they need a reason to keep following Satoshi and Pikachu around the world forever and ever until the end of the world! :-D
 
Out-of-universe, they're way too popular to be written out of the show.

The in-universe reason is that they're too big to totally eradicate. I mean, look at the Triads, the Latin American drug cartels and other criminal syndicates.
 
I think the big difference is that every other evil team, from Magma/Aqua right through to Flare are essentially terrorists.
There plans are the complete destruction of the world which obviously you can't leave going around unimpeded.

Team Rocket however are just based on the Italian Mafia, which while less big, is still alive and well in the modern world today, just like Team Rocket in the anime. Because these are just criminals, there existence doesn't threaten life as we know it.
 
Let's not forget that the TRio have redeeming qualities and idiosyncrasies too.

James loves his grandparents, and loved his Chimecho enough to let it stay there to get better, as well as asking Cacnea and Mime Jr. if they wanted to come with him (obviously Cacnea was in a different episode).
Jessie had aspirations as a pokemon coordinator, and got fairly high marks each time she competed. As much as he frustrates her, she still keeps Wobbuffet around.
Meowth has been the willing translator a number of times to help the MCs understand the pokemon-of-the-week's POV. He also gets attracted to other feline pokemon that are females.

Honestly, when i read the title, i thought it was asking how are they still around [alive]? Because of all the electrical shocks they receive and "blasting off" into oblivion they do, it's a wonder how they survive every time.
 
Other than Jessie, James and Meowth, Team Rocket is almost non-existent in the anime right now. So, they can be considered "disbanded" like the others, although not exactly. They're only there because of their Trio for nostalgic and humoristic reasons. I'm pretty sure that if any other Team was in the Season 1, it would still be active for the same nostalgic reasons.
Amante do Mikuri said:
They are the most powerful team between all the regions.
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Honestly, I would say Team Rocket is the most unsucessful team:
- They never acomplished a single task, especially the Trio.
- Even random trainers can beat Rocket grunts, but only experienced ones can beat other Teams.
- Ash never had a problem battling and winning against Team Rocket, while he struggles to beat a single pokemon from other Teams' grunts. The only exception being the first few episodes, and Giovanni.
 
I'd personally find it hilarious if one day JJM return to Kanto only to be told that TR went out of business a while ago and spent like two gens doing their own shit, then just carry on that way. Or join a new organisation - gen 8 bad guys! - and end up a threat again.

Anyway I thought they meant how are Jessie and co alive and I was ready to say 'cuz it's a cartoon'.
 
Dogasu said:
Azuro said:
Team Rocket however are just based on the Italian Mafia
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*Japanese
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The Yakuza, to be specific. English localizers made them more mafia-like, since the Italian mafia is more well-known, oddly despite them and the Yakuza being much the same thing.
 
Depends on what kind of answer your looking for either fueling our headcanon theories. Or delivering clear information based on cold hard facts,

There exists 2 basic answers why Team Rocket is still pat of pokemon series after such a long time(18 years and counting).

Than again to be fair in big majority of long running shows main characters and recurring characters remain pat of it until very end. Investing further in characters people grew attached to allowing to live up to full potential.

Since Rocket organization is associated with three very liked group of antagonists scoring huge popularity in Japan and internationally. Allowed criminal organization as whole to establish recognizable brand around itself and ensuing to remain eternally important piece of pokemon storyline.

So its not that surprising why are Jessie, James and Meowth still in Pokemon. When comparng Pokemon with other anime out there who keep important characters for their whole run.

But to get back on original point.

From anime universe reason why TR still exist: Its possible how Rocket organization has informants all over the Pokemon world. Gathering data and mysteries about rare artifacts, pokemon and ways to harness their power for personal gain and destruction. Which are proceeded to more than one headquarter and ultimately master brain of whole organization Giovanni himself.

They have almost unlimited amount of respources, finacial reserves, several strong trainers and high tech technology. Allowing them to escape hand of law, G-man organization leaded by champion Lsnce and all other allies.
Fact how they were able to catch Rayquaza, severely weaken Mewtwo almost killing it in Giovanni pursue after him and always get back on legs whenever their plans are thwarted losing their sources. Such as with downfall experienced in Johto regarding Red Gyarados and Lugia or in Unova when whole operaton involving dr. Zager, Price, Meloeta failed.

Shows how they grew so big and powerful as evil group, that they became heavily integrated in society and pokeworld itself.

Not to mention there exists possibility of bribing people working in police or pokemon league. Opening door for corruption and double agents letting Giovanni and his teams informed about activities of pokemon world government.

Making it all that much harder to completely destroy them.

As result of this since Jessie, James and Meowth are part of TR organization constantly trying to earn Giovanni benevolence and trust. To the point of receiving their very first promotion much later on.

Ensures that they remain relevant in universe to act as Giovanni spies, try to fulfill tasks and represent constant obstacle in form of clash and comic relief on Ash and his friends path.

From real life reason behind stay:

Jessie, James and Meowth are as individual characters and group incredbly popular and liked as mentioned earlier in post. Especially in Japan. They have very devoted and loyal fandom, including their voice actors.
Not to mention their own radio show which was if im not mistaken pretty successful.

And popularity of this characters and their connection to Rocket organization probably induced pokemon staff to give up from ever geting rid of Team Rocket from anime universe. If that option was ever suggested and came on table.

In fact going by Takeshi Shudo who was head writer for Original series until middle of Johto and his blogs. Rocket trio was brought up sometime in Johto in consideration of being replaced in case Misty was chosen to remain as female heroine in anime.

But since mr. Shudo cared and liked JJM trio viewing them as indispensable and essential part of pokemon series(presumably most staff felt this way) delivering lot of charm and humor in anime. Accompanied with obviously much, much higher popularity. They were choosed to stay in Pokemon over Misty.

Now as someone who is fond of Misty character appreciating depth of emotions and charisma she provided, i cannot say i was content with such decision. Because she had lot of unexplored potential, unfinished things in story and was heavily liked, supported by many. Not deserving faith of ending forgotten and unimportant like it was the case.

At same time i have to say i would had hard time imagining Pokemon show without Jessie, James and Meowth. Who entertained us, brought lot of laugh, intricancies and silly antics. With their crazy plans, sad backstories and lot of fleshing out over the years they received through such flashbacks. Moments of revealing about their personal hobbies and other interests beside trying to catch Pikachu.

So either way any outcome which happened back than would not be favorable for me.
 
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