Team Rocket blasting off for good?

[Dr. Sun]

The title may seem a little extreme, so please let me be clear. I don't hate Team Rocket per se, I just don't see why the Japanese writers insist on having them in just about every friggin' episode, even when they don't have to be there. I really, really, REALLY hated the way they interrupted some of the Kanto gym matches (Misty, Erika, and Koga) just when they were getting good. Apparently, according to some episode spoilers, they're still doing it in the most recent Japanese episodes.

If anything, I think Team Rocket and their clownish antics detract from episodes that could be spent more on character development or battling-what would you rather see, Ash fighting more opponents in the Hoenn league, or Team Rocket being intimidated by their oversized boss?

Team Rocket and their act are also wearing extremely thin for me. Why can't there be other regular villains, like Butch and Cassidy or evil, spiteful trainers like Dameon (the guy who originally had Ash's Charmander) and those three brothers that trained the Tentacruels and Fighting-types in the city with all the Wobbuffets? Team Magma and Team Aqua didn't need to break up; maybe some of their fanatical members could carry on the cause, only without meddling with the legendary pokemon?

I'm not saying Team Rocket has to disappear entirely, just that they don't need to be in every friggin' episode all the time. Let's see a rogue's gallery develop, some longer-running plots develop, something!

And please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop having Team Rocket interrupt gym battles just when they're getting good.

 

[ChaosMage]

TR are the only comedy value that remains consistent. The show would suck without them (especially Wobbuffet). Episodes like the upcoming episode "Once in a Mawile" are priceless, and they are too funny to leave. But yes, there are some episodes they simply shouldn't be in.

 

[Kamex]

Well, while I see your point of how some episodes could have been interesting without Team Rocket, I don't particularly tend to think much of this issue. But I suppose it would be nice if the next region with the 4th generation of Pokemon made better (or at least new) use of Team Rocket, particularly Jessie, James, and Meowth.

 

[Geki]

Team Rocket interupts everything, you'll have to get used to it since they are main characters and I don't think the writers plan on removing them...

 

[Dr. Sun]

I never said Team Rocket needed to be gotten rid of, I just meant that they shouldn't have to be in every episode/movie, that some more villains could be introduced. This Harley character might be a good example: he's more of a rival to May, but Ash could certainly have a Dameon-like rival who's a nasty piece of work, rather than just a fellow trainer who Ash happens to develop a rivalry with. Gary doesn't count-he was smug and arrogant, but a good guy underneath it all.

Besides, it might be cool to see Team Rocket actually win some battles with their new pokemon. I haven't seen every episode, but since when have Cacnea, Seviper or Dustox won a battle since J&J caught them? At least Arbok and Weezing won _some_ of the time...Chimecho beat up that Loudred in that Contest, but that wasn't exactly a standard battle, and James seems to make a point of keeping it out of harm's way.

 

[Faerie]

The writers would never make them 'blast off' permanently. They cling to Musashi and Kojirou just as much as their dear little Satoshi. Why else would they appear in almost every episode? Yeah, they really tick me off at some times, too, but you just gotta live with 'em. They have as much of a chance of leaving as Satoshi does.

Hrrmph. TM/TA should be in the anime more. >__<

 

[Hukuzo]

Since when do they battle in the show? James is the only show character I like, but Team Rocket is just annoying.
Team R "Let's steal Pikachu"
Ash "Pikachu, thunderbolt!"
Team R "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again"
Brock "I like girls"
*another episode down the drain*

 

[Hao Kaiser]

Sometimes, I wish that they would have a B-story, like, away from Ash. Like in the Tate and Liza gym battle, they ruined a match that could've gotten really good, I liked the whole planet arena and stuff...it kinda sucks that they wasted 10 minuets on TR when we could've had a good battle...so...yeah.

 

[Swifty]

Team Rocket is too lovable to do away for good. However, constantly using them as a plot device to create primary conflicts in the story gets really old.

I like how they handled Team Rocket in the Rubello Town Contest episode. They kept them self-contained within a secondary side story and didn't make them get involved in the Ash and co.'s affairs. I think they should do more of that and put some sort of quota cap on Team Rocket's being involved in the primary episode plot.

 

[Dogasu]

The Rocket-Dan saves more episodes than it ruins, so I see no reason for them to leave.

 

[Zak]

I'd like to see a twist with them winning a contest for once.


~Zak

 

[Silver Ryu]

Yeah, it really bugs me how they appear in every single episode Especially when they don't need to appear.

James should have won the Poke-Ringer thing...

 

[Juputoru]

I usually don't mind TR too much(hey, I *like* them), but they really should butt out of Gym Battle episodes and the like. Except for the league; I do like their scenes during those times.

But the average filler(which is what about 90% of the show is) won't be better or worse for having them in it, and at least they're funny.

 

[Devilrose]

Even when I was a little snot-nosed brat that got giddy over the pokerap and was proud of herself for being able to recite it, I got tired of seeing them episode after episode. It was exhausting really, especially when they showed up in the gym battle episodes. They need to at least tone down their appearances a bit in my opinion...

 

[Dr. Sun]

I usually don't mind TR too much(hey, I *like* them), but they really should butt out of Gym Battle episodes and the like. Except for the league; I do like their scenes during those times.

I should repeat myself here-I never suggested getting rid of Team Rocket for good, but they shouldn't be in every single episode-once every three or four is plenty. The writers wasted a colossal amount of potential with Teams Magma and Aqua, and could have stood to develop some rivals for Ash that were actually bad, as opposed to just arrogant (Gary) or friendly (Masamune, since I don't know his dub name yet). Those guys work too, but I'd like to see a rival or two for Ash who's actually bad news, either a real jerk or a true villain.

May's already got a good potential antagonist in this Harley fellow. I haven't seen him yet (I only watch the YTV dubs in Canada), but from what I've seen in the episode guide, he looks like he'd make a great villain. Now all they need is to set up someone like that for Ash. Heck, maybe whichever teams are the villains in the Diamond/Pearl saga (when we finally get there) could be good villains. Heck, it might even be cool to see Team Rocket put one over on the other villainous teams, which gives Rocket fans something to cheer for while still making sure the good guys don't lose-it doesn't count if it's one bad guy beating another!

 

[YoshiAngemon]

Well, Team Rocket were fired ONCE, but were let in again, because they wanted a second chance! But Giovanni is still mad at them for constantly failing to do a stupid little task like capturing Ash Ketchum's Pikachu.

He would've followed the proceedures of Lesson 109 in the Evil Villain Tutorial (from the Donkey Kong Country TV show): "When all else fails, implement and execute diabolical schemes YOURSELF!" That way, once he learns how powerful Ash is through heart, he'll eventually disband Team Rocket, permanently, unless Team Rocket orders Snag Machines from Cipher, but that's just stupid to SNAG Ash's Pikachu, and convert him into a Shadow Pokemon with Zapdos' Powerful SHADOW BOLT attack, and it would be up to either Wes (Colosseum's hero) or Michael (XD's Hero) to purify Pikachu!

 

[DKzM0mA]

Well, they should back off from gym battles, but they just be happy that they don't interfere with Ash's championship battles, unless you count that time when he had to face Richie, leaving Ash pigeotto-less but meh..

 

[RedJirachi]

They supply the comic releif

 

[ShadowAlakazam]

Well at least they try to come up with a edited motto... really funny to hear sometimes.

 

[Mew2]

As I've said before, TR either needs to change or go. As they are now, they are more often than not, a hinderance to the show. The best example was in the Tate and Liza gym battle episode. The battle could have been great, but it was merely okay because TR interrupted it.