Throughout its 25 years of existence,Pokemonhas successfully built an expansive and diverse cast of characters in all mediums the franchise has experimented with, from the games to the manga. The anime in particular enjoyed having its own spin on the inhabitants of thePokemonuniverse. Sometimes, it will take an already established set of characters, like theGym Leaders, and twist their in-game characterization to put its own spin on the concept. Sometimes, it will create entirely original characters whose origins are independent of the source material. Sometimes, the anime will go in the middle, taking an already existing group of characters - like Team Rocket - and creating original characters out of said group.
Team Rocket is an interesting example since the organization’s reputation is stemmed from its depiction in the anime. The main trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth serves as the main antagonistic group in the anime, and people who are only superficially familiar withPokemonwill hear the words “Team Rocket” and most likely think of the petty crooks that stalk Ash and his friends. That being said, while Jessie, James, and Meowth embody the anime version of Team Rocket, they are not the only members to get some screentime. Aside from Giovanni, whose presence is expected, there is also another inept duo in Butch and Cassidy.
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Butch and Cassidy’s Role
Just like Jessie and James, Butch and Cassidy were named after a criminal. Similar to how the inspiration for the former duo’s names is Jesse James, the latter duo’s namesake is Butch Cassidy. Aside from the iconic trio andGiovanni, these two are the most prominent Team Rocket members in the anime. Their role is similar to Jessie and James, and in a way, they serve as their foil. Just like James, Butch is the goofier one with an embarrassing running gag. While James’ gag has him get attacked by his Pokemon, particularly his Grass types, Butch’s gag has people continuously mispronounce his name, much to his dismay. Just like Jessie, Cassidy is vain and domineering, especially in comparison to her partner in crime. Unsurprisingly, the two are fierce rivals, with Jessie ironically hating Cassidy’s ego.
In what little the anime provides regarding their backstory, viewers learn that Butch and Cassidy trained to become Team Rocket members at the same time as Jessie and James. Both members of the duo were recruits in the Team Rocket Academy, and they rose up as the best trainees in the Blue Team. One flashback depicts Butch and Cassidy competing againstJessie and James, who were on the red team, in a competition to catch a Snorlax. Despite both duos failing, they were made into official teams.
During the actualPokemonseries , Butch and Cassidy are the closest thing to a recurring antagonist aside from themain Team Rocket trioand their boss. They were especially prominent during the Kanto, Orange Islands, and Johto sagas. During the Kanto season, they ran a fake Pokemon breeding business to steal other Trainers’ Pokemon before getting arrested. They returned in the Orange Islands after getting bailed out of jail by Giovanni, only to get arrested again after their mass hypnosis scheme was foiled by an Officer Jenny’s Gastly.
Butch and Cassidy returned inthe Johto saga. Not only did they try, and fail, to run another fake daycare, but they were involved with the attempted kidnapping of Silver, a baby Lugia, and the parent Lugia. While originally successful, the duo and Dr. Namba, who hired them, were foiled by Ash, his friends, Oliver (who befriended the baby Lugia), and even the Team Rocket trio themselves. During thePokemon Chroniclessaga, Butch and Cassidy were at their most prominent. Their roles included kidnapping Professor Oak, minor appearances in flashbacks and cameos, and hosting a fake tournament to capture the Trainers’ Pokemon.
After one last appearance in the Gen 4 anime, the pair were apparently retired from the show until a very recent return inPokemon Journeys: The Series. They were revealed to have split up after getting tired of their old routine. Additionally, they left Team Rocket and went on to open legitimate businesses of their own. In a strange twist of fate, they and the main Team Rocket trio actually help each other out rather than sabotage each other. While their appearance seems to be only for this episode, considering how it ends with Team Rocket reuniting, the anime is no stranger to nostalgic fanservice - as shown by Misty and Brock’s appearances in the Sun and Moon anime. Butch and Cassidy are familiar toPokemonfans that grew up with the old anime episodes, so there is a chance of them becoming recurring characters again.
