Team Rocket has been a constant presence in the Pokemon anime series from the start. Aside from Ash, they've appeared the most in the series. They have tried numerous times to kidnap Pikachu from Ash, but have sometimes allied with him for the greater good.
One thing that distinguishes Team Rocket is the variety of disguises they wear throughout the series. From simple disguises to crossdressing, Jessie and James have pushed the boundaries of gender roles. Their costumes are always something to marvel at for fans. In their honor, here's a list of some of Team Rocket's best disguises.
10 Hidden In Plain Sight
Sometimes the best way to hide is to do so in plain sight. In Episode 220, Jessie and James don the Team Rocket Grunt uniforms to sneak into an underwater lab.
It's not everyday that fans see the duo wearing the Grunt uniforms, but it is funny how no one notices them. To anyone passing them, they look like two normal Team Rocket Grunts and nothing special.
9 Mega Evolution Appraisers
Though they look more like psychics in these outfits, Team Rocket rocked these getups during Episode 30 of the XY arc, pretending to be Mega Evolution appraisers.
Both Jessie and James wear hoods and masks that cover their faces and hair. James wears a matching blue robe and doesn't look recognizable. Jessie adds a little seductive appeal to her outfit by wearing a tube top, but balances it out with long sleeves and a long skirt.
8 James And "Jessebelle" Are Visiting
In episode 153 of the Diamond and Pearl arc, James visits one of his family's summer homes. To gain entry alongside him, Jessie disguised herself as James' fiancée, Jessebelle.
Both women look exactly alike, and Jessie uses this to her advantage by dressing exactly how Jessebelle would. She styles her hair like Jessebelle's and even carries a fan. Meowth dresses himself up in a tuxedo with sunglasses and a top hat to match.
7 Pokemon Summer Camp Chefs
This look came during the XY arc of the series. Team Rocket disguised themselves as chefs at the Pokemon Summer Camp. Most of their disguises look pretty obvious, but this time the trio looked different than how they normally do.
Jessie disguises herself by removing her signature red lipstick and gives herself bangs. She looks almost unrecognizable to anyone not familiar with her. James usually keeps his hair styled the same way in most of his disguises, but this time he opted to make his hair fluffy and give himself a goatee.
6 "Ashley" And "Her" Parents
This disguise appeared the first time Ash teamed up with Team Rocket. After getting kicked out of the Celadon City Gym, Ash allies with his old foes and they disguise him as a girl. He wears a long blonde wig with a pink ribbon, and an orange frilly dress with red heels.
Jessie disguises herself in a pink kimono and ties her long hair up in a bun. She finishes her ensemble with a pair of glasses that makes her look mature and sophisticated. James looks completely unrecognizable with a bald cap along with a fake nose and glasses that cover his eyes. Meowth is also part of this disguise, hiding inside James' shirt to make it look like he has a belly.
5 Vikings From Minnesota
Pokemon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back had Team Rocket wear an usual disguise in the movie. The trio decide to mask as Vikings (in Meowth's case, the boat figurehead) and offer to help Ash and the gang get to Mewtwo's island. Jessie and James wear Viking helmets that cover their hair and eyes. What makes this disguise hilarious is the accents they use to help cover their real voices. Meowth finishes the overall look with a Viking helmet and a white dress.
During the boat ride, Brock says that he didn't know Vikings still existed. Ash responds by saying that they live in Minnesota. This line is a reference to the professional American football team, the Minnesota Vikings.
4 Underwater Ballet
Jessie and James had a lot of disguises that are considered a little out there, especially in the first season. James proves he's more than okay with wearing feminine clothes. For example, he wore a pink ballerina costume while Jessie wore a prince's regalia costume during the underwater ballet show in the Cerulean City gym.
Both of them are very comfortable in their disguises, and don't bat an eyelash when it comes to cross-dressing. James would wear this disguise again during the Johto arc.
3 Newlyweds With A Twist
It would've made a lot more sense for Jessie to be blushing bride, but James looks just as good. The duo throws off Ash and his group with this disguise, and not just because of the cross-dressing.
Jessie opted to cover her face by styling her hair to cover it up, and wearing a fitted tuxedo. She's still wears her earrings and signature red lipstick, but she manages to look very dapper. James looks lovely as a blushing brid,e and wears a veil to cover his face. To complete his look is a bouquet of flowers.
2 A Magician & Her Lovely Assistant
While putting on a magic show for schoolchildren, Team Rocket disguises themselves as magicians. Jessie wears a fitted tuxedo with a top hat and v-neck shirt – a classic look with a feminine twist. The red bowtie adds a nice little touch of classiness.
James once again is very comfortable wearing feminine clothes, and disguises himself as Jessie's lovely assistant. His pink dress had a nice flare on the hips to make his shape appear more feminine, and the off shoulder cut with puffy sleeves add a playful and girly touch. To finish off his look and add feminine appeal, James puts a rose in his hair.
1 James Caused An International Uproar In This Disguise
This disguise that James wore caused a huge uproar outside of Asia. To enter a ladies-only swimsuit contest, James put on a bodysuit that had an inflatable chest area. He wears an orange bikini with a mid-length yellow sarong. To help make himself look more like a woman, James wears lipstick and appears to be wearing mascara to make his eyes stand out. The judges, Brock included, love James in his outfit.
Since the show is targeted towards kids, a lot of parents had an issue with this and the episode was banned everywhere outside of Asia. The episode was heavily cut later on, and removed this scene.