Funny / Common Sense

Warning: Unmarked spoilers below.

Main Story

Ch. 1- 5

Chapter 1

• A brief one right after the balloon crashes, where Jessie tells Meowth to get over himself about "his beautiful face" (the balloon) being wrecked as she fixes her hair and reapplies her make-up.
• When they decide to catch some more Pokémon, Jessie orders Meowth to fetch one that reflects her "fabulous personality". Meowth brings back a Spearow.
• Meowth's response to the "cats eat rats" argument after spitting out a Rattata and rinsing his mouth with mouthwash.
  "Yeah? Lemme throw a burger on the ground, stomp it into the dirt an' see if you still want it."
• James's and Meowth's silence when Jessie talks about her cooking.
• When Jessie fusses over Spearow's appearance, Meowth says the last thing they need on the team is two vain birds. Also Jessie's reaction of stomping him into the ground.

Chapter 2

• Mankey hurting his own foot trying to kick a hardened Metapod.
• Jessie being more concerned about Mankey's wake-up slap having left a mark than the battle at hand.
• Mankey laughing along with James when they find Misty's diary in her stolen backpack.
• Team Rocket's nonplussed reaction ("Huh? Sand?") before getting blinded by Pidgeotto's Sand Attack.

Chapter 3

• Ash's deadpan reaction to Samurai gifting him "The Novice's Guide to Type Advantage".
• Pikachu accidentally shocking Ash and Misty when trying to attack Team Rocket from the pitfall trap.
• Meowth getting (literally) thrown into the battle and landing flat on his face.
  "I told ya, I don't wanna go out yet!"
  "Tough! Get out there!"
• The battle getting interrupted by Officer Jenny and Flint since Mankey had taken one of his rocks ("merchandise") to use Rock Throw.
  • Also, when he identifies it as a souvenir he sells, Officer Jenny asks to see his vendor's license.
    "Uh, I left it when I went with you."

Chapter 4

• Ash's reaction to realizing that he'd tried to use an Electric-type against a Rock/Ground Pokémon.
• Meowth's "human" disguise, composed of a lab coat, miniature conservative clothes, a gray afro wig extra-large sideburns to cover his charm and whiskers, and swirly-patterned glasses to conceal his weird eyes. Somehow, despite being around two feet tall on his hind legs, the disguise worked.
• Pikachu, again, shocking Ash when trying to chase off Jessie's Beedrill and a swarm of Zubat that were after Seymour.
  "NO-O-O-OT ME-E-E-E-E!"
• Jessie's flippant response to Ash's saying she can't recall a Pokémon to dodge an attack.
  "Can and did, twerp. Deal with it."
• James lampshading how Seymour rushed on ahead with virtually no plan in his effort to stop them.
  "Seriously, how were you intending to get from Point A: Getting back to this chamber, to Point B: Stopping us?"
  • Also, even though the situation's dire, Meowth slapping a piece of duct tape from nowhere over Seymour's mouth.
• Meowth lampshading how they can't resist a Big Entrance after they finish their motto while slowly ascending in the flying apparatus containing the Moon Stone.

Chapter 5

• The fact that Ash didn't actually know that Butterfree's Supersonic would be conducted through the water, which is what won him the Cerulean Gym match.
• Meowth continuing to take cracks at Jessie's vanity.
  "Vain bird, ain't she? [...] Eh? Sorry, Jessie, didja say somethin'? I was talkin' ta Spearow."
  • In the resulting chase, he manages to learn Swift, only to have his first use hit Jessie in the face and cut off a few strands of her hair.
    "It slipped...?"
• James's reaction to Jessie turning to him while still in Unstoppable Rage mode.
  "Now, now, don't kill me! I have information, remember?!"

Ch. 6- 10

Chapter 6

• Jessie, James and Meowth's discussion about whether or not to shorten the motto, even going on a tangent about adding a theme song.
• This exchange while Team Rocket's rolling around in a big rubber ball:
  Meowth: Hurry, I feel sick!
  Jessie: Not in here, you're not!
• "Did somebody say..." "Trouble?"
  • Also Mankey posing on James's shoulder at the end of the motto after Meowth's part.
• Mankey's sheepish expression after a bout of Deadly Dodging on Pikachu's part tricks him into breaking a bar of the cage holding Sandshrew.
• Though the tale itself is rather sad, the fact that Jessie and James' failure to enter Pokémon Tech is recounted in rhyme has a certain charm.
• Ash created a specialized fighting-style to counter eye-based attacks, and what did he name it? Ant-Eye Combat.

Chapter 7

• Ash releasing Rattata while caught in a snare for her to materialize clinging to his hat.
  • Also, she bites straight through the rope holding the net up with Hyper Fang, only to make Ash, Misty and Pikachu drop to the floor rather harshly.
• Team Rocket lampshading Ash's ridiculous ability to find hidden places and rare Pokémon once James notes that the hidden village is supposed to be nearby.
• "Pikachu..." "We'll get you!" (triple Evil Laugh)
• The fact that Team Rocket knows something's come to save Pikachu when they hear rustling nearby. They make a Diving Save to grab him, only for Pikachu to get pulled away, resulting in a triple face plant.
• Ash being totally oblivious to the romantic subplot between Brock and Melanie.

Chapter 8

• Ash searching through his Pokédex, made funnier by Misty's annoyed reaction to the *ping* sound it makes every time he brings up a new page as well as Dexter (apparently) reading each entry out loud.
• Meowth interrupting the motto.
  "Meowth! I get dat ya need ta get it outta your system, but stay focused!"
  • During the battle, Meowth easily dodging each of Charmander's Scratch attacks.
  "Missed me. Try again. Too bad."
  • "Meowth used Sand Attack!"
• James's Delayed Reaction to finding out that Pikachu is free, more out of fear than lack of understanding.
  • "It's times like this that make me want to go straight..."

Chapter 9

• Misty asking Ash if he's being a little too careful with his new walking stick, only for it to immediately prove its worth by exposing a pitfall trap.
  "'Too careful,' huh?"
  "Aw, shut up."
• Team Rocket's casual notice of Ash and co. charging into their camp to save the Squirtle Squad.
• James checking in on the captive Squirtle Squad only to receive a Water Gun to the face for his trouble.

Chapter 10

• Squirtle's destroying Team Rocket's supplies and doodling X's on their burst balloon's eyes.
  • On that note, James' utter jubilation Squirtle hadn't been able to destroy his bottle cap collection hidden in the balloon basket. Jessie and Meowth's Face Palm sells it.

Ch. 11- 15

Chapter 11

• Pikachu being afraid of going to Vermilion Gym, only to be upset at being written off when Ash explains that it's an Electric-type Gym, so he wasn't going to use him.
• Surge smugly ordering for Raichu to give a "real shock" only for Pikachu to dodge to the side in a burst of speed, without even needing Agility. When Pikachu approaches, he then blinks out of sight with the move as he circles around to use Quick Attack on Raichu's back, leaving the evolved Pokémon thoroughly embarrassed.
• This Conversation Cut after Brock's explained that Surge's Raichu evolved too fast and didn't learn the speed moves it can only learn in the Pikachu stage:
  Misty: Wait, then that means-
  (Cut to outside)
  James: Surge's Raichu can't lay a finger on Pikachu.
• Even though it's the same as in canon, James playing up his teenage girl disguise.
  Wow, don't I make, like, the COOLEST girl~?

Chapter 12

• James threatening the Magikarp salesman when he tries fleecing him for money on useless extra items for Magikarp.
  "Don't push your luck, hombre, I just want the Pokémon."
• Jessie, James and Meowth realizing that they didn't really plan their escape from the St. Anne when it was in danger of capsizing.
  "Huh..."
• James's introduction atop Gyarados's head.
  "Meet the Pokémon that all sailors fear, the leviathan of the deep blue, Gyarados!"
  • Also, him shouting "Full speed ahead!" once Jessie and Meowth climb aboard.

Chapter 13

• Team Rocket's nonplussed reaction to a Slowbro working a food stall in the middle of a forest.
• Jessie and James posing as tourists in Acapulco with Meowth Hidden in Plain Sight as their pet.
• This quote:
  James: Should I go use the smoke bomb or the flash grenade for our entrance? Or maybe go old school with the colored smoke pyrotechnics?
• Delia going into My Beloved Smother mode by forbidding Ash from leaving his bed while he's sick. Immediately followed by her borrowing his Pokémon to battle Team Rocket herself.

Chapter 14

• Team Rocket's deadpan reaction to Pidgeot trapping them in a giant tornado to be flown over the ocean. Even as they fly through the air, they just have their arms crossed with bored expressions.
  • Followed by this exchange:
    Meowth: Welp, should we say our tagline? I think we're movin' out over da ocean now.
    Jessie & James: Let's.
• Giovanni's surprise at the Rocket trio's state when he calls them. Considering he's usually fairly reserved, it's quite comical to have such a reaction.
  "What on earth happened to you three?"
• Delia acknowledging how reckless Ash can be in this dialogue:
  Misty: I did ask if we should stay, but he insisted we go out.
  Delia: And you listened to him? I love Ash, but he doesn't pay enough attention to his own health or safety.

Chapter 15

• Ash initiating a splash fight with Squirtle and Kingler while pretending to pass it off as training.
  • In the middle of said splash fight, Ash, Squirtle and Kingler get the idea to splash Pidgeot who's flying nearby. He doesn't seem to react much at first, but then repays them with a large wave of water stirred up by his wings.
• The fact that Ash's first meeting with Tentacool was her groping him with her tentacles.
• Pikachu attempting to charade the message that Butterfree is willing to go back to Professor Oak's so that Tentacool can stay. Ash manages to understand "Butterfree" and "sunbathing" (after a few tries). But when Pikachu points to Professor Oak...
  Ash: Professor Oak sunbathing!
  Pikachu: (Face Fault)
• Tentacool's first time being called out resulting in tackling Ash with a hug.

Ch. 16- 20

Chapter 16

• James offering a Flimsy Excuse to Leave each time he wants to recruit or rob one of the departing contestants. It cycles through using the restroom, buying some snacks, making a call to his pretend father, and then back to using the restroom (because convenience store fare doesn't agree with him).
• After subduing Damian, James makes his disdain for him clear with this line:
  "I have some garbage to take out."
  • And once he figures out what to do, he literally says to Damian's Pokémon "I need you to punch me in the face."
• The absolute irony that James turned Damian in to the police for Pokémon abuse, knowing that he'd told him he worked for Team Rocket and that nobody would believe the truth coming from him.

Chapter 18

• Jessie screaming in shock at Veronica throwing her a surprise party in her apartment.
  • Also, Veronica's attitude towards Jessie's vanity, giving a good-natured "Of course" when she compares Ekans' rare "elegance" to herself.

Chapter 19

• Jessie casually listing off her various jobs, and seamlessly including ninja between model and style consultant.
• The fact that Hart's Death Glare is completely ineffective against James, who has Jessie for a partner.
• James being Mistaken for Gay when he's recounting the events of his childhood and his cherished one, his pet Growlithe. Along with Dalton pondering if he'd been hitting on him and how to let him down gently if he was.
  "Having him in my life was the first and only good thing my parents did for me. [...] He was my only true friend. Everyone else, I grew to realize that they just wanted connections to my family. But he was always there, loyally and unconditionally. Though the pressure became too much when my parents put me in an arranged marriage. [...] I wanted to take him with me, but I wouldn't have been able to provide for him. [...] So, with a heavy heart, I left him behind, knowing my family would take care of him. If only to keep him as leverage to try drawing me back if they ever found me."
• Petrel acting laid back about his job and telling Matori in no uncertain terms that she needs to loosen up.
  "Matori, you need a hobby or a sordid affair."

Ch. 21- 30

Chapter 21

• James' amusement at Jessie and Meowth's reaction to his teaching Gyarados to fly.
• This exchange between Jessie and James as they discuss how to get down from the pole they're hanging onto high above the buildings.
  James: Wait... I didn't hear any "cats hate water" remarks...
  Jessie: Or "saw my nine lives flash before my eyes" one-liners...
  Both: Meowth is missing!

Chapter 22

• Ash's blatant fear at Delia's calm tone when he calls her only to find out that she saw him flying around and dodging fatal blows from Tentacruel on the news.
  Ash: So you saw...?
  Delia: Yes.
  Ash: And me-
  Delia: Flying around on your Pokémon's back and nearly getting crushed or blasted four separate times as you tried to reason with that giant Pokémon.
• One of the times Brock tries to get Ash and Misty to reconcile while on the ferry, he asks if they can just remember the good times.
  Ash and Misty: What good times?
  • Also, when he manages to get Ash to agree on a truce during the Summer's End Festival, Misty isn't cooperating and is about to leave, but Ash gets her to play along by saying that she's too much of a sore loser to call a truce.

Chapter 23

• Getting the idea from Pikachu shocking Brock back to lucidity, Meowth mauls James' face with Fury Swipes to break the trance, much to his displeasure.
• Brock calling Maiden's Peak a ghost town.

Chapter 24

• Jigglypuff is outright offended when Ash initially doesn't try to catch her.
  • She later drop kicks Misty for suggesting she's too cute to be a fighter.

Chapter 30

• Pikachu decides it likes perfume. Cue Ash trying to find ketchup scented perfume.
• The Running Gag revolving around the eastern district of Celadon City, namely HopHopHop Town.

Ch. 31-

Chapter 31

• This exchange:
  Ash: Now, come on, we should meet up with Brock before leaving for HopHopHop Town.
  Misty: Do you have to call it that every time?
  Ash: Yes. Yes I do.
• Mitchell, while working as a groundskeeper, has his Dugtrio looking around for anything worthwhile buried underground. When the Pokémon finds a sealed box that says "Warning: Do not open." he takes it as an invitation to open it.
• Brock launching into an explanation of how each and every Nurse Joy has slight differences from one another, saying that Ash will learn to appreciate the more subtle differences of women when he's older.

Chapter 32

• Primeape chasing after Doduo with a tree in his hands after apparently getting kicked in the face.

Behind the Scenes

• Cortez receiving Gregory for a partner/assistant.