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James's Weezing (Japanese: コジロウのマタドガスKojirō's Matadogas) was the first PokémonJames appeared with in Kanto; he received it as a oseibo gift (in the dub, it was a Christmas gift).
James received Koffing already captured for the last oseibo before he met Ash. It is unknown who gifted it to him.
Weezing first appeared in Pokémon Emergency! as a Koffing. It was used constantly by James and eventually evolved into a Weezing in the episode Dig Those Diglett! along with Ekans after James and Jessie were desperate for their Pokémon to evolve.
James used Weezing as his main battling Pokémon throughout much of the Kanto episodes, but during the Johto episodes, he tended to use Victreebel more for actual combat. During this time, Weezing was used to create smoke to cover escapes and entrances.
In the first movie, Nurse Joy and Miranda said more than once that only the stronger Pokémon with the most exceptional Trainers could face the storm. Yet, it was Weezing who brought Team Rocket to New Island (after the failed Viking scheme).
In A Poached Ego!, Team Rocket found a poacher holding a herd of Ekans and Koffing captive in Hoenn. After freeing them James and Jessie reluctantly ordered Weezing and Arbok to stay in the wild and guard their fellow Pokémon. Arbok and Weezing had to when the poacher used his Tyranitar to attack Jessie, James, and Meowth, even though it was clear that they wanted to stay and defend them. The two Pokémon have not been seen since then. On their last appearance, in A Poached Ego!, they were reluctant in leaving James and Jessie, and when they did, they strongly cried. Also in this same episode James said that "Weezing and I are like brothers." thus, again, indicating a great bond between the two.
Personality and characteristics
As a Koffing, it was always happy and light-hearted, if not a bit dopey. But after it evolved, it constantly looked depressed and forlorn. This may not be indicative of its character, however, because all Weezing have this appearance. Weezing and Arbok seem to be both very emotional. This was first shown in Island of the Giant Pokémon, where they got very sad for being separated from James and Jessie, crying desperately, with Pikachu cheering them. In the end of the episode, when every lost Pokémon got reunited with their partners, Koffing and James, along with Ekans and Jessie, were happily crying. In Lights, Camera, Quacktion both Weezing and Arbok got depressed for being rejected as the main characters in the movie. It was only with James's and Jessie's help that they got over it.
Weezing is depicted on a photograph on the box art for Pokémon Zany Cards, along with Arbok and Wobbuffet. However, it does not make an appearance in the game.
A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.
Trivia
In The Misty Mermaid, James's Weezing was shown as less dense than water, causing it to float.
Though Team Rocket began chasing Pikachu mainly because it was powerful enough to blow up the Pokémon Center, it should be noted that James's Koffing was part of the cause — its gas reacted with the electricity to create the explosion.
Related articles
For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Koffing and Weezing.