James was raised by rich parents. However, he only had a Growlithe for company. He lacked the one thing that every boy needs while growing up: love. His parents were too busy to find time to spend with him.

Young James decided to run away from home. Leaving his Growlithe behind, he walked off, searching for something to make his life complete. That is when he found Team Rocket, and he now dedicates his life to capturing the rarest Pokemon to please his boss.

His parents actually tried to stage their own deaths to get James to come home and marry him off. It worked, when his partners Jessie and Meowth dragged him back home to get what they thought was a piece of his inheritance. Due to some quick thinking and unexpected help from their enemies Ash, Brock and Misty, Team Rocket was able to escape James' parents and return to the path of evil.