Feature: A Tribute to James Carter Cathcart

James Carter Cathcart, also known as Jimmy Zoppi, passed away on July 8th, 2025. He was the original voice of Gary Oak in the English adaptation of the Pokémon anime. Starting with season four, he also localised scripts for the English dub, and he took complete control of them from season nine. He was the English script adaptor for the show for seventeen years before stepping down in season twenty-five. James retired from voice acting in 2023 after receiving a diagnosis of throat cancer.

James’s acting contribution to Pokémon is significant. In addition to Gary Oak, his notable roles included Todd Snap, and in later seasons he took on the roles of James, Meowth, and Professor Oak.

I reached out to several Pokémon fansites and communities to share their heartfelt tributes to James, including some words from someone who knew him well. Here’s what they had to say.

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A photograph of James Carter Cathcart, the original voice of Gary Oak

Joe Merrick, Serebii

It's really a great loss for the Pokémon community. He was with the anime from the start to Ash's final journeys and so has been cemented in the Pokémon fan's memories across generations from old to new. He helped bring to life so many icons throughout the years.

I was lucky enough to speak with him on a few occasions and he was always very nice to me and always wanted to learn more about the Pokémon fandom.

His presence will be sorely missed by the community. He was a legend, and as we rewatch through all sagas of the anime, his passion will shine through forever.

Archaic, Bulbagarden

Most of us probably never had the pleasure of meeting James. I certainly didn't. But I'd challenge you to find any Pokémon fan whose connection to that fandom hasn't in some way been influenced by the amazing work James did over his literal decades of association with the original Pokémon anime, [both as] a voice actor and as the series sole script adapter for the English dub for its entire post-4Kids run. It's truly a cruel cosmic joke for such a talented voice actor to have been taken away from us by throat cancer. I'm quite a bit too old for him to have been my James, Meowth or Professor Oak growing up (though he was and remains my Gary and Todd Snap), but as far as I'm concerned, he made those roles his own, and he was the definitive version of each of those characters. Smell ya later, James, you will be sorely missed.

Lawliet and Rob from The PokéCenter Blog

The PokéCenter Blog team is saddened to hear about the passing of JCC. We didn't get to hear him as much as other fans from around the world, but we recognize and celebrate his contribution to the Pokémon franchise.

Lady Vulpix, The PokéMasters

I'm not sure what to say. I did not grow up with Pokémon, and I stopped watching the anime early into the Advanced Generation series. I only got back to it and watched the last two seasons earlier this year (2025), and I must admit I did enjoy them. James Carter Cathcart was probably one of the reasons I had fun watching it, since I switched to the English version as soon as I could because I couldn't stand the Latin American dub, especially the voice of James. I understand that he did a great job and brought joy to numerous people.

nza, PLDH

James' voices were iconic in the plural. The unique voices and charm he provided for characters like Gary not only defined them in a way that remains fundamental to how they are imagined, but simply hearing his performances could immediately lighten your mood and bring joy and humour. We'll miss him dearly, but know he'll never truly leave us—his contributions to Pokémon as a whole have woven him into our lives in an enriching, indelible way.

Gary Oak from the episode "A Tent Situation"

Nick15, Pokémon Aaah!

Sometimes the best compliment you can give an actor is that they made you want to punch their character in the face! James Carter Cathcart’s irritatingly smug Gary Oak did that with aplomb, and that takes serious skill. That same talent later let him expand into the carefree James, the conniving Meowth, and the authoritative (if also aloof) Professor Oak, showing just how much range he brought to the series. But that voice, that wisdom, is now gone... and the world is worse off for it.

I didn’t grow up with Pokémon (I was already in high school when it first aired), but I know how deeply his performances affected those who did. Cathcart helped elevate the show into something more than a passing fad, leaving a lifelong mark on those who heard him over the last two decades. And it’s even more bittersweet knowing how much the losses of Cathcart, Rachael Lillis, and Maddie Blaustein have impacted Team Rocket in particular. It’s hard to put into words... but simply put, he will be missed.

Sunain, PocketMonsters.net

James voiced 140+ characters in the Pokémon anime and over 60+ Pokémon species. His impact on the English Pokémon anime is unmatched. He will be missed by the fans! Extend your reach to the stars above, James! Thanks for all the memories from all the roles you voiced!

Paul, PokéJungle

James Carter Cathcart's passing is a tragic loss for the Pokémon community. His iconic roles in the animated series, including Professor Oak, Gary Oak and Team Rocket's James and Meowth, will be fondly remembered. Personally, I feel he did a wonderful job portraying James' flamboyant personality. I am grateful he brought his talent to the Pokémon franchise and will miss his contributions.

Darren, Johto Times

I was saddened to hear of James’s passing. While I was not familiar with his later work on the anime (I stopped watching after Master Quest), I will always appreciate his performance as the character Gary Oak. Gary was one of my favourite characters from the anime, and it was always great to see him appear in an episode, which wasn’t as often as I would have liked! I regret I wasn’t able to express my appreciation to him directly, but I do want to say a huge thank you to James for everything he did for Pokémon throughout the years. My thoughts are with his loved ones.

A photograph of Pokémon voice actors Stuart Zagnit, James Carter Cathcart, and Jamie McGonnigal (Photograph provided by Stuart)

Stuart Zagnit, voice of Professor Oak (1998 to 2008)

James Carter Cathcart was bigger than life; he was a big man, a big spirit with a very big heart. Whenever we would see one another, primarily at anime cons, he always greeted me warmly, as if no time had passed. He was generous and demonstrated the best of us; he was “People Forward.” He was devoted to his family and approached everyone as a potential friend. And even though we shared different incarnations of the same character, I never got a sense of competitiveness – we were all just there because of the work – he was one of the easiest people to chat with and to know. I mourn his passing, my heart goes out to his family, and [I] am proud to call him a colleague. Our Pokémon family may have gotten smaller, but James’s big spirit will be with us for all time.

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For anyone wishing to learn more about James and his contribution to Pokémon, PocketMonsters.net has a great resource of information detailing his roles and work, which you should definitely check out!