I am tired of everyone pretending that Pokémon is the most original idea that was ever consived and anything made after the fact is an unplayable copyright infringing piece of shit. The fact is that many things implemented into Pokémon occurred in other media a multitude of times.
> ITT: Pokémon influences before Pokémon appeared

Pic related, literally team rocket before team rocket.
>team of three
>take orders from a boss
>trying to steal something
>plans intercepted by yatterman/wan
>literally blast off at the end of the episode!