#Capcom please give Athena her own game

[epicgaymer96024]

Replaying Dual Destinies has only strengthened my want for an Athena Cykes: Ace Attorney game

[bavaib]

turnabout storyteller really was just like:

Athena: Don’t worry, I can handle this case on my own!

*several contradictions later*

Athena: Oh no, I can’t handle this case on my own!

And I hate it for that

[graiison]

let's do this!!

[mirror-imaged]

ok last post for now. IN LIGHT OF CAPCOM SAYING A FEW NEW GAMES WOULD BE OUT BY MARCH 2023. these are my top 10 IDEAL ace attorney games ranked in no particular order by how bad i want them to be real. this will be a long post so it's under the cut. spoiler for basically every ace attorney game

Athena Cykes: Ace Attorney (Investigations). Simon gets to be her weird little girl and they make funny banter about random people in that way you can only have with a bruncle/neister bff relationship. This game is ideal because it's like a kind cat owner who has a very mean cat that they keep promising won't bite you but the cat has not only already bitten you but also summoned a fully grown hawk to attack you. Simply fantastic game material. This is also ideal because Athena would get to be the head of her own game for once.

Ema Skye: Ace Detective (Investigations). In addition to the last post, I am so incredibly fond of the original idea for the investigations series to be about Ema. Let Ema have Kay as an assistant, or maybe Klavier. Lana gets to cameo and take on the Beanix in AA4 role where she shows up to give some cryptic advice and then disappears.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney 2. I cannot get enough of this game. Please give me more. I love it so uncontrollably much. 10/10 best game of the century. Please give Apollo an actually coherent arc involving what happened with Kristoph and the setup involving the black psyche locks instead of a game that was Still Just About Phoenix All Along, Actually. Apollo Justice is such an incredible setup for a second trilogy that just... fails to deliver. Please follow through with these ideas. The no-spoiler rule has been the WORST thing to happen to the Ace Attorney franchise. Phoenix is an afterthought in this game.

Sholmes and Mikotoba: Reminiscence. I really want a game just about their escapades. I have not even played DGS yet I am so fascinated with these two and their history. It doesn't even have to be a full game, just like a DLC case or two. If this already exists please let me know but don't spoil me as I'll be liveblogging my playthrough of DGS and DGS2 I believe.

Sebastian Gets His Own Thing Because I Like Him: The Game. Speaks for itself. I really really like Sebastian.

The Prosecutors Office: The Game. I am desperate to see everybody interacting in one confined space while the Paynes stand there silently, unnoticed. Ideally, this will be in the art style of Investigations with overworld pixel sprites. It will be fully comedic. I can only survive off of fanfiction for so long.

Mia Fey: Ace Attorney. Here's the unsurprising entry. I would like to see more of Mia and Diego's relationship and would really like to see Feenie co-counsel. I think Lana should be the prosecutor because Mia has two hands and she is a bisexual girlboss. Lanamiego trueness. Lana and Diego do not get along but in the funny way.

Jailbreak. I really want a small story (fits better as dlc, probably) about the main villains in prison. I do understand that this is unrealistic and entirely inspired by fanart I've seen, but look me in the eyes and tell me it has absolutely no comedic potential. Exactly. It'd be hilarious. Kristoph and Matt Engarde would NOT get along and I live to see the day they inevitably strangle each other while Dahlia laughs from the corner, timeline be damned. Ft. Simon cameo where he looks wildly unimpressed by everything happening around him.

Trucy Wright: Magician for Hire. I love the idea of Phoenix being wildly supportive of his daughter's dreams, and I also really want Trucy to be able to express how she actually feels about the Gramaryes. She deserves better than the treatment the games give her. I think that she, Kay, and Ema should get to be the second-coming of the Yatagarasu.

Franziska von Karma: INTERPOL. I really want a game about Franziska, Lang, Interpol, and most importantly, please give us a Colias cameo. You don't understand. Colias Palaeno showed up for one case in one game and I somehow found him the funniest little man ever. I want a Colias cameo. Franziska also deserves to be able to lead her own game, as she has been trapped in Capcom's basement for too long. Lang is her weird little girl. Third DeLites cameo! I love the DeLites.

There we have it, my AA game ideas. I know NONE of these will become real, but a guy can dream. Thanks for reading!

[nekowreck]

just finished turnabout storyteller. capcom please give athena her own game already she deserves it.

[avirams]

for the aa game, questions number 16, 19, 20, and 21? im kinda curious about your thoughts on those

yeyyyses aa asks thank you nonnie :DD

(somehow, these answers are even longer than last time. proceed with caution)

16. If there was anything you could change about the series, what would it be?

ohhh man there is SO much to discuss on this one. for starters, id probably keep shu takumi as the director for aa5 and aa6 because yeah. yep. while the characters were written really awesomely in those games imo, the plots execution kinda,,, ruined all that potential. soo many holes, and nothing made sense DLJLDK

next, id actually like!! keep the focus on whatever new characters are supposed to star in the games!! i talked about this too on my meta blog. phoenix is great and all, but bringing him back as a protag in everything just for the Brand(tm) was,,, a really bad choice. so give apollo the spotlight, athena her own game, and keep phoenix off to the side plEase. 

same with edgeworth!! we need more focus on the other rivals (klavier, franziska, etc etc). love him and all, but his arc ended ages ago back in the triology. and it really bugs me when they use him for everything, because like, we know capcom has the ability to write great character arcs!! edgeworth is a great sign on that!! but they just forgot about SO many other people for his sake!! 

oh oh also, they just need to bring back other characters in general. gumshoe, lana, klavier, yknow like. give other characters CRUMBS of what phoenix and edgeworth get pl

and finally, i just want them to talk about what happened in previous games. in the og triology, it was good cuz YES it was annoying when we got a flashback of dl6 every time but ALSO. also!!! dl6 is like, a crucial part of edgeworth and mayas and a couple other peoples development!!! the issue in aa5 and aa6 mostly, is that theyre SO scared of spoiling previous games, which reallllyyy hindered any possible development we couldve gotten :(

19. Favorite character design?

i talked about this more in emas opinion thingy, but definitely hers. everyone else kinda goes bloo blah on keeping the same outfit for literal decades,,, but hers actually changed a lot, while still keeping the lab coat and goggles!! theres also a lot of easter eggs in her design? like the pink princess pin? and the badge thingy as well, b/c those appeared on other peoples outfits and plot and that was just a really nice detail imo

20. Worst motive?

hoo boy. okay. i cant reeeally think of anything off the top of my head, because most of them were pretty cool, but yknow whos really sucked? ambassador albas!!!!! aai was SUPER fun and i loved a lot of the reveals!!! but the drug dealing subplot was,,,, really boring and gave me a headache. it took me an actual week of gameplay to finally convict him, all because he didnt want to be found out as the leader of the smuggling ring. really stupid

21. Favorite backstory?

hmhmhmhm,,, tbh, a lot of the main people have super fascinating backstories? i wont say edgeworth for this because it does get kinda tiring hearing it, apollo has 50, klavier has none and phoenix just gets like. 3 big things that happened in the past and we dont know anything else

after all that,,, probably lanas. i know she only appears for ONE case, but since i already answered ema, i really liked hers. because shes a strong person!! but even after all that, she couldnt do what she really wanted,,, and when she became a prosecutor it was gants fault,,, and everything was getting corrupted right in front of her,,, but she couldnt do anything cuz ema,,, yep. top tier stuff. itd be even better if we could get some context on intellectual attraction tho,,, :(

oh my GOSH i can fit so much rambling into these i apologize <//3 but thank you thank you thank you for wanting to hear these!! it means so much that people  dont mind me talking this much dfkmgkfdm

[screamingaboutaceattorney]

Dual Destinies Cases Ranked

First 3D AA game, let’s go!

DISCLAIMER: Spoilers ahead! This is also all my own opinion (and subject to change), so please don’t take this as fact or whatever. Also, there are very few cases that I actively dislike, since most of them are extremely good in my opinion. Enjoy!

#6: Turnabout Countdown

I don’t strongly dislike any of the cases in this game, but I don’t like most of them too much either. That aside, though, I don’t really care for this case. Ted Tonate isn’t a very interesting culprit, and Gaspen Payne is not someone I enjoy going against. I do really like Juniper, and it’s satisfying to take Payne down a peg or two, but I feel like this case isn’t the best first impression.

#5: The Monstrous Turnabout

This case is not one of my favorites either, but I’ve got to give it more points than Turnabout Countdown for introducing so many great characters--Fulbright, Simon, and of course, Athena. Damian Tenma is a cool defendant, Jinxie is adorable, and the twist with the wrestler roles actually threw me for a loop. I don’t like Florent L’Belle or Phineas Filch, though, and I wish they didn’t tell us who the culprit was immediately--that’s a first case thing, and while this is the first case chronologically, it’s not in the right place gameplay-wise. This case is good enough, but not that good.

#4: Turnabout Reclaimed

This case is just... so stupid. I love it. Phoenix gets his badge back, and immediately shoves it in an orca’s face. They put an orca on trial. For murder. That’s hilarious. Silliness aside, though, I liked this case a lot more than the aforementioned two. Pearl comes back (though she needed to be redesigned, not just slightly taller) and I love her, the characters are fun, and I really appreciate the fact that the WAA helps the culprit, too. I only wish it wasn’t DLC, but it’s easily the best case to fill that slot.

#3: Turnabout for Tomorrow

Turnabout for Tomorrow is batshit insane, and wonderful for it. Miles came back (which I love), Apollo is in pain (which I don’t love (also fuck those poses and their similarities to he-who-shall-not-be-named)), the reveal was well done (not as well done as AAI2′s mastermind, though), and the WAA teamup was incredible and needs to happen again.

#2: Turnabout Academy

I love Junithena, okay? Athena’s first trial is a momentous occasion, and we even avoided Third-Case syndrome! The characters were really well done, the plot was intriguing, and Klapollo is my fucking OTP. That is one of my least favorite things about this case, though--they ruined Klavier’s design! I’m sure you’ve all heard this before, but his 3D model looks nothing like his sprite and, while Yuri Lowenthal is a great VA, Klavier doesn’t sound right in his voice. That isn’t really the fault of the case, though, and it’s mostly something I can ignore.

#1: The Cosmic Turnabout

I’m going to preface this segment by saying this: CLAY DIDN’T DIE. I don’t care what Capcom says, he didn’t. But given that this case is about his “death,” I’ve got to refer to it as such. Anyways, I love this case. It’s sad in all the right places, and Apollo’s moral dilemma, while highlighted more in Turnabout for Tomorrow, was done perfectly. Solomon Starbuck is an interesting defendant, exploring the Space Center was fun, and overall, it’s a wonderful(ly sad) case that, while not accurate in terms of Clay’s death, is still one of my favorites.

[transthaumaturge]

Ace Attorney and the Finally Kind-Of Okay Queer Representation

Note: This post contains massive spoilers for Turnabout Academy, the third case in the 3DS game Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies. There are also spoilers for a few cases in the earlier games. Please only read on if you’re okay with that.

I love Ace Attorney, but as a series it is fraught with bad queer representation. It really says something that the first queer character that I felt pretty good about was five games in. Most of this bad rep is in the form of effeminate, gay-coded men that are written as evil and/or comic relief. A brief rundown:

1) Redd White, the power-hungry CEO of Bluecorp;

2) Jean Armstrong, the cowardly café owner who lied on the stand (and who is repeatedly misgendered by the judge for comic relief);

3) Florent L’Belle, the greedy Mayor’s Aid.

All three characters are presented as a mix of negative stereotypes and bad-faith comic relief. They’re dark spots in an otherwise really fun series, and it’s made me very uncomfortable interacting with each one as I’ve played through the cases. I’ve never felt worse about Ace Attorney than when it’s punching down on gay-coded characters, all of whom were written with no redeemable qualities. I mean, two of them were the actual murderers in their respective cases! Honestly, it just sucked.

That’s why I got so excited (and also super-nervous they would botch it again) today while playing through Turnabout Academy, at the moment when one of the characters is revealed to be explicitly trans. I’ll go over the general facts and then discuss why this was a step in the right direction, but still very flawed.

In the case, Robin Newman is a high school law student and a close friend of the defendant. In the early stages of the case, Robin presents as a very masculine individual and even wears a chest brace that is supposedly proof of her manliness. This whole time, she’s represented as a very aggressive and unhappy person. But on the first day of the case, it’s revealed that she put on a feminine costume belonging to the defendant because she really wanted to wear something girly. When further pressed, she comes out in the courtroom and reveals that she’s actually a girl—the chest brace was hiding the fact that she had breasts, and her parents raised her as a boy as some terrible step in forcing her to become a prosecutor when she grew up. Afterward, she’s a very cheerful, peppy person and says that she’s grateful she finally gets to live life as a girl and pursue her dream of becoming an artist.

As a trans woman myself, I started getting really excited as soon as it became clear that Robin put on the outfit—and even more excited when it was finally revealed that she was a girl who had been raised as a boy. The first thing that tipped me off to my gender identity was wanting to wear women’s clothing, so this gender euphoria through clothing scenario was something that I could relate to on a deep emotional level. And while I got nervous at first because the blame for the murder was briefly pinned on her, that ultimately goes nowhere. This is the first queer character in an Ace Attorney game that is represented as kind, positive, and trustworthy. Robin is wonderful. I love her so much.

But now I want to dive into where parts of her portrayal are still negative, and how Capcom made several missteps that ultimately resulted in Robin not being as fleshed-out and three-dimensional as she deserved to be.

First, Robin’s reveal is still treated like comic relief at times. I was really uncomfortable when several characters said “he was a she???” or something to that effect. Given that “he-she” was once a widely used transphobic slur for trans women, it wasn’t in good taste. Also uncomfortable was the fact that as soon as the big reveal happened, she took on a bunch of hyperfeminine behavioral and vocal tics. The worst was when she started swooning every time that anything shocking happened for the rest of the time she was on the stand. It felt like this was just a way to play up the comedy side of “hey, she’s a girl now.” She was forcibly outed in the courtroom, and then magically showed no trauma or self-doubt afterward. It almost felt like she wasn’t there to be a serious character anymore. Later, she thanks Athena for outing her. I think that sends the wrong message.

What did the game do right when portraying her? I loved how visibly relieved and happy she was after coming out, though it sucks that she didn’t get to do it on her own terms. It’s later revealed that she had confided in a professor about her gender identity and had a plan to come out to the school, so that was a nice touch. I also really liked it being mentioned that she had been raised as a boy, removing most of the ambiguity about what we were seeing—that this wasn’t a self-imposed repression of her authentic self, but something that had been forced on her. They used the right pronouns for her throughout the entire rest of the case without slipping up even once, thankfully not misgendering her for laughs like they did relentlessly with Jean Armstrong two games earlier. She was also just a really pleasant character to be around afterward, so that was nice.

What would be on my wish list if I were asked to help in rewriting Robin to be a more positive example of trans representation? First, I would fix her character’s comedic behavioral tics. Most witnesses have some silly animations, but the fact that all of her tics after being outed were hyperfeminine to the point of parody made me uncomfortable. Are there other ways to make her a bit quirky and visibly feminine without punching down on her burgeoning relationship with her gender? I’m sure that there are. It would also be nice for her reaction to being out in public for the first time to be more on par with what you might actually expect if a trans woman found herself in that situation. She probably feels relieved, but also a bit scared, embarrassed, and hesitant about how she’s supposed to act now. I would love to see some of that reflected in how she talks and in how she acts. Maybe she’s daydreaming of what she can wear now that she’s out, and that’s interspersed with nervous hair-twirling and curtsying at awkward times.

I’d also like her to say something to Athena about how she wished that she wasn’t forced to come out in front of a bunch of people like that, but she’s happy that she gets to be herself. Anything other than thanking Athena for outing her with no qualifiers. The fact that she was forcibly outed needs to be portrayed as a traumatic moment. Sure, something good came out of it and Athena didn’t immediately realize that that’s where the cross-examination was going, but it shouldn’t have happened. An apology from Athena would also be nice. She should feel at least a little bit guilty about outing someone in the middle of a courtroom, even if that someone was much happier afterwards.

Finally, I’d love for there to be less ambiguity about the events that led her to this point—and ideally, something that more explicitly shows that she’s a trans woman. The way her dialogue was written, I think the writers were trying to portray her as having been assigned female at birth, but later forced by her parents to take on a male identity for…some reason. It’s never explained why they would want to inflict that on her. She’s trans regardless of her sex at birth if she was forced to live life as a boy for her entire childhood, but I think that it could be handled better. A few possibilities that I like more:

1) She was already in the middle of gender transition, and started wearing the chest brace when her breasts began to develop since she wasn’t ready to be out in public—especially to her parents, who might have cut her financial support off if they had known. After all, she was at a prestigious private legal school. That must have been a concern.

2) She was intersex, and her parents raised her as a boy when she was growing up because that’s unfortunately what happens so often with intersex children—they’re forced into one side of the binary or the other, and sometimes they find out later on that their parents didn’t make the right choice or that they don’t identify with a binary gender identity at all. Robin had breasts because she was born with both male and female sex characteristics, and try as her parents might to force her into manhood, she still had a uterus. Not every intersex person is trans, but plenty are.

3) Or just…remove the bit where she’s revealed to have breasts altogether, and keep in the fact that she’s a girl who was raised as a boy! Why does she have to be “a biological female in disguise”? While either of the above two options would have been good ways to explain the fact that she had breasts, I’m not giving the writers enough credit to have thought of one or the other. If they had, it would have been hinted at. On some level, it felt like they were saying “it’s okay everyone, she’s not really trans. Look, she had breasts all along!” If that’s what they were trying to do, then screw it; just change the reveal but nothing else about the character, and make her an unabashedly AMAB trans woman.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the topic. I recognize that this was super long-winded, but I needed to get my thoughts out—anyone who’s interested in this and got something from the long read, I’m glad that I was able to provide some insight. And I’m not even done with the series yet! Maybe they did do better! I don’t have my hopes up, but maybe! Anyway, please feel free to reblog this post with your thoughts or message me if this inspired any opinions of your own. As long as those thoughts aren’t “Robin isn’t really trans or queer at all.” I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life.

Have a great day, everyone! And thanks for reading!

[askaceattorney]

Dear kuromajinevil,

Co-Mod: Thanks for letting us know.  I’ve changed the response to indicate that.  I’m still a little freaked out by them, but I like the art style.

(Previous Post)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: You set me up!  You set me up!!!  The Cheat, tell him that he set us up.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Thank you for explaining.  Even without having those stories for context, I find it somewhat believable that Ga’ran could have a hidden interest in something like the Mighty Moozilla.

Dear angry-blonde-ish,

Co-Mod: Thanks a bunch!

In return, I’d like to remind you (and everyone else following us) that it’s all of you who make it possible with your letters.  And compliments like this one, of course.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: I try to keep it T-rated, as indicated in our submission guidelines.  Like in the games, there’s the occasional bit of language, innuendo, or mild violence, but apart from that, I try to keep it clean.  If it ever seems like we’re taking it too far, please let us know.

Mod Kristoph: Exactly. We’re not DD. We’re clean...ish.

Mod Paups: I feel we do a good job mantaining stuff T-rated! but yeah, do let us know if something is too much.

Dear Tony,

Co-Mod: I try my best to answer questions like that as carefully as possible, especially if they’re about heavy topics that I’m unfamiliar with (i.e. mental illness, family issues, etc.).  If you feel like asking one of the characters for life advice, please feel free, but bear in mind that we aren’t professional counselors or therapists, so our answers aren’t guaranteed to provide the best advice.

Occasionally, I run across a letter I feel is either too personal or too complicated for me to give an answer to, so I play it safe and delete it.  We’re here to have fun, after all.

Mod Paups: I’ve answered a few that have been quite personal, and I try to not only put myself completely into the character, but I also do my best to be understanding and caring, I get what Co-Mod is saying but I feel some people may try to cope with heavy stuff with characters they admire, so that’s why I domy best to answer them with care <3.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Spoil R. Warning,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  I’m not sure why I didn’t do so in the first place.

Mod Paups: It’s ok, sometimes it flies by, but thank you for letting us know!

Dear ajanisapprentice,

Co-Mod: I think you might have, but I had to delete all but those three, since that’s one of my rules.

I don’t see a letter to the judge about Operation Turnabout, so feel free to send that one again if you really want an answer from His Honor.

Dear Inferno again,

Co-Mod: Absolutely!  Much as I’d hate to see Athena (or any good-hearted lawyer) suffer abuse, I’m as eager as a human being can get to see her get her own piece of the Ace Attorney pie (heck, I’ll even settle for one game with her as the central character at this point).  If Phoenix and Apollo can take on one civil and two abusive prosecutors each, then why not her?  Huh?  Why not, Capcom?

Mod Paups: I feel that in comparision to Nick and Apollo, Athena is much more hot-headed and might actually retaliate...

Dear Andrea,

Co-Mod: Possibly, but I think it might instead be the new “Franziska’s sick of cats,” if anyone still remembers that trend.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: That sounds fairly accurate, but let’s not forget that even Phoenix isn’t a perfect paragon of morality.  He’s a nice guy overall, but he’s been known to play “hook or crook” on occasion.

I'm not read up on the Green Lantern, so I can’t really say if he or any of the other characters would be worthy of the ring, but it just so happens there are some letters on that subject in the queue, so perhaps we’ll see.

Mod Kristoph: If anyone else would be worthy to join the Green Lantern Corp., it would definitely be Dhurke. I mean his motto is “A Dragon never yields.” If that’s not a strong will, I don’t know what is.

Dear Christianthepupbot,

Co-Mod: It hasn’t so far, but that’s mostly because I answer the vast majority of the letters.  They can always be rewritten whenever inconsistencies or other issues pop up, thankfully. 

Mod Paups: It has happened that we’ve accidentally answered the same ask, but we delete it as soon as we realize it, overall we try to organize things well.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anthony,

Co-Mod: I was just being silly before, but thanks for keeping our nerves in mind.  I hope none of the spiders you had to deal with were that big.  *shudder*

And once again, thank you (meaning you and every other submitter) for your letters!

-The Mods

[taotrooper]

4, 7, 27, 28, 30, 34, 35, 45

4. Favourite prosecutor?

My boy Klavier for sure. He was really refreshing, he was the nicest to the attorney team, he had a personality and interests outside the job, he wasn’t a sore loser even when he had personal losses, he was absolutely as cursed as some very cursed AA characters but still moved forward, he was pretty cool, he was dorky, and if I have to be shallow he’s very hot. The fact CAPCOM didn’t allow him to have better bonds with the other characters and be around more just bums me out constantly.

I also really like Miles and Nahyuta.

7. Favourite murderer?

I think Gant. Power suit orange man was very threatening and very real, and he had the charisma as well. I like Shelly De Killer’s concept and design although he’ not the main murderer and about that, I do like Engarde a lot incidentally because he’s such a shit. Of course I love to hate Dahlia and Kristoph, they’re such fun villains.

27. Apollo’s perceive, Phoenix’s magatama or Athena’s Mood Matrix?

The magatama might be overdone but it was the least annoying by far. I love you Polly but I sweated while I was looking for sweat stains and shit. Mood Matrix was okay and even kinda fun but I felt like I was bullshitting through most of it.

28. Ace Attorney trilogy or Apollo Justice and Dual Destinies (and Spirit of Justice)?

This is hard to say because while my favorite game is in the Apollo trilogy, and most of my faves are there, and I liked the telenovela that was Spirit of Justice, the Phoenix trilogy is more memorable and better paced. Takumi was a better game producer? director? and it shows.

Please CAPCOM, sell the Apollo trilogy in a pack, I beg you.

30.  Ema Skye as she is in Rise from the Ashes or Ema Skye as she is in Apollo Justice?

I love. All of Ema so fucking much. Favorite character,

34. Do you think Miles Edgeworth should get another Investigation-game or do you think another character deserves a spin-off?

Well first, let’s get AAI2 translated officially because I can’t figure out how to play it pirated. But as long as we don’t have another case like that diplomat from hell, I’d be up for more Miles games.

However. Ever since I heard AAI was originally going to be an Ema forensics game, I have not have peace in my heart. Give me a fucking Ema game. I don’t care if she’s detective teaming up with Klavier or forensic teaming up with Nahyuta, or with someone else entirely, or with the attorneys, or if she gets her own teen sidekick. JUST MORE EMA. CAPCOM, listen,

35. Opinion on the soundtrack of the Ace Attorney-franchise?

It’s hella good and iconic, but it’s not one I listen to by itself. Maybe ti’s because it’s too bombastic when doing court music so it’s bad background noise when I’m studying or working.

45. One thing you think the Ace Attorney games can improve on?

Following the consequences of events of previous games. This is something AA2 touched upon, but afterwards it feels disjointed. Entire character plots don’t ever come back when we see them again, and sometimes instead they build up something new that might not... contradict the character’s backstory directly but it’s hard to marry with the rest of their personal lore (the timeframe for Klavier to study both in Germany and that law high school is so short, for instance). Apollo is the most infamous case, but he’s not the only main character that doesn’t get an acknowledgement of the stuff that happened even in the previous game.

And then there’s opposite case: Phoenix who literally had no backstory besides two things that happened to him in elementary school and college, and no known family except for the found family he built along the way. Does the guy even have parents? We just don’t know.

[rivalsforlife]

objection themes!

Alright!!

1 - Apollo Justice ~ A New Chapter of Trials! 2013: ... they don’t call Apollo’s and Athena’s “Objection”s but we all know they really count, right? Anyways. Apollo’s Objection Theme is just very fun and nice to listen to. I put this particular edition above Apollo’s other Objection themes because of this part around 1:07 in the video I linked... I just think it sounds really pretty, and it’s not in the other two objection themes. But I’d say probably overall Apollo’s Objection themes are my favourites out of the main three protagonists - I don’t have the musical skills to exactly put my finger on why that is, it just... is.

2 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2016: this one goes above the other Phoenix themes for the parts around 0:40 to 1:20 -- particularly the last twenty seconds there -- which again I really enjoyed listening to. The only thing I’m not a huge fan of in this song is in the main part of it there’s this sort of... faint percussion sound that keeps making me think either my headphones aren’t working and/or a cat is rummaging around in something, I did actually have to take out my earbuds when I was first listening to this because I thought a cat was doing something haha. It’s very faint though so it doesn’t bother me too much.

3 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2013: a cleaner sounding version of the one in second place without the percussion part. It has the lower part around 0:53 that I think sounds very nice, but I like the part from the 2016 version a bit more which is why it is my favourite of Phoenix’s. ... really with the DD/SOJ objection themes it comes down to tiny details haha.

4 - Miles Edgeworth: Objection! 2011: I Love This Song. It’s on my list of songs to listen to while I’m working because it motivates me. A lot of it is that it’s from my favourite game so I’m more inclined towards it... even just listening to it it jumped up a few places. The saxophone solo is very nice to listen to. It all just sounds very... cool? It has some Great Revival elements in it but much less prominently than 2009, AND it’s also used for Gregory Edgeworth which is really nice. even listening to this after finding the link moved it up a few places...  and I’ve got to stop listening to it or else I’m going to retroactively add it to first place. 

5 - Apollo Justice ~ A New Chapter of Trials! 2016: ALSO very good, I just didn’t like the new parts they added in more than the 2013 version. like I said. very tiny details. 

6 - Athena Cykes ~ Courtroom Révolutionnaire 2016: I like how Athena’s themes are a more intense version of her usual leitmotif. It’s very bright and energetic... and I like this 2016 version more for the additional electric bit to it that makes it sound more intense to try and show her growth. it sure would be great if we could ever actually hear this more often when Capcom remembers she’s supposed to be a protagonist... regardless...

7 - Apollo Justice ~ A New Chapter of Trials!: here’s the one from Apollo Justice itself. Like I said, I really like Apollo’s theme. It just has less interesting stuff in this one in comparison to his ones in DD and SOJ. 

8 - Athena Cykes ~ Courtroom Révolutionnaire 2013: even brighter than the 2016 version, put down here just because it sounds much... friendlier than the 2016 version? Like where 2013 Courtroom Révolutionnaire would apologize after hitting me in the face, 2016 Courtroom Révolutionnaire shows no mercy.

9 - Ryuutarou Naruhodou ~ Objection! 2017: maybe the smallest of DGS2 spoilers in this one? I like this one because it has elements of Susato’s theme and her character in it... it’s softer and prettier than the other Objection themes, which is fitting considering her characterization, but it’s still an Objection theme and she’s still ready to fight. ... also I liked seeing Susato on the defense in this part a lot.

10 - Ryuunosuke Naruhodou ~ Objection! 2015: a very solid sounding Objection theme, it’s very determined. There’s no real particular part that stands out to me in this one, nor is there anything I don’t like. Technically Prelude of an Adventure counts as an Objection theme as well, but I wasn’t sure whether or not to count it... so it’s going to go in here as well. They’re both very nice themes, though.

11 - Miles Edgeworth ~ Objection! 2009: jazzier Great Revival, basically. This theme is good, it’s fun, it sounds nice... but I can’t say I get as excited hearing it as the ones earlier on the list. It’s calmer than some of the other Objection themes, which suits Miles because he is calmer than the other protagonists, but that subsequently makes it a bit less exciting.

12 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001: That Classic Objection Flavour, which is only down here because I liked the other ones more...? am I going to be attacked for this? anyways. This is the quintessential objection song which wins it a lot of points, and it’s pretty relaxing to listen to, it just... doesn’t do much. It’s the 13 second line with a few different interesting things in the background. It’s very good for the games when you’re not focusing on the music, but listening to it on its own is a little bit lackluster.

13 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2004: the first version of what would later be Phoenix’s trademark Objection theme in the later games. It’s only down here because I personally prefer the more authentic-sounding instrument sounds, but that is 100% personal preference and why all the trilogy objection themes are down here at the bottom of the list haha.

14 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2002: like, I love this one too. just not as much as the others? I like how they change up the one line. It’s really only here beneath the other trilogy ones just because it lacks the Nostalgia value on it -- 2001 is the classic, 2004 is used for Phoenix’s later themes, so this one just falls to the bottom of those three. I do like the sound of it, though.

15 - Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2012: so these are from the Professor Layton crossover, and there’s two of these: The one for the English Court and one for Labyrinthia. They’re both remixes of the 2001 Objection, and I’m grouping them together because they both fell to the bottom. I feel like they just... lack some of the energy of the original 2001 objection, and it feels somewhat slower too? and they didn’t do anything too remarkable aside from being played by an actual orchestra. I’d put the Labyrinthia one above the English Court one, personally, I just didn’t feel like making two separate points on this one haha.

But really though, my rankings were going all over the place when I was listening to the songs and jotting down my thoughts, and then AGAIN when I was composing the actual posts, and I’m pretty sure if you asked again tomorrow my answers would change. at any given time my favourite Objection song is whichever of the first four I listened to most recently, pretty much. 

This is also the last soundtrack ranking currently in my inbox, but please feel free to send in more and give me more excuses to talk about my unjustified music opinions! 

[lemedy]

I mean, like....I do keep meaning to write up a post about HOW I FEEL ABOUT AA6, and every time I do that I never end up writing the damn thing, so here’s the quick dirty version:

ACE ATTORNEY 6: I GUESS ALL THE GAMES ARE ABOUT APOLLO NOW.

THE GOOD

- I whinge but also: Apollo is my baby chicken lawyer son, I love him, so it’s not like I’m DISPLEASED with him hogging the main story

- actual character development for Trucy

- bonding between Apollo and Athena because they are best fucking friends, you hear me, they are BEST FRIENDS and not a Friday goes past where they’re not taking shots at the local shitty bar, talking shit about everyone and everything

- Rayfa’s entire existence

- I ended up liking Dhurke much more than I thought I would? I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE AN ASSHOLE LIKE 100% OF THE GRAMARYES..but no, he’s a Good Dad who wants the best for his two idiot sons....so of course he went and died and broke mine and Apollo’s hearts

- Miles is basically just fanservice at this point, but I give zero fucks, and I guess he and Nick are just bloody married at this point, THEY NEVER STOP FLIRTING

- MAYA FINALLY MET APOLLO AND ATHENA AND IT WAS PERFECT. Maya IMMEDIATELY giving Apollo shit, and teaming up with Athena is exact and correct and RIGHT and thank you for that, writers

- All of the cases were legit fun. No dreaded ‘circus’ cases here, I had a lot of joy in investigating and working out shit in every case’s court sessions.

THE BAD AND THE UGLY

-  OKAY THIS IS POSSIBLY GOING TO BE A SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL OPINION, BUT: this game has a real fucking love of either resetting Phoenix’s character development (he apparently learned nothing from the Matt Engarde drama), or dumbing him down in order to prop up Apollo, who is very obviously the main character of this game

- sorry, not sorry, but it’s absolutely a thing

- the whole Phoenix vs Apollo in court is a complete waste, because while it should be a sweet moment when Apollo finally surpasses his boss, it’s really....not, when the whole thing is being manipulated because someone’s blackmailing Nick. Didn’t feel like a victory for Apollo at all

- when will these games stop treating Maya as the goddamn damsel in distress

- It is extremely grating that Capcom has invented a brother for Apollo and made the game’s main plot be all about reconnecting with his brother - WHEN THE APOLLO + TRUCY PLOTLINE IS STILL UNRESOLVED. HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL GAMES NOW. HE ALREADY HAS A GODDAMN SISTER, CAPCOM, CAN WE PLEASE FOCUS ON THAT FIRST

- there is literally nothing likeable about Nahyuta. At all. 

- he has like one slightly endearing cute moment in the epilogue, but other than that? Dude is just supremely an asshole, is boring, is not endearing at all. Did not and do not give any fucks about him

- Which is unfortunate for me, because do you know who the real main character in AA6 is? NAHYUTA. Do you know who shows up more than anyone else? NAHYUTA. He’s the only goddamn character to show up in every case, a fact that makes me roll my eyes so much that I am flying into fucking space

Overall? Enjoyed it, I really did. But that’s not really saying much when I enjoy pretty much the entire franchise. I’ll make a call and say that it’s my second least favourite game in the series, beaten only by Apollo Justice.

Now. Capcom.

GIVE ATHENA HER OWN GODDAMN GAME.

[birdboyjustice]

ACE ATTORNEY MASTERPOST - UPDATED 04/09/2017

Strap in everyone, this is 16 years worth of content. Disclaimer: may contain minor spoilers and Opinions™. Also, I tried my best, but this still isn’t a conclusive list. If you have any additions/corrections, please let me know! (under the cut for length so mobile users need to click through)

Contents:

Main series games (including availability)

Spin-off games (including where you can access)

Other official media (including stage plays + links)

Notable fan media (musicals + Youtube)

 MAIN SERIES

First things first, the core six games (release dates are of western release) :

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2005 [DS])

The game that started it all. This game deals with Phoenix’s first cases as a lawyer, and has a really solid internal arc that has appeared in so much other media now that I don’t appreciate it as much as I probably should anymore. Edgeworth is main prosecutor. Five cases. Available on DS, 3DS eShop, Wiiware, and iOS.

 PWAA: Justice for All (2007 [DS]) 

The second game carries on character development and gives more background on the Fey clan, introducing the concept of Psyche-Locks. The last case of this game is my favourite in the series because I live for the #drama. Franziska is main prosecutor. Four cases. Available on DS, 3DS eShop, Wiiware, and iOS.

PWAA: Trials and Tribulations (2007 [DS])

This game finishes off the initial trilogy of games. Includes flashbacks where you play as Phoenix’s mentor Mia when she was a rookie, so you get to see young Phoenix. The last case of this one is another one which completely owns me. This game gets kinda fucked up. Godot is main prosecutor. Five cases. Available on DS, 3DS eShop, Wiiware, and iOS.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (2008)

Takes place 7 years after the previous game, focusing on new lawyer Apollo after Phoenix was disbarred. Introduces the ‘Perceive’ feature that lets you see people’s tells when they are lying. This is like…… a really good game, you guys. Separate from the original series, could be played as a standalone easily enough. Klavier is main prosecutor. Four cases. Available on DS, iOS, and Android.

PWAA: Dual Destinies (2013)

Phoenix Is Back. This game features anime cutscenes and voice acting, which was Very Exciting at the time and Sam Riegal is there. Introduces Athena and her ~mood matrix~ which lets you work out the truth from people’s emotions. Mixed opinions these days but most people are fucked up about the Phantom. Blackquill is the main prosecutor. Five cases + DLC. Available on 3DS eShop and iOS.

PWAA: Spirit of Justice (2016)

This game is mainly set in a separate kingdom and the revolution of that legal system. Adds a new branch to the Kurain mythos linked to the Fey clan that doesn’t make loads of sense but I loved the game so whatever. Introduces seances so you can see the victim’s final moments. Nahyuta is the main prosecutor. Five cases + DLC. Available on 3DS eShop.

SPIN OFF GAMES 

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (2010)

This game series focuses on the investigation part rather than the court part, and you can run around the map which is pretty cool. You play as Edgeworth as more bad things happen to him and you get to see some more of the prosecutors and police. Origin of Deid Mann. Five cases. Available on DS.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Prosecutor’s Path

The sequel is arguably better than the original and there’s flashbacks to Edgeworth’s dad which is heartbreaking. It’s not released in the west, but instructions and links to play it in English with an emulator can be found here.

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2014)

This crossover features elements from both games, so you solve puzzles and do court cases. Also it’s medieval and there’s magic. It’s another one with cutscenes and voice acting, which is great but also TRAUMATISING. Barnham is main prosecutor. 12 cases + DLC. Available on DS.

Dai Gyakuten Saiban: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Bōken

The DGS games follow Phoenix’s ancestor in 1800s Japan, though it is partially set in Victorian steampunk London with Sherlock Holmes. It’s really, really good. Another one not released in the west, but you can watch the entire thing subbed here.

Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Kakugo 

This one has only recently been released in Japan and so is not subbed in full yet, and can only be played on a Japanese 3DS. Looks good though. The subbed trailer is here.

OTHER OFFICIAL MEDIA

Kodansha Comics Manga

I don’t know loads about this series but the one I read had a giant spider mutant in so. Phoenix and Maya are the protagonists. There are 15 overall, and you can get them through Amazon.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (manga) 

This manga series is based on the AAI games but there’s a lot more to it. The protagonists are Edgeworth and Gumshoe. There are 25 overall, again I think they can all be found on Amazon.

Ace Attorney (Film) 2012

This live-action film features cases 1, 2, and 4 from the first game. It’s got a great cast and some real tongue-in-cheek humour about how ridiculous the game is. It’s also just really cute in the way they show the characters and relationships and stuff, I would definitely recommend. You can watch it subbed here.

Anime 2016

There’s currently only one season of the anime, covering the first two games and including a couple of extra bits, like more detail on Larry, Miles, and Phoenix as kids. I’m not a massive fan of the art style and find the writing a bit dull, but the story is obviously good, the OP is a Jam, there’s good voice acting and it’s cool that it exists. You can watch the whole season for free on crunchyroll here, which I assume is legally supporting it also.

Turnabout Spotlight/Farewell, My Turnabout

It’s hard to tell, but these seem to be official stage plays. The former is a new story, whereas the latter is a dramatisation of the final case from the second game. They can be downloaded in Japanese here, though I’m not aware of any full subs available sadly.

The Truth Reborn: Musical

Capcom teamed up with Takarazuka Revue to make this all-female musical. It’s really good. It’s based on the fifth case of the first game but altered so Phoenix is more in the middle of it. It is all in Japanese, but the music is good, and it’s all very professional. You can watch it subbed here. Its success led to two more musicals, though I can’t find the second one anywhere and the third one (you can watch here) hasn’t been subbed yet.

Special Edition CD Dramas

These Japanese stories are companions to the games. Translations can be found here. [Note - the linked blog translates many other AA-related media]

NOTABLE FAN MEDIA

There’s loads of great fanworks in this fandom so this is by no means a comprehensive list, but it’ll get you started.

Turnabout Musical

Honestly? If you like Ace Attorney and you have any interest at all in musicals, you need this in your life. It’s incredible. This fan musical covers the first four cases of the first game. The songs are amazing and sample relevant music from the games, and the characterisation and interpretation of relationships is on point, in my opinion. There’s some great counterpoint too. You can watch a live production of the musical here (where the third case was cut for time), and download the full soundtrack here. The team(?) are also currently working on an Apollo Justice Musical, and you can follow their progress here.

Phoenix Wright: The Musical

This one is more of a parody, with some dumb jokes and silly costumes. Maya is arrested for murdering Larry. There aren’t a lot of actual songs, but the ones that exist are pretty good (especially Franziska’s, and, weirdly, Payne’s). You can watch it here. 

Youtube: Boot to the Head

Listen. I wasn’t gonna not include this. The MOST iconic ace attorney meme, audio from a comedy sketch put to sprites. Link.

Youtube: Gay or European?

This one uses the audio from a Legally Blonde song to be about Klavier Gavin and it is canon. Link.

Youtube: Bohemian Rhapsody

This is a slightly less well-known video but it makes me emotional and I still think of it every time I hear Bohemian Rhapsody so yknow. Link.

Like I say, please message me if you have any additions or corrections!

[nanahoshis]

AA6 review

(SPOILERS UNDER CUT)

Secretly a rant lol

I enjoyed the new graphics and better quality of the 3D sprites and cut scenes. Takeru Fuse’s art got a lot better, he’s works tried to imitate Kazuya Nuri in AA5 but I liked his illustrations more in AA6.

The first case was the hardest case for me because of the Divination Seance (lol noob), I didn’t enjoy that case except for the part of Mr. Wright being so brave and assertive at the start (he’s so cool <3).

The second case focused on Trucy Wright, I was expecting more sibling scenes but, I guess it’s not that much as I expected but it’s a good case, it was ok. The ending was good though xD

I suffered into narumayo hell in the 3rd case but I was expecting a more ‘reunion vibe’ and narumayo scenes but  I guess that was good enough thanks capcom for bringing Maya back. The ending was heartbreaking, especially when I learned that Ms. Inmee was with child.

In most AA games, the second or fourth cases usually were the worst and Turnabout Storyteller was the worst case for me in AA6, It wasn’t that appealing compared to the other cases in AA6. ALTHOUGH, I gotta love Athena here who stood up for herself and defended her client by herself (with a little help). Cykesquill vibes all over too and it was nice to see Blackquill helping Athena again in his own way.

THE FIFTH CASE WAS HOLY MOTHER OF REVOLUTION WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON>?!

MR. WRIGHT TRYING TO SAVE MAYA AND THEN MAYA CHANNELED DHURKE ALL ALONG?! WHERE’S MY NARUMAYO HUUUUUUHHHHHH?!! ‘LAY A FINGER ON MAYA’S HAIR’ FROM PHOENIX WRIGHT’S OWN MOUTH OMG.....

Apollo did really good here, his character development was the main point of Aa6 AS WELL AS HIS PAST, WHICH WAS NOT REVEALED in AA4 or AA5

why call the game Phoenix Wright: Spirit of Justice though?

Oh wait.... Phoenix Wright: Spirit of  (Jove) Justice ??!! *gets hit*

and then some Wrightworth scenes in case 5...Investigating together after 8 years? (I shipped them in the first and second Ace Attorney game, because of the  UNNECESSARY FEELINGS, AND ‘HOW CAN I EXPRESS HOW I FEEL’ *gives whip* part, but I fell into narumayo in the third game)

OMG I miss Edgeworth the most here, he’s so minor  in AA6 and I bet the next game would feature him less. I gotta play the DLC for more Edgeworth then.

AND AMARA’S SO PRETTY, I enjoy her love story with Dhurke, my heart hurts when I think of them, OTP for life. The necklace was also the saddest part for me and BABY RAYFA PICTURE UGH

AND APOLLO WITH HIS NEW LAW OFFICES, HE DID SO GOOD BUT TRUCY MISSES HIM AND THAT ENDING WHERE MR. WRIGHT WAS TALKING TO THALASSA?!! It’s so open ended.

My guesses if there is an AA7 game, it would be centered on Apollo Justice instead AND PLEASE LET TRUCY VISIT KHU’RAIN TO STAY WITH APOLLO TO HELP OUT IN HIS OFFICE PLEASE

BUT lastly, all I really wanted to play now in Dai Gyakuten Saiban, the story is interesting, the ost, as well as the setting... Well, hope to see it translated by fans or hoping capcom would translate it soon.

[askaceattorney]

Dear rogertheegg,

As mentioned before, any of the Mods are free to write whatever they want about whoever they want, so there’s isn’t really an established system there.

And I don’t believe the Twisted Samurai has an essay just yet, so if you would, please join me in a moment of

Simon Blackquill, your unfriendly neighborhood convict-samurai-prosecutor combo.  I can only imagine what the writers at Capcom were thinking of when they came up with him, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it went something like this:

Head Writer: “So, we’ve already had a corrupted childhood friend, a ruthless perfectionist, his whip-happy daughter, and a smooth-talking coffee lover for a prosecutor.  How can we top that?”

Writer 2: “What about a samurai?”

Head Writer: “A samurai prosecutor?  That doesn’t sound very believable.”

Writer 3: “What if he’s also a psychology expert, and he knows how to manipulate others’ emotions?”

Head Writer: “That sounds even more far-fetched.”

Writer 4: “What if he’s a convicted criminal?”

Head Writer: “PERFECT!!”

After doing some research on his wiki page, I discovered that the contradiction of his being both a criminal and a prosecutor was part of his design from the very beginning.  Whether this sort of thing could happen in real life, it makes for a very intriguing concept -- someone who is paying a (supposed) debt to society while at the same time attempting to collect that debt from others of his kind.  Or in his words...

Like many of the prosecutors Phoenix and the gang have faced in the past -- scratch that, like all of them -- Simon Blackquill’s story is shrouded in mystery.  For all we know, he could be guilty as charged of a heinous murder -- and a very violent one, as indicated in his opening cutscene.

Nonetheless, the Chief Prosecutor (whom we later learn to be a familiar face) has no qualms about letting him prosecute as long as he’s kept under surveillance.  Despite being less than trustworthy, even taking pleasure in scaring those around him, he has an undeniable talent for forcing the truth out of criminals.  As an expert in psychology, he’s mastered the ability to use emotions to his advantage.

Say...is it just me, or does that sound like someone else?

Before seeing him face-to-face, we’re informed by one Bobby Fulbright that his conviction was the main catalyst for the Dark Age of the Law.  He sounds like the last person anyone would expect to serve as prosecutor, but on top of that, he and Athena have some form of connection between them.  I don’t know about you, but that had me raising my eyebrows.

And then we get to see how he operates in court.

Like any other Ace Attorney prosecutor, he refuses to let court proceedings go any way except his way.  Rather than using a forceful or intimidating attitude, however, his weapon of choice is the power of suggestion, which he clearly knows how to use well.  In a matter of seconds, he’s able to convince the judge to do his opening statement for him, all while poking fun at his age and lack of hair (not that it’s very difficult to sway this particular judge).

One part I love about his introduction is how much more intense the air becomes when we find out his shackles aren’t made of titanium, as Apollo was hoping.

I honestly started fearing for Apollo’s life for a moment the first time I saw this.  Luckily, the only harm Simon meant to do was psychological.

So far he’s pretty much par the course as far as prosecutors go, outside of being an inmate and a psych expert.  The only thing he’s missing is some form of physical abuse.

Whoops.  Spoke too soon.

And that’s just the beginning.  On top of his “Simon Says” games and samurai speak, he uses his fellow and former inmates as examples for his arguments, making for some interesting (if disturbing) tales of the clink.  Speaking of...

His feathered companion has a way of showing up out of nowhere, adding yet another layer to his intimidating nature.  Besides providing another pair of glaring eyes from the prosecutor’s bench, Taka acts as Simon’s “henchman” of sorts -- distracting the defense, grabbing evidence for him, and even holding documents as he reads them.  Once again, I have to give those writers credit for making him the most sinister ambiance possible.  Even Jinxie thinks he’s a “Leader of the One Hundred Demons.”

On that note, the most satisfying part of a courtroom battle against this fiendish prosecutor is seeing his defeat.

It’s almost like beating a final boss in an action/adventure game.  In fact, I’d say it’s exactly like that in some ways.

After defeating him three times in court, we still know very little about him, until our “good” detective friend lets us in on something he heard him say:

Being his shadowy, secretive self, Blackquill refuses to say anything on this subject when Phoenix brings it up.  It isn’t until Athena becomes a murder suspect, his desperate sister takes a number of hostages, and he’s finally called to the witness stand and given an Athena-style therapy session that his tight lips begin to pry open:

To the surprise of many -- the judge, his sister, the courtroom, and -- most importantly -- the player, he spills his guts on what truly happened the day his mentor was murdered.  In other words, it could be said that Phoenix gets someone to “confess” to their innocence for once.  And it’s this very reluctance -- a reluctance to tell a truth that would literally set him free -- that sets him apart from every other antagonist (perhaps even every other character) in the series.  What could drive someone to confess to a crime they didn’t commit, remain a prisoner for seven years, and be willing to face execution?

After the case surrounding him, Metis, Athena, and the Phantom is brought to an end, he finally gives an answer to that question:

What seemed like sheer stubbornness up until now turns about to be the loyalty of a samurai.  While this doesn’t quite excuse his brash attitude, his violent tactics in court, and his morbid jokes, it does help you see him less like a villain and more like a hero in disguise (or an antihero, at the very least).  Like his sister, his actions were questionable at best, but his heart was in the right place, just as Athena suspected all along.

One other thing I enjoyed about his character development was how it ended up being the mirror opposite of “Fool Bright’s” development.  The buffoonish detective who seemed to have a Gumshoe-esque loyalty to Blackquill ended up being one of the cruelest and most uncaring villains in the whole series.  It wasn’t until Phoenix unmasked him that he and Blackquill flip-flopped their roles as protagonist and antagonist.  The irony in this series never fails to satisfy, does it?

We only get to see the Twisted Samurai for a single case in the next game, where he has the same harsh-but-caring personality that made him so memorable before.  While his faith in Athena isn’t as strong as you would think (considering she helped save his life and all), it’s clear that he still sees a lot of undeveloped potential in her as an attorney, and even offers to help bring it out...in his own special way.

As that lovely image becomes ingrained in your mind, I’d like to conclude by saying that Simon is living proof that appearances can be deceiving.  Much like the Phantom (and a certain green ogre), he has a number of layers to his personality; some are pleasant and some are unnerving, but like his mentor and her daughter, he’s all heart.

-The Co-Mod