#I thought that farewell my turnabout was as good it was gonna get

[super-antelope]

After finishing Disco Elysium a couple of months ago, I’ve been feeling that no game will ever be this good again and excite me and make me that emotional. And now I’m almost done playing the first Ace Attorney trilogy and I’ve realised that there are probably MANY games that I haven’t played yet that are THAT good. And that was a very pleasant thing

[nyaagolor]

How would you rank all the Ace Attorney games you’ve played from favorite to least favorite? You seemed to enjoy all of them, to varying degrees.

So this is actually kind of hard for me to answer depending on whether you base your metric on “how much fun were they to play” “how much do I think to explore the themes / writing / think about the game in general” or “how well written do you think they are”. I’m gonna do all of them and prolly talk a lot so yeehaw. Under the cut bc. surprise surprise! I got long winded

Quick disclaimer: Not including DLC cases or spin off games because if I did we’d be here all day

“How much fun did I have playing through the actual game”

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney

Trials and Tribulations

Apollo Justice Ace Attorney

Justice for All

Dual Destinies

Spirit of Justice

This might be kinda surprising to some people considering what I talk about on this blog, but honestly my opinions on these games changed drastically after I had time to ruminate on them. Here’s some explanations if you’re curious!

AA1 very well could be at the top because it was the first game in the series and I was going in fresh— while Turnabout Samurai was a bit of a slog, I managed to get through all of these cases in a day each and just could not put down Turnabout Goodbyes. I don’t think about it as much anymore because it was so foundational and all the things it introduced have been explored by other games, but this game really is the reason I fell into this series with such ferocity.

AA3 was much of the same, and I don’t think I had as much fun with a tutorial case as I did with Turnabout Beginnings. The characterization present in this games and the nonlinearity of the narrative is genuinely fantastic, and my opinion of it has only increased over time.

AA4 is ranked a little lower because I actually wasn’t vibing with the game when I first played it— it was only after Turnabout Succession that everything fell into place and the game skyrocketed up my favorites list. Once I’m finished with all the spinoffs and have some time to chill I actually plan on revisiting it with fresh eyes because I think a second playthrough has the potential to be soooo much better than the first. Also APOLLOOOOOOO he’s my little guy :)

I thought justice for all was fine, but boring. Big Top made me feel some emotions that were less than positive, but generally speaking all the cases were fine but didn’t leave a big impression on me. Also I don’t like Farewell My Turnabout nearly as much as other people— I still like it but it didn’t totally blow me away or anything. Game is still like an 8/10, but it didn’t leave a huge impression on me.

Dual Destinies was confusing as hell timeline wise and it made it kinda difficult to figure out what was even happening, and for that same reason I struggled to attach myself to the plot. The game had some moments that really were stellar but the sheer length and layout of the cases kinda made me wanna cry

I literally only finished this game so I could get to Investigations. Characters were great but it was so. Damn. long.

“How much do I like thinking about the games, its writing, and its themes”

Dual Destinies

Apollo Justice Ace Attorney

Trials and Tribulations

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney

Spirit of Justice

Justice for All

This part of the list actually has very little to do with how good I think the games are or how much I like them, but sometimes a game’s themes just Captivate you.

If you’re reading this you’ve probably seen this blog, and you know how I feel about Dual Destinies. I am OBSESSED with this game. I love the characters, I love the themes, and I am fascinated by every part of the writing process and how the game ended up the way it did. I think about this game an unhealthy amount actually. Don’t let my complaining make you think I don’t love this game to pieces. Bc I do. So much.

I love expanding on things. The media I blog about? KIrby and Pokemon, stories that practically beg for you to fill in the gaps and work with their vagueness. So when Takumi handed me a game with half a dozen hanging plot threads and massive time gaps just begging to be filled? You can bet I would never shut the fuck up about it. AJAA my absolute beloved

I could probably talk about Miego for hours. This game is incredible I think about it on the regular. Ough.

This game slams but all the ideas introduced by it have been expanded on and talked about and worked with in a hundred different ways so it’s hard to me to really go back other than to say “wow Turnabout Goodbyes was so fucking good”

Literally the only context in which I think about this game is “this should have been a spinoff” but honestly it barely crosses my mind except when I purposefully try to ignore it

JFA is good and makes me feel absolutely nothing

“How well-written do I think the games are”

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney

Trials and Tribulations

Apollo Justice Ace Attorney

Justice for All

Spirit of Justice

Dual Destinies

These are suuuuuper close so this list is a lil shakier than the others but explanations are below as usual!

Ok this is really REALLY tough because I think AA1 and AA3 are tied. They both have their moments and I think the themes are incredible, but for the purposes of this list I’m putting AA1 above AA3 because BttT is a little bit absolutely batshit insane? Turnabout Goodbyes is TIGHT. Sorry Godot you’re still my favorite prosecutor ily kitten

See above

I’ve never seen an AA game whose final cases elevates the entire game quite like AA4. I thought the game was good, but the Turnabout Succession hit and oh my GOD. I think about this game constantly it’s so, SO good. Also helps that Apollo really shakes up the series, he’s my favorite species of insect

These cases were fine, Franziska is a solid prosecutor, the whole “chooses death” thing was fresh, and Farewell was some of the best character writing this series has seen. I don’t honestly have much to even say about it bc it’s super solid

The difference between DD and SOJ is that I think DD had a really good story that it failed to tell effectively while SOJ succeeded in telling its story but that story fucking sucks. Jokes aside I don’t like SOJ but the story is cohesive at least. It had a plot. It was Fine. DD failed miserably but oh my god what you could have been. Ily. Mwah.

See above

Sorry this wasn’t a clear ranking / favorites list, hope you enjoyed regardless!!

[windor-truffle]

many thoughts head full they're only tangentially graces related but idk where else to vent:

I feel like I should have/did already know this about myself but holy shit I (and many others) am an absolute slut for the redemption-style ship trope, the ol' "I know you and I love you and that's why I can't let you deviate into this darker place I'm stopping you I'm saving you I'm helping you I'm bringing you back." and now I'm gonna ramble abt it because aaaaaaaaaa

I swear I've loved this trope for a while now but I think analyzing graces in part heightened my awareness of it until it hit a breaking point (w an ace attorney video of all things) and I realized that *all* of my favorite ships are this way 😅 Richard and Asbel fit it of course they're like the prototype of the simplest yet effective way to enact this: a pure-hearted protagonist who believes in his friends until the end but is willing to stand against them vs the love interest coerced (and in this case also outright possessed) into very obviously morally wrong actions by the exacerbation of a flaw but ultimately saved when they can put aside their pain and embrace the help that comes with companionship and makes that pain bearable. Paragons that cling on to hope even if it makes them seem naive or causes them to get hurt sometimes along the way are SO sexy and when that hope is rewarded with what they wanted, the redemption of someone who others thought to be beyond salvation, I the audience am also bursting into tears I don't care if it's cliche it's SO GOOD 😭

You know which other popular ship does this? Not hard to figure out I already mentioned Ace Attorney but yeah Phoenix Wright changed his whole career just because he heard that the hero who once stood up for him when no one else would was now a ruthless prosecutor and he had to find the truth of what had happened to his beloved childhood friend Miles Edgeworth (I've made the Richass comparison before and there's even an AA AU fic for graces but I haven't read it yet 😔). The AA fandom eats this gay ship up but how can you not 💜 Edgeworth being stopped in his tracks by this incessant bluffing optimistic man who stood fast against his selfishness (paraphrasing something Edgeworth literally says in JFA 😅) until he starts to question himself (because of some "unnecessary feelings") and eventually actually believes in himself after years of feeling guilt over a crime he thought he committed and shame of letting down the beliefs his supposed victim instilled him (the same beliefs that Phoenix is determined to bring out in him again) and ultimately leaves to figure out what his goal as a prosecutor really is then returns for my all-time favorite case Farewell and Turnabout and now it's Edgeworth's turn to say "I've learned what I stand for and the lengths to which I'd go to maintain it because you set me on this journey, now it seems it's your turn to walk this same path of doubt and discovery but don't worry I'll be right beside you, I'll walk it with you so you don't have fear going as far astray as I once did." Like. ;_;

But holdup I'm not done naming ships 'cause Fluri also does this to an extent. Yuri has to call out Flynn when it becomes apparent his blind trust in his mentor has made him complacent in the very crimes he sought to fix from within, and Flynn retorts by condemning the methods that Yuri has resorted to, the "dirtying of his hands," though I'd argue though that Yuri's double homicide is actually not a deviation from his morality but rather an extreme fulfillment of it. But it's still delightful though the way they have to pull each other back from the pitfalls of their own brands of justice, ie. entrusting too much power in fallable governments vs. appointing yourself the power to decide who gets to live or die. And like the previously mentioned ship, this pair works the best when they combine their different approaches (everything about how they infiltrate Ragou's manor is brilliant) because that way they can keep each other in check. It's almost like finding the balance in enacting justice is the theme of these games or something 😅

Last ship I wanna mention isn't even in canon but I can't resist the opportunity to plug my own (unfinished 😓) sormik fic "Falling Awake" because this is DEFINITELY what I was going for, a Mikleo threading the line of morality out of both despair and desperation to see their dream fulfilled even if the cost is steep, and a Sorey who struggles to reconcile whether this fallen seraph before him really is his friend or whether he can even be saved. A Mikleo who places the decision of whether to cross that line fully in Sorey's hands, trusting him to make the right call even as he begs him to let him do this, and a Sorey who can't let down the dreams of their past by allowing this particular tainted method to be its fulfillment. Everytime I work on it I start weeping even though I'm the one who wrote it 😅

Before I wrap this up though I wanna shoutout some variations of this trope, because it can obviously go a lot of different ways. I know V's rather fond of the more twisted love version in which instead of trying to bring their loved one back from the brink they jump off together, a la Kresnik Bros Bad End Best End 😁 In some ways I almost think this trope is "purer" because rather than trying to restore their beloved to what they think they should be (morally good) they embrace them as they are (amoral but kinda sexy bc of it ���). True love lets the world burn 💜

Also worth mentioning is the delicious variation wherein the fallen party really was bad from the start, such as being a mole for an evil group, but caught feelings along the way and started wanting to be the kind of person the other seemed to think they already were. Dramatic irony is my fave and there's so much angst you can tease as the character evolves from "haha I'm deceiving them can't wait to betray them" to "shit I'm actually so much happier here with them but our relationship is built on a lie and when it comes out that I am a villain I will be undone and have nowhere to turn except from whence I came but I no longer want to be there." I feel like there's a lot of instances of this trope but the one that came to my mind first was Shadowhand Essek from Critical Role, there's the excellent Shadowgast ship of course but I like that he has this dynamic with the whole party who have been nothing but kind to him and inspire him to want a better life despite what he's done and what he's still trapped in.

Anyway, if anyone read this far first of all thank you 💜💜💜 I really have just been stuck in fandom ramble analysis mode for the past few days it's kinda insufferable but at least tumblr blogs are a good outlet for it 😅 And secondly uhhh if any of my impassioned ship/trope descriptions remind you of a particular media/ship lmk (I feel like Soriku might fit this but I never got that far into the series). I can't say I'll get to anything right away but if it's got this kinda vibe that's like catnip to me I'll happily stash the recommendation away for a future obsession someday 😅

[trlvsn]

ok id didn't have any coherent thought either just. jfa is such a game yknow. so many complicated emotions just underneath the surface... and they're so strong too. they control the flow of the narrative even. i'm gonna try my best to put some of phoenix and franziska into words (and fail miserably)

after edgeworth chose death... they were both "betrayed" by him (recall the poisoning and betrayal line). they're just... they're both in court to prove a point to themself. they're both trying to get closure.

and they very clearly both look down on each other. phoenix is just very aggressive in jfa in general... but something that makes me feel some way is the way they both criticize each other for running from their past

phoenix thinks she's running from the fact that her father is dead and franziska thinks he's running from edgeworth's "death" (and they're not wrong... although one is more obvious than the other)

i think it boils down to what point they're trying to prove to themself... and idk how much this goes into speculation territory cuz i'm not exactly coherent rn sorry

with franziska i'm pretty sure she's trying to convince herself that she's worthy of being a von karma/a prosecutor by being perfect aka winning against phoenix wright. the ending of jfa is evidence

with phoenix though... a running theme of jfa is suspicion. in the first case phoenix is so skeptical about maggey (yeah he's lost his memories but still) and in the second one yeah he will always defend maya, but mia had to give him that final puch to believe in her fully. big top is just... idk how to interpret that cuz i didnt trust anyone in that case while playing it. farewell my turnabout? speaks for itself

and maya's case being the first one he took on after edgeworth choose death (im pretty sure) even the gap between aa1-4 and aa1-5 says a lot

what im saying is... i think he was trying to prove to himself that there was a point in being a defence attorney even though the guy he became a defense attorney for was dead. and that the point was to "defend those who had no one on their side/innocent people" like maya. having said that... the last case suddenly looks kinda different

a lot of people tend to ignore that a significant part of his crisis in the last case was him having to defend someone guilty. he WAS having a crisis on what the point of being a defense attorney was (edgeworth wasnt just ignoring the main issue he was addressing another one) cuz he'd spent the first half of the game telling himself it was something that was crumbling down around him

i think if he had been in franziska's place in jfa, by which i mean that if he had lost those two cases against her, he would have lost faith in himself as a defense attorney like she did. which is what i mean. theyre so similar, it's just that one of them won and the other one lost

also jfa is a good game

(i know this is long but i would love to hear your thoughts even if theyre really just in general. i need to organise my brain.)

anon i'm so sorry it took me this long to answer you asks. in my defense i was reading umineko and couldn't think about any characters from outside that universe

but yeah, i still very much agree with a lot of points?? phoenix and franziska aren't really obvious mirrors of each other like edgeworth and gant or franziska and adrian but they do still share some similarities and end up teaching each other huge lessons. I really need to talk about the significance of phoenix giving edgeworth the whip by the end of aa2-4 in a separate post, but other than that, some things i can point out are:

- anger as a coping mechanism and a method to keep going, in both cases directed outward when in fact they are more angry at themselves

- expanding on the point you made about phoenix trying to understand how to be a defense attorney and franziska finding her way as a prosecutor - edgeworth coming back does end up teaching a lesson to both of them

- they both have a very... wrong understanding of each other. phoenix immediately assumes franziska is there to get revenge for manfred and franziska villianizes phoenix for the completely wrong thing too

- also they kind of get angry at each other as a substitute for getting angry at edgeworth?? phoenix loooves to win against the prideful von karma child and franziska loves to whip the man who's the reason her father is in prison. you know

- ugh it's mainly about the whip and i don't want to talk about the whip without relaying aa2-4 first. no one say anything about the whip i will say it myself later pls

also the dynamic they have in aa3 is like balm for my soul. top ten things that heal you

[ame-exe]

Thinking about Phoenix and Trucy’s dynamic in aa5 and aa6 because of a post I reblogged recently (idk if I should link it or not) and man it really is something that majorly pisses me off. Warning this is gonna get pretty anti aa5/aa6. And rambly I am too lazy to properly format and structure this

TLDR Phoenix would be a good father based on his character and how his fatherhood is shown in aa4 but aa5 and aa6 write it incredibly badly

First there’s the kidnapping in 5-5. You could feel they were trying to recreate 2-4 with this case by having someone close to Phoenix get kidnapped to force him to be at a trial and the killer being an assassin. It’s just… not nearly as good. For many reasons but this is about Phoenix and Trucy. One of the reasons farewell my turnabout works so well is that the tension and suspense around Maya’s kidnapping is written incredibly well. The whole cast is constantly worried, especially Phoenix. He’s in an instant panic when he hears Maya’s been kidnapped, and it’s constantly at the forefront of his mind. It’s one of the reasons the case works so well at being anxiety-inducing, you can really feel Phoenix’s fear and anxiety through the entirety of it. He always has thoughts related to Maya and how worried he is, he finds different sources of help (Gumshoe, Edgeworth) to ensure her safety, the entire REASON he goes along with being Engarde’s lawyer at all is because he can’t fathom the idea of Maya getting hurt. When they reunite at the end of the case, he screams her name and cries and the game actually portrays his damn relief

With Trucy ? He has some dialogue when it happens that is basically just “oh no”, then does the trial without even thinking on it again. No blue dialogue nothing. There’s that one moment where Aura threatens to kill her and he does the most empty fucking “nooo don’t hurt her” I’ve ever seen a father do, and that’s kind of it. Then the trial continues like nothing happened and he once again forgets about it, pretty much. And when she comes back at the end of the case, there’s no crying or yelling or anything, just a bland “Trucy are you okay”. The contrast between the two kidnappings is insane

Then there’s the magical turnabout in aa6 and ohh boy it doesn’t get better. I actually like the magical turnabout, idk if that’s unpopular or not, because I found the gameplay and the case fun and I liked what it did for Apollo and Trucy’s relationship. But oh my god do I hate what it does for Phoenix and Trucy’s relationship. Again.

There are some brief frantic phone calls with Apollo at the start and end of the trial and that’s literally it ? I know why they couldn’t have Phoenix just fly back to Japanifornia because of the Khura’in gameplay and all that, but then make the magical turnabout a case in a different game where Phoenix isn’t in another country. The reasoning for him not flying back is that he wouldn’t make it to the first trial day, but it’s not like that’s a problem for Phoenix ? I know “taking a plane the second you hear someone’s in danger” is Edgeworth’s thing but let’s be real Phoenix definitely would be that guy too if he was out of the country regularly and had money. There’s no way he would hear his daughter is getting accused of murder and he would go “well plane tickets are expensive. I can phone her when the trial’s over”. Plus at that point Trucy is 17 ? It really shocked me while I was playing that he only learned about her arrest from the news or something, because I was thinking shouldn’t he have been immediately contacted by the police, seeing as he’s her legal guardian and she’s a minor ? The ace attorney universe doesn’t seem to have laws like minors being tried differently (looking at you Machi Tobaye), but still Jesus Christ.

And this isn’t me arguing Phoenix is a bad father who doesn’t care for Trucy, this is me arguing the writing of aa5 and aa6 is abysmal. How he treats Trucy in those games is completely different than how he treats her in aa4. In aa4, he’s definitely not a perfect father, but you can tell he cares so, so much about her. She’s literally “his light”. One can argue one of the reasons he was willing to forge the ace was because he couldn’t afford to go to prison when he had Trucy to take care of. He states that “he’s the only one who knows how she really feels”, showing how attentive he is to her emotional state (because god knows Trucy isn’t open about her real feelings) and that Trucy trusts him. In short, you can tell he’s a caring and loving father.

I think the problem with how his fatherhood is written in aa5/aa6 is that they didn’t really have time to flesh it out because of how much is always happening in those games (which is a whole other problem of its own), so they elected to give him stereotypical father things. So he shows basic (really basic) worry when she’s in a bad situation, then the game goes “alright we showed he gives a bit of a shit back to the game”. There are also some lines, like the one where Athena makes a joke about Trucy’s diary talking about crushes and Apollo saying if that were the case Phoenix would burst into tears, that kinda just feel like “haha yeah that’s what dads do right ?”. To me it felt like those games didn’t want to focus on them at all but couldn’t ignore that yknow. they’re father and daughter. and so tacked on some lines without really focusing on if it’s in character or not, without making changes to the plot itself to make it less ooc.

[smoozie]

Kinda love how Scott and Cleo's relationship in the Life Series translates over to your Ace Attorney AU

Like Gem's in the middle of a case Cleo's prosecuting and calls up Scott to ask for a second opinion on something.

Scott's like "Sorry Gem, I'm busy right now. I'm having lunch with a friend."

"Oh, tell them I say hi."

"They say hi back! She also wanted me to tell you to get ready to lose tomorrow. Anyway, good luck with the case Gem!"

Like vibes.

YES!! Omg I hadn't even thought of that lol.

The best thing in Ace Attorney, imo, is the character dynamics!! And I want that to show through in my au with the roles everyone plays and their typical dynamics.

Scott and Cleo are kinda an equivalent to Phoenix and Edgeworth AA3 and beyond. Not to say they are unlike AA2 during farewell my turnabout, but there are some more complicated feelings between Phoenix and Edgeworth after the whole "Edgeworth declares death" bit so I'm saying AA3. ANYWAY, they may be on opposite sides of the court, but they'll always try to work together to help the other, even if that mean facing against the other.

You make think Grian and Mumbo have a similar dynamic, but I personally don't see it that way. It's hard to find an AA equivalent for how I perceive their relationship, especially considering Mumbo is soooo Apollo coded to me and the obvious choice would be Klavier, but Grian is so NOT Klavier. I don't see them as directly antagonistic to each other ofc, and I could definitely see them working through cases together on occasion, but I think there is a competitiveness there that Cleo and Scott lack.

Gem vs Pearl is another dynamic I'm really in love with especially in regards to this au. I suppose they sort of have a relationship similar to Athena and Blackquill, tho I haven't touched AA5 in ages so you'll have to forgive my accidental mischaracterization. I kinda wanted Pearl to be a little crazed like her Double Life self, but I just finished her design the other day and she is ADORABLE. Like I was picturing smth intimidating with her, but I think it's less Double Life crazies and more Secret Life finale. She's not crazy there by any means, but she's determined and she's gonna do what it takes for those she cares abt. Ironically the mounders are actually split 50/50 across the court in this lol

Okay that's enough rambling I think lmao, I really like the dynamic you've brought to my attetion, thank you <3

[mutxnts]

1 10 46 and 78!!!

1. Favourite Attorney?

phoenix, of course!!! although i also like apollo :)

10. Favourite trial from all the games?

oh my god there are so many good ones to choose from, but either bridge to the turnabout from aa3 or turnabout succession from aa4! bridge is like the PERFECT case to end the trilogy on bc it really connects everything from the previous games and brings it all full circle. and turnabout succession is fantastic too bc we get a lot of backstory surrounding trucy and phoenix's relationship which i LOVE, along with more beanix content! the dynamic between klavier and kristoph is also really interesting, so that was fun to see during this case too.

46. Character you thought you were gonna dislike but loved in the end?

i feel like i could say this about most of the prosecutors in this game lol like when i first played the trilogy, i went into it with no knowledge of the games whatsoever so i really disliked miles at first. but of course, everyone starts coming around to him in turnabout samurai, and then turnabout goodbyes happens and everyone falls in love with him.

it was also kind of like that to an extent with franziska and godot for me as well, though not as much as miles. it's hard to see franziska's character development over the course of jfa bc she's very stagnant over the course of that game, but in farewell my turnabout, we do finally start to see how she changes. her changes are much more subtle, i think, purely bc of the way she was raised, so her character development isn't going to be as in your face as miles' was.

and with godot, i really think the concept of him is super cool bc here's someone who takes his love for someone a little too far. he's OBSESSED with getting his revenge and is completely blinded by that that he's no longer recognizable as the man he once was. god i could go on for a long time about him, but i will say that i think they really did ruin his character by making him sexist. he had so much potential, but then they threw that in and it was just completely unnecessary, while also falling into stereotypes

78. Who or what got you into AA?

one of my internet friends told me about the game in summer of 2021? and i think i bought the game right at the end of august of that year bc we were going on a road trip and i wanted something to play on my switch. i can't remember how he convinced me to play it lol but i'm so glad i did!

[hikari-kaitou]

Naruhodo Fan Book Plus translation

[I got my hands on a rare out of print collection of character dialogue pieces that were printed after the Naruhodo Fan Book was published and were released as an insert with a 2012 edition of Gamaga magazine. I was a little disappointed that only three of them were ones I’d never seen before as the rest had been uploaded by the folks at Court-Records but oh well. I’m happy to have any new content! So here’s one of the new bits. Enjoy!]

Justice for All, On Sale Now!

What's going on at the Wright and Co. Law Offices?

Justice for All, On Sale Now! By Takumi Shu

With the release of Justice for All, Best Price Edition nearly upon them, Nick and friends might do a little reminiscing about the old days…?!

Maya: Hi there! It's me, Maya Fey.

Phoenix: Long time no see. I'm Phoenix Wright.

M: Tomorrow's the big day, isn't it? Justice for All comes out for the Nintendo DS… I can't wait!

P: I guess… It won't mean much for us, though.

M: Huh?! What's that supposed to mean, Nick? Don't tell me you're not gonna buy a copy!

P: W-well, I mean, I already played Justice for All several  times. It was a long time ago, but still. 

M: But I've forgotten most of what happens! I wanna play it again!

P: It's just… uh, actually things are a little tight this month. I don't have any spare money. 

M: Nghhh… I guess that explains why we haven't had any snacks in the office in a while, huh…

P: Yeah, them's the breaks. We'll just have to make do with drinking a bunch of water. 

M: What?! But I wanna play! Man, I was all excited about it, too…

P: Well then, can't you just replay the Gameboy Advance version?

M: Maybe, except the cartridge got lost somewhere!

P: Oh… I guess it's no wonder; the office is a little messy. 

M: If the state of this room is what you call "a little messy," then I'd hate to see what you consider a real mess to be.

P: Anyway, if we dig around over there then I'm sure it'll turn up. Should we have a look?

M: Nghhh… Guess there's no other choice. I'll check the toy box. 

P: Don't call it a toy box. It's an evidence storage box. 

M: Huh?! What's a banana doing in here?! It's gonna rot!

P: No, wait. Isn't that a baseball glove? 

M: hmm? A baseball glove?

P: Yeah, remember that case? The Lost Turnabout?

M: Oh yeah, now that you mention it… is this from that case...?

P: Hey, I found a ball in the drawer.  Try catching it in that glove!

M: Eep! What the heck?! This was a bunch of bananas after all!

P: Oh, sorry… But on the bright side, at least you found something you can snack on now.

M: Nghhh… oh hey, this ball you tossed me is Pearly's.

P: Ah, you mean the one she had the first time I met her back in Reunion, and Turnabout?

M: This sure brings back memories… I worked like a dog saving my allowance to buy it for her. 

P: Oh? Was it really that expensive?

M: I'll never forget it as long as I live! It was $7.22!

P: Okayyy...hmm?

M: Something wrong, Nick?

P: What's the story behind this shriveled up bunch of carrots?

M: Oh, those! Moe gave those to us. 

P: "Moe"...? Oh, the clown from the Turnabout Big Top case.

M: Apparently if you puree those and drink the juice, you'll get some really remarkable results. 

P: "Remarkable results"...?

M: Why don't we try it and see what happens? Hold on a minute, I'm gonna juice these.

Edgeworth: ...Wright!

P: Oh, Edgeworth. What’s up? You look stressed half to death, just like usual.

E: At least I don’t look starved half to death like you do.

M: Here you go, Mr. Edgeworth. Have some nice fresh carrot juice!

E: Hmm. Well, I don’t really have anything against carrot juice, I suppose…

P: ...How is it? You look even more stressed than you did just a minute ago. 

E: I thought of a question just now that I simply must know the answer to.

M: A question…? What is it?

E: Do people who are naturally bad at spelling… all possess blood type-o?

P: ………….

M: ………….

P: I think you’d better throw those carrots away, Maya.

M: Personally, I thought it was kind of funny!

P: Anyway, what brings you here, Edgeworth?

E: Do you even need to ask? This, of course!

P: Oh! That’s the DS version of Justice for All, isn’t it?

E: Your assistant here asked me to reserve a copy for you two when I was reserving my own copy the other day.

M: Whoo hoo! Thanks for going to all that trouble! I guess today was the release day, huh!

P: Only you would dare to ask Edgeworth of all people to be your gofer, Maya…

E: Yes, so that’s the story… now pay up, Wright.

P: Huh?

M: Yeah, sorry about this, Nick, but I kinda told Mr. Edgeworth you’d reimburse him.

P: Did you not just hear me say that money was tight for me this month?!

M: Aw, c’mon. As the heroine of this game, I can’t just not play it!

P: We pretty much remembered all the cases in Justice for All just now in all the commotion, didn’t we?!

M: Well, I guess, but… hmm?

P: What’s that slip of paper there?

M: Oh, this brings back memories too, doesn’t it? It’s a receipt from the Gatewater Imperial Hotel.

E: Imperial… that name sounds familiar.

M: There was a murder there in Farewell, My Turnabout. Remember?

E: Ah, yes… It’s all coming back to me now.

M: After the trial, we all went and ate a huge full course dinner there together!

P: Yeah, I remember! That was a good memory.

E: I remember as well. It was indeed… an important memory.

P: As I recall, Detective Gumshoe sneakily wrote my name on the bill.

E: And I paid for it… under the condition that I’d be paid back.

P: Wh-- h-huh? I-is that right?

E: Look at the signature on that receipt.

P: M… Miles Edgeworth…

E: I’d completely forgotten. Thank you so much for reminding me, Maya.

M: You’re welcome!

E: Now then… It’s time to pay what you owe, both for the game and this additional $1,665.

P: ARGHHHHHHHH!!

M: Anyway, let’s start playing Justice for All! A little reminiscing once in a while is good for you!

P: ...In light of recent events, I couldn’t disagree more.

[imperfectfools]

what would you say is miles and franziska's opinion of their careers; why they practice, etc. what inspired each of them to do this? is it more the defense of innocent people or are there other aspects involved?

(( The short of it for both of them regarding why they became prosecutors is Manfred von Karma. Undoubtedly he is the… inspiration for both of their career choices to use your word choice.

The long of it and their opinions on their professions is where they diverge and things get complicated. This is also the part where I note that I’ve only gotten up to the second trial bit of Bridge to the Turnabout and haven’t looked at any of the Investigations stuff, etc. so this is based off of canon in that zone & my own conjecture. Under a cut bc this is gonna be long I can feel it ))

Miles has… complicated feelings about prosecuting, though he’s found some solid ground to stand on. A lot of trauma and emotional manipulation went into shifting him away from his dreams of being a defense attorney toward becoming a ruthless prosecutor. 

Certainly the DL-6 incident in which he lost his father was a hard push. Even with the nightly nightmares that made him wonder whether he truly was the murderer of his own father, the trial conceded that Yanni had killed Gregory but Yanni was allowed to go free on an insanity and I can only imagine how much that would sour a profession to a 10 year-old. 

Von Karma’s subsequent adoption of Miles didn’t help matters either. Manfred is a vindictive perfectionist and forced Miles to become the ruthless prosecutor that his father would hate. One that cared only about perfect records and using whatever means necessary to achieve those ends. He manipulated Miles endlessly and the events of Turnabout Goodbyes imply Manfred knew about Miles’ nightmares and so I find it hard to believe Manfred wouldn’t use that information to both drive a wedge between Miles’ attachment to his father and frame all of this as some sort of redemption for patricide. And there’s no way Manfred would ever let Miles try to weasel his way out of guilt with claims of it being an accident, that’s not this asshole’s style.

So for Miles I feel there was, initially, a more redemption/repayment elements involved with his drive. He needed to repay a cosmic debt and one to Manfred for bringing him in and giving him all he had. Certainly there’s deep-seated animosity toward defense attorneys in general, but I feel like guilt was more Miles’ early driving force. Honestly you can boil down a good number of his behaviors to actions done out of guilt.

The events of Turnabout Goodbyes certainly rocked Mile’s convictions to the core. There’s nothing quite like finding out the man who adopted you was the one who murdered your father and then was planning on framing you for another murder to make you reconsider every single belief you’d ever held. But he still had some footing. The idea of his job being to find the truth was somewhat grounding even if that idea was just budding and was barely formed. After all, he was put together enough to be prosecutor in Rise from the Ashes. 

Which… unfortunately was another case that shattered Miles’ view of his job. The whole thing was tainted by the notion of him possibly forging evidence or manipulating witness, an accusation he was used to and took in stride because he thought that he’d never sunk that low. But a bulk of the resolution involved laying out plain as day that Miles had been given forged evidence to use. He didn’t know it but he still used it in court. And on top of that Damon Gant spent the last of his time on the stand asserting that Miles and him were the same and Miles would see everything Gant’s way sooner or later.

Gant and Manfred are very similar people, who did very similar things. Having Gant say Miles was just like him was also a link to Miles being just like Manfred and that… shattered him entirely. I’m honestly this close to writing a drabble based on that but listen.

For my interpretation, Miles did legitimately try to commit suicide after that but failed and fled to Europe to get away and try to sort it all out.

Now I think he’s far more grounded and sure that his job is to help find the truth. It’s not about winning. It’s not about perfect records. He’s more solid in these feelings after taking time away to really consider the job and what he wanted to be. And I think that view serves him well and is the reason he functions so well as an impromptu defense attorney in Bridge to the Turnabout. 

I won’t say everything is completely settled. Manfred emotionally manipulated and conditioned Miles for fifteen years and he feels a great amount of guilt for those tainted convictions and his behavior but he’s working on it.

Franziska is… different. From the moment she could be aware of it, she knew she was going to be a prosecutor like her father. There was no other way around it, she was supposed to carry on the von Karma legacy. The story was written, she just had to play her part. 

And I think, once Miles entered the household, competition entered her driving force. I can see Manfred easily pitting the two against each other. Franziska is definitely a more competitive person and so any mention of Miles surpassing her in any way drove her to push herself harder.

Additionally, not to be too cliche, but some jealously of Miles getting more of her father’s attention probably fed into her early push to be a great, no perfect, prosecutor. After all, Franziska had already bought into this whole strive for perfection at any cost but Miles had to be coerced out of old thinking and Miles was part of Manfred’s obsessive revenge plot so he likely got more attention ( as manipulative and abusive as that attention was ).

( Which isn’t to say Franziska was abused any less, but I can also go on for days about Manfred’s treatment of his children and am trying to keep vaguely on topic. )  

( Or that Franziska doesn’t love her “little” brother, because she does and cares for him endlessly. And Miles loves and cares for her too. But I could also write novels about that. )

The fall-out of Turnabout Goodbyes was a jolt of a disconnect for Franziska. Her father, whom she strove to be, was no better than the people he’d convicted. A murderer and a liar. The man she thought her father to be didn’t exist. He wasn’t perfect. He may have been a genius but he was a flawed and arrogant genius. 

So she disconnects her worth from making him proud. She disconnects from him. But the process is… incomplete. Manfred’s lessons remain, stuck hard and fast to her psyche. You can see that in her reaction to Phoenix’s reaction to his “loss” in Farewell, My Turnabout; she’s almost offended that he could smile after losing a case.

Franziska still sees her work as something to be perfect at and perfection o her is win streaks. She’s softened a bit, you can see that by how she behaves in Bridge to the Turnabout. Like yes, she still wants to crush Phoenix under her heel, but she’s less antagonistic and I think it’s because she took a little time in Germany after her confrontation with Miles in the airport. And I think being shot in the right shoulder woke her up somewhat.

The scar is right where her father’s had been. And she kept the bullet - not like her father had but she still had it. And I think that facilitates more introspection regarding who she is and what being a von Karma means and what it should mean. Which is why she shows up to court in Bridge to the Turnabout and shakes off the judge describing her as Manfred von Karma’s daughter, stating that she was a von Karma and that was all.

And why she tells Phoenix she wants to beat him “for herself”.

But I thinks she’s on the way of viewing prosecution like Miles does. After all, in Bridge to the Turnabout he sorta does for her what Phoenix did for him. 

So tl;dr Miles’ current drive is a certain measure of guilt and a heavy dose of duty to the public. Franziska is driven by pride and some measure of competitiveness with her brother.

Also Manfred is a fucking asshole and I would dropkick his corpse off a cliff if I had half a chance.

[buddyfaith]

I just wanna give Phoenix's kidnapping the angst it deserves. Your version is also good. And since Maya was kidnapped two times in canon, how about two times for Phoenix as well? :) The next time taken by pros like Shelly de Killer was, but without honor code.

anon u can try to saddle me with things like "competent antagonists" but *strums guitar* i don't know shitI guess since phoenix gets N O D I G N I T Y he's being paraded around in the fucking "are you nasty?" shorts.... actually, maybe one (1) dignity: iron infant t-shirt. he was sleeping. sue him.this is being leveraged against [miles] for something ridiculous like [money]. how........ droll. how generic!!! [phoenix voice] I'm offended.okay so?????? the instructions say he'll be returned ~~unharmed~~ so instead of cutting off his fingers or something he chops off the Spikes(tm) because branding is intangible.(uh.... honestly idk what kind of angst you want out of my sardonic narrator voice ask game. but???)oh wait is it angstier if this is during the 7 year gap??? hobohodo that miles hasn't seen in like a year. someone only played the original trilogy and thought they knew all the Facts(tm), but actually miles and phoenix are in the long inactive middle of an argument. anyway so hobohodo has TAKEN OFF and miles is standing outside the office, pissed off because nobody is answering the door??? the.... unlocked door. oh.trucy is just kinda sitting on the floor in a pool of cape. she's obviously waiting for someone and by the look on her face it isn't him. she ❌does not trust him❌ because people who pretend to be dead are meanies.......... but she's upset because where's daddy???!!! miles realizes belatedly that trucy and her father are generally connected at the hip. ~~dawning realization~~ that hits one like a pretentious sports car.(something something demands phone call here. it's money..... to start. how ~spooky~.)uh, anyway? miles obviously makes things harder on himself. [edgeworth voice] ah, yes, I presume you will want unmarked nonconsecutive twenties......(it's obviously in the interest of time.)re: trucy. miles is desperately trying to not imply that phoenix is in danger but she assumes he's trying to hide the fact that she's another dad down. it's stressful silence.[miles voice] I'm going to, uh-[trucy voice] I'm gonna find my daddy.(trucy joins the party, but she's not happy about it. miles is also unhappy about it, since her little gloved hand is clamped around his wrist.)⭐turnabout bonding episode⭐(this is just darkside farewell my turnabout if you think about it)meanwhile phoenix presses his luck at all times because??? lmao. he both severely underestimates the amount of danger he's in and already placed the guess that this is some kristoph-related bullshit.[phoenix, internally] related to kristoph how? are they doing this to him or did he do this to me?[phoenix, externally] what do you actually know about kristoph gavin?[kidnapper voice] whom?🔒🔒🔒🔒🔒[phoenix voice]...... right.anyway he's probably playing High Stakes Games with this guy. screaming internally, but playing nonetheless. he rists his very important Objection Finger for information. (they're both cheating.)anyway. this wastes more time than the kidnapper expects. whoops. he was supposed to clear out with phoenix like 30 minutes ago, what time is-lmao too late to ask gumshoe (ace ransom-payer and my #1 boy who comes in clutch) has arrived. Phoenix acts like he planned this but his whole apathy façade goes away because???? miles what the FUCK why is trucy here. why are you even here. [miles, insulted, hefting a bag of cash in phoenix's direction] uhm?[trucy, accepting the cash] thank you!(that isn't what he meant but phoenix is laughing too hard to tell her that)

[quonit-aceattorney]

Buying Game 1 - Playing 1 and 2

Put these all together because they were so short... and not even really recorded.

Rules:

Q = Me, Quonit.

BF = Bardic Feline, the friend that made me spend 30 dollars on the game and whom I am messaging

I don’t use those when I send the messages close enough my username doesn’t appear.

Any typos (unless they are funny and part of the conversation) will be fixed.

Index

—

(Backstory: Bardic feline and I have been talking about a fic she told me she was working one (Link here when i get it). Few about a week or so I’ve been motivating her to help her to finish it by the 20th, her deadline.)

3/20/2018

Q: did you get the thing out?

BF: I didn't finish both parts of what I wanted to do, but i did enough to post the fic prologue on AO3

Q: yaaaaay that is something. Good job.

BF: thanks. ^^;;;

LESS THAN I WANTED TO DO IS STILL BETTER THAN NOTHING

Q: yaaay can I have a link?

BF: Aaah hold up.  Also, going to warn you right now, it absolutely spoils the crap out of Farewell My Turnabout, aka 2-4

Q: dammit

I need to get the game how much is it and is it on steam or do i need to get it somewhere else

BF: Like it goes in assuming you already know the big twist

Q: welp I do not know

BF: You can get it on iOS or Android or from the 3DS shop

Q: I still call the people in the game "the objection guys"

BF: Hee hee fair enough

Q: dammit

well I have a 3DS so it can still work why not

BF: But when I say it assumes you know stuff, I mean it like straight up pulls the reveal that happens most of the way through the case

And yay!  That’s the easiest way to get it

Q: dang

I should've played the game yaaaaay :D

BF: You can get the whole original trilogy in one package on the e-shop

Q: Funny thing about the 3DS: I got it from a pawn shop for 60 bucks thinking it was a 2DS because well, it was. It is a 2DS it has that on the back it says everywhere on the thing it is a 2DS. When you open it though, it thinks it's a 3DS. This works out well because a 2DS has more power and the 3DS has more available games

I'll go find it. How long is it will I be able to play to the twist by the end of today?

BF: Unless you just fly through the first game?  It’s the last case of the second game

So...proooobably not

Q: dammit

do I have to pay for all three games??? Can't I just watch somebody else play it on youtube

BF: You can if you like? Or do an emulator?  I’m not gonna tell you how to do it.  Though I will say that that bundle is WAY less than what I paid for all three games used for the DS

They were probably about 15-20 bucks EACH individually

Q: dammit

well it's gonna be a while before I read that fanfic I helped encourage you to do. What out for that review 2-3 years for now.

BF: Hahaha awww

BF: It doesn’t take THAT long to play any of the games. XD

It’s just longer than a single night

Cause it’s like reading a book where you have to solve puzzles to advance

Q: well it better be good if im going to end up spending 60 dollars on it. At least I get to understand yet another one of Zarla's interests so many of her comics are based off of

I don't even wanna read all of those fanfictions why couldn't it just be mostly comic based with like 6 fanfics like with the ladies

BF: It’s not going to be 60 bucks!

happy summer

3 games and they're like 15-20 something about a bundle how much is that

BF: That’s what each was a INDIVIDUALLY

By themselves

On the DS

BF: When you had to but the individual CARTRIDGES

Q: going in the shop to see if I can find it

ohhhh wonder how much they are now im looking in the shop

BF: The BUNDLE is all three games at once for like...16 or 20 bucks TOTAL

For all three games together

Q: :o that's not 60!

BF: That’s what I was trying to say haha

That it’s a BARGAIN

Even when it’s not discounted it’s a bargain

Q: im looking for it bleh i haven't used this thing in a while where is the search bar for a specific game

BF: Search “Ace Attorney”

And aww those eggs sound pretty

Q: where is the problem it just has filters

I remembered the thing about using vinigar instead of water for the color to stick on better and it worked very well

BF: Umm...there should be a search function

Q: there is one but that's just filters for some reason

I'm calling my brother one moment

BF: You may have parental controls on too high or something

Q: nope I got it

it's 30$...

bleh ill get it whatever

BF: Aaaah sorry

Q: it's fine!

BF: I was thinking when it was discounted, forgive meeee

Q: I'll probably like

BF: That’s STILL less than what I paid individually

And it’s a good series!

I really think you’ll like it

Q: yaaaay

BF: It’s so ridiculous and over the top Hahaha

Q: I can't face the shame I'm giving my brother the money so he can buy it

why I'M GETTING THE GAMES THOUGH

YOU INFLUENCED A LIFE DECISION

BF: Hahaha aaaah forgive meeeee

it is fine lol

BF: Ooooh!

Q: dumpster

it was your idea

it's downloading

Q: how many days do I wait before it's approprait to send Jaz another email

Q: I spent 30 dollars because of you

working on comic, very good progress. Got all of the backgrounds done and am doing pretty good on the characters.

Q: ALRIGHT IT FNISHED DOWNLOADING

Just when the game opened I saw what you meant by it being over the top this is great imma play it

Q: 2014???

must be when the bundle was released...?

BF: That sounds about right dang

Was it that long ago when the HD bundle got released

-Case 1-

Q: Back!

Finished chapter 1: I feel smart I very much enjoy this game. Wonderful. Good that I'm apparently better then most people at remembering names :D when will juan die

BF: last case of the second game!

hahah just settle in and enjoy a Juan-less first game

BF: and I really do sincerely enjoy every part of the first game

Q: BACK

I do too it'

Q: It’s hard to believe Juan is even in the game

you made me spend 30 dollars on it and I am thoroughly enjoying it

(Edit: Thoughts i remember having but didn't record.

1st Case:

Hey look the tutorial person! She's a boob joke. of course.

I had no reaction to Winston, mainly it was just "objection guy".)

-Case 2-

Q:

Me: game about laywers. Somehow it was successful. Me later: and magic??? why is there magic why is there a chapter on why does this game exist it's so over-the-top I swear what was it's goal?

Q: the girl is too talkative

I should sleep >:( It's your fualt I can't

Q: why does the girl even call me nick

why does phoenix allow this his name isn't nick

(Edit: I refuse to call him Nick to this day.)

Q: where the hell is the save button i just wanna leeeaaave

Q: I MISS THE TRIALS NOW IT'S JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GO

>:( well I'm almost to a save point in the game

Q: dooone

Maybe I'm just tiered in the morning I won't despise the girl

BF: Hahaha aaah I love Maya, personally

BF: And yeah, there are times in the investigation periods where it’s all godammit where do I go next.  But half the fun for me is going around and poking at stuff just to see what Phoenix and Maya will say about it

BF: I guess Maya gets Nick from PhoeNICx...I dunno I stopped questioning it ages ago

BF: There is a way to save when you are investing though

BF: I’ll tell you where to find it in the morning haha

Q: I figured out it's the start button.

Maybe I could look up where she got the name. She just asked if she could call me 'nick' and phoenix had no objection so I GUESS IM NICK NOW. I really like seeing what characters say about stuff too, but sometimes you just wanna get to it and 'ohmygod just shut up i wanna be able to figure this out i've already heard this before what am I missing'. Also I was tired, but ya they are enjoyable for the most part. HONESTLY with Juan I see him as a Zarla character, him being in the game is just absolutely stellar... it feels like a huuuuge bonus. I know he originally came from here but I learnt about him from the ladyverse and a quick scroll through her ace attorney folder on devart. He seems like her character. Concept: The people making the anime actually did see one or two of Zarla's comics and liked the color she had for his shirt and kept that Me at first: ehhhhh i don't really like him. he should just... go over there. Me later: oooo cross universe? More interesting, still don't like him much. Me now: I WILL PROTECT WITH BOY WITH MY LIFE WHEN I FIND HIM AND HE'S ALREADY DEAD WHOEVER DID THIS YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE

(Edit: HOW COULD I HAVE EVER HAVE NOT LOVED HIM HE IS SUCH AN INTERESTING CHARACTER NO MATTER WHAT UNIVERSE HE’S IN)

BF: Hahahaha

Yeah, I kinda consider him to be more Zarla’s character than the game’s because of how much of a blank slate character he really is

BF: I know I’ve made up traits for him practically from whole cloth, or based on the smallest clues I can glean from the game script

Q: niiice

I'm getting through it, thankfully I'm not getting stuck as often as I did.

Q: "guess I better go there later..." YES, ALRIGHT, HOW DO I MAKE TIME MOVE FORWARD THOUGH?

BF: lol a lot of time when they say that, that means 'head on over to that location if it's on the menu"

(Edit: This goes DIRECTLY into my 1-3 reaction. The very next message.)

(Edit: Thoughts i remember having but didn't record.

2nd Case:

Sense the beginning I knew "IT'S THE WHITE GUY". The cutscene had what looked to me somebody with white hair but later i found a guy named Redd White and knew It was him because "HE'S THE WHITE GUY”

"Aw no looks like the tutorial girl is dead. Oh well."

"So she has a sister, okay."

"weird, i haven't seen this before. this is cool. (investigation mode)"

I absolutely hated April May. She was the worst character to me.

"HEY LOOK IT'S THAT OBJECTION BUDDY (Edgeworth) :D" I didn't have much thought on him besides that. He was the other objection guy. I knew him from the little I've seen of Ace Attorney beforehand (mainly one ace attorney tumblr post).

"There's magic in this game. guess her death meant nothing apparently.")