#matt vasquez

[small-spanish-face]

19 gay little microbes.

[bagelbun333]

The death penalty in Ace Attorney | The fandom’s biggest misconception

Capital punishment is something we all know is a real consequence when it comes to murder in Ace Attorney, but do all culprits who commit these crimes actually get the death penalty? That’s what I’m going to go through in depth within this post!

CW and TW: mentions of death, execution, murder, suicide etc.

Also major spoilers for basically all the mainline ace attorney games!

To start off with, what exactly warrants a death penalty in Japanifornia? Murder has been referred to as a capital crime that deserves a capital punishment, which in turn led people to believe that all murder convicts get the death sentence. However, there is a slight mistranslation within that statement and it should say “murder is a charge that risks the death penalty.” “Risk” is the keyword here. While yes, it is possible murder charges can warrant the death penalty, that doesn’t mean every culprit will get executed. Like, this isn’t Danganronpa 😭 What people don’t think about is the different kinds of murder charges there are, and the differences in sentencing this can create.

Murder charges can go from:

1st Degree Murder - Premeditated/long time planning

2nd Degree Murder - Not premeditated but the intent is there within the moment/deliberate killing

3rd Degree Murder - Deliberate reckless behaviour resulting in death

Aggravated Murder - Murder when an aggravating circumstance is proven (such as kidnapping or torture)

Voluntary Manslaughter - Intention to kill but is not guilty of murder due to provocation or mental incapacity

Involuntary Manslaughter - Killing without intention within the heat of the moment

Self Defence - Killing for defence of oneself

Consensual Homicide - Assisting a suicide

Attempted Murder - Planning and failing to kill

In Japan (the country this series is initially based on) these charges have different kinds of sentences depending on circumstances. So naturally, Japanifornia must have punishments very similar to this. These are the sentences for these crimes in Japan according to my research:

1st Degree - 5 years to life imprisonment

2nd Degree - 5 years to life imprisonment

3rd Degree - 3 to 5 years imprisonment

Aggravated Murder - Death penalty or life imprisonment

Voluntary Manslaughter - 1 to 15 years imprisonment

Involuntary Manslaughter - 1 to 15 years imprisonment

Consensual Homicide - 6 months to 7 years imprisonment

Self Defence - No imprisonment

Attempted Murder - 5 years to life imprisonment

Death penalties are usually passed in cases of multiple murders, although there are exceptions where individuals have committed a single murder that have been executed because it involved torture, extreme brutality or kidnapping with a demand for ransom. It is punishable by five years to life in prison, and with the death penalty if aggravating circumstances are proven. The only exception is for juvenile offenders since the minimum age for capital punishment in Japan is 18.

With this, we can work out what kinds of charges each of the ace attorney culprits will be given. (Mostly for the Phoenix Wright trilogy since I can’t recall much beyond aa4.)

(For clarification’s sake: a “/” is used when a crime could be one or the other or both, while the “,” is used to separate different crimes.)

Frank Sahwit: 2nd Degree Murder

Redd White: 1st Degree Murder

April May: 1st Degree Murder (Accomplice)

Dee Vasquez: Self Defence/Voluntary Manslaughter

Yanni Yogi: 1st Degree Murder

Manfred von Karma: 2nd Degree Murder, 1st Degree Murder (accomplice, planned out)

Joe Darke: Serial Murders (technically spree murder, guilty on five counts)

Damon Gant: 1st Degree Murder, 2nd Degree Murder (Serial Murders)

Lana Skye: 1st Degree Murder, 2nd Degree Murder (Unwilling Accomplice in both)

Richard Wellington: 2nd Degree Murder/Involuntary Manslaughter

Mimi Miney: 1st Degree Murder

Morgan Fey: 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Murder (Accomplice in both, planned out the crime)

Acro: Attempted Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter

Matt Engarde: 1st Degree Murder (Hired a hitman), Consensual Homicide (driven a woman to kill herself)

Dahlia Hawthorne: 1st Degree Murder, Consensual Homicide, 3 counts of Attempted Murder, and 2nd Degree Murder (Serial Murders)

Luke Atmey: 1st Degree Murder

Furio Tigre: Either 1st or 2nd Degree Murder

Godot: Voluntary Manslaughter/Self Defence (defending someone else)

Iris: Voluntary Manslaughter (accomplice)

Kristoph Gavin: 2 counts of 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Murder (Serial Murders)

Those who canonically got the death penalty:

- Joe Darke

- Dahlia Hawthorne

- Terry Fawles

- Simon Blackquill

Those who canonically got the death penalty but didn’t get executed:

- Terry Fawles (he died anyway rip)

- Simon Blackquill

Those who are most likely to get the death penalty but never canonically stated:

- Manfred von Karma (not explicitly stated but heavily implied)

- Damon Gant

- Matt Engarde

- Morgan Fey (vaguely implied)

- Kristoph Gavin

- The Phantom

Those who don’t get the death penalty:

- Frank Sahwit

- Redd White (he would if his blackmail victims got leaked)

- April May

- Dee Vasquez

- Yanni Yogi

- Lana Skye

- Richard Wellington (could be a chance that he would considering his victim was a police officer)

- Mimi Miney (unsure considering her accomplice is implied to be on death row)

- Acro

- Luke Atmey

- Furio Tigre

- Godot

- Iris

To recap, the death penalty in Japanifornia is reserved for the criminals with absolutely no hope for rehabilitation, and for those who have aggravated murder charges/serial murder charges. Even people like Redd White will not receive the death penalty.

After all, Redd White did plead guilty to Mia’s murder specifically because getting arrested for one murder would be safer than having his list of blackmail victims get leaked to the press. It would be strange to confess for his own safety if he was just going to get executed anyway.

In the later games it is shown that the law is changing, and the death penalty is even less involved when culprits are convicted of murder. (Not counting charges in Khura’in, that’s different.) So it is very possible that the punishments can change overtime for those who were already convicted; meaning there’s a chance that they can be given a lighter sentence later on. There’s even a culprit in aa5 who was planning a murder but ended up killing someone else accidentally, and they were released from prison mere months after the trial. If they can released for that then surely a lot of the other culprits deserve the same treatment.

Speaking of Khura’in, that is actually more of a parody of what the fandom thought Japanifornia’s death penalty worked like. Even then, after the ending aa6, it looks like that judicial system will change for the better too.

And that’s pretty much it! The reason I wanted to go through this topic is because the whole murder = death penalty ideology is taken way out of proportion, and has been treated as a fact for far too long when it’s actually not completely true. This is just what I’ve managed to research and you can feel free to believe it or not, but I really wanted to share a new perspective on this subject. I, for one, wanted to share some hope for people; especially because I know a lot of these culprits have a lot of fans, and they deserve to have a brighter perspective on these characters. I definitely want some of these characters to return and this research really helped me feel confident that some of them have the potential to make a comeback.

Plus with the HD release of, not only the Apollo trilogy, but the Edgeworth collection in the same year, it’s more than likely that aa7 will bring back old characters! The reason a lot of these old characters didn’t make a reappearance sooner is because Capcom stood by this “no spoiler” rule for the players who may have missed out on certain games in this series. But now that we have all the mainline games in the series getting a HD release on all modern platforms, this “no spoiler” rule will most likely not be necessary anymore!

No more of this “if they’re guilty they’re never coming back” bs, let’s be more hopeful! It’s actually less likely that all culprits would get executed than the majority not getting executed. Let’s bffr!

And even if they don’t come back in aa7, we now have a more clear understanding on this messy topic, and you can feel free to use my analysis as a way to explain ace attorney culprits being able to leave prison in fanfictions, roleplays, fanarts etc. Don’t let the fandom tell you what to do >:3

Unrelated but I think this has been my first analysis post I put on tumblr and it was very fun to delve into! I may make more if anyone is interested :3c

[laughing-moonlight]

AU where the death penalty is abolished after Dahlia is executed. So they all have to live together. In the one prison in Japanifornia.

(Frank, Redd, Dee, Manfred & Damon escape the DP because Dahlia was arrested before the first game)

[brodorokihousuke]

Three menacing men and two… mildly inconvenienced women.

Practicing blocking out colors with a chunky brush, and also drawing more random characters I draw rarely/have never drawn.

Do note that yes, Dee’s earring and clasp thing are on the wrong side… because the art I was using for reference is flipped for some reason. Don’t get mad at me, get mad at the official artbook I’m referencing!

[meilifera]

some funnies based on my fave case ever

[youcouldmakealife]

KS Fill: Matt/Aaron; good first impression

For the prompt: Aaron and his mom come to see Matt play on the West Coast.

This was a fill for a Kickstarter supporter; they've generously allowed me to share this so everyone can enjoy.

It isn’t easy, getting his mother to go to a hockey game without telling her that the reason he wants her to go with him is because he’s dating one of the players. That things are serious. Serious enough that he’s trying to get a woman who gets cold in the shade on a summer day into an arena. A woman who changes the channel if any sport is on TV — except baseball, but he’s been assured that’s an exception she only makes when he’s around or if the game is one he’s playing in. A woman who makes sure to watch all the athlete profiles during the Olympics but never watches their actual events.

“I became a bit of a fan,” Aaron says, the first time she throws up her hands and asks him why he’s so intent on driving all the way to LA to see the Leafs play.

“You don’t have to drive hours and freeze your poor mother to death to watch them,” she says. “You can see them any time in Toronto, can’t you?”

Aaron would call her dramatic, but again: shade on a summer day.

“I’ve made a few friends on the team,” Aaron says, during his second attempt. “Thought I might catch up with them at the game.”

“That’s nice,” she says. “Maybe bring one of your cousins instead, go out after the game? I would just slow you down.”

The thing is, Aaron knows that if he told her that he was seeing Matt, that maybe seeing was an understatement, but he hadn’t actually seen him since the Jays season ended, and timezones and the unpredictability of Matt’s schedule means he’s barely even seen him on a screen since then, he knows that she’d be bundling up in her warmest coat and making Aaron tell her everything on the drive, listening avidly when she wasn’t scolding him for not telling her about Matt sooner or demanding that she meet Matt after the game.

But for some reason, Aaron can’t do it. It isn’t that he thinks Matt wouldn’t be okay with it, because he’s more chill about all this than Aaron is, and his family all knows about Aaron, even if they haven’t met him yet. It’s — he doesn’t know. He wants her to see Matt first, maybe. See him without knowing that he means something to Aaron, see him without any expectations, biases, even positive ones.

He wants her to take one look at him and go ‘that one seems nice’, even though he knows that wouldn’t happen, that they’ll be a hundred feet away, Matt just a number, a name too small to read without squinting. He wants her to like him.

It takes a bit of pleading and a night at a nice hotel, a reservation at a place he had to get a friend on the Angels to name drop for him, and offering to go shopping on Sunday, let her pick some things out for him, but when he drives up to LA Saturday afternoon, she’s in the passenger seat.

There’s a dramatic shiver when they do get down to ice level, but they just split a very nice bottle of wine and a good meal at an award-winning restaurant, so there’s some goodwill going on, and she keeps her phone in her purse, which is more than Aaron can say for a lot of the people around them.

Aaron’s still picking things up, but he knows enough by now to see the Leafs look a little slow, getting caught out easily, which probably isn’t a good sign. The Kings haven't manage to take advantage of it yet at least, though they’re pushing, and every whistle seems to happen in front of the Leafs’ net, the shoving matches getting a little more intense each time.

Aaron flinches as Matt starts to get into it with a guy who has some pounds on him, relieved when one of the linesmen intervenes before the gloves come off.

“Is one of your friends out there?” his mother asks. Maybe she saw the flinch. Maybe he’s got some other tell, one he doesn’t even know he’s showing. She’d probably just say it’s motherly intuition.

“You see the guy in the corner?” Aaron says. “The one with 22 on his back.”

“The one who just punched someone?” she says with a disapproving sniff.

“Uh,” Aaron says. “It was more of a roughing—“

“The one who just punched someone,” she repeats.

Matt and the King are both still wearing their gloves, so Matt would get a roughing call at most, but there may have been a punch thrown, gloved or not.

“That’s your friend?” she asks, after a moment.

Matt’s arguing as he gets escorted to the box. Aaron doesn’t know why. He really did punch someone. It may not be fighting, but it is a roughing call. But then he sees that only one penalty box door is open, and he understands entirely, indignant on his behalf. The King was just as involved as Matt was, and there were guys on the ice who dropped their gloves, should be in the box instead, or at least keeping him company in there.

“I—“ Aaron says. “Something like that.”

They’re both quiet. In the box, Matt’s fuming, and it’s hard not to fume himself, especially after the Kings finally break the stalemate with a power play goal. Aaron hopes they turn it around, and not just because if they don’t, Matt’s going to be annoyed all night. Apparently he's a fan.

“He seems nice,” his mother says. “Your friend.”

“Really?” Aaron says. “You seemed stuck on the punching, there."

“Well, they do that, don’t they,” she says. “In hockey.”

“Yeah,” Aaron says. “They do that.”

Not like he’s never been involved in a brawl himself, but in baseball they’re events. Hockey? Matt’s not even considered a fighter and Aaron’s handed over a few ice packs already.

“I’m sure the other guy deserved it,” his mother says, then, “What was that for?” when Aaron ducks down to kiss the top of her head.

“Nothing,” he says. “We’ll make a hockey fan out of you yet, mami.”

“God forbid,” she says, with a shudder that may be for effect, or just from the cold, and leans into him when he wraps an arm around her shoulders.

[redhatmeg]

I've finished Farewell, My Turnabout and I've realized something:

This case is actually mirroring Turnabout Samurai, in many aspects. Think about it:

There is an actor playing Samurai in a show (Will Powers/Matt Engarde) that gets arrested for murder of his "rival" (Jack Hammer/Juan Corrida).

It turns out at some point that someone specifically wore their costume for the sole purpose of framing them for murder (Jack Hammer/Adrian Andrews).

Someone died in the past (Manuel/Celeste Inpax), someone important to the woman working with the accused (Dee Vasquez/Adrian Andrews).

The actual killer is part of criminal underground (Dee Vasquez has connections with mafia/Shelly De Killer is a renown assassin).

Some characters from Turnabout Samurai also make come back in Farewell, My Turnabout, specifically: Will Powers and Wendy Oldbag. Oldbag herself, once again, was enamoured in the victim and is a witness for the prosecution.

But, of course, this is a cracked mirror. Matt Engarde is not as innocent and noble as Will Powers, Adrian Andrews is not a strong, powerful woman who can easily lie on the witness stand like Dee Vasquez; Juan Corrida was far more of an asshole victim than Jack Hammer ever was.

There is also additional elements that make this case far more darker, like Shelly de Killer kidnapping Maya, and Phoenix falling into despair.

[roxie-the-slug]

[epicfrick]

Found these old sketches where I attempted to draw Zodie in different artstyles 💀

[spicyraeman]

[small-spanish-face]

[turnaboutsistersballad-art]

blorbos at the beach. oh no they are getting washed out to sea. goodbye blorbos.

[maimreddwhite]

this is a very funny concept to me. the aa4-aa6 criminals are here in spirit

[imsosocold]

Ace Attorney ships I find personally amusing

"I, an aro spec person, have little to no interest in ships" once said a foolish fool.

Dhurke and Manfred:

Genuinely they're such cool contrasts, Manfred is the embodiment of the status quo while Dhurke is the face of rebellion and is all about expression while Manfred is incredibly closed off and ridden with paranoia while Dhurke trusts in others so strongly and the fact they both take in someone else's kid to raise as their own out of their own senses of duty -

Dhurke should've gotten to radicalize that old man and also kiss him methinks.

Matt and Kristoph:

Do you know the quote " he's so stupid, I have to fuck him?" Yeah, that's the dynamic, even though Matt's quite cunning ( which Kristoph and most of the AA fandom don't want to admit). Both petty and paranoia ridden and identityless, thinking they're above everyone else yet being so self harming and sabotaging, completely consumed by the systems they worked in only to get tossed aside by them once their depravity becomes too visible. If you've seen my previous AA posts you know I love the idea of Klavier looking up to Matt and wanting to model themself after him. To Kristoph, however, Matt is the embodiment of the lifestyle that he fears will consume his brother. So even before the whole Farewell Turnabout reveal, there's resentment already there. Poor Klavier is naturally crushed when the truth comes out ( better get used that soon buddy) and admist the rage for Klavier's sake in Kristoph there's also the satisfaction of being right. I wouldn't be surprised if Kristoph visits Matt in prison just to gloat and try to fuel his paranoia but Matt, ever the actor, just bats his eyes and treats Kristoph like he's another fan. Naturally this gets under Kristoph's skin and makes him want to break Matt even more and the duo end up in this perpetual cat and mouse game that's more amusing to them than any other rivalries they've had, even with Juan and Phoenix.

Klavier, watching his brother stamp a pile of letters to Matt Engarde: I think you're more upset about what he did than I am Bruder.

Kristoph : Shut up Klavier, your boyfriend has a dildo on his head.

Kristoph naturally shares all this with Beanix in an attempt to bond with him over their shared hatred, but it has the opposite effect on someone who's dealt with someone also having " unnecessary feelings" almost his whole life. It is 100% what confirms his suspicions of Kristoph and you know once he defeats him he throws in the line "lmao have fun with your boyfriend in prison." ( Which makes poor Klavier even more distraught.) Matt swears the reason he's happy to see Kristoph in prison is purely out of the satisfaction in seeing an enemy of his fall. Anyway, their antagonism in person is even more extreme but with how they're forced to spend time together in prison, genuine time together, things get more complicated and it looks like Phoenix and Klavier were right all along. WELL FUCK-

Geiru and Dahlia:

Girlies who solve their problems with murder and frame those they're supposed to be close to ♡ Dahlia sees this girl getting crushed by the legacy of her family and won't allow history to repeat again.

They wouldn't have to put personas on for once and could just exist without expectation and judgement.

Also the contrast of graceful Dahlia with literal clown girl amuses me <3

Godot and Simon Blackquill:

Manipulative, mysterious hot prosecutors who are up their own asses? Yeah, they need to make out/j

In all seriousness both of them are so fucking tragic, trying so hard to protect the ones they care about and being willing to do fucked up shit to do so regardless of what happens to them. At the same time toxically assuming what's best for other people without their input ( especially regarding female characters) and harshly project their own feelings onto other people. They're sickly similar and I hope they realize this and heal together.

Bikini and Gant:

They're unhinged in opposite directions <3 So interesting that Bikini is similarly part of a corrupt system but hasn't been tainted by it like Gant was, probably because she hadn't gotten to see and experience the extent of it like Gant did. Both so easily could've become the other if their positions had shifted. Any so, Bikini would bring out Gant's more heartfelt traits and they'd definitely joke around together and be annoyances to everyone around them and just enjoy the little things in life. But primarily I'm interested in this duo because the idea of Gant leaving behind his work to join the temple life amuses me XD

Angel Starr and Dee Vazquez:

Fucked up, violent, revenge driven women who are willing to do anything in order to get what they want? Automatic click. Either they'll take over and rule the world together or they'll retire to a seaside town and grow old together. 50/50 chance with these veteran queers.

Larry and Sorin:

I’m a sucker for STEM and artist duos, romantic or otherwise. Their differing interests and personalities would bounce well off each other, making them a comedic yet chemistry filled paring that balances each other out. Also, flanderization aside, Larry is an understanding and caring guy and would support Sorin throughout his recovery and beyond.

Larry and Shelly De Killer:

The idea of cheerful guy who constantly gets accused of murder dating one of the most prolific killers ( also a cheerful guy) sends me, along with the concept of either of them taking the other’s last name. I think Shelly would be interested in Larry’s genuine love for life and continued nativity while Larry is absolutely smitten by how suave and cool Shelly is. 50/50 chance Larry knows who Shelly really is. Justifiably Maya and Phoenix flip out.

Sebastian and Hugh O Connor:

Parallels! Cocky people who believe they’re highly skilled only to realize their parents were pulling strings and while absolutely crushed, they strive to do better and are incredibly loyal to those they care about. They should go “ samesies!” and imprint on each other.

Simon Keyes and Nahyuta:

Love these two cause they’re so similar but complete opposites. They’re both self declared fighters of corrupt systems who are willing to sacrifice anything and everything ( including themselves) to complete their goals. Not to mention having an intense loyalty to their fathers and father figures. But while Nahyuta believed in fighting within the system despite knowing its corruption , Simon, refusing to sink to the level of those he hated, made sure to fight the system from the outside. I hope they bite each other <3.

Richard and Daryan:

Flamboyant queers with weird hair who are both based in their crimes and actually not appreciated enough. They should kiss and do more crimes.

Nahyuta and Matt:

The contrast. I want Nahyuta to look at Matt and see him as someone who was similarly raised into fitting a certain role and was unable to escape it and in turn swearing to save Matt’s soul. Matt is honestly confused but, amused and ever the opportunist, agrees to Nahyuta’s demands. Phoenix on the other hand is pushing Apollo to get his brother to stop, with Apollo explaining he literally can’t change his brother’s mind.

Luke & Ron & Desiree:

Okay, Ron and Desiree are a package deal. Anyway, I imagine Luke believes that having a rival means your relationship with them is naturally homoerotic ( I mean he’s not wrong) leaving poor Ron even more flustered and confused than usual . Desiree would just find it all funny to be honest and probably encourage the antics but if she wanted she could probably roast Luke out of committing anymore crimes and gain another partner in the process. Should’ve left the whole De Masque business to her to be honest.

Nahyuta and Kristoph:

“ You screwed over my brother.”

“ You screwed over your own brother.”

Both being forced to sacrifice so much for their sibling who doesn’t understand the extent of their sacrifices. Both committing horrible acts order survive, believing they alone know what’s best and are the only one who can carry such extreme actions out. But Nahyuta was the only one who got to grow beyond these viewpoints and tendencies while Kristoph only double down. Both of them hate each other but can understand each other and hate the fact that they can, they hate feeling anything for each other. Nahyuta wouldn't ever fall for Kristoph’s shit and Kristoph would hate being so powerless and exposed to him and even more so that Nahyuta doesn’t tear him apart from the inside. Nahyuta should become Kristoph’s architect and rebuild him in his image.

Uendo and Matt:

Matt learns Uendo genuinely enjoys giving performances and needs to know how. I think despite their drastically different experiences and ideals , they could form a genuine connection centered around having to suppress parts of themselves for the sake of their work. Since Matt work centered around entertaining kids and making them happy I think he could also get along with Owen well. I think Matt would have the best relationship with Patches out of all of them with Kisegawa and him having the most antagonistic relationship (but still caring). Honestly while one of the most simplistic parings it’s one of my favorites.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed as I spent too much time on this and I’d like to hear your own blursed ideas.

[the-invisible-queer]

[mint-mumbles]

What I wouldn’t give to see these three interact with each other (and potentially write a story)

Update: I found out through one of Jhonen Vasquez’s Fortnite streams that he is aware enough of the band Muse to the point where when there was a high pitch noise (either in the game or the movie he was playing) he said how “It’s like a Muse song.” Chat, how do I process this information?!?!?!