#oh how i miss aa4 apollo

[procrastinatingattorney]

honestly i dunno how to react when aa7 comes out one day cos like. i don't give a rat's ass about aa6 and it's somehow gonna have to continue off that lmao

[dragonsruby]

Considering how thirsty AA fans are over Kristoph (me included, unfortunately,) I am AMAZED I didn't hear about this part until I played the game.

Like it's PERFECT out of context, how did we not-

[nightowlssleep]

While I love Dual Destinies I'm not above wanting to rewrite certain elements so

Case rewrite: (I'm giving Athena more cases guys!!!!)

I'd set it up as the following:

Turnabout Countdown: Athena as the attorney, Phoenix as co-council

The Monstrous Turnabout: Apollo as the attorney, Athena as co-council (Trucy tags along to investigations)

Turnabout Reclaimed: Athena as the attorney, Phoenix as co-council (Pearl tags along to investigations)

Turnabout Academy: Athena as the attorney, Apollo as co-council (Phoenix and/or Klavier tags along to investigations)

The Cosmic Turnabout: Apollo as the attorney, Athena as co-council (After Apollo leaves, Athena as the attorney, Phoenix as co-council)

Turnabout for Tomorrow: Phoenix as the attorney (no co-council until the mood matrix segment) (Trucy, then Pearl tags along to investigations)

(In my rewrite Phoenix only gets his badge back right before Turnabout for Tomorrow, therefore while Athena doesn't get a lot more cases, she still gets Reclaimed and The Cosmic Turnabout)

• Firstly, Turnabout Countdown: I personally like that this game has a non linear first case, I think it works with setting up the mystery with Apollo and even Juniper

I think letting Athena take over the case is a very good start to seeing her character BUT THAT'S WHEN PHOENIX HAS TO COME IN AND TAKE ALL THE SPOTLIGHT

God I hate that, I get it, it's Phoenix's grand return but still, LET ATHENA DEFEND

Anyways in my rewrite, Athena has her panic attack, Phoenix comes in as co-council (Doesn't have his badge back yet therefore can't take over the case) and helps Athena through the case, nice mentor moment 👍🏻

• The Monstrous Turnabout: I like that this case happens from Apollo's perspective, I'd like it if it would feel a bit more like AA4 since (to me) it's very reminiscent to Turnabout Corner

Anyways I don't have too many gripes with this case, maybe more Trucy to tag along with investigating cuz I'd like to see her and Athena interacting

As for Athena I like that she has an "observing" case where she can see how a more experienced attorney handles a case

I also like that Phoenix is mostly missing from this case (my personal explanation is he's taking the bar during this but he only gets his badge back much later cuz the bar association is still a bit ehhh about letting him pass) (dw Edgeworth helps out with getting it back)

• Turnabout Reclaimed: Oh I love this case

Probably my favourite in the second trilogy (going to an aquarium right before I watched it probably helped with the enjoyment tbh)

Since Phoenix is still missing his badge Athena has to defend (she's also the one who's a big fan of Shipshape aquarium and begged Phoenix to help them so I don't even get why Phoenix gets this case)

I like the idea of such a silly case being Athena's first, I could also see Phoenix using this opportunity to pull Athena's leg a little, so the we can still feel the Beanix in him

Like he agrees that the agency will take the case and Athena assumes that he'll make Apollo represent the orca but instead he turns to her like "Athena you'll take the case, since you're such an eager fan" and that way Athena can experience getting messed with by her boss but also let it be a learning opportunity without it being an overtly traumatic first trial (I don't think he wants a repeat of Apollo's first trial lol)

Anyways student mentor moments, while Apollo and Trucy are practicing magic tricks in the office or something (could be foreshadowing to the fact that Trucy will get her own magic show in the next game)

• Turnabout Academy: No notes for this case's trial segment really, I just wish Klavier would act a bit more like himself, and Juniper acknowledging that her costume was inspired by Lamiroir (It could be a cool call back, like Juniper watched *that* specific performance and really liked Lamiroir's outfit and decided to recreate it or something and Apollo could point it out so we get more of the "I like Lamiroir's aura" thing he says) (Capcom tell him that she's his mother I beg)

I like that this time around Athena jumps to promise defending Juniper, that's good

Also maybe more AA4 call backs?? Maybe a Kristoph mention?? Please??

• The Cosmic Turnabout: Disclaimer: I don't remember much from this case so if anything is wrong, feel free to correct me

I like how mysterious the whole eye patch thing is even though we're in Apollo's perspective, it also makes sense that he'd take the case

To add to the tension I'd mention Phoenix being worried about still not getting his badge back and that's why he can't be there in the gallery (He's arguing his case with the Bar association with Edgeworth probably or something)

I like how hurried Blackquill is during this trial too, he's convincing himself and trying to project that Starbuck is the Phantom because he doesn't have more time and he wants to finish his mission of chasing ghosts seven years past even if it's not the truth, I think that that was done well

I'd like for Athena to notice this, point it out to Apollo, but since Apollo is already on edge about Athena I'd like to think he takes it as "Athena is more worried about a murderer than our case, than about my friend, than about me... Is this a sign?" And that (and the explosion) could be the last push for him to dip from the agency and go on his own investigation (maybe reaching out to Kristoph...? Hmm? Mr "Evidence is everything in court"?)

As for after the explosion, I'd like to think Apollo left the case to Phoenix (cuz he was convinced that Phoenix would get his badge back by that time) but since Nick is still missing his badge Athena decides that she'll take over and defend Starbuck

Anyways all goes the same Athena gets arrested, and with no attorney left in the agency... What now?

• Turnabout for Tomorrow: Phoenix leaves the courtroom alone

Trucy who witnessed the whole thing from the gallery, runs up to him, similarly worried about "what now?"

Phoenix gets a call. From who? We won't know for a bit but we can assume (It's Edgeworth)

Anyways, at last, there's another attorney in the agency who can help... Phoenix got his badge back

Now finally being a full fledged lawyer again, him and Trucy go investigating, we get father daughter moments, unravelling the mystery of the Cykes and Blackquills, everything goes mostly as it happens in canon, after Trucy gets kidnapped Pearl tags along and when Phoenix and her are investigating the space station, Edgeworth shows up with Phoenix's lawyer badge in hand

They're facing eachother in court again

PHOENIX WRIGHT, THE TURNABOUT TERROR, IS BACK IN COURT

Anyways epic return (instead of the random come back in the dlc case???) (Like it's funny that he's defending an orca but still)

Everything else happens like canon, except Athena gets to hug Blackquill after he's freed because they're siblings your honour and she's been working seven years for this to finally happen

Happy end and celebration at Eldoon's Noodles obviously

And that is my AA5 rewrite, thanks for coming to my TED talk

[journalsouppe]

APOLLO JUSTICE!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! What i would literally give to have a true AA4 sequel. I wholeheartedly believe if Yamazaki's team could ignore aa4 canon to make 5 & 6 then Shu Takumi should absolutely be allowed to ignore any 5&6 canon to make an aa4 sequel. I'm dying out here pleaseeeeee

The Phoenix sticker is from Peachcott. The Klavier sticker is from Ayabit from the Turnabout Cinema zine. The Apollo and Trucy stickers are from astarsor.

Writing typed below!

rating: 9.8 played: Fa 2023 port: 3DS favorite? Y replayable: Y recommend? Y series: Ace Attorney

Comments

THE JUDGE PAINTING

apollo's such a dork <3

ooo i like the perceive function

i love the music

DONT SAY THAT TRUCY T_T

there's so much going on in this investigation

wow i love how uneasy i feel even after the trial ended

LMAO I FORGOT ABOUT THE PHOENIX SEX PHOTO

i dont think y'all want your panties back...

klav's a bill and ted fan i see lol

LOVE mr eldoon's design 10/10

klapollo meet cute moment LMAO

oops ^^; i accidentally wrote a 600 word essay about the first case

i like how apollo cried over trucy

IT'S JUSTICE TIME??? T^T

i like klavier's hands a normal amount

alita must have some dirty fucking feet

the animations are so smooth

apollo being jealous of klavier at the concert and thinking he's cool LMAO

apollo is WHIPPED

trucy is KILLING it in court, she really is nick's daughter

klavier's shoe print *skull emoji*

out of pocket shiny forehead comment LMAO

lamiroir has similar vocal tones as malon!

THE PENIS FIRE AND KLAV PUTTING IT OUT IN THE BKGD

the smile and hair twirl klavier LMAO

why am i doing this music recording thing T^T

i dont like looking at daryan T_T

letouse kazuma moment lmao

capcom loves the face down death with writing on the ground huh LMAO

wtf is the judge talking about

i love all these scientific tests with ema! :)

i love the snackoos SFX

klav does not miss an opportunity to take a short at apollo's big forehead LMAO

APOLLO YOU DUMBASS

faking blindness is crazy

I KNEW IT WOULD BE DARYAN'S VOICE

klav's office is so much more normal than edgeworth's

WAIT IS IT GRAMARYE AND NOT GRAYMAYRE??

THE ANIMALS??

i love apollo and lamiroir goofing on klav

similar tech opening to brc

WTF WAS THAT KRISTOPH JUMPSCARE T-T

LORD DADDY???

oh he's insufferable

HOLY SHIT THAT'S WHY VERA IS STARING AT KLAV??

"rip off" phoenix is so real for that

are they injecting magnifi with piss??

im curious why kristoph would do this to phoenix

he just left his daughter???

tf is going on

T^T THE KRISTOPH ZOOM IN

why does klav have that egg from dragon tales

apollo understands me with mascots

this is so gay omfg

daryan not liking trucy means he goes even more into the shit book than before

apollo the journaling king

the x-ray function is a really fun addition

BABY TRUCY

omg phoenix with out the ugly hd redraw

GUMSHOE

he said it!!! he said 'ace attorney' lmao

i love and hate that i have to present the journal page

why does the screen shake when mr misham speaks T_T

THAT SCAR IS FREAKY

siblings omgggg

Summary:

I love this game so much. I love it so much that I am heartbroken knowing that AA 5 & 6 butchers the story it setup and I'm considering not even playing them unless AA7 is announced. I love all the main characters so much, the whole story was so well built and I can def see the influence the story had on DGS. Apollo is such a good protagonist, he's relatable but also so unique. I love seeing his character progression in the game: a new attorney who is easily manipulated to a confident and determined attorney who trusts in his own judgement. I LOVED Klavier oh my god. I love how much he respects Apollo and although he doesn't hesitate to tease him, he doesn't bully or abuse Apollo in any way. They both have a mutual admiration and rivalry where they try to play as fairly as possible. Klav doesn't maliciously withhold or change evidence, but he does spend hours reviewing his arsenal and thinks of all the counter arguments the defense could bring up. I really like Apollo's ability, it continues the mystery and mysticism from the original trilogy but with new mechanics. I adore Trucy so much. She honestly might be my favorite AA character. She's determined, strong willed, and above all -- extremely silly. I couldn't of asked for a better character to be Phoenix's daughter. I also LOVE the sibling reveal at the end but gdi if only they actually figure it out T^T T^T. I think Apollo and Trucy's dynamic is probably my favorite Defense and assistant dynamic. This who game was so fun, I know 4-3 is not everyone's favorite and it is a little all over the place but I also enjoyed it and loved the premise. There's so much to say, I haven't even talked about Nick and Kris - what an incredible feud, what a genius development for Nick. I cannot recommend this game enough, I am so obsessed with it and cannot wait to make art <3 <3.

[getupthestairs]

ouhggh alright ive been replaying aa4 recently and yknow. i always forget how UTTERLY INFURIATING the missed potential with klavier. my god.

to begin with, he was something so fresh and interesting to aa prosecutors. all our previous prosecutors needed to learn to value the truth over their own victory, but klavier already values the truth! though seemingly arrogant, he isnt antagonistic to apollo and helps him out. he seems cheerful, confident, and moral! and so, naturally, his arc would be something far more personal than previous prosecutors... right......

we even see hints of it. in 4-3, when we go to his office, he asks if you would like to speak to klavier, lead singer of the gavinners, or prosecutor gavin, terror of the courtroom. seems like! theres a real discrepancy in the ways he tries to present himself! like hes trying to be something hes not! 4-3 in general has SO MUCH of klavier in his personal life. this is almost like,, setting up a character arc or something!

but NOPE. klavier really IS just a cheery, confident rockstar lawyer who is almost entirely unaffected by HIS BELOVED BROTHER'S JUST. EVERYTHING. ALL THE STUFF HE DID. oh, is he just pretending to be unaffected? maybe due to being a famous singer and growing up with That Guy ad a role model, maybe hes good at detaching himself from his emotions? maybeNOPE, hes just good ol' klavier, not a care in the world!

of course i still love mr klavier gavin, but i sure would like him a lot more if he had SOME SUBSTANCE

>:[

[tunaricebowl]

also i’m not sure if this is what op is referring to bc this is aa5 not aa4 (i couldnt find anything in aa4 but i couldve just missed it) but if anyone wants to read the actual conversation where phoenix mentions going to europe MULTIPLE TIMES to help out an old friend even though we both know he 100% could not have afforded it with his borscht bowl money…….

<Apollo>

So, Mr. Wright, how long have you known Athena?

<Phoenix>

I met her during a trip to Europe.

<Apollo>

Huh!?

<Apollo>

Y-You were in Europe? (Why haven't I heard about this before?)

<Phoenix>

Yeah, I went there a few times to study the various legal systems over there.

<Apollo>

Oh, okay... Er, wait a minute.

<Apollo>

I thought you worked as a pianist after you quit practicing law.

<Phoenix>

I did, but an old friend of mine needed help with some legal work from time to time, so...

no but seriously the "my friend wanted some help with legal work" line in aa4 changed me as a person. i think about edgeworth trying to reach out to freshly disbarred phoenix in a million different ways and it not working, so this bastard pulls a damsel in distress move on the guy who's only weakness is people who need help and goes "wright:((( there's this very very tough case:((( innocent people will go to jail if you don't accept these first class plane tickets for you and your daughter and spend a week with me in this five star european hotel :((( oh i am so lost and confused ughh this legal work is killing me" AND IT WORKS MULTIPLE TIMESSSS

[ritzcuit]

1, 8 for ace attorney?

1; the character everyone gets wrong

oh boyUm all of them#$^#$ no.. thats not fair...... well it's hard... bc strictly speaking aa is not a very detailed game.... ummm ummmm

i think everyone who makes klavier a sexy whore slut is like. crazy. that is the most prudish man ever. honestly klavier is such an undefined character that everyone's A Little Wrong about him, including me, but the urge that everyone wants to turn him into a genderqueering rock slut is like. ...well no! i mean. not to me anyway. smiles. you can do what you want.

klavier is a very "haha you fell for the false facade that the character put on!" character to me, though again, aa4 doesn't really give us a LOT to work with.. so it's not like people can be "wrong" really. but i have my preferences. ...regardless i can't imagine klavier being a rulebreaker. you saw that man strangle daryan over One Missed Cue and you think he's showing hole? UNLIKELY!

also everyone is wrong about yuty because yuty is so awesome and everyone is wrong to hate him yuppp. oh i love that thing.. the yute

8; common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

all of them im KIDDING i cant go on another soj rant bc that's like. well you get it. you and i are on the same level...

well this is a lowblow but i don't agree with "phoenix being a dad figure for apollo" like im so over it. that's his boss. they met as adults. like it's fine. i know phoenix raised trucy but he doesnt know abt trucy and apollo until so recently, and neither trucy nor apollo have any clue, and again, apollo and phoenix Are Adults when they meet, like it's FINE he can just be a mentor/boss figure IT'S FINE! NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE FOUND FAMILY...!!!!!!

im serious though bc apollo has enough dads! i think it can do apollo a disservice. he has his bio dad who is just a giant question mark, and he has dhurke who he feels burned by (lol), and now he's an adult. i don't like the feeling of "solving" apollo's weird dad feelings by just giving him a Good One so it's all fine now ^_^.hey. let him have conflict. ok? phoenix is his mentor who he idolized as a teenager and then quickly had those feelings destroyed. that's a relationship worth exploring in its own right, so i never really enjoy ppl being like "um that's his dad x3" omfg You only know how to analyze media through quirky popular tumblr posts and it SHOWS

this opinion is not uncolored by my feelings on soj, though, so in a sense i did go on a soj rant. it cant be helped

[borom1r]

for the character opinion bingo: maya, franziska, pearl, miles and/or phoenix, + klavier or perhaps apollo? :3c whichever of these sounds more fun!!

bestie ilyyyy i will always do all of the characters shfjjsjf i love Talking and Thinking Thoughts

anyways Maya!!

I DONT HAVE A TON OF THOUGHTS ABT HER BUT I ADORE HER I NEED HER TO BE OK!!!!!! I MISS HER SO MUCH IN THE GAMES!!!!!!

Franziska

I almost put “If anything happens to them I will cry” but lbr she’d be fine. I’m squeezing Miles and Phoenix like stress balls but Franziska and Maya are getting put on my shelves like 2 action figures I’m making kiss

Pearl!!

I ALSO NEED HER TO BE OK. PLEASE. PLEASE CAPCOM IM BEGGING WHAT ARE MAYA AND FRANZISKA AND PEARLY DOING RN!?!?

Miles

Somehow, He Did Not Get A Bingo. hes Everything 2 me. his stressed cat noises and stunted emotions have captivated me

Nick!!!

ALSO no bingo!!! tf!!! he’s so fucking scrunkly I’m obsessed w him. you know Miles’ Phoenix-related stress migraines are so ingrained that he’ll get hit with one out of the blue in Germany and call Phoenix to discover he’s like, gotten hit by ANOTHER car or targeted by the mob AGAIN or fallen out a window or down a manhole or been assaulted by a witness or SOMETHING. and Phoenix just laughs it off. me 🤝🏻 Miles + shaking Nick by the shoulders and shouting @ him that this is NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR and PERHAPS HE SHOULD TAKE BETTER CARE OF HIMSELF and PEOPLE DO IN FACT CARE ABOUT HIM also MAYBE AVOID MEN WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Klavier time

HMMM I do not have a Lot of strong emotions abt Klavier but fwiw I genuinely like him!! I would just like to see more of him I think. He n Apollo had such a good dynamic and that all got pushed wayyyyyyy to the backburner w dual destinies. like I’m sorry this is the game series w such iconic lines as “b-bottom?” and “unnecessary feelings” and “maybe YOU should be stripped naked and run out for making a mockery of this court” and “you’re a work of art, Phoenix Wright” BUT AA4 WAS TOO MUCH?????? THATS WHAT MADE U TRY TO NO-HOMO THE LAWYERS????????????? ok. ok I guess. apparently “I’ve never felt like this with a man” was CROSSING A LINE

also I need Miles and Klavier content it’s a widespread joke abt Miles and Nick adopting So Many Children but hello??? hello???? manipulated for potentially their entire lives by someone they thought they could trust, someone in their immediate family, as part of some twisted vengeance plot???? you cannot look me in the eyes and tell me Miles wouldn’t immediately extend a “my office is always open, you’re not alone” to Klavier the SECOND he heard what the fuck had happened w/ Kristoph!!

last but certainly not least, Apollo!

same as what I said w Klavier pretty much. AA4 was going in very interesting directions particularly w it’s characters and then that all just screeched to a halt. NOTHING is addressed. and like it IS the silly lawyer game to an extent but also how much of AA1-3 is about oh idk, your mentor getting murdered or her sister getting kidnapped and/or framed for murder BY HER OWN AUNT or your rival coming to terms with and trying to move past his extremely traumatic past while discovering what it means to be a prosecutor

and like I get they can’t just RETREAD that w Apollo and Klavier so u kinda get a speed run in AA4 with Apollo/Klavier and Kristoph but like. Ok DD, Phoenix gets his badge back, great, what are the ramifications of that wrt Klavier? how is he coping w the fact his brother used him to get a man disbarred? how Does Apollo help him? bc Klavier does spend so much of AA4 helping Apollo in this roundabout, toying way but still steering him towards The Truth. what does it mean for them when it’s turned back around on Apollo and suddenly he IS in Phoenix’s shoes trying to support his rival who IS absolutely mired in emotions and trauma. bc it’s very easy to gloss over what happened with Daryan but like, that was a thing too???? and Klavier is almost assuredly worse abt hiding his emotions than Miles is (Phoenix can read Miles like a book from almost the beginning, while Klavier is a stage performer. he knows how to look effortlessly relaxed when he’s really stressing the fuck out. AND THATS SUCH AN INTERESTING DICHOTOMY WRT APOLLO AND HIS BRACELET ESP CONSIDERING THE WAYS IT DOES MIRROR LAMIROIR/THALASSA AND ZAK????? more “reserved” w/ tension-detecting bracelet(s) vs larger-than-life Performer tm LIKE????? argh.)

I also just want to see Apollo and Miles interact genuinely I think they would be a force to be reckoned with together. Phoenix even THINKS abt getting up to some bullshit and they both fix him with The Stare. Phoenix and Trucy unstoppable force vs Miles and Apollo immovable object (jk jk Trucy has them Both wrapped around her little finger but Miles could absolutely 100% clue Apollo in to Phoenix’s “I am pulling a ridiculous stunt” cues)

(Miles like “and here is how I get him to Stop whatever he is about to do” + Apollo just like “that’s gr8 while you were still in Germany I just started spraying him with a water bottle.” “…like a cat.” “I wasn’t going to get any work done otherwise.”)

[haventseensun]

idk how to form a sentence but i think AA4 is kinda  about how pointless revenge is? You know i feel like Phoenix is a petty bitch and he swore to get revenge on the person who framed him and he just spent so much time being angry at them and himself and he put so much time and energy into finding the truth but over the years it just kinda burned out each year he gets a bit more tired and by the end of it when he finally catches Kristoph and exposes everything that happened (well Apollo does but you know what i mean) he doesn’t even feel that different he thought he would celebrate with a big smile but now he’s just like ‘oh..its over’ of course he’s glad that Kristoph will get what he deserves but its not the cathartic and satisfying moment he thought it would be.....do you know what im trying to say im very tired i left my house for the first time in like a week and walked around for a few hours and im just saying whatever comes to my mind but honestly even if i wasn’t tired i still wouldn’t be able to choose the right words and also i miss angle beats

[rivalsforlife]

I think soj is funny as a whole but particularly 6-2 for how Little they actually tried to make stuff fit in both the lore and also the character’s natural in-universe motivations. yeah uhhh phoenix is going to go to a foreign country to visit his friend he hasn’t seen in two years, she’s coming back within the next few weeks. but oh he’s going to go two weeks before he’s going to actually see her, because he’s worried about her inexplicably (insert anime prologue that isn’t even in the game or referenced in the game here) TOTALLY EXPLICABLY and he’s going to miss the biggest show his daughter’s ever had. he totally had a reason for going to khura’in but he’s just going to sit around there doing absolutely nothing for two weeks because we need him to be there so he isn’t defending his daughter from murder and he’s not going back to comfort her after she’s acquitted, or watch her big show, again. that’s because he needs to be in khura’in because maya’s getting arrested which he has absolutely no way of predicting, so he’ll just look like a shitty father, that’s fine.

oh and by the way trucy gets arrested for murdering this guy called mr. reus who’s a former gramarye despite the fact that his motif doesn’t fit with theirs and he doesn’t have a gramarye name. we’ll add a line in there about trucy calling magnifi her father’s father even though he’s her mother’s father. zak and valant were magnifi’s kids right? anyways this mr. reus guy. he has a joker motif because those are cards nevermind the fact that it doesn’t really fit in with the whole gramarye thing and if anything would make him look like the leader because it doesn’t fit with the main four. magnifi kicks him out of the troupe for endangering his own safety, just ignore the part where his disciples shoot his daughter in the head and he just abandons her amnesiac in a foreign country and then blackmails the disciples, because he really is a great magician who cares about making people happy we promise. we couldn’t POSSIBLY make reus like a competing magician who was overshadowed by them or something, that would make no sense. again, the gramaryes are great and normal people who were right.

also reus isn’t actually dead he’s the killer but he has this big complex about defeating the gramaryes. he presumably knew thalassa because he was part of the gramaryes and would recognize her bracelets, and might even know of her son, causing for a very satisfying breakdown when he realizes his guilt was proven by someone with gramarye blood, but we’re just not going to do that and drag out this sibling reveal indefinitely because why would we wrap up plot points from aa4 in a case that’s a callback to a bad recollection of aa4. did you know apollo was actually raised by revolutionaries in a foreign country? the hints were there all along because he doesn’t like to talk about his past

[4ragon]

For topics to ramble on; how about Ema and Klavier’s dynamic? I’m playing SoJ and neither of them are here yet and I miss them ;-;

Hehehehe hope you’re enjoying SoJ!

Oh Ema and Klavier. I truly and deeply care about Ema and Klavier friendship so gosh darn much. And some of that is I enjoy that dynamic, I enjoy the idea of an Ema who pretends to dislike him but begrudgingly still cares for his wellbeing. However, I think what I like more is how they got there.

Let’s face it: I think they genuinely don’t like each other in aa4. Like, there’s certainly plenty about their dynamic that I think could make for a good foundation for a friendship, with Ema’s grouchiness playing off Klavier’s teasing, but they also do enjoy screwing each other over at multiple points. Klavier embarrasses her in trial, Ema freaks Klavier out by imitating Kristoph. These are both very mean spirited actions, and I think speak to a level of how much these two don’t understand each other. Klavier hadn’t really thought much about how his 'grand reveal’ would hurt Ema, and Ema didn’t understand how upsetting Klavier would find her sudden imitation, or even fully why. It’s not like either of them would be trying to hurt each other, they’re not those kinds of people, I think they just don’t understand each other and have written off any possibility of doing so.

And I think that’s what I find interesting about a potential Ema Klavier friendship. They both I think start off with really strong misconceptions about the other, the both write each other off, and them being able to grow past that, to come to understand and care for each other is just a really nice narrative.

Ema, of course, knew Klavier immediately as “That prosecutor who disbarred Phoenix,” and I think, unlike Phoenix and Apollo, she never really tried to look past that. I think she was perfectly caught up in Klavier’s rockstar persona. Klavier Gavin talks about wanting a simple life, having simple motivations. His entire affect is meant to prevent people from knowing the real him, and Ema absolutely does not see through that. She thinks he’s vain, and arrogant, and self-serving, and these biases against him make it so hard for her to see the genuine heart of gold underneath.

On the flip side, I do really like the headcanon that Klavier, pansexual disaster, had a very short-lived crush on Ema Skye before she mercilessly beat it out of him. I think he tried to make those good first impressions, but in that flirty, flighty rockstar way that came off to Ema as deeply insincere and arrogant. And once those first impressions had been set, any sort of connection became really hard to make, so Klavier just accepted, “Oh, this is my detective, she hates me for some reason, and that’s just how it is.” His rockstar persona was a front to prevent people from getting to close to him and allowing him to be hurt, after all, and so it was working perfectly as intended.

And all that prevents them for so long from realizing that they really do have a lot in common. They’re both hard working, they both are so passionate about their dream jobs, they’re both good, honest people, and they both have an older sibling who’s in prison. In fact, I feel like that last point is hugely important. Ema, more than so many other people in his life, shares that single point of connection, of an older sibling who not only is in prison, but did in fact commit the crime they were accused of. That is something that almost no one else in the series understands, something not many people have experienced, and it’s something I think both of them would benefit from connecting over. They both have written off the other as someone not worth attempting to get to know, but once they do get past that, they can come to realize that there is so much more to this person that they wrote off at the start.

And once they’re past that initial hurtle, I think they would be such a fun pair. Ema would still be a grouchy contrarian, and Klavier would still enjoy teasing her mercilessly, as is his want. I don’t know, I find dynamics like that so much fun. Characters who appear to not get along, but deep down do care about each other so much. Just. I love these two. I enjoy these two.

[moonchopsticks-old]

just finished aa4 and really liked it! quick thoughts:

-apollo has quickly become one of my favorite characters in aa! he really struck that sweet spot between admirable and endearing for me--a hardworking, quick-thinking young man, who grew up as an orphan and clawed his way up to success and a new family in the wrights, and who’s also unrelentingly snarky, can’t whisper for his life, is terrified of heights, and cries over people that he hardly knows. what a dork, i love him. i think they leaned a little heavily on the ‘greenhorn’ aspect of his personality-- quite a few moments where there were things i had figured out but wasn’t allowed to do anything with until another character jumped in and was like “apollo u sweet summer child THIS is the answer”. also i spoiled myself a little and i know that the next two games have “traumatize apollo” as a running theme so a little apprehensive and hoping they at least develop his character well or smth

-mixed feelings about the ‘perceive’ mechanic bc narratively it’s cool as hell but  it was frustrating to crawl through the text looking around for a very slight change in the zoomed-in sprite, especially if it wasn’t clear what they’re fibbing about which is very often. had to use a guide on those parts pretty often. also it’s just like “hey you were twitching! you’re obviously hiding something!” “oh gee you caught me i’ll spill the beans” like i feel like it could’ve been a little more subtle or gradual, idk.

- love apollo and trucy’s relationship so much!! their banter is so cute and funny and they pull off the straight man/funny man routine really well. ik nick and maya have a similar thing but the vibes were just different, for some reason. they had very strong sibling vibes (even before the reveal), which i loved. them being half-siblings was pretty contrived (like a lot of things in this game and this series lmao) but i dont really mind too much

-on a related note, why can’t they know that they’re siblings. when’s the “right time” to tell them. why can’t they just reunite with their mother who has her memories back and loves them. phoenix wh

-on another related note i can understand how jaded and disillusioned phoenix got after he got disbarred but i honestly didn’t like the whole “mysterious cryptic mentor playing 4d chess” schtick that the game pulled. it feels ooc, especially considering you briefly play as present-day him in the final case and his internal monologue doesn’t seem too different from original trilogy phoenix, or at least the phoenix you see before disbarment in the final case (although i was rly invested in finishing up the case and wasn’t paying that much attention to phoenix’s characterization specifically, so i might’ve missed stuff). phoenix’s arc of growth was great and complete in t&t and it feels like they just...gave him a whole new personality. also phoenix goes back to being a lawyer in the next two games...does he just revert back to being regular ol phoenix? idk, maybe i’m missing some stuff right after my first playthrough but it just felt weird.

-plot was really convoluted and contrived even for ace attorney (havent played aa5 or 6 yet, so idk if it gets worse). lamiroir just happened to be apollo and trucy’s mom, if zak had just been frank with phoenix and given the original diary page to him OR valant hadn’t tampered with the crime scene this whole thing could’ve been avoided. why did zak want to take down phoenix in poker to the extent of planting cards on him to make it look like he cheated when phoenix was the one who defended him in court and he’s the one taking care of his daughter??

-way too many flashbacks to things that happened 5 real life minutes ago

-g u i t a r ‘ s  s e r e n a d e

-kind of wish they had done more with trucy. i liked her but i feel like there was potential, especially since the game implies that she’s putting on a brave front for apollo, and i wish they had expanded on that a little more. like....her birth father who had been presumed dead for years ends up being alive right up until mere months before the reveal. she’s the one that ends up delivering the forged evidence into phoenix’s hands as a child, even though she was completely unaware of it at the time. she and phoenix latch onto each other pretty quickly, which was very cute, but we get little insight to how she thinks of her biological father, who we can tell she loved and misses but not much else. maybe i’m just digging for angst, idk, but it still felt like there could’ve been more. (also i really wanted more phoenix-being-a-dad content!! be a dad to ur daughter sir!!)

-klavier was pretty good! it was refreshing to have a prosecutor that wasn’t after ‘perfection’ or had a vendetta against defense attorneys/the protag, but he still managed to come off as a competent opponent. his whole rockstar persona was very cheesy but i liked it lol. (also really hilarious to me that the third case starts with him giving discounted tickets to trucy and apollo, his opponents in actual legal court) also i knew people shipped him and apollo but i wasn’t expected the game to be so forthright with it. like how else are you supposed to interpret klavier saying “i’m used to being inspected by the ladies but this is the first time ive felt like this with a man”????

-ema skye!!! loved her and glad to see her in a spotlight role but it was just kind of sad seeing her perpetually grumpy. ik people didn’t like that there were so many forensic touchpad/mic minigames but i didn’t really mind it, they were kinda fun if sometimes a little tedious

-i for sure thought that valant had been directly involved with the murder in turnabout serenade (my initial theory was that valant was masquerading as daryan during set 3 while daryan shot letouse, which was why 2nd guitar was off during the recording). also i hated daryan’s hair, why does he have a military grade skunk torpedo on his head,

-wright anything agency adopt vera challenge

-this has already gone on long enough so tl;dr solid 7.5/10 would play again once i forget what happens a little bit

[farafeys]

friendly arrangements?

my second aa fic, written in august pretty much right after i finished spirit of justice lol

characters: Apollo Justice, Athena Cykes, Klavier Gavin, mentions of both Wrights and the cat Apollo takes in in the aa5 drama cd

1739 words; gen with strongly hinted at klapollo but mostly just awkward-nice conversation; big spoilers for aa6 and the aa5 drama cd, mentioned aa4 spoilers; 

two calls apollo makes while looking for a catsitter (link to ao3; fic under cut)

The second day after Dhurke's trial, when most of the Wright Anything Agency was back at home, after a long day of setting up paperwork and cleaning out years of mess from the Sahdmadhi Law Office, Apollo finally sat down and took a moment to unwind. Now almost used to the idea of living in Khura'in again, he remembered a problem that had slipped his mind in the chaos of the past week: there was no one to take care of his cat. After a moment of hesitation, and another moment to check the difference in time zones, he called Athena. She picked up at the third ring. "Apollo! What's up? Are you okay? Everything groovy with your scary new job?" "Hey Athena." His voice was considerably more level than hers. "I'm fine, we fixed up the office some and I talked a bunch with Nahyuta." Athena's peppy 'ooo' sounded tinny through the phone. "Cool beans! Were ya just calling to say how much you miss me already, then?" Her cheeky grin was somehow audible. "Ha ha ha. No, I had a, uh, favor to ask you, actually." Athena stayed quiet except for an expectant hmm, letting him continue. "I kinda, uh, forgot about it until just now but- actually, do you remember the circus case with the cat?" "Hmm? Oh YEAH, that fucker who framed Trucy! Why do you ask?" Apollo pursed his lips at her choice of words. "I never found the owner of that calico I told you guys about, so she's mine now I guess? And I don't know who's gonna feed her and stuff now, so..." Athena gasped at the mention of his cat. "Oh yeah, your girlfriend! How could I forget! Do you want me to take care of her?" "If it's not too much to ask... yeah?" Athena hummed for a moment. "I don't know... birds and cats don't get along, right? It would suck if Taka beat up your girlfriend." "Stop calling her that," Apollo said tiredly. "Right, I forgot Prosecutor Blackquill lives with you now... shit, I don't know who to ask besides you." Athena made a sad sound in the back of her throat. "What about Mr. Wright?" "Yeah, either he'd forget to feed her for a week straight or Trucy would want to try out her new combustion magic on living subjects." His tone was dry. Trucy had slyly suggested trying that particular trick on Apollo several times in the past month, and he was bitter. "Ha! Yeah, you're right, I guess."  They were both quiet for a moment. If Apollo weren't dozing off from exhaustion, he would've suspected the younger attorney of planning some wild idea. "Saaaaaay, Polly," her sudden sing-songy words made him jump a little, "why don't you ask your favorite prosecutor friend?" Apollo stuttered out a "Wh-" which was ignored as she continued, "You know, the handsome charming rock star one that you get worked up over whenever you talk about him? I bet he's GREAT with cats." For a few seconds all he said in response to her ingenious idea was some angry spluttering sounds. "What- why would I ask him that? What do you mean, good with cats??" Athena laughed loudly and said, "He just seems nice! And like he wouldn't mind doing you a favor, ja?" She waggled her eyebrows alongside her excellent impression of Klavier, despite Apollo missing out on the performance. Apollo spluttered into his phone more. The irritation had at least woken him up. "What's that supposed to mean?! Athena!" She giggled. "You said you don't have anyone else to ask, right?" She cut off Apollo's 'But-', continuing with glee, "and if you don't ask him then there's no one to watch your girlfriend, jaaa? Aaaaaand!!! If you don't ask him then I will!" Apollo jumped up from the couch he was lying on. "ATHENA." "Woah, turn down the Chords there, dude. Sensitive ears, remember?" She didn't sound particularly bothered. "Aaaaanyway I've gotta go over to the Prosecutors' Office anyway to get some stuff from Simon later so! You got until lunchtime to call your boyfriend, Polly!" Apollo was pacing now, a scowl on his face. "I feel like this is probably some kind of harassment. I'd tell someo- I'd tell Mr. Wright if I thought he wouldn't just egg you on." Athena gasped theatrically. "I'm just helping a friend take care of his cat!!! And going to have a chat with my second favorite prosecutor about his favorite absent defense attorney!" Apollo grumbled some curses away from the phone mic, then took a deep breath. "So it sounds like you're planning on talking to Prosecutor Gavin today anyway?" "Hmm, yeah! I've decided on it now, and I've never changed my mind about anything." "...Right. And I'm guessing that you're going to talk to him about me whether I call him or not?" Athena's responding 'Duh' was Chords of Steel levels of loud. "What else would we talk about? The weather? Music? Junie? OH!!! Junie... Anyway! Yeah, I'm a gossip machine, Polly! It's a great way to practice analyzing emotions, you know." Apollo ignored her and poked a finger to his forehead as if he were nearing a breakthrough in court. "So if I do call him now, I'll get the leg up on you with whatever you're gonna say!" "Huh?" "Got it. I'll call him right now. Nice talk, Athena." "Uh, yeah! Have fun fixing a whole court system." Apollo hmphed, said a quick goodbye, and asked her to pass on his greetings to Blackquill and the Wrights. He hung up, found Klavier's number in his phone (Trucy had given it to the fop about a year ago, and he texted Apollo periodic congratulations on cases, well-wishes for holidays, and other ridiculous frustrating things), and gave himself a minute to get a glass of water before calling. He picked up after the first ring. "Hallo? Herr Justice? To what do I owe the pleasure?" Apollo bit back surprise at the use of his actual name and irritation at Klavier's smooth voice. "Uh, hi, Prosecutor Gavin. I don't know if you've heard, but I'm not going to be in the country for a while." Klavier hummed in response, "Ja, I heard about the trial in Khura'in through Herr Edgeworth. Sounds like you and Herr Sahdmadhi have had quite the week!" "Uh, yeah." Apollo lost his train of thought for a moment. "A-anyway I have kind of a big favor to ask, and I wouldn't be calling you but Athena can't and I don't know who else I could ask and SHE said to ask you-" Klavier cut him off before his rambling picked up enough speed and volume to rival a freight train. "Woah there, Herr Forehead, what exactly is this momentous task for me? Nothing illegal, I hope." "Of course not!!" Apollo's voice broke, turning louder and squeaky from indignation. "It's just my cat, I don't know who's gonna take care of her and I don't think there's a way to get her to Khura'in any time soon." "Oh! I did not know you had a cat!" He sounded enthused, much more than earlier in the call. "What is the little one's name?" Apollo winced. "Uh. That's kind of a weird story actually, I found her with a collar and at first I was just watching her until I could find the owner, but I never did and I never actually... got around to naming her?" Klavier's voice betrayed an amused smirk. "Then what, pray tell, do you call her, Forehead?" "Uh... Kitty." Klavier muffled a laugh that didn't match up to Apollo's memories of him, shoulders shaking, tossing his head prettily while mocking him from behind the prosecutor's bench. "Kitty! A fitting name indeed! I imagine, then, your favor is simply to take care of the feline Fraulein, ja?" "I... yeah. Is that ok?" Apollo was only half expecting to get this far. The conversation was far more painless than the ordeal he had expected. "Of course!" There was a smile in his voice, a wider more genuine one than his typical pasted-on rock star grin. "I am very fond of cats, after all, and Vongole could use the company during the day." That name sounded old and familiar to Apollo. "Vongole? Wasn't she Kristoph's dog? I... I hadn't even thought about what happened to her." Klavier hmmed. "She has been my dog for quite a while now, and seems much peppier for it." Apollo was for a moment at a loss for words. It had been a very long two days, and he did not feel at all equipped to handle thinking much more about Kristoph. However, Klavier interrupted his anxious reverie: "But! Even the most charming, coolest yellow labrador gets a bit lonely! I'm sure she'll be great friends with Kitty for however long we house her." Apollo startled, both at the offer and at the conversational lifesaver. Ugh, this guy was cool. "R-really, you're okay with this? Just like that?" Klavier hummed a lilting sound like a shrug. "Ach, surely your Kitty is more a blessing than a burden." He paused for just about a second. "And thisis the sort of thing one does for a friend. How should I go about retrieving Miss Kitty, then, Forehead?" Barely resisting the urge to throw his phone across the room or slap himself in the face from the out-of-the-blue declaration of friendship, Apollo said, "I, uh- you can use the spare key to my apartment and just pick her up, I guess? Athena knows how to get there, she said she's going to your office later." "Ah! Fraulein Cykes is always a delight." "Ha, yeah. Um, Kitty doesn't need any special food or anything, she's got her shots and stuff, I found her outside but I keep her indoors 'cause it's safer... Oh, the spare key is under the doormat!" "Cool, cool. I look forward to meeting the little lady." Apollo thought he could hear him smiling again. "She's a great cat! She's only met, uh... Clay and Athena but she's really friendly with strangers! ... Uh, thank you for this, Prosecutor Gavin. It's a lot to do at this kind of notice." Klavier snorted. "Ach, it's nothing! And, the title is a bit much now, ja? Just Klavier is fine." Apollo chewed the inside of his mouth for a second. "Klavier. Thanks."

[earthdeep]

ok this is really starting to get on ludicrous levels but... can we quit with the aa5 hate a bit? like srsly? y’all are gettin waaaaay too aggressive abt ppl liking this game. half the time it’s shit over nothing! it’s not like ppl are out here praising this as a masterpiece of writing. srsly the only times I’ve seen what y’all are insisting stans are doing is for aa4 (usually guessing at what was intended for future sequels that actually continued on from it) and shipping (especially narumitsu shippers? some of u are REALLY invested in subtext like wow). 99% of the praise I’ve seen for aa5 is for the characters. which is more than fair! in case u forgot, aa5 introduced us to the entire blackquill/cykes group, in all their lovable glory! and fleshed out the universe with the wonder that is lawyer highschool (which, listen, if ur accepting 13 year olds are allowed to prosecute, this isn’t actually incompatible with the depths this fictional justice system will sink) that also managed to connect parts of aai2 into the timeline as well! ffs apollo’s single friend only exists in canon bc of aa5!

and u can say everything’s clumsily implemented all u like. but, uh, in case u hadn’t noticed, aa5 isn’t the first time it’s gone weird. have u seen t&t lately? dahlia and godot were soooo clumsily integrated. I’ve ranted on godot’s mary sue qualities before, but ugh. both have the same problem of “oh by the way did I ever mention that INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ex of mine who is totally irrelevant btw haha oh wow they’re suddenly relevant how about that”. fucking jfa has the same issue with franziska aka “woah now there’s ANOTHER von karma? and she’s even MORE challenging than the last one?!” srsly let’s not pretend her sudden arrival made sense for a prodigy who is also next of kin to the most infamous prosecutor around. nick not knowing who manfred was was clumsy too. what I’m getting at is that the aa series does not in fact have the smoothest writing, to the point where nick and later apollo appear to live under rocks in order to lose out on what should be common knowledge in their situation. srsly apollo how did u never notice that there’s some frontman in a rock group pushed by the literal police who looks scarily like ur boss, has the same last name as ur boss, said band is literally called the GAVINners. like christ I’m not into music but I at least recognise the names of 1d members. in all honesty I am so glad athena did not end up like those two pebble-dwellers and had actually p good reasons for either not knowing shit (hello l’belle and his private company) or keeping quiet (hello the entire space station situation). athena is good at this. 

and u know the biggest plus that kinda ties into the character situation? NO STOCK FUCKING PERVERT CHARACTERS. WE ALL HATE THEM. BUT CAN WE NOT OVERLOOK THE FACT AA4 HAD TWO. BOTH STICKLER AND HOTTI/HICKFIELD BOTH APPEARED IN THE SAME CASE. BOTH INVOLVING A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL. I HAVE THE SCRIPT. DO NOT FUCKING TEST ME.

there’s other stuff I’ve seen too specifically abt the satire that started the series. yes, gyakuten saiban was created to satirise the unbalanced nature and unbelievably high prosecution rates of the japanese courts. gyakuten saiban 4 was written in reaction to the real life introduction of the jury. (srsly if u have time, go on a research trip. there’s a lot of interesting stuff surrounding the background of the series.) but, forgive me if I’m missing something, what the FUCK were 2 and 3 satirising? as far as I’m aware, takumi was asked to continue the series bc ppl liked it. and it made capcom money. takumi eventually got totally sick of it and left the main series but please don’t act like this is something new from capcom. not everything in the series is pure political commentary. some of it is just regular stories. this is true for almost any satirical series ever. it doesn’t make them unenjoyable. besides y’all are content to shit on soj anyway for being a cheesy take on of a corrupt government system so maybe u just don’t care and just have a hate on for anything tangentially related to aa5.

and on whether it’s unenjoyable? nah man aa5 is fun. monstrous turnabout was a bit slow I reckon, but everything else moved at a nice pace, had fun characters, had those good good friendship moments. it was a bit wobbly in places, but we sat through turnabout serenade and turnabout succession! would u like my list of plot holes in serenade alone? bc I have one. I had to make one to break down the damn thing enough to write an au version of it. and with aa5 and the phantom? apparently that’s largely on the localisation team deciding western audiences wouldn’t accept ‘yokai’ as the answer and then just... not... putting anything else in? literally could’ve been solved with one word being swapped out or jinxie mentioning said yokai in one of her lists which... yeah that one’s on the game. idk maybe in the distant future when the games are all remastered for the new new new nintendo 3dsi that’ll be fixed too. or maybe the miracle never happen. who knows.

like probably the only other thing I can’t argue with on criticism is the art style. yeah, I’m not keen on fuse’s faces. nuri suffers with a certain level of same face too, but (as shown in dgs) the other parts of his design are pretty and managed to shine through in 3d. but the colours are way better come soj now the main team is getting into the swing of it, and anyone who doesn’t think khura’in is pretty as hell can fight me.

but srsly there are actually a lot of good points to aa5. it is not the antichrist. personally it is far from my favourite game (with my own fave as aa4 bc dem characters tho... barring the perverts) but many of its flaws are not new to the series. and while it has lost potential in various parts such as several important characters being dead on arrival, let’s not forget it left behind some especially nasty parts of the series and appears to be CONTINUING to leave those behind. mmm just look at that lack of literal canon pedophiles we’re supposed to feel sorry for... sorry every time I remember aa3 I like it less and less. which is a shame, bc young!mia is still the most relatable protag ever.

anyway, let’s not become the dicks who shat on anyone who liked aa4 back in the day, yeah?

[gyakutengagotoku]

Pursuit ~ Overtaken

AA1

Phoenix: I'm Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney!

Mia: You stink at your job.

Maya: You stink at your job.

Edgeworth: You stink at your job.

Phoenix: You're in detention.

Edgeworth: My point still stands.

Mia: Don't worry, Phoenix! I solved all the cases for you!

Phoenix: Thanks, Mia.

Mia: Except the last one. You're on your own.

Phoenix: Aw.

Edgeworth: You stink at your job so much I had to come in.

Phoenix: Shut up, Edgeworth.

Edgeworth: ...Fine. I'm leaving and not coming back.

Phoenix: What? Of course you are.

--

AA2

Phoenix: I'm Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney?

Maya: I stink at my job...

Phoenix: Aw, that's not true.

Maya: Really? Okay.

Franziska: No, it's true. You both stink at life and I am the most perfect of perfection.

Pearl: No, you're just a big meanie!

Franziska: *gasp*

Edgeworth: Hi, I'm back.

Phoenix: Why did you come back!? You were supposed to be dead! *cries*

Edgeworth: Well, excuse me, Wright... I've missed you too.

Maya: Hey, guys, I escaped death three times now! That's gotta be a new record, right?

Phoenix: No more records before bedtime.

Maya: Phooey.

--

AA3

Phoenix: I'm Phoenix Wright, Ace Artist!

Mia: Ew. Also, your girlfriend is a demonic spawn from hell.

Phoenix: Oh. Guess I'll have to go into law to chase that guy instead.

- later -

Maya: Hey, Nick, we're getting really famous! Our urn got stolen, your identity got stolen, and my mom's life got stolen... Wait. Aw.

Phoenix: Does this have anything to do with my ex-girlfriend?

Mia: Yes.

Phoenix: Okie dokie. *runs off a bridge*

Godot: Mr. Phoenix Trite, I've returned from the depths of hell to... Did he just run off a bridge? God, he sucks at everything.

Phoenix: Well, you need anger management.

Godot: ...*tears up* I know.

Edgeworth: I have no real purpose being here.

Franziska: Me neither, but we're cool now.

Maya: Aren't happy endings the best, guys?

???: Yep. Time for a time skip.

Everyone: What!?

--

AA4

Apollo: I'm Apollo Justice, Ace Attorney!

Phoenix: Hahahahaha! That's hilarious.

Trucy: Hey, Daddy! We got your replacement!

Phoenix: That's great, Trucy, but he needs a lot of work.

Apollo: But Mr. Gavin-

Phoenix: Forget him, Apollo. Forget he ever existed and never mention him again... You're hypnotized now, right?

Apollo: I will never mention him again.

Phoenix: He's a good kid, Trucy.

Trucy: I know, right?

Klavier: Mein Gott. I lose my hog, my band bestie and now my brother... Well, I guess that's that, then.

Everyone: *rocks out*

???: By the way, we're taking a break from the main series. Thanks for playing!

Klavier's guitar: *twang*

--

AA5

Phoenix: Hey, we're back! I'm Phoenix Wright, Ace At-

Athena: I'm Athena Cykes, Ace Attorney!

Phoenix: Hey, that's my line.

Athena: And that guy is the worst person ever who I actually knew from when I was a kid.

Blackquill: ...Hmph.

Athena: And I've actually got a host of problems all stemming back from that one case...

Phoenix: DL-6?

Athena: What? No. UR-1.

Phoenix: Oh, right.

Apollo: Athena, what happened to Clay?

Athena: I-I don't knowww! *cries*

Phoenix: That guy happened to Clay.

Apollo: Oh, you mean faceless guy #82716?

Phoenix: Yep.

Athena: Oh. I feel much better now.

Apollo: Sorry for doubting you, Athena.

Phoenix: Just for that, I'm taking the logo from you.

Apollo: O-okay...

Edgeworth: It's been a while, Wright.

Phoenix: Where were you when we needed you last game?

Edgeworth: Booting out corruption in the PO, obviously.

Phoenix: I call BS.

Edgeworth: I got you back your badge and you repay me with a whale as defendant. Who are you calling BS?

Phoenix: ...It wasn't just a whale.

--

AA6

Apollo: I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!

Athena: I'm Athena Cykes and I'm fine!

Phoenix: I'm Phoenix Wright and I'm leaving.

Both: What? Why?

Phoenix: Maya.

- voom -

Maya: Hi, Nick! Aren't these kids adorable?

Ahlbi: We walked here together so that'll be another 10 dharma, please!

Rayfa: I am no mere child! I am the Royal Priestess and daughter to the Queen! I have an ability never before even dreamed of spirit mediums of the past and-

Phoenix: When did we have so many kids?

Maya: By the way, Nick, how's things back at the office?

- voom -

Apollo: AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!

Athena: AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!

Blackquill: ...What fresh hell is this?

Nahyuta: One of many, I'm afraid.

Trucy: Don't worry, Daddy! We'll be fine.

- voom -

Phoenix: They're going great.

Rayfa: Don't ignore me! Do you realize who you're standing before, Barbed Head!?

Phoenix: Hey, where's Maya? ...*gasp*

- voom -

Dhurke: Hey, Apollo!

Apollo: Why are you here.

Dhurke: Let's go treasure hunting!

Apollo: But I don't want to! Oh, fine.

Phoenix: I can't let you keep that treasure, Apollo.

Apollo: What? Mr. Wright!?

Dhurke: Maya's fine. Trust me.

Phoenix: Oh. Okay, carry on.

Dhurke: But Nahyuta isn't. We must go save him! And the country!

Phoenix: Okay! I know a guy with a jet!

- voom -

Dhurke: Oh, by the way, Amara isn't actually dead. I am.

Apollo: What? That's not true...

Ema: Yeah, he is.

Apollo: Nooooooo!

Ga'ran: Seize them! I must have the treasure!

Apollo: But you can't even channel.

Ga'ran: Nooooooo! *dethroned*

Maya: All's well that ends well, eh?

Edgeworth: I still have no purpose being here.

Trucy: Everyone's here, yay!

Apollo: Mr. Wright, I'm staying because it sucks at the WAA- I mean because I need to help the country.

Phoenix: Oh, fine. Athena, you're the new Apollo.

Athena: What!?

- later -

Larry: Hey, guys! Remember me?

Phoenix, Edgeworth: No.

[akashiayakashi]

I finished playing SoJ last week and oh boy

[will contain spoilers]

I started playing the game with zero expectations. Gameplay-wise, I really didn’t like Dual Destinies. I felt like the fun from Ace Attorney was taken away and all the evidence and stuff was staring right at you. I finished that game in a day and a half and left it feeling like I blew $30 for very little satisfaction.

Not to mention, I felt like any development Phoenix’ character had from Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice had just disappeared. It’s like the maturity he gained from those years he wasn’t practicing law just vanished. 

On a side note (which is more on a purely preferential reason), my best girls Trucy and Ema had little to no role in this game so I found it even harder to appreciate. To be fair, I did see that they took a step back so that Athena’s and Apollo’s stories could be explored but while I liked the new charas like Athna and Simon enough, I didn’t love love them so eh

On the other hand, SoJ is probably my favorite game of the series so far.

The mix of all previous ace attorney elements (the psychology, the bracelet, the magatama, etc) and the whole seance system did wonders to make the gameplay so much more interesting. It reverted to how you have to be creative in using your evidence since the game is super specific in what it wants to hear. The only real complaint I have is that the game script is really long so it does feel frustrating to go thru dialogue that can be avoided if other evidence could just be presented right away (which is with all other aa games except dd but the script was really just so long).

Storywise, I loved how everything was connected right from the start just like Trials and Tribulations. And even better, the side cases were really good unlike the 3-2 and 3-3 which I will never speak of again. In any case (ha, get it?), the side stories just showed a lot about the main cast. You see Trucy worrying about her legacy and skill as a magician, you see Trucy’s and Apollo’s bond and Apollo’s maturity and growth as a lawyer. You see Athena’s growth as a lawyer as well and how she and Simon have really patched things up.

The overarching story was one hell of a ride. Case 5 in particular was full of parallels. I saw a lot of things coming but DHURKE’S FUCKING SECRET RUINED ME AND I CRIED FOR 30 MIN AT LIKE 1 AM IN THE MORNING BECAUSE WHAT THE FUCK HOW COULD YOU MAKE ME LOVE YOU BUT HURT ME LIKE THIS. HOW DARE YOU DHURKE HOW D A R E

Anyway parallels~

Khu’rain sisters as the older Fey sisters (Misty and Morgan) and as the Hawthorne sisters.

I mean you have these two sisters competing for a seat of power where one is chill and the other is involved in murder in some way. You also have two sisters where one loves the other a lot and helps said sister despite it being a crime. SHIT GUYS HOW MUCH IT MUST HAVE HURT AMARA TO HAVE CHANNELED DHURKE. THINK ABOUT FOR HOW MUCH SHE LOVED DHRUKE AND THOUGHT THAT HE HAS TRIED TO KILL HER FOR 10 YEARS AND THEN LEARNED IT WAS HER SISTER ALL ALONG BUT SHE HAS NO CHOICE TO CONCEDE BECAUSE RAYFA. DhurkeAmara hurts me like it should all of you. Dhurke hurts me.

Nahyuta and Rayfa as the Skye sisters.

Prosecutor helps out big bad in order to protect younger sister...hmmm :)))

I’m also a lowkey Nahyutema fan so :))

EMA WAS BACK IN THIS GAME AND SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL AND SHE ACHIEVED HER DREAM AND SHE LOVES HER FRIENDS AND I LOVE LIFE. She shits on Nahyuta but doesn’t hate him entirely which made their professional dynamic a pretty interesting one.

Nahyuta could definitely have been a better character but I still enjoyed him. There were moments in the 5th case where it didn’t look like he was forcing himself to support Ga’ran so it made the whole thing seem less believable that he hasn’t changed like Dhurke had kept on insisting. I think his sermons took a bit too much time and slowed down the pace of the cases but I appreciate the times when you can see how dorky he is. Like when he researches on smth and he just learns everything about it?? Cutie pie haha. And how he really appreciates science and how Ema helps him out. I default like someone who appreciates my bae soooo

Dhurke as Phoenix and Apollo

Dhurke parallels Phoenix no doubt with him having to stop practicing lawand adopting a child and raising them - but when he first appeared, I giggled so hard because he looked like Apollo from Dual Destinies. As much as I don’t like that game, I did enjoy the whole Apollo thing where he just went on to investigate on his own and etc and it did add a lot to his character.

Speaking of Apollo, the whole rollercoaster of Apollo’s development and learning about his past killed me. He is best boy no doubt but SHIT I JUST LOVED HIM EVEN MORE IN THIS GAME. WHAT A GREAT GUY.

Also Phoenix grew up a lot in this game? Or at least I felt like he reflected more of aa4 Phoenix than dd did, especially with the whole civil case. 

I missed Klavier tho. I know he’s in a dlc thing but I haven’t gotten around to playing that so eh. I was really looking forward to his chara dev’t since everything but I guess I’ll just need to wait for aa7. 

On a final note, I loved SoJ. It raised the bar for me and broke my heart to pieces. I want to not try and expect too much from aa7 but it’s futile at his point. I really hope we’ll see Apollo in the next game, as well as Klavier, and finally FRANZISKA and Gumshoe.

Okay that’s all.