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    Home Unlabelled Ace Attorney Sholmes and Iris (OG. Credit goes to my sister @GalaDraWings on Twitter)

    Ace Attorney Sholmes and Iris (OG. Credit goes to my sister @GalaDraWings on Twitter)

    August 24, 2021

    Ace Attorney Sholmes and Iris (OG. Credit goes to my sister @GalaDraWings on Twitter)

    Sholmes and Iris (OG. Credit goes to my sister @GalaDraWings on Twitter)

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 03:17 PM PDT

    Phoenix and Maya art by Jourd4n

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 07:19 AM PDT

    Some Apollo Justice fanart :)

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 09:14 PM PDT

    I made a Logo based on the title Sholmes proposed

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 04:04 PM PDT

    A tribute to the two worst sleep schedules in GAA

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 04:13 PM PDT

    Behold! My art

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 09:40 AM PDT

    Some thoughts on the racism in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles...

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 05:15 PM PDT

    I was going to save this for the upcoming case discussion, but since it's on my mind a lot lately, I want to just get some initial thoughts out of the way before replaying cases 4 and 5 and making sure I'm not mistaken.

    So, before TGAAC came out, I took extra care to avoid any and all online discussion of its content. I even avoided AA's official social media pages to make sure I could go in as blind as possible, which is a rare luxury in the age of the internet. That means a lot of things about Chronicles caught me off guard, and one of those things, obviously, was the presence of racism in the game. Obviously racism has a long history in the entire world, including Britain, probably even moreso in the era the game is set in, that said, I really didn't expect it to be included.

    I'm of the opinion that period pieces are under no obligation to be historically accurate, to put it simply. Realism is only a virtue inasmuch as it makes a story better, and AA, more often than not, abandons realism to tell a compelling story. Sure, it's unrealistic and unfair that a defense attorney always has to find the real killer before their client can be proven innocent, but as a game/story, having everything stop the moment you establish that a client couldn't've committed the crime would be a lot more boring. With this in mind, had Chronicles displayed totally harmonious race relations, I wouldn't've complained about historical accuracy: actually, if racism is unhelpful to the game's narrative and themes, I would prefer it was excluded altogether.

    Subsequently, since racism is included in Chronicles, I think it's important to review whether the inclusion of racism actually helps the game's narrative and themes, rather than through the lens of whether or not it's accurate. With that in mind, I'd like to talk about:

    • The general approach to racism, which I do think is helpful to the game's themes.
    • One area where the game's approach to racism helps the story.
    • One area where the game's approach to racism hurts the story.

    The general approach to racism in Chronicles

    Jezaille Brett, the first British character we meet

    If there's one big story element/theme in Chronicles, it's facade: repeatedly through the story, one or more of the characters romanticize another character (or a place, as I'll get to later), only to have their illusions shattered. This begins as soon as the very first trial, with the very first British character we meet, Jezaille Brett. We're presented with a beautiful, regal British woman who doesn't speak Japanese, and the courtroom goes wild. Auchi spends most of the case simping for her, and one of the first things the Judge says upon her appearance is "bring some English tea! In England, no discussions happen without tea!" Already we see the characters have a highly romantic perception of the British and British culture (one we're encouraged to laugh at), until it's revealed that nothing about Jezaille Brett as we're introduced to her is true: for one, she's a murderer, so there's that. Two, she actually can speak Japanese, but chooses not to for a cartoonishly racist reason: she believes her language - the Queen's English - is the most refined tongue ever known to man. Later on, we even come to discover that Jezaille Brett isn't even her real name, and that she also wasn't even a university student, but rather, an assassin sent to Japan with the explicit purpose of killing John Wilson.

    In a way, Jezaille Brett is a microcosm to the game's treatment of Britain as a whole: Ryunosuke, Kazuma, and Susato imagine Britain as an enlightened legal paradise, constantly informed of its status as the world leader in law and technology. However, when they actually get to Britain, they find something very different: the very first client Ryunosuke and Susato defend appears to be innocent, but by the end of the trial turns out to be guilty, having manipulated evidence during the trial. One of the main reasons the trial can progress at all is because Ryunosuke manages to invoke an archaic British law that the most advanced legal system in the world apparently forgot to officially repeal. The jury, which is supposed to represent randomly chosen citizens of London and provide common sense and impartiality, turns out to be made up of people who are neither random nor particularly intelligent. Even Susato's hero, Herlock Sholmes, is not quite the genius he's made out to be, and is far more dishonest than any of the characters initially assume. As the cases move on, darker and darker sides of Chronicles' Britain reveal themselves. Ryunosuke even explicitly says this in G1-4, if I recall correctly.

    And the racism that basically every British character seems to exhibit, in my opinion, is a part of shattering this illusion. What quicker way to prove that the British aren't enlightened paragons of justice by having them constantly being dicks to the main characters for no remotely good reason? It's especially important that racism is not just exhibited by jurors and random citizens, but also members of the legal system: one of the first things the British judge does is ask Ryunosuke if he can speak English. Stronghart and Gregson also have their flashes of racism, being especially egregious in the former's case, as he's pretty clearly a British nationalist not to mention, by the end, the game's main villain and the peak of the dark side of Britain, being both the Chief Justice, yet unimaginably corrupt and immoral.

    Aged like milk?

    Racism, for the most part, is portrayed as an inherent part of British culture, which is probably one of the harsher and more political messages you could read from an AA game. In fact, there's one case where the brutality of British racism is a central plot point.

    The Clouded Kokoro: everyone's least favorite case handles racism the best

    Soseki Natsume, a man who experiences some rather trying circumstances

    If you haven't read this article about Natsume I recommend it, because it helps show just how much Chronicles drew from Natsume's real life experiences with racism. Long story short: Natsume (a real-life Japanese writer who wrote extensively about his experiences with racism and xenophobia while living in London) is the defendant of G1-4, and is the first Japanese character we encounter since the characters' departure from Japan. In contrast to the sly, confident McGilded, Natsume is anxious and depressed, and a large reason for that is the racism he's had to face. Not only does Natsume mention being mocked by the British, but racism and his status as an immigrant actually factor into Natsume's arrest: characters, including the police, constantly take his Japanese-ness as evidence that he is suspicious and potentially dangerous, not to mention that he openly mentions facing a language barrier during police interrogations. Say what you will about this case (there is a lot to say), but Natsume commands a lot of pathos, and his experiences convey the fact that not only is racism stupid, but it's actively life-threatening. Natsume mentions that lawyers were refusing to take his case explicitly because he was Japanese; had it not been for Ryunosuke, there's a high chance that Natsume would've been executed for a crime he didn't play any role in.

    Not the best thing to hear from a juror...

    In addition to this, racism doesn't seem to weigh very heavily on our main characters (who seem to treat it more like an annoyance than anything), but it does weigh very heavily on Natsume, who, as the judge puts it, took a trip to understand British culture, but was repaid with unimaginable unkindness. Having a character who is so profoundly affected by racism is, in my opinion, important. At the very least it makes Natsume (at least to me) incredibly sympathetic, and ties into the series' themes about the role of the defense attorney: defending the most defenseless. Remember, after this, Ryunosuke defends Gina, an incredibly poor thief who has already committed perjury, making her vulnerable to the British legal system in her own ways, in contrast to Ryunosuke's very first client, an incredibly wealthy person who had public opinion on their side.

    You got a problem with that?

    While this isn't a very explicit theme, Ryunosuke's defense of Natsume (and later Gina), with quotes like Gregson's in mind, recall the idea of solidarity as it's presented in politics: the idea of vulnerable classes sticking together to fight oppression. Ryunosuke himself is vulnerable, being constantly derided for being Japanese...especially by his rival.

    Where racism really doesn't work: Van Zieks

    Pray forgive the discourtesy of my being dissatisfied with your character arc...

    Remember earlier when I said the game's general approach to racism is used to convey the British aren't as enlightened or refined as the Japanese perceive them to be, and racism is treated as an inherent flaw in British culture?

    Well, there's one exception: Van Zieks. Van Zieks is one of the most openly and frequently racist characters in the game, but at the same time, is by far the most sympathetic.

    A bit slow on the uptake, aren't we, Ryunosuke?

    In comparison to the jurors, whose racism is either unacknowledged or mocked in Ryunosuke's internal monologue, Ryunosuke makes a far clearer effort to ask why Barok hates Japanese people the way he does. As u/BSWolf777 insightfully pointed out, this is a pretty common approach AA takes with rivals. Perhaps the clearest analogue is Godot, where Phoenix responds to a lot of his abuse by wondering why Godot hates him as much as he does. It's set up for later plot points, where Godot's hatred for Phoenix is actively explained. Van Zieks' racism receives a similar amount of foreshadowing: at the end of G1-5, Van Zieks straight up says that a Japanese person betrayed him (and it's implied that this is the reason for his racism), and that he'll tell Ryunosuke what exactly happened some other time.

    I think making racism a character flaw that's going to be explained "rationally" is an inherently bad writing decision, as racism is inherently irrational. However, before progressing, I want to make a distinction between rational and irrational irrationality: a rational irrationality is behavior that is definitely illogical and unadvisable, but is an at least understandable, explainable (and possibly sympathetic) response to a particular event. Examples include: 1-4 Edgeworth picking up the gun on the boat in shock, even if it incriminates him, 2-4 Adrian Andrews mutilating a corpse in order to definitively point the blame towards Matt, someone she has an understandable grudge against, and arguably Godot's plot in 3-5 being the result of toxic pride, and his grief at losing his life and Mia. AA deals in these all the time and they're actually good storytelling, I'd argue: a character acting irrationally for understandable reasons makes them, well, human, and each of the previous examples also doubles to provide us with a compelling mystery to solve.

    However, in order for these to work, the game has to 1) offer us a good explanation (shock, revenge, grief) 2) have some sort of consequences for the irrationality (i.e. getting falsely accused, causing someone's death) 3) clearly point out the irrationality, even if emphasizing that it's sympathetic (typically in dialogue).

    None of these things apply to Van Zieks' racism, I'd argue. A part of it is just that the explanation the game offers is a huge leap in logic: you need to be racist in order to hold all Japanese people responsible for your brother's death, your brother's death doesn't just make you hate all Japanese people. Furthermore, there's no real form of punishment for his racism: Van Zieks is not scolded for it by the main characters, his refusal to take on Ryunosuke as an attorney does not factor into his getting put on death row (because otherwise we wouldn't have a story). But worst of all - and I may be misremembering - there is no dialogue that explicitly points out that Van Zieks was already racist, independent of the events with Asogi.

    Even within Chronicles, there's an example of rational irrationality being handled much better: Nikolina's "murder" of Kazuma. She is paranoid due to being a runaway, her paranoia results in someone's death (as far as she knows) and hence her arrest and inner turmoil, and Susato directly tells her that what she did was completely and utterly wrong. By contrast, we are expected to sympathize with Van Zieks racism and buy the in-game explanation for it (as Ryunosuke does), ultimately treating it as an at least understandable response to personal tragedy, which it really, really isn't.

    An alternative theory

    In discussions about this, I've seen people arguing for a different interpretation: namely, that yes, Van Zieks was always racist, but the events with Asogi amplified it. It's a far more digestible explanation and I can see why it's some people's headcanon. My only two issues are:

    1. Unless I'm misremembering (hence why I'll replay the last two cases in G2), there is no dialogue that states this or offers basis for this interpretation.
    2. I don't think this really fixes the problem. Even if the events with Asogi amplified Van Zieks' already present racism, that's still an incredibly bullshit excuse that the game still needs to punish Van Zieks for and openly condemn, just as it criticizes Godot for his actions in 3-5. It would still, to me, make Van Zieks unsympathetic.

    Simply put, I don't think a character whose racism we are meant to perceive as an understandable response to personal tragedy is a good writing decision. The only ways to really fix this as far as I can think of is with a rewrite, either by:

    1. Making Van Zieks a straight up evil character, a la Manfred von Karma, who we're not supposed to sympathize with at all and are supposed to take delight in defeating (which is admittedly what he is for most of the game, however, this would require significant rewrites of the game's last 3 cases and a totally different direction for the story).
    2. Give Van Zieks a different reason to hate Naruhodo. I floated this idea before, and while I doubt it's good, it'd be less problematic, namely: perhaps he hates the Asogi clan, v.s. all Japanese people, for Genshin's actions. It's more in the realm of rational irrationality to hold Asogi's affiliates responsible for Klint's death, as one can argue he believes Asogi's and those who associate with them (like Naruhodo) are either totally ignorant of what Van Zieks believes to be Genshin's evil nature (which would understandably sting) or are totally indifferent to it (which would be far worse). This also would take significant rewrites, but it's much more along the lines of the grudge, say, Godot holds against Phoenix. Still irrational, but more understandable.

    But in any case, whereas racism is perceived as totally irrational and straight up harmful, it is only in Van Zieks that it's treated as sympathetic, and it's honestly my biggest issue with Chronicles, and for me, it is harder to believe that Van Zieks became racist because of his brother's death than it is for me to believe the cape landed perfectly in 2-3, or that the pendulum actually worked in 3-5.

    AA has never been known for, nor does it necessarily need, political themes. However, again, as insightfully stated by u/BSWolf777, if it includes them, it is at least somewhat obligated to handle them with delicacy and nuance, as its messages have real-life implications.

    Natsume represents an example of how this subject matter can be handled well, detailing the heavy impact of racism on victims' livelihoods. Van Zieks represents the antithesis of this, treating racism as a potentially forgivable response to trauma, ignoring the effect this irrationality has on the Japanese people in the story.

    submitted by /u/tarutighwi
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    These two are definitely based on Mario and Luigi. Short, fat red brother and a tall, thinner green brother, mustaches, hats to match their outfits, no question in my mind.

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 07:59 AM PDT

    Nahyuta by さとら on Pixiv

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 09:52 AM PDT

    Idk why but I love the inclusion of Gaspen Payne

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 09:42 PM PDT

    This sounds weird af but for some reason I just love how he was included. While Winston was a cocky but generally fair prosecutor, Gaspen is a downright evil, and terrible person. He participated in the dark age of the law, most likely sending tons of innocent people to prison. Even worse though, after Edgeworth fires him, he goes to another country where he sends tons of innocent people to their DEATH, and he's PROUD of it. Ye idk I just wanted to rant about this somewhere.

    submitted by /u/Heartfroggix
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    The way Nosa holds Aido while still keeping a military stance :') <3

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 07:10 PM PDT

    How would you feel about a case/game culprit that purposefully leaves vital evidence at the crime scene because they like watching the trials and enjoy the thrill of being suspected?

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 07:25 PM PDT

    What I feel was the best twist in TGAA

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 08:51 AM PDT

    Major spoilers ahead for TGAA2

    ​

    Besides writing about it, I also wanted to know if, with the current English translation, the twist still holds.

    I played the two GAA games in Japanese, where Holmes and Watson retain their original names.

    So, when the first case starts, and the victim is John Watson, a mustached man wearing a bowler hat, the link was immediately obvious.

    Then you meet Sherlock, and his assistant is Iris Watson, who is the one who wrote about his father's and Holmes' adventure.

    It all makes sense, everybody knows Holmes and Watson.

    Then Mikotoba comes to London, sporting his mustache and a bowler hat. And you laugh, because you're used to seeing him dressed in traditional japanese garments.

    Then you realize that there was a misunderstanding.

    Watson was never Holmes' collaborator. It was Mikotoba.

    The twist is fantastic because it works with what you know from pop culture, and creates a world that is not bound by its rules, but makes you believe it is.

    The Dance of Deduction with Holmes and Mikotoba is now IMO one of the best scenes in the series.

    Did you feel that the name change Watson-->Wilson somehow detracted to the experience?

    submitted by /u/PurplMaster
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    The great payoff: how TGAA 2 takes its time and astounds the player in what might just be the best AA story ever told

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 12:08 PM PDT

    [WARNING This is a VERY long post regarding The Great Ace Attorney duology - Spoilers for both entries!]

    The moment I reached the half-way point of case 3 in this game, everything clicked. I knew that both games were meant to be one big story, I went in with that mindset, but it wasn't until I looked back that I understood: TGAA Adventures is a prelude to the events of the sequel, it quite literally works as a way to prepare the player and meet the characters of this MASSIVE story. This is a story that not only decided to take its time, but planted seeds throughout and made you feel in ways that, while sometimes negative, served a purpose.

    From Kazuma's 'death' to every single time a Herlock Deduction came on. The game doesn't hold back. It wants to frustrate you, it wants to make you feel like there's no point to keep going with the way things continue to develop... But it's all to prepare you for the avalanche of shocking twists and revelations that the second game has in store for you.

    In my eyes, I feel like every frustration and criticism I had on the first game only served to further my experience with the second game.

    Up next, I just want to write down some praise I have for different parts of the sequel and I also want to point out what I hope the future of the franchise holds.

    Herlock's Brilliance

    I can't begin to count the times a Herlock Dance Of Deduction came and I rolled my eyes. It felt like a chore. "Here we go again. We got Herlock acting like a moron and coming to the dumbest conclussions and I have to correct him in what seems like a painfully easy 'deduction' but is actually more of an observation than anything"

    The cycle repeated itself: look at all options and consult with Susato to see their dialogue, then move the camera and pick the most obvious option. Yet, with every passing deduction game, I started raising my eyebrows more and more. I started noticing "Hey, how come Herlock doesn't discuss things with Susato and Ryunosuke but he immediately knows what you're talking about when you name it? Is he just that fast of a thinker? Or did he already know?" I started noticing that Herlock was actually very talented, even if the game never outright tells you. He learns to play the violin, he is a master of unlocking and defusing things, he's an incredible inventor, etc etc.

    Then I started noticing how his deductions were on point despite the stupid flaws. And these were conclussions no one reaches until he names them before starting the dance of deduction. A friend of mine came and told me that she found it interesting how Iris moved similarly to Herlock, then said "She's been living with him all these years, so she learns from him." and then a thought formed in my mind. "If Herlock is so dumb... Then how is Iris so smart? And how can she be so good at deduction? Is she a girl genious.. Or did she learn from someone?"

    Every time I finished playing for the day, I'd go to the menu to listen to TGAA 2's main theme. I loved the heck out of it. So words can barely describe the feeling I got when Mikotoba was revealed to be the ACTUAL partner of Herlock and the game switches to the two in the ship to uncover the truth.

    THE PAYOFF: After 9 full chapters and many dances of deduction, things click in what might be the best moment in Ace Attorney history. "No more games" says Herlock as we enter a LITERAL dance of deduction, but there's no course correction this time.

    Herlock's demeanor changes drastically. He doesn't make stupid remarks, but instead outright shows the player that he's deduced everything and even Mikotoba hasn't followed the clues yet. You're not guiding Herlock anymore, he's guiding YOU. The game lets you pick the first clue as to why Jigoku didn't leave the room and, as force of habit, I tried pressing on one of the options to have the dialogue discussing the posibilities of the option.

    But there was none.

    The game doesn't fool around anymore. THIS is a deduction. And it's not a simple one either. Herlock's brilliance shines as you realize his deductions aren't as simple as looking at a picture or a person hiding something behind their back like in past cases. These are actual observations that show an undeniable truth. From a glass whose ice hasn't melted when it should've. To a code hidden by being upside down and looking like a name. My jaw dropped when you hear the "backstage" music as the 'Partners - The game is afoot!' theme simmers down and the menu theme motiff comes in, the song I was listening throughout my days playing the game.

    Every correct answer explodes with a little tap dance and the partners theme blasting back in. It was pure excitement, and undeniably what the game has been building up to: Herlock isn't a moron. He just missed THIS. And he wanted to replicate it with Naruhodo. He wanted to teach him about the art of observation and deduction, he purposefuly reached the dumbest conclussions because he COULD and WANTED TO. But not without giving a basic clue as to where to look and not without reaching the correct conclussion from the get-go. "There are two things I've come to realize here, my dear fellows. The first one is that this room holds a big secret. And the second one is that this person is hiding the truth"

    From this moment on, the game makes sure to remind you that Herlock has been ahead of everyone since before the first game even began. He's been fooling everyone from the start, he's the one who put the gears into motion with Ryunosuke's arrival to London.

    But he's been fooling the player, the most.

    Kazuma Asogi's true self

    When you think the game's only twist with Asogi is the fact he's alive, the game pulls the rug from under your feet. You may or may not have cried after his death due to the impact he makes in the first chapter of the first game, but it is undeniable that you, along with the other characters who knew him, idealized him to be the best guy to ever live. Ryunosuke's whole reason for going to London is to continue his quest, only... His quest to change the legal system wasn't the real reason why he was there.

    THE PAYOFF: Just like finding out Gregson's corspe was in the big case when you take the picture with Jigoku, coming to the realization that the man you've been idolizing had accepted a deal to go kill someone in order to travel to London, all while playing the first case, might I add, is an incredibly sad feeling.

    Ryunosuke and Susato keep saying that Kazuma isn't acting like himself, but that's not true. He's acting the way he truly was. The game outright tells you through dialogue: his whole purpose for living since the day his father died, was this. That's what he's been striving for. Traveling to London and uncovering the truth, getting back at Barok for what he thinks he's done.

    Asogi becoming a prosecutor was unexpected yet it made perfect sense. I remember complaining in the first game that Barok never took your side. That he just came off as a dick with no moral code. That he'd never join you to find the truth. And now I know why. It's because he's not the prosecutor you have to find the truth with. The real one is your best friend. And you're not there just to fix him and help him be at ease... You're there for EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. A japanese guy who had no knowledge of law, in the world's most important court, and he's there to take down the deep corruption that's been plaguing the lives of many for 10 years.

    Mikotoba's true role in Herlock's life.

    The game toys with your expectations in the best way. You never even doubt that Mikotoba was the actual 'Watson' of the stories because it makes no sense. But that's not true... It makes perfect sense, we just never LOOKED. The game puts you in Iris' shoes as you assume things based on the knowledge you think you have. From Wilson's name to the doubt at the back of your head when you wonder what's up with the lack of reaction Herlock seems to have after his supposed partner's death.

    THE PAYOFF: The revelation that Mikotoba Yujin is the real partner of Herlock's is absolutely genious. Mikotoba has knowledge in medicine, he's incredibly smart and observational throughout the game, he even wears clothes similar to Watson's when he goes to London and we are told he's the one who wrote down the observations during Klint's autopsy.

    When the 'partners' theme kicks in, you are at a loss for words. It all clicks... And it does so after you've been through HOURS AND HOURS of game thinking him and Herlock didn't even know each other's names.

    ​

    Ryunosuke Naruhodo: The great ace attorney.

    I feel like I can safely say that he's become one of my favorite characters of anything EVER (along with Herlock) and he's undeniably my favorite protagonist of all the games. Seeing his journey from scared guy defending himself in court and then singlehandedly taking down the Chief Justice in London by pulling out a testament thought lost TEN YEARS BACK... Wow, just wow. And even after all that, he's still nervous and humble with Susato right at the end.

    Susato: "I'm terribly incompetent, but if you'd have me, I'd be delighted."

    Ryunosuke "Oh n-not at all!! If anyone's terribly incompetent, it's me"

    ​

    The importance of voice acting:

    If there's one thing that I was incredibly surprised about and loved were the few times voice acting was used (Along with that fully animated 3D section at the end of case 3). Sure, the beeping sounds of the letters are one of the most recognizable aspects of the Ace Attorney series. But the impact of Asogi's 'revival' scene and the ending (which had me in tears) are entirely owed to the voice work. There's so much depth and characterization that is given when you give these characters their voices, BEYOND the one-liners in court.

    I really hope that the next AA game has more voice acting. The series deserves it... And at least in this game, the voice actors did a fantastic work in the few scenes they showed up.

    The story behind 'Japanifornia':

    I don't have TOO much to say about this. I'm sure there's a whole 'nother conversation to be had about this ALONE. But I can't believe that they gave so much depth to the reasons why Japan in the AA series has such a western feel to it. It's literally thanks to Jigoku that the doors are opened for Westeners to come to Japan... And it's because of this that western buildings are built and their culture gets intertwined with that of Japan.

    It's pure genious and leaves you thinking. That every event that takes place in the future, happens in a land that became what it was because of Genshin Asogi's death.

    How can this game be topped?:

    The sheer level of corruption and secrets shown in this game... I loved Investigations 2 because of the connected nature of the cases and how it deepend the overall franchise's lore. Heck, the story was amazing and the corruption in the prosecutor's office was quite deep as well.

    But what's displayed in this game's final case is just incredibly grand. A closed court in Britain, corruption EVERYWHERE. Within the Judiciary, the police and random people who kept their mouths shut. (I'm looking at you, Tuspells.)

    So many lives ruined. SO MANY. Just to cover everything up. And at the center of it all, is the wish for a world with less crime. This game managed to feel grand and personal at the same time... The music, the characters, the SOUL and HEART displayed. The way the game ends... It's just beautiful. I seriously don't know how this game can be topped.

    What's next for the series? [Spoilers Spirit of Justice and therefore, the entire franchise]

    The game leaves you with questions and promises. Herlock and co. will meet again with Naruhodo. Ryunosuke takes the sword and leaves with Susato.

    I think it's heavily implied that the two will get together and concieve Phoenix's Grandfather. But I wonder, still: Where's the sword in the Phoenix Wright games? Where's Ryunosuke's legendary status as one of the first major attorneys in Japan? What happened with Asogi and his clan? What became of Herlock and co.?

    Playing the games with knowledge of the past is bittersweet in a way, since we know they are all basically dead of old age. But it's interesting to see the similarities of some characters... I mean, Phoenix taking on Trucy? It's so similar to Herlock taking on Iris. Which was a beautiful ending for the two, having Iris call him 'daddy'... This is random, but after playing the Yakuza games (Where a similar relationship is displayed, but the girl herself never calls the man her father) it was incredibly satisfying and sweet, especially knowing how much Herlock loves her and thanks Mikotoba for leaving her under his care.

    But I do wonder where the series goes from now... Phoneix still hasn't told Apollo and Trucy they are siblings.

    Apollo has left the office and opened his own in the country where he lived as a child.

    Athena IS still with Phoenix, so there's that. I think it'd be interesting if Phoenix manages to achieve his goal from Apollo Justice (since it's never brought up) and brings a Jury to Japan, which was teased in Apollo Justice and was finally applied to gameplay for both the layton crossover and then Chronicles.

    Miles is another character who's got his own world. Gumshoe's return is obligatory at this point, Ray Shields is amazing and Kay is his Maya.

    What do you guys think? What do you want to see for the future of the series?

    I love Ryunosuke's story, so I'm still conflicted on whether I want to see his story continue or just be happy as I watch him sail away with Susato, promising to meet everyone again. Like I said, there ARE questions still unanswered about what became of him and other characters, so who knows!

    Either way, there's WAY too much to talk about, but I wanted to put some of the biggest stuff here. Thanks for reading!

    submitted by /u/Frank_Cap
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    Beware the magnificent floating Iris, terror of the courtroom

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 06:38 AM PDT

    [SPOILERS] Teeny rant about GAA final case

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 07:03 PM PDT

    Let me preface this with the fact that I think GAA chronicles is in the running for the best ace attorney game(s) of all time. My rant is just about something insignificant that for some reason got me more riled up than it really should've.

    >! Anybody else get pissed off on how many times they describe how stereoscopes work in the last case of GAA 1? Not only did they do it multiple times but the explanation is always so long and tedious. Jesus Christ game I get it, just move on. Idk, just wanted to see if I was the only one who got unnecessarily annoyed by that. !<

    submitted by /u/Hyziant3000
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    How would you feel if an adaptation of AA outright called the state/country the characters are in "Japanifornia"?

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 03:36 PM PDT

    (No spoilers) Does Dual Destinies get better?

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 05:03 PM PDT

    Hey guys,

    Disclaimer: I'm a long-time fan of the original trilogy and Apollo Justice (played as they came out on the DS), then mostly forgot about the series until I played DGS Chronicles this year on Switch, and have been trying to catch up with the rest of the series ever since.

    I'm trying to give DD a fair shot, but so far I'm a few hours into Episode 2, and it's by far my least favorite Ace Attorney game I've played. The investigation phases are just so much more linear and soooo much easier than any part of the original games or even the intro cases in Chronicles. I can't examine any room or play around on my own without being told explicitly what to do, and it's very clear I have to do every little thing in order (e.g.: I tried presenting the blackmail letter to the mayor and got no reaction, but then spoke to him, at which point Apollo explicitly told me to present the blackmail letter, and then I got a reaction). It's been kind of a chore to get through. The mood matrix thing and Apollo's lie-telling ability are both pretty annoying gimmicks, and the characters are all pretty annoying without too many redeeming qualities.

    I just wanted to get these feelings out and ask whether you guys think it gets better over time.

    submitted by /u/EgoSumAbbas
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    Do I miss out on anything by not getting achievements in TGAA?

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 08:37 PM PDT

    Just realized I haven't been getting the achievements since I've been playing with story mode

    submitted by /u/Dreaming_Dreams
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    Create your own Apollo backstory!

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT

    I've finished the original trilogy yesterday and now here's my take on the obligatory case tier.

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 02:50 PM PDT

    Looking Back on Turnabout Samurai

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 10:18 PM PDT

    The first 3rd case of the series, and the beginning of this alleged "third case syndrome". Out of all third cases, I feel this is the one that's argued about or discussed the least. Most other third cases tend to fall on either completely awful or narrative masterpiece, but if I said that 1-3 was okay, I feel I'd get a lot more people agreeing with me than if I said the same for 2-3 or I2-3. Time to see if this claim stays true by looking back on Turnabout Samurai.

    History With This Case

    During my first playthough, I thought the case was good, like 1-1. After watching my roommate play it and looking back at some characters and the case's place in and impact on the story, I started to think that it was just okay, and that opinion stuck for a while. But now it's time for another go to see how well it holds up.

    This case will be judged by its characters, trial segments, and investigation segments. Character criticism will revolve around the character's personality, role in the story, and their actions throughout the case. Trial segment criticism will revolve around the enjoyability of the cross examinations, and quality of the story being told during that segment. Investigation segment criticism will revolve around the enjoyability of the general investigations, and quality of the story being told during that segment.

    Court in now in session for the trial of Turnabout Samurai.

    Characters

    Phoenix Wright

    Phoenix is great. He doesn't have any major character building moments like he did in 1-1 and 1-2 outside of him being taught to not judge things based on narrow minded cultural assumptions, Nick. But the longer time of this case and him now working with Maya gives him more opportunities to showcase his personality, which has always been fantastic. I like that even though he needed Mia's help during the middle of the case, he managed to win by himself near the end, only relying once on Miles to call an objection.

    Maya Fey

    While not as great as in 1-2, Maya's fantastic here. Having her be a Steel Samurai fan isn't only a cool way to develop her character, but also doesn't feel out of nowhere because of her SS phone strap from 1-2. Unless you count her learning not to judge Will by his looks, she doesn't have any other major development, but much like Phoenix, the longer case time and her being around more people lets her personality shine more, which is also fantastic.

    Mia Fey

    Mia's great here. Like Phoenix and Maya, the longer case length lets her have more interactions and time to showcase her personality, but we also get to see her do investigation work with Phoenix which is great. This is my favorite appearance of her's so far.

    Will Powers

    Will's great. He's incredibly charming and pitiful with how sad he acts and looks, making his brief moments of happiness and success more satisfying. His connection to the case and Hammer is interesting and getting him a not guilty verdict feels great.

    Dick Gumshoe

    Gumshoe still has his pitifully optimistic charm from the last case, but to a slightly greater degree due to his slipups becoming more prominent, like trading vital evidence for donuts, which makes his realizations of what he's done feel more sincere and his reprimanding more pitiful, that which then makes his competent moments like saving Phoenix and Maya from Dee more impactful. Another great appearance.

    Sal Manella

    We've finally reached what I consider to be the first bad character in the series. He's not as awful as I remembered him; that might've just been my memory making him worse by focusing on this grown man's "fixation" on the teenage Maya, but he suffers from the same issues as White, just to a more prominent degree.

    Any trait that could've been enjoyable or interesting like him being the Steel Samurai director, or his epic Internet lingo while talking, was only interesting or funny the first time it was utilized, but afterwards, it felt more annoying and unnecessary than White's vocabulary or foolishness. Maybe I'm going easy on him since he's only in about half the case, and only as a character you occasionally run into, but I still wouldn't like him if he had more or less screentime.

    It's sad to look back and see that it didn't take long for the series to introduce a bad character, but it was bound to happen at some point.

    Wendy Oldbag

    Wendy's the funniest character of all the cases so far. She was never annoying or uninteresting, and her style of comedy constantly varies, from being old, to being talkative, to being hungry for Miles, and so on. She was always entertaining, and there's even somewhat of a sympathy level with her trading evidence with you because of how much she misses Jack and wants to see the crime scene one more time. She's a great addition.

    Cody Hackins

    Cody's a pretty good character here. He could be funny at times when mocking Phoenix for being old, and his obession with the Steel Samurai made him fairly interesting. He's just not as funny or interesting as other characters.

    Penny Nichols

    Penny's alright. She's not really funny nor has that great of a personality, but I also didn't find her boring and never found myself trying to rush her conversations. She's just there, and that's alright in my book.

    Miles Edgeworth

    Miles is fantastic here. He's basically himself from the last case, but with a touch of character development. He's still smug yet stern, but there were a few more times where he helped us with our argument, yet it always felt like he was doing it in order to lay down a trap. That made his demand for Dee to give more testimony just as he was about to get his guilty verdict stand out stronger, and his final talk with us in the lobby is perfectly mysterious. I can't say he's on par with Maya in 1-2, but he is close.

    Judge (Japanifornia)

    The Judge feels a lot more fleshed out here than in 1-2, and especially 1-1. He has a lot more funny lines, he's following along with our logic a bit more, and he actually gets a small bit of development in his personality when he sighs at how annoyed he is with Wendy's testimony. This is the best the Judge has been so far.

    Dee Vasquez

    Dee is a great villain. I like how calm and straightforward she is without her ever feeling pushy or bossy. It's interesting how she didn't kill Jack and was his original target for murder until Jack accidentally killed himself, and her calm acceptance of her defeat makes it feel like she was expecting everything to be discovered and the weight of five years of crime and secrets has been lifted off her shoulders. She's my favorite culprit so far.

    Jack Hammer

    He dead.

    Overall

    This is a really good cast of characters, and while the best and worst characters of this case aren't as amazing/acceptable and the best and worst characters of the last case, the bigger cast of new characters with a majority being good to great, and returning characters like Mia, Miles, and the Judge getting their best appearances here, I'd say this cast manages to beat out the last cast by a decent amount. I'm impressed.

    Day 1 Investigation

    Investigation

    This is a great first investigation for this case. It never feels boring and Global Studios is a really interesting place to look around, and while we don't get to see every location like Studio 2, that just makes it more intriguing to wonder what's over there.

    If I had any complaint with this, I feel the investigation was a bit too straightforward with just examining the obvious aspects of the environments and talking to people, and since one of the locations is blocked off, I wish we could've had either a bit more time or a bit more evidence finding/presenting to substitute this.

    Story

    Great beginning chapter to this story. The intro before we take on Will's case is entertaining, learning about Jack's background is pretty engaging, and the flow felt really natural. I can't call it perfect like 1-2's first chapter since this didn't have any major emotional events on par with Mia's death or becoming Maya's attorney, but it's still a great introduction to this case's story.

    Overall

    A great first segment for this case. It's held back a bit by the lack of major character building moments and limited gameplay compared to the last case's first segment, but it's does enough to get me engaged and want to keep going.

    Day 2 Trial

    Cross Examinations

    This is a great collection of cross examinations. They feel more challening than the last case's to complete, and I had to rely on my deduction skills fulltime instead of going off of memory. My only complaint I have is that I feel the last cross examination was unnecessary since all you need to do is press the statements, and the info given could've been summed up in a quick conversation.

    Story

    Great chapter of the story. Like with 1-2's first trial, the focus isn't really on character or plotpoint building and more on solving the murder, and the revelations made here manage to keep the story engaging.

    Overall

    This is a great first trial segment. The cross examinations are fun and challenging with only minor unnecessities, and the story is logically sound and engaging just with no incredibly major events occurring.

    Day 2 Investigation

    Investigation

    This is a fantastic investigation. There's more opportunities for exploration now that Studio 2 can be investigated, and finding and presenting evidence is a lot more fun. Good step up from the first segment.

    Story

    Great chapter of the story. We get some subtle character building moments with Gumshoe, and Mia's return was great. I will nitpick and say that I don't think Phoenix should've taken off the drain cover in order for Cody to come in, and I think Cody should've just kicked it off, which would make sense considering Penny herself criticized her own method of covering the drain.

    Also, I will not be satisfied until Phoenix is properly tried in court for stealing the trailer key without consent from the owner.

    Overall

    Another great investigation segment, with the story getting a decent upgrade and the investigation getting a major upgrade, this is a satisfying continuation of and step up from what came before.

    Day 3 Trial

    Cross Examinations

    These are perfect cross examinations. They feel perfectly challenging, logically sound, necessary, and fun. I can't think of any problem I have with these.

    Story

    A fantastic chapter in the story. Much like the first trial, the focus is on solving the murder, but what I feel makes this better is that the revelations made here, like the Steel Samurai being killed rather than being the killer, and the murder taking place at Studio 2, are far more interesting and do more to turn the case upside down.

    Overall

    Much like the previous investigation segment to the first, this is a great continuation of and upgrade from what came before it by taking the best aspects of the last segment and making them better. I was immensely satisfied with this segment.

    Day 3 Investigation

    Investigation

    This is a perfect investigation. It's consistently fun, nothing ever felt confusing, and it keeps my attention simply by taking what the last investigation did right and making it better.

    Story

    A fantastic chapter for the final investigation segment. It was consistently engaging and a ton of great development occurs, from major things like learning about Dee blackmailing Jack, and minor things like Wendy giving us vital evidence just for a chance to see where Jack died one more time.

    My only complaint is Phoenix presenting vital evidence to the culprit again, which gets him in trouble. I was fine with it the last time since he was never in a situation like this before, but I feel he'd be more cautious here.

    Overall

    This is the best investigation segment of this case. The emotions, revelations, engagement, and enjoyability are on a constant incline, with only one minor hiccup.

    Day 4 Trial

    Cross Examinations

    These are perfect cross examinations much like the last trial segment's. The logical challenge is still on point and no testimony ever felt unnecessary or underwhelming since there was a ton of time to build up to Dee's cross examination.

    Story

    This is a perfect conclusion to the story. Everything from how the murder occured, to Dee's attempts to cover it up, to Miles's demand for the trial to keep going even when he was about to win, to Phoenix winning this case without needing a final helping hand from Mia, to Dee's breakdown, to Miles's conversation with Phoenix after the trial. Everything felt natural, dramatic, and engaging. This was wonderful.

    Overall

    A perfect way to end this case. The cross examinations lived up to the expectations set up by the second trial, and the story felt naturally evolved and concluded. I have no issues with how this case came to a close, and I was given more than I could've ever asked for.

    How I Would Improve

    If I were to try and improve this case while retaining most of its original identity, I would make two changes.

    1. I would make Sal more appealing. I don't think Sal works when trying to subvert expectations by making him a fat, obsessive nerd, and I think he would work a lot better if his director aspect had the focus.

    Maybe he could be an overworked director tired of being controlled and limited by Dee, foreshadowing her history with blackmail and making her conviction more satisfying now that Sal is free to work at his own pace. Or he could be incredibly creative as evident by him thinking of the Pink Princess when seeing Maya, but his end products all feel the same to people other than diehard fans, and the case could inspire him to tell more creative, unique stories.

    And give him a more fitting name, like Derek Hector (director) or Phil Mendarite (film and write).

    1. I would make some tweaks to how some events occur: specifically the drain cover scene and Dee's confrontation. I already explained how I would tweak the drain cover scene, but not Dee's confrontation yet.

    I feel like Phoenix presenting vital evidence to Dee feels unrealistic given the fact there were negative consequences the last time he tried that with White. I think Phoenix should have gotten the image of the accidental death from five years ago while Dee was secretly watching. Then Phoenix would want to check everywhere one more time before he's confident he has enough evidence to win the trial. He would investigate the trailer, and Dee would be there where the original scene would continue.

    Considering Dee knew Phoenix got the photo from Wendy in the original scene, her spying on Wendy would make sense, and Phoenix being forced to talk about the photo rather than presenting it himself feels more natural given his experience with White.

    Final Verdict

    I was not expecting this, but this is my favorite case so far. It's great.

    While the lows of this case are lower than those of the first two, the highs are far more consistent and evenly spaced out between each segment, and it constantly improves until peaking at the end, whereas 1-2 peaked at the beginning. It has the best culprit, good characters from the last case become great here, and it feels like a natural evolution from what the last case set up.

    I have no idea why I didn't enjoy this case at first as much as I do now, but given I still really enjoy 1-1 and 1-2, I'll gladly accept it and call this the best case so far.

    8.25/10, it's taking 1-2's spot at the top of the list.

    Previous (1-2)

    submitted by /u/KaleBennett
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    Across all games in the series, what is the biggest dissonance, you’ve had with a character or plot point?

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 12:50 PM PDT

    The time where what you actually thought about what the game was telling you I clearly different from what it meant to tell you.

    For me it was Godot I guess, we are supposed to feel sympathetic towards him, but his actions didn't really make sense to me.

    submitted by /u/InterestingComputer5
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    What do you guys think of the fact that London in TGAA (year 1900) has photographs in color but Japanifornia in the OT (year 2016) still mostly uses black and white photographs?

    Posted: 23 Aug 2021 12:48 PM PDT

    Edit: So I got some really interesting replies about GBA's storage. Funny I never thought of the fact that B&W pictures would take less space than color pictures.

    In any case, I'd like to know what you guys think of the in-universe explanation for it.

    submitted by /u/Disco-Kingler
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