Everything Wrong With: Ace Attorney: Justice for All

Episode Two: Reunion, and Turnabout

"My first Ace Attorney case ever. Opening takes me back to 2012 every time." *starts with a negative one sin count

"Also, this opening. The animation isn't great, but the dialogue and the way the music hits as soon as we see Mimi... I swear. If this case wasn't one more in the line of the 'Maya gets accused of murders' trope, and that wasn't made clear from the outset, I would remove another sin." *no sin

"Speaking of, Maya gets accused of murder... well, it's not a cliche yet, but it is the second time in as many games. Considering she also gets kidnapped in the finale, you'd think the game would go easy on her until then." *ding

(Gameplay starts) "Turner Grey." *ding

"Also, Turner Grey's glasses. You'd think a man rich enough for a $1500 suit could afford a pair that fits, and apparently, you'd be wrong." *ding

"Grey claims it's raining outside, but outside the window, the skies are a clear blue. Was it that hard to change the color for one scene?" *ding

("Smash! Crunch! Instantly transforming her car into the accordion model!") "Some puns are clever." *no sin

"Maya says she has to work hard to be strong until she's an adult, but um... she's already eighteen in this game. By legal standards, she is an adult. I'm telling her to start slacking off, but" *ding

("Oh come on Nick! I wouldn't take a crazed killer as a client!") "But you will channel one." *ding

"Let's just talk about Grey's plan for a second: He thinks if he hires a medium to channel a girl he indirectly caused the death of, she'll sign a confession claiming she murdered fourteen people in life... just because he asked her to. Even if you ignore the stupidity of the victim walking into his own murder trap, what does he think that confession is going to do? After DL-6, the courts and much of society as a whole were convinced spirit channeling was a fraud. I highly doubt they accept signed confessions from dead people. All this would prove to the world is that he's crazy and can't move on. Not unlike another surgeon character in this series, now that I think about it." *ding

"You can take occult classes in college? That wasn't in my course catalog!" *ding

"Morgan Fey's hair." *ding

"Also, Morgan Fey." *ten sins

(The Winding Way) "Phoenix claims the garden is beautiful, but we can't see it." *ding

("Please have some lovely bitter green tea and jaw-droppingly large strawberry desserts...") "What does Morgan have against her own brewing/baking? That's never explained." *ding

"Takumi takes the time to mock passive-aggressive housewives in this scene." *ding

(The murder occurs) "Phoenix has the option of wasting time at the scene of an ongoing murder." *ding

"Why doesn't Kurain have a local police force? They're two hours out from the city, and we don't know about any other towns nearby. Why doesn't the village have officers on hand for scenarios just like this? I feel like this is against regulation somewhere." *ding

"What was Gumshoe's business trip that got him out here within a few minute's distance of Kurain? And if he was on a business trip, why would he then be called in on a case? Is Takumi just that against creating a second detective character? I love Gumshoe too, but this whole scenario is contrived at best." *ding

(Meeting "Ini" Miney) "This fake persona." *five sins

"Miney says Grey approached her about finding a spirit medium so he could nail (who he believes is) her big sister down for killing fourteen people. Why would he ask her, of all people? This is ultimately what gets this guy murdered, and I the game doesn't even try to explain how Grey thought this wouldn't end badly. I can only conclude this guy is a complete idiot." *ding

"No matter what you say to Pearl, it all ends the same way: she runs away and Phoenix questions his hairstyle choices. This is funny once. Not three times." *ding

(Visiting Maya in detention) "Recapping events from the last game." *ding

(Maya insists Phoenix will have a guilty client and lose his case) "Sorry, Maya. You're about two cases too early to be making that claim." *ding

"Maya gives us the Magatama, but she can't put energy in for us. Why not?" *ding

(Back in Kurain) "Entirely too many flashbacks to yesterday's investigation. In game time, they all happened thirty minutes ago at most." *ding

"What did Maya say about Phoenix that convinced Pearl they were in love? Why didn't we get that as a flashback scene?" *ding

"Also... Pearl Fey, everybody." *removes one sin for now

"If Pearl doesn't know what lawyers are, what does she think Mia did with her life? Pearl was seven when Mia died, so she would have known and had memories of her, right? Did Mia never tell her? Why is this a thing?" *ding

"Gumshoe's first reaction to seeing a child... Is to show her his gun. Considering the problems America has been having with guns in the hands of children, is that really a good idea?" *ding

"Phoenix takes the two hour train ride from Kurain to his office and back solely to show Gumshoe a newspaper article. Considering the trial is tomorrow, this is a colossal waste of time." *ding

"Why does Gumshoe go out of his way to keep Franziska's gender ambiguous? Was it supposed to be a twist? Why would players be surprised by female prosecutors existing in 2017? Or 2002, for that matter." *ding

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled murder mystery to bring you... A 'come to Germany' ad. Apparently in the Japanese version, this was America." *ding

"Edgeworth's supposed death. I knew nothing of the first game or its characters the first time I experienced this case, and by the time I did, I also knew Edgeworth reappeared in the finale of this game, which left this scene feeling like complete bullshit. Yes, this may be my fault for playing the games out of order, but either way: fake death of Edgeworth for the sake of drama is fake and for the sake of drama." *ding

"Introduction to Psyche-Locks. AKA visualized witness interrogation that needed to be supernatural. For some reason." *not quite a sin, but really?

"No, seriously. What does spirit channeling have to do with ferreting secrets out of people? Why can't this be like Logic Chess and have Phoenix imagining the locks in his head?" *ding

"That said... I do love the music." *no sin

(Morgan rants about how Pearl is better than Maya) "Foreshadowing." *ding

(Mia appears, claiming Phoenix has learned how to stand on his own) "He really hasn't. Chronologically, the first case he wins without your help comes after this. And that case was stupidly easy, so what I'm saying is... were still in the trilogy. Don't leave us yet, Mia." *ding

"Related: spirit hides vital information from lawyer cliche (I would say origin, but that was Gregory Edgeworth). This is the case that convinced me Mia had a copyright on that move. I love Mia, but her own sister's life is on the line. Now is not the time to be testing Phoenix's mental ability or protecting her aunt." *ding

(In the courthouse) "Pearl ran a distance that is two miles by train to get here on time through wilderness and city, yet her clothes aren't even slightly dirty. Did she change upon getting over here?" *ding

"Also, Pearl is so awesome, she can perform physical feats that transcend logic. Normally, these are left to only the most badass of characters. Not that Pearl isn't, of course." *removes another sin for this girl

(The Pursuit-Cornered theme plays when Maya speaks of Edgeworth) "Nostalgia trip pulled a mere year after the first game came out. Isn't it a little early to be remembering 'the good ol' days' when your series is only on its second game? And I thought blatant nostalgia was the later games' problem." *ding

"Also, Maya way overhypes the events of Turnabout Sisters and Turnabout Samurai. The only trial that was 'a scorching battle to the end' was Turnabout Goodbyes. And I guess you can say Rise from the Ashes, but that case hasn't been made yet. Also, Maya wasn't there." *ding

"Maya is every player except me in the 'Phoenix tells her Edgeworth died between games' scene." *ding

"Franziska Von Karma." *removes a sin. Fight me on this

"That said... she took a whip into court and gets away with whipping the judge, defense attorney, and several witnesses. Yes, it's part of her character, but in our world, that's called assault." *ding

"Franziska says she can win a case in ten minutes, but her father supposedly could in three. She's got a long way to go before she's on his level." *ding

"Franziska says she can win a case in ten minutes, but it only takes her seven to corner Phoenix. Sure, she hasn't won yet (and won't), but she doesn't give herself enough credit." *ding

(Judge tells Phoenix not to intimidate Gumshoe despite Franziska being worse) "This bullshit." *ding

"Phoenix wonders why Maya always wears the same clothes, even though he does too. Phoenix, don't be a hypocrite." *ding

"If Franziska agrees that Maya was channeling a different person while murdering Dr. Grey, is there a reason that doesn't absolve Maya from taking blame? As far as we know, she was physically and spiritually another person at the time of the murder. If both prosecution and defense can accept that spirit channeling exists, what's the problem with claiming Mimi Miney was the killer? We'd be right, if for the wrong reasons." *ding

(Phoenix's argument for why the hole in the folding screen was eight inches off the ground) "This is disproved later, with the hole in the clothing box, but why couldn't the bullet have gone through at an angle? It could have been fired from Grey's height pointing slightly downwards and gone through the sleeve and then the folding screen no problem. Why does everyone just assume the gunshot was perfectly horizontal?" *ding

"Phoenix's argument about the distance is also pretty bullshit. This game has already established that gunpowder burns would only occur if the defendant was about two feet away (not quite right in our world (it actually varies by gun. Trust me, I'm Texan), but in this universe, I choose to just go with it). If she were any further away than that, it's fine. Franziska could still be right here so long as she doesn't claim they were on top of each other, and as of now, Phoenix can't prove Maya was any further than two feet away." *ding

(Lotta on the stand) "Franziska can't get witnesses to say their name cli- wait, wrong prosecutor." *ding

(Pearl channels Mia) "How did she get to the defense bench without being noticed? And why aren't her clothes cutting off all circulation? Why can't we look at her from the front view? Why does my last question feel so wrong (sure, it's an eight year old's body, but she's channeling her twenty-seven year old cousin, so it should be okay, right? Right?!)?" *ding

"Also, Mia ex machina." *ding

"Why does Franziska allow Phoenix to question Lotta again? This is what ultimately does her in, and she really has no reason to help Phoenix win. Does she feel like her victory would be cheapened by not letting him speak? Why foil her own revenge plot?" *ding

"Lotta took another photo that the prosecution seeks to hide... I won't say cliche, but this is the second time her presence in a case has built up to this, and she's only appeared twice. Is it not a little early in the series to be reusing material?" *ding

"This game makes fun of the idea that the defendant was killed by their supposed victim, but Spirit of Justice takes them seriously. And thus Turnabout Revolution was born." *ding

"I can believe Franziska got a photo of Mia in the detention center for this case, but I can't believe she got it at this angle. The camera in the visiting room is clearly mounted on the ceiling behind the defendants. To take a photo from angle shown here, one would have to hide directly behind Phoenix's chair. Is there a camera in the visiting room we don't know about, or did Franziska plant the extra camera on the off chance Maya channeled someone else just so she'd have ammunition for this very scenario? Either way, I'm suspicious of it." *ding

"First Franziska hides evidence from the court, then she shows them illegal evidence without actually submitting it. I'd be more mad about this than I am, but Phoenix basically does the same thing two games later, and faced the same number of consequences: zero. Of all the people I expected him to take inspiration from at that stage of his life, I would have not counted Franziska among them." *still a sin, though

"Mia reads Phoenix's every thought in this trial. I would have considered her more of a mentor than an assistant, but I guess she fits the bill." *ding

"Franziska threatens to punish Gumshoe if she's assigned a penalty. Considering the last Von Karma murdered his opposition lawyer over the same thing, shouldn't this be considered a concern? I know now she would never go through with it, but if you played the first game before coming here, it makes sense to be suspicious." *ding

(In the investigation) "Why are Phoenix and Franziska already on a first name basis in his head? They met yesterday, and in bad circumstances." *ding

"Pearl is the one who gave Phoenix the power to see Psyche-Locks, and it still takes her less than a day for her to end up on the wrong side of them. In other words, irony." *ding

(Morgan revenge ranting to a picture of Misty) "More foreshadowing." *ding

(Morgan says it takes 20 years for the village to declare a person dead) "Why this arbitrary timeframe? Why not just try to channel Misty on occasion, and declare her dead if it works? I understand why police have timeframes like this, but there's no reason for a village of mediums to." *ding

"I wonder what Morgan's robe says. Has anyone tried translating it?" *not a sin, just curiosity

((Talking to Miney) Phoenix: A- A Psyche-Lock!) "Two, actually." *ding

"Maya teases the possibility of a Hollywood movie. I would want this, but I have to ask first: is there any Hollywood movie inspired by a Japanese source that was done well? I have yet to see one." *ding

(The clothing box) "I just realized: that wasn't there the first time we entered the side room. Good attention to detail." *no sin

(Pearl broke the urn) "Eight year old can't spell a three letter name. I get she's being raised in a cult, but does she not receive any conventional education? If so, sin on her mother for educating Pearl so poorly." *ding

(The fake doctor Hotti) "This pervert." *ten sins

"Also, this pervert is running amok impersonating a doctor, and the nurse's response is to just leave him to it. Thanks, nurse." *ding

"That grabby hand gesture... are you sure I can't skip this scene? I can't? Dammit." *ding

"Lords of the Rings reference. Of all the characters they could have given it to, why the fuck did they choose this guy?" *ding

(Miney drops her persona to threaten Phoenix) "Finally. I'd be more impressed with her fake persona if it wasn't so goddamn annoying. Why would she impersonate her sister in such a way? Did she hate her?" *ding

(Mia's Psyche-Locks) "Why does Mia protect her aunt over her sister? I can believe not wanting to incriminate Morgan, but not at Maya's expense." *ding

(The second trial day) "Phoenix asks Pearl to channel Mia so she won't have to watch her mother go down as an accomplice. He's gotten a lot nicer to children since the last game." *no sin

"Franziska and Mia engage in rival's banter, which would be nice... if anyone else ever acknowledged Mia's presence during trials. I sure as fuck know Edgeworth didn't, and I don't think the judge even remembers she's dead." *ding

(Morgan on the stand) "Does Mia have bad blood with her aunt? It wouldn't surprise me the way Mia's acting, but it does make me curious. Especially considering she didn't want to accuse her aunt earlier. Unfortunately, this is never explained." *ding

"How long did it take Lotta and Phoenix to make a phone call? The manor is right across from the pay phone, and Morgan claims she was out for ten minutes. Sure, she's lying, but if Lotta and Phoenix weren't away for at least that long, they would have called her bullshit way sooner. So we're back to where we started: what were Phoenix and Lotta doing for over ten minutes?" *ding

(Miney relays what her "sister" told her) "Where have I seen these cutscenes before?" *ding

"Also, this cross examination. She's so dedicated to faking her stupidity, it's genuinely painful to sit through." *ding

"Did Phoenix bring the Sacred Urn with him to court? I have trouble believing the village let him do this, but both the Court Record and Phoenix himself make it sound like he has the real deal, and not just a picture. So how does this work, exactly?" *ding

(Miney reveals her true personality for longer than a second) "Finally. This may be the only culprit I find more pleasant post-transformation. I would remove a sin... If I didn't have to spend hours of gameplay talking to her fake persona already. I swear, this is the case's strongest weakness in my book." *ding

(The judge is about to end the trial when) "Yay, another Mia ex machina. That's really the reason she exists, right? Even in a case she's connected to personally, all she gets to do is act stricter and hide shit? Guess I have to wait until next game to see her as more than a trial lifeline." *ding

(Discussing the car accident) "Incident from x years ago is related to today cliche. In this case, only one year ago, but the core of the cliche remains." *ding

"Did Mia just whip Phoenix?" *ding

"Mimi Miney: Ace Car Nerd." *ding

"How could a nurse afford to import a sportscar? Did she have rich parents who died? A sugar daddy? A lucrative side job? Nurses don't make enough money for this shit, and it's never explained." *ding

(Ini is actually Mimi) "This twist is awesome." *removes a sin

(Franziska whips Phoenix to unconsciousness) "She gets away with this." *ding

"Here's a question that has yet to be answered about this case: if Morgan wanted to discredit Maya as an heir and Mimi wanted to hide the fact she was alive, why murder Grey at all? If those two did nothing, Maya would have failed at her first big channeling and just be seen as weak the way Morgan was. Grey wouldn't have gotten what he wanted, no, but he would probably would have blamed Maya, not thought Mimi was still alive. With Maya disgraced as a medium, Morgan can push Pearl forward as the rightful heir, getting what she wants without bloodshed. But hey: murder mystery's gotta murder mystery, yo." *ding

"Also, this is dark, but if Morgan really wanted to get rid of the main family and have Pearl take their place... she was their caretaker after Misty left, right? Couldn't she have just killed them in an accident years ago to get what she wanted? Or even just Maya, as Mia had already chosen to leave the village? If she's willing to resort to killing people now, why was she not willing to years ago? Why does it take her until the next game to gain the guts needed for her to kill Maya?" *ding

(Picture of Maya reuniting with Mia) "Awwwww..." *removes a sin

(Final scene with Morgan) "Foreshadowing for Bridge to the Turnabout. So far, this is the only foreshadowing done in one game that's resolved in another game. I wish I could count the bit about Thalassa telling Apollo she's his mom, but that thread hasn't been resolved yet." *ding

Total Sin Tally: 101

Sentence: Hospitalization at Hotti Clinic


A/N's: Sorry this took forever, folks. This case was my first experience with AA ever (watched it in a walkthrough years ago. My first game to play myself was AJ), and while it has a special place in my heart, it's not all that amazing as a case. The good things (Pearl, the twist) are too outweighed by the bad (particularly the pervert and Mimi's fake persona). And while I love Franziska as a character overall, I don't like her in this case. Her motivations make sense from her perspective, but the game would never tell you that. It fits into Phoenix's arc to think she's just a carbon copy of her father, but it does mean her character suffers in its first appearances.

Ah fuck, I have to do Big Top after this. (Groans) Would anyone be mad if I just skipped that case and did Farewell My Turnabout? I mean, I'm not going to, but it is something I considered.

Still, I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading, don't forget to review, and I'll see you on the far side!