INSPIRED BY: [link]

Ok, yeah, I'm hooked on this series. As a game, the Ace Attorney series is hardly much of a speck on a gamer's radar but the story, the cases, the characters...they are so well developed that I just cannot help but love it to bits.

Capcom, please make it an official serialized manga or anime. PLEASE!

(Coughs) Ok, I've only gone through the first three games so no Apollo Justice yet; don't expect any character mentions from it yet.

And yes, I'm doing 15 because I could NOT squeeze it down to 10...I'm sorry T-T

SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE GAMES AHEAD!

15: Dahlia Hawthorne [link]

This chick is scary from the get go. Her theme is so overwhelmingly calm that you instantly know something is up. She is the typical 'bitch with a pretty face' and yet I can't help but love how ruthless she is. She KILLS her own sister, guys! I dunno...there is such a lack of badass females in most series that seeing Dahlia be the little devil she is just gets my inner feminist jumping and shouting for joy (AND GREAT JUSTICE!)

14: Luke Atmey [link]

Ok, I admit, I HATED his guts at first. He was pompous, annoying, and the traditional "I AM TEH BEST! WORSHIP MEH U FOOLZ!" but then when the MaskdeMasque case began to unravel and the fact that he simply acted like he was guilty in court to cover up his other crime...wow. Ron might have been wearing the actual mask, but I think that Luke hid his actual personality a lot better than both him and Dahlia. Dahlia was obvious because as I said, she was just too damn calm...with Luke, I thought he was the genuine article.

13: Larry Butz [link]

Larry is obviously a good guy...he is nice, MOSTLY honest and tries hard to please people...he can just never hold down a girl. I guess it's because I've met guys like him that I feel sympathetic toward his character, but I just love Larry. Also, despite the fact that he doesn't have much of a role in the cases, when he does come in, he is NEEDED. Seriously, if he hadn't taken Mile's lunch money, Phoenix wouldn't have met Miles and therefore would not have even thought of becoming an attorney. If Larry hadn't come in at the last minute to testify, Miles would have been found guilty for sure. Seriously...LARRY NEDZ LURVE GAIZ!

12: Dessie Delite [link]

At the first description of her, I thought she was going to be like my sister: a bitchy shopaholic...but then I found out that she was a bike-freak. Her devotion to Ron also really sparked for me because it showed that their relationship meant more to her than the amount of money he made. I mean, him saving her back then was one thing, but when she ran into the courtroom to keep him from getting convicted, I knew it was more than that. She loves him and not just for his money. Lastly: She is a COMPLETE BAD ASS! Sorry...I'm so used to the crappy female characters in anime and manga that seeing chicks like this really makes me happy ^^

11: Franziska von Karma [link]

Ok, Franny is a flip-coin character: it's either love or hate. Yeah, she is a sterotype to the max with her prodigy past and her revenge scheme, but I can't find it within myself to hate her. I think it's her relationship with Miles that kept me from just rolling my eyes at her after a certain point. However, the whip jokes are definitely a win and her break down at the end of JFA was actually really wonderful. It shows that she has a lot of potential that could move her character past the sterotype that most people see as her entire outline. I hope that she comes back though. I do enjoy the Gumshoe abuse ^^

10: Godot (Pronounced Godo though, folksies) [link]

Hated him at first...I mean, I SERIOUSLY hated him. First, he was HORRIBLE at doing his job and second, he tried to spout mystical thoughtful metaphors and it really irritated me more than anything. Also, the fandom was NUTS about him so hated him for that. However...he did start to earn my respect when he started acting serious and when he revealed that he concerned himself more with the truth than getting a guilty conviction. It was obvious from Diego's introduction who he was, but overall, his past is AMAZINGLY well done. BUT despite all these qualities, he hasn't done enough to earn a higher spot on my list...Sorry Godot.

9: Maggey Byrde [link]

Once again, she is a flip-coin character. Most people hate her because she has a relationship with Gumshoe but personally, I love Maggey. She is energetic, honest, and just adorable over all. I really feel bad for her because she does get caught up in a lot of shit that she really doesn't deserve. Another thing that I love about her is the fact that she isn't afraid to express herself and her rage when she is hurt. Take Gumshoe's testimony for example; she didn't even come close to forgiving him until the end of the trial because it hurt her so badly to see her friend betray her like. I dunno...for some reason, most characters skip over their anger and go straight into angsty depression with this series...It's a minor flaw, but with Maggey, it is definitely redeemed somewhat.

8: Ron Delite [link]

Ronnie...Oy vey, he gets a LOT of hate. I don't think he deserves it because while he whines a lot, it's mostly about Dessie. He is also trying to be honest and admit his crimes and yet he gets shit because he isn't letting Phoenix 'help' him. I think people forget that Ron wasn't the one who went to Phoenix for help (Twas Dessie) and that he just wanted to come clean so that she wouldn't suffer. Ron isn't the brightest bulb in the box, but he tries. Sorry, but I love honesty and Ron is probably the most honest character in the series (Maggey being a close second) Also, I loved the fact that he left a calling card before each crime. He announced his entry at least a week before he made his heist and it really showed just how true to his word he was. He gave people a fighting chance each and every time it showed that he didn't want to be stealing from them. He WANTED to be captured so he could be stopped.

7: Dick Gumshoe [link]

He is really hard not to like. The typical hardworking numbskull who is constantly under the constant abuse of his superiors. Gumshoe annoyed me at first because his testimonies were absolute SHIT. As the cases went on though, it was obvious that he cared about getting the right man and that he loved his job because he was able to help people. He risked his life more than probably everyone else in the series, confronting criminals, grabbing evidence at the last minute...Ah hell, just give this dick a medal guys! (Pun TOTALLY intended)

6: Matt Engarde [link]

Matt also gets a lot of hate...This is mostly because everyone and their mum loves Adrian and hates how he framed her and lied to Phoenix. I personally loved the fact that Phoenix actually had to defend a guilty client for once and that Matt had a second personality. At first, he was the thick headed super star and then suddenly, he flipped those bangs back and became a hardened criminal. He reminded me a lot of Two-Face actually and also all those old mobsters from the black and white picture days. Most of the villains in the series are pretty nutsy, but Matt is the only one who really sold the act to me. His reasoning is pretty logical, but not like Luke and Dahlia who had almost everything planned out. Matt left a lot open to chance and luck which caught up to him in the end. Still, it made for a really great ride of a story.

5: Shelley de Killer [link]

Anyone who hates this guy deserves to die. No, I'm not kidding. Shelly de Killer is one of the scariest characters in the game because he is so predictable. There is a fear in the unknown for sure, but also knowing is just as bad in many ways. He lets you know exactly when he does what he does and it makes you dread what is to come so that each time he leaves a reminder for you, you just panic all the more. Maybe I'm exaggerating (I probably am) but I seriously love Shelly. He is a badass. END. OF. STORY.

4: Mia Fey [link] [link]

I swear, the only thing I hate about this chick is that weird top she wears under her jacket (it just looks retarded) I liked her a bit more when she was first starting out and was a bumbling rookie, but even in her prime, I still liked her because she was so witty and reliable. Now most people hate the fact that she died early on, but I felt that that just made her all the more important. If Phoenix was able to rely on her at every given moment, she would be devalued to the point of a plot device. It also stirs things up because she can only be channeled. This makes it so that most of the time, her sister never gets to see her. The few scenes in which they do reunite are just too damn adorable.

3: Maya Fey [link]

This girl needs a shitload of credit...or hamburgers. Her entire family is INCREDIBLY fucked up, she takes more shit than Nick during all of his cases, gets accused of murder TWICE, does anything she can to help him...and is overall, one of the most amusing characters. Her antics are very clownish and yet she doesn't feel like a comic relief at all nor a side kick. Maya is actually one of the harder characters to describe because she is so simple (making her all the more complex) in her actions. Sorry, I wish I could say more about her, but really, just watching her go at it explains her entire character...JUST GO AND PLAY THE DAMN GAME!

2: Miles Edgeworth [link]

Oh Edgy...one of the most liked and most hated characters in the series. A lot of people don't like him because he is an angst muffin (kinda like Sasuke, but unlike that bastard, Edgeworth LOSES and grows from his experiences rather than sit back and cry like a baby!) Still, outside of Maya, I think Edgy has probably taken the most shit in the games. I mean seriously, his dad gets shot by the guy who ends up adopting him, he lives his whole life thinking that it was him who killed his dad, is forced to be a von Karma (i.e. perfectionist) his entire life from age 9 on, he can no longer use elevators or stand earthquakes due to his father's death, he gets accused of murder after facing two horrible defeats at the hand of his best friend, and then his little sister is shot.

And yet, he seriously grows from this. I really love character growth...and I love the fact that he isn't always there on screen. We are given enough of his character to feel like the change in him is real, but it's not shoved down our throats to where we are left wondering who REALLY is the main character here.

Now I'm sure you ALL know who the last character on the list is...

1: Phoenix Wright (THE ONE AND ONLY!) [link]

Usually I enjoy the main character of any series...I have to in order for me to even BOTHER reading or watching. However they NEVER make number one on my lists.

Phoenix Wright, you have officially broken that pattern for me.

To explain WHY he is the first to break the pattern in this cycle...well basically; Phoenix is realistic.

He panics, makes mistakes, gets depressed, trusts people too much, he has habits, he doubts himself, he has awkward moments, ETC

Seriously, the only things I dislike are the fact that he wins every time (of course, it's expected if you want to win the damn game but I digress), and then his reasoning for becoming a lawyer (it's cute, but it kind of ruins the magic of his character)

Outside of those two details, he is so 3 dimensional, it hurts! He is such a huge step away from all of the main character sterotypes that you see in anime and manga that it just practically brings me to tears. (Hugs) I LOVE THIS GUY!

(Wipes sweat from forehead) WHEW! LONG LIST IS LONG.

Ok, well now I am off to see the Apollo Justice Arc. I'll either update this list of characters or make a list SOLELY for AJ within the following weeks.

I haven't seen much of Apollo Justice, but the fandom has completely spoiled me anyway so I think I will enjoy it (just judging it from the stuff I do know)

Now usually, I hate 'next generation' spin-offs, but I think I will like it in this case due to the realistic spin with most of the old characters.

Anyway, as a preview: the game is supposed to take place seven years in the future where Phoenix is no longer a lawyer, but a hobo with an adopted daughter, playing the piano at some sleazy bar (horribly off-key)

........

I CANNOT WAIT!

Also, Polly's 'chords of steel' spiel is EPIC!

...As is Klavier's air guitar...

DONE.
DONE!