Ace Attorney Episode 11 [Mini Edgeworth]

As the series goes on, it is almost the time to review the substance of the game versus the show. While usually my

Sailor Moon Crystal reviews are a platform to discuss explicit details, in this series I have not done as much as I could to highlight what really works and what doesn’t. While I often compare the subject matters it is imperative from this episode that readers can see a different perspective, that being said some things still hold true. Episode 11 of Phoenix Wright gives us some positives that compare to the games! For instance, Naruhodo / Phoenix’s backstory and why he became friends with Edgeworth / Reiji. In the games we get small expository flashbacks that can’t convey emotions or information the same way the anime does. In that respect, it was definitely a positive of the story for us to see emotions rather than to be told they exist and have people do drastic actions with the supposed backup of something we only heard about. Now we can see young Naruhodo’s tears and really understand what Reiji meant to him, and vice versa. This makes their relationship more interesting and meaningful.

That being said, as this case has not yet finished, it is clear to see how it changed the original story. You see, the

appeal of the Ace Attorney games is one thing: you are solving the mystery. You do it in a very led way and the game keeps certain information away from you in order to make you  solve the mystery on its terms, but you play AS Phoenix and because of this you see his thought process and learn the details about the case just as he does. The anime has done this several times in order to build tension but in episode 11 they do it in a specific way: we see Edgeworth’s memory of the event we can assume is the DL-6 incident, but we don’t hear the actual details. We are not solving this case anymore, we are watching Phoenix and Maya do it for us. Because of this I can admit that the games and show exist the best simultaneously, but that’s just it, I really do think the show supplements the game. A lot of comparison has been drawn with anger that the show isn’t the game, but perhaps the creators are using it instead as a side story meant to absolutely show us what everyone feels and knows in the series. There is nothing about the game that can’t be considered canon, really, it is an absolutely faithful adaptation. The difference is what we know, and what we know about the case very certainly sets the domineering atmosphere.

One thing is true of both the game as well as the show: Man the lawyers in this show provide some grade a horse manure. If the prosecutors presented the piece of evidence Phoenix had prepared this episode the case would be ended, Karma would have snapped and that would have been it. The show and game do a great job reminding us that the burden of proof is all on the defense. “What do you mean this man just wanted to sell cotton candy all his life and the motive only makes sense if you read his journal when he was 10, he is clearly guilty because the victim owed him ten dollars!” Touche Karma. Touche. On top of that everything relating to these serious cases called for some seriously improved momentary animation and really dark line art for the characters. I was sort of fond of it, so lets just keep doing that.

This episode features the most beautiful witness of the story: the parrot. Yes, the time has finally come everyone. For new watchers, the parrot was long standing as the most anticipated and beloved witness. (not really we all thought it was stupid) If it wasn’t for that whale nothing would have stood in the way of Polly’s victory as best animal witness, but alas some things are not meant to be! Polly basically connects the old boat keeper as the definite person behind the case. . .in some ways. He isn’t necessarily the one who sent the letter and orchestrated the whole murder, but he certainly killed Hammond. It seems like everything is solved until Edgeworth stands up and declares he confesses his guilt. . . to the DL-6 murder case!

This is why we don’t let you talk Edgeworth, always confessing to murder.

Oki