So Far, the Phoenix Wright Anime Is Straight Fire

There was an “Ace Attorney” anime we brought to your attention way back in November. Well, it started about 2 weeks ago and man, it’s good. Now that there’s more information on the anime I can technically recommend it officially now, which almost feels like a special occasion. First off, the anime actually has a name and it’s called Gyakuten Saiban: Sono “Shinjitsu”, Igiari! which translates to Turnabout Trial: I Object to That “Truth”! The series will reportedly adapt storylines from the first 2 Ace Attorney games, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice For All. If the first 2 episodes are any indication of the rest of the series, we’re in for a real treat.

The first episode introduced us to Ryuuichi Naruhodou, a.k.a. Phoenix Wright, a rookie attorney who’s getting his feet wet in the lawyer business. The first episode was actually an adaptation of the tutorial trial from the first game, and as an episode it did a great job setting us up and introducing what we’ll be seeing. When Phoenix is proving a point in a trial or when the witness that he’s questioning becomes surprised or shocked in the Ace Attorney games, the witness has a “damage” animation where their face and mannerisms will change, but then they go back to normal. When the witness becomes “defeated” they go into a longer, more drawn out animation where they usually go on a little tirade. The first episode not so subtly introduces these concepts during the trial when dude’s TOUPEE LITERALLY FLIES OFF FROM THE SHOCK AND OVERWHELMING GLORY OF PHOENIX WRIGHT’S OBJECTION and it quickly gets you more hype as it goes on. While Ace Attorney has great comedy, it also has great storylines that ad a little overarching drama to the characters to add motivation and tension to the story.

“OB-MUTHAFUCKIN-JECTION” SON

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While I can’t really talk about the second episode — for spoiler reasons, because this is the first major case — I can say that it ups the ante and has even better pacing than the first episode. More characters are introduced and the plot gets deeper just like the games. Oh, speaking of “just like the games” THEY KEPT THE OBJECTION THEME IN THE ANIME AND IT’S THE HYPEST SHIT. That song plays when Phoenix has a revelation, an “Objection” if you will, that turns the tide of the trial and creates sort of a “turnabout” situation, and when the music kicks in you know shit’s about to go down.

Legitimately, when the music hit, I yelled. It gave me goosebumps. (If you don’t care about spoilers for episode 1 the scene can be found here) It was a feeling that made me appreciate the song even more than I already did, and if they continue to use it then I might have to start taking some throat lozenges before I watch the episode from all the yelling I’ll be doing.

So if you haven’t realized it, I’m asking — no, more like I’m using my incredible powers of persuasion — to get you to hop on the Ace Attorney train while it’s still starting. There’s been 2 great episodes and it can only get better as more stories and characters are introduced and I just wanted to make sure no one gets left at the station. Do you like these train analogies? I do, I like them a lot. So I implore you to watch this show and to start watching it now so that you can keep up. You can watch it on Crunchyroll or anywhere else your little lawyer heart desires. So get out there and be the ace anime watcher you were born to be, you can thank me later.

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  • William Young

    Staff Writer

    Lover of Hamtaro and an eater of Oreos. Careful with what you say about me because I might throw it "Right Back Atcha." That's just a Kirby joke. I speak in references and I'm the awkward guy in the corner at a party. Hit me up if you wanna talk about magical girls in a totally appropriate way.

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