Fridge / The Great Ace Attorney

Spoilers Off—You Have Been Warned!!!

Fridge Brilliance

• At the end of TGAA1-1, Jezaille Brett asks if she can discuss something with Seishiro Jigoku (the Japanese Judge). In TGAA2, it's revealed that Jezaille worked for an Assassination Program headed by Seishiro Jigoku and Mael Stronghart.
  • Jigoku heading the Assassination Program also puts the entire trial into a new light. It wasn't just using Ryunosuke as a scapegoat to avoid international tension, part of the agreement is the "assassin" would be able to get away with it should they face legal trouble. It was strange and almost idiotic how willing he was to accept Auchi's theories of how and why Ryunosuke had done it despite the fact that there was a ton of evidence that showed Ryunosuke was innocent. Then when Jezaille blatantly destroys evidence, thus implicating her as the culprit, he was still willing to let her leave. This is in contrast to how he treated "Ryutaro" later on where he was harsh but still fair.
• Herlock claims to know "a smattering" of Japanese. He likely learned some from Mikotoba, his roommate and partner.
• In "The Adventure of the Runaway Room," Stronghart will allow Ryunosuke to continue in Kazuma's place if Ryunosuke can claim a not guilty verdict in a case. However when you get to the courthouse, it seems like everything is against you. Not only is the Reaper of the Old Bailey back from his five-year hiatus to prosecute, but there were multiple witnesses who saw the lead up to the crime (though not the crime itself), the murder weapon could only logically belong to the defendant, and the defendant is actually a corrupt Loan Shark and the victim was his debtor. It seems as if Stronghart wanted you to fail. He probably did as it would be the only way to get a new assassin without raising questions to why he turned down Ryunosuke despite his willingness to learn. Had McGilded not planted evidence to get a not guilty verdict, Ryunosuke would have returned to Japan and Stronghart would have gotten a new assassin.
  • Who is to say that Stronghart wasn't aware of the tampering? It's possible that he at least suspected some foul play from McGilded (If Van Zieks is aware of this, then possibly Stronghart is as well). Meaning that Ryunosuke winning could still work in his favor as he may be aware of Gina's perjury. If he became too much of a spanner to his plans, he could potentially blackmail him with this information into doing what he wants. The only reason why he never got the opportunity to do so is because Gina admitted to perjury and tampering first.
• Before Jezaille Brett dies, Soseki stays behind and asks her who had done it despite being terrified. It's most likely because the last time he ran away when a woman got stabbed in the back, he became a suspect.
• As Taketsuchi performs Seppuku upon his topknot, all other characters in the court take part in a moment of silence. During this, Susato and Soseki both notably have their hands clasped together at the chest, a symbol of Christian prayer. Both had recently returned from England, a country with a much larger population of Christians than Japan (especially during the late 19th century), and perhaps picked up this symbol of deference and mourning.
• When Kazuma becomes a prosecutor, it's noted that he'll be truly formidable in court; after all, he has first-hand knowledge of how the defence operates. This is a perfectly good way of building him up as an opponent, but it might just sound like idle dialogue at first... until you get to the first testimony of the case. After van Zieks testifies about what he saw, what does the newly-minted prosecutor do? Raise an objection and point out contradictions in the testimony, backing up each one with evidence from the Court Record; followed by a turnabout of the premise of the testimony. In other words - exactly what you, the player, have been doing in every game.
• Gregson and van Zieks' relationship as detective and prosecutor is different from most detective/prosecutor duos. Most detectives tend to think highly of their prosecutor and give insight on who they are as people and the prosecutor usually playing along with their antics but ultimately still respecting them as part of the police force. Not with Gregson and van Zieks' however. They're distant at best with Gregson spreading rumors of van Zieks being the Reaper and van Zieks in turn coldly shutting him down when they're in court together. It makes perfect sense, looking back. Gregson is responsible for organizing the Reaper murders and needs to circulate the rumors to keep the secret. Van Zieks, on the other hand, had begun to suspect that Gregson had something to do with the deaths and probably had subconsciously become more harsh to him if he wasn't already. We're seeing the deterioration of their relationship.
• The overarching story of the duology shares direct meta parallels with the Sherlock Holmes publications. Mikotoba and Sholmes solved mysteries together for some years, which ostensibly make up The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Memoirs, ending with the "Professor" case which caused Mikotoba to return to Japan, just like how "The Final Problem", the story in which Holmes "dies", concerns "Professor" Moriarty. During this period, Iris pens "The Hound of the Baskervilles", a story which takes place before Mikotoba's departure but which isn't released with the other stories, just like how The Hound of the Baskervilles was published after Holmes' death but takes place before it chronologically. Finally, Mikotoba and Sholmes reunite during the case where Gregson is killed in an "empty house", and "The Empty House" is the short story in which Holmes returns from his "death" In-Universe.
• Gregson says that when he started appearing in a favourable light in the Sholmes published stories, his salary doubled. This probably explains how he was able to pay Daley Vigil to go around impersonating him so often, and why he's so afraid of being snubbed in a future publication and losing his bonus pay.
• When Iris kicks Herlock during Case 2-3, the way he doubles over and complains she "almost winded" him implies she kicked him in the stomach, which means she can kick surprisingly high for someone of her height. Considering Barok van Zieks' habit of axe-kicking the bench, as well as official art that shows Klint also can kick very high, it's probably an inherited trait.
• At the start of the game, Kazuma wagers his study tour on Ryunosuke's trial and reacts very poorly when Ryunosuke chooses to defend himself to spare Kazuma's dream. It looks like an act of arrogance... until you learn in Resolve that the study tour was a front for an assassination mission given to Kazuma by Judge Jigoku himself. Kazuma isn't angry that Ryunosuke doubted his competence—he's angry Ryunosuke threw away a surefire bargaining chip that would guarantee his acquittal.
• Sholmes insist that he first met Ryunosuke at "the case with the snakes". At first blush it can just be chalked off to his inflated ego... but it could also be him protecting Nikolina from being found out and prosecuted for a crime she ultimately didn't do.
• Case 2-2, being a flashback, goes some way to explaining Barok and Ryunosuke's behaviors during 1-5 surrounding Herlock Sholmes' blood-typing invention. In 1-5, Barok objects to use of the chemical invention as evidence because it hasn't been verified in court, which is true, but he leads into it with trivializing Sholmes himself and his reputation in London as a great detective. This is because in the 2-2 case, Susato was able to use one of Sholmes' other inventions to sway the jury to their side by appealing to their respect for Herlock Sholmes, even if they could not legally use the invention's findings as evidence—meaning Barok, during Gina's trial, sought to quickly turn the jury against Sholmes specifically to prevent a repeat trick. Ryunosuke, on the other hand, presents the chemical invention despite knowing that it wasn't officially verified because he was hoping he could sway the jury with it anyway, like before. Unfortunately, neither Ryunosuke nor Iris have Susato's legal expertise, leading to them being unable to use their most conclusive evidence in court in any capacity.
• Despite practically revealing government secrets during Case 5 of Adventures, Ryunosuke is only disbarred due to his unwitting usage of forged evidence and testimony in Case 3, which Mael Stronghart eventually lifts the ban on and allows him to practice law in court again. This may sound pretty stupid in hindsight since said government secrets also contained a damning part of Stronghart's plan and Ryunosuke ends up taking him down at the end of Resolve, but it's likely that because they were encoded in a different format that no one in court at the time understood until Iris brute-forced it later, the official records probably just stated that the alleged secrets were just gibberish and Stronghart never put two-and-two together.
• Even after being exposed as Gregson's murderer, Judge Jigoku still refuses to reveal the head of the Reaper organization, despite stating that his life is basically over. If he revealed Mael Stronghart was the head of the Reaper organization, Stronghart would have likely revealed that Jigoku was the one who shot and killed Genshin Asogi. He didn't want to face Kazuma (and possibly Yujin) in regards to his betrayal.
• Daley Vigil's hair and bright yellow tie is reminiscent of a grandfather clock. Also sometimes when he speaks he moves his hands in a circular motion like the hands of a clock. The clock imagery could be because Vigil is the only character willing to give information of the Professor case and thus, going back in time.
  • Vigil as Gossip after his dismissal 10 years ago. It might not mean anything at first glance but as we know, there is a term known as "Times have changed".
• It's likely Ayame Mikotoba's Death by Childbirth was part of what convinced Yujin to study medicine in Britain, so he could bring British medical knowledge back to Japan and save other mothers from the same fate.
• The box art of Resolve shows Stronghart with his arms outstretched over Courtney Sithe, John Wilson, Seishiro Jigoku, Genshin Asogi, and Klint van Zieks, all people he had in his pocket.
• The designs of Barok van Zieks and Albert Harebrayne on the surface appear to be very contrasting. But the two friends have the tropes of a vampire and a mad scientist respectively - they're both horror movie villains!
• Before case 4 began in the first game, Stronghart was under the impression that Ryunosuke was in on Kazuma's assassination mission, as the latter had said he was prepared to do "everything" that Kazuma had come to England to do. It's only after he's assigned him to his next case that Stronghart determines Ryunosuke doesn't know what Kazuma actually came to do, after all. With that in mind, he had likely assigned Ryunosuke to Natsume Soseki's case not just because Soseki is Japanese, but because it was a discreet way of introducing him to the case's inspector, Tobias Gregson, the "handler" of the Reaper's assassins and Kazuma's intended target.
• It seems odd that one of the richest men in London couldn't get an attorney just because "the Reaper" was prosecuting. Wouldn't they still get paid if McGilded lost? But considering Van Zieks' statement that McGilded has tampered with evidence and witnesses before, it makes sense: the lawyers all feared that Van Zieks would expose McGilded's manipulations of the court and his attorney would be blamed for it, as eventually happened to Ryunosuke.
• Stronghart being revealed as the main Reaper of the Bailey. He eventually reaped what he sowed. What goes around, comes around just like a maelstrom which his name is based on. Try as he might, everyone will eventually get to the core or bottom of things, however one wants to put it, to find the truth.
• McGilded actively tries to defend himself from the murder accusations which is actually pretty different from past defendants, who almost none of them actually tries to. The reason of such behaviour is because all the past defendants were innocent so they trusted their lawyer to defend them. McGilded, though, is guilty. The reason why he defends himself is because he actually murdered someone.^*In fact, the one defendant who was guilty was Matt Engarde, who used de Killer to blackmail Wright. In a way, that too can be considered a way of defending oneself, even if unhortodox.
• Remember the surgeon who acted as a juror in 1-5? He slams his head on the desk to decide his verdict, unlike the other jurors who simply slammed their fist. For those who wonder why, it's because he needs to keep his gloves sterilized.
• Smart foreshadowing. Herlock calls his former partner a friend, which is very similar how Sherlock in the novels refers to Watson as his friend. Yujin means 'friend'.
• Lord van Zieks is one of the few people who doesn't criticize or show confusion when Ryunosuke presents his lawyer armband. While Ryunosuke never mentioned that it used to belong to Kazuma, Lord van Zieks is able to sense that it is important as to why Ryunosuke became a lawyer. After all, Lord van Zieks wears his brother's prosecutor badge and is similarly haunted by his brother's death and trying to follow after his footsteps.
• The fact that Gina survived being one of the Reaper's defendants. Soseki survived by leaving the country; Harebrayne both left the country and didn't really have enough time to be killed. But Gina was a defendant and survived for months afterwards despite remaining in London. Why? Because she Sholmes immediately pushed Gregson to make her his assistant. This complicates the task of killing her for Strongheart, since Gregson was part of his conspiracy; Gregson wouldn't let Gina die when Sholmes put her under his care, and rapidly comes to genuinely care about her. It's also implied that Sholmes suspected that Gregson was part of the conspiracy, which in turn implies that he insisted Gregson take her on as an apprentice in order to protect her. Gregson eventually comes to suspect that she's going to be targeted anyway and plans to flee the country with her (on Sholmes' advice), but it's likely that Sholmes' insistence that she become Gregson's assistant was why she survived so long in the first place.
• Enoch Drebber's theme contains typewriter clacking and bell sounds, fitting considering his life was ruined by a newspaper article.
• Hosonaga wearing the swimsuit he used when Brett died in Case 2-1 matches with his tendency to want to preserve the crime scene no matter what. Since he was a witness, he preserved his outfit.

Fridge Horror

• It's stated that if Kazuma Asogi took Naruhodo's case in TGAA1-1 and lost, he would've failed to become an attorney and thus not been able to go to England. While this doesn't sound too bad in the first game, in the second game, it's revealed that he was on an Assassination Program and his target was Tobias Gregson (although he never intended to kill him). Basically, if Asogi actually got to take Naruhodo's case and lost, he would've never learned what happened to his father and, presumably, Stronghart would have instead received a willing and able assassin to carry out the murder rather than Ryunosuke.
  • also the fact that Jezaille Brett says that in the event that she wants Seishiro Jigoku to increase the punishment for Ryunosuke Naruhodo for his “slander” against her, if Naruhodo was unable to prove his innocence, it is likely that he would have either gotten life imprisonment, or even worse sentenced to death. And considering that Death row did not have years before execution. Things would not look good for Ryunosuke Naruhodo, in fact he would probably be executed the day following the sentence.
• Everyone Hosonaga tries to protect (except Naruhodo) dies/appears to have died.
• In TGAA1-3, Bruce Fairplay was falsely accused of murder. While Barok managed to prove that Fairplay didn't do the murder, if Barok didn't say anything, Fairplay could've gone to jail for something he didn't even do thanks to the player participating in what is usually a regular part of the Ace Attorney series—proving your client is not guilty by finding the "true" culprit, except this time the evidence is forged.
• There was still over a month left of the voyage to London. Which means Ryunosuke had to stay and sleep in the room where his best friend died.
• More of a Fridge Tear Jerker, but Mikotoba was reduced to tears when he failed to keep Lady Baskerville alive and she dies of childbirth as a result. Due to his own wife sharing the same fate, he was likely reliving the trauma and guilt of his wife's death as well. No wonder the man was so distraught.
• In GAA:R-5, after Ryunosuke nails Stronghart for all of his crimes, Stronghart appeals to the entire judiciary, pointing out how this widespread corruption would lead to a loss of faith in the law. Despite the blatant self interest involved in his entire case, he wins over the ENTIRE CROWD to the point that they cheer for him. To clarify, nearly every judicial agent in London thinks regular assassinations and blackmail are worth it if it scares criminals. And the worst part is that though the Queen ultimately punishes Stronghart for his crimes, it doesn't change the fact that the judiciary has revealed itself to be willing to cover up mass corruption.
• Stronghart's arrest leads to the truth of the Reaper being revealed, and since the Reaper was painted as the one thing that Stronghart used to reduce crime, the crime rate will likely rise in light of this, with there being no recourse yet formed for the kind of corruption that, for example, led to McGilded being set free.
• The fate of Raiten Menimemo from TGAA2-1 was likely grim. Trying to unknowingly expose a government conspiracy to the face of one of the main conspirators probably quickly led him to death row in the subsequent murder trial.
• Upon speaking to him about his father in the Prosecutor's office, Kazuma reveals that his mother died from the grief of the loss of his father and also possibly from him being condemned as a murderer. Mentioning that this was the moment he decided to go to Great Britain and find out the truth. This puts his attitude towards Barok, who he believes to be the Reaper, in a new light: He didn't just hold him responsible for his father's death, but his mother's as well! It's because of the Reaper that he is an orphan!
• Had Jigoku's plan succeeded, Hugh Boone would've been made the fall guy for Inspector Gregson's murder. Meaning that not only would Daley Vigil be punished for a crime he did not commit again! But this time he would have likely been hanged and executed.
• This comment from a video of NicoB's Let's Play of the game describes the Awful Truth about Kazuma's relationship with Judge Jigoku which doubles as a Tear Jerker:
  The fact that Judge Jigoku targeted Kazuma specifically and attempted to use his feelings about Genshin's situation to manipulate him into accepting the assassination mission highlights a small detail from the very first trial of the duology. When Kazuma talks to Ryuunosuke about being accepted on the study tour, he sound kind of irritated and self-conceited, saying something like "Looks like they've finally acknowledged that I'm good enough for the tour" (not verbatim, but something to that effect) but what Jigoku says when you press him puts that comment in a new light. Jigoku didn't even approach Kazuma after he had gotten results for the examination when selecting applicants for the tour, he approached him literally right after he took the exam and made it clear that if he refused the mission, he wouldn't be considered for the tour whether his results from the exam were good or not. So his comment from the first game isn't only to show that he has a huge ego (which he Also does,) but that he was glad he was acknowledged for his efforts academically and that he was qualified to do the study tour on his own merits even if at that point it was just a formality.
  
  Tangentially related, Jigoku isn't just some nobody in Kazuma's life, which makes his actions even more despicable. As one of the three visiting students, he was a good friend to both Yujin and Genshin. There's already some familiarity between the two of them and not just a professional relationship, as shown with Jigoku saying "I never expected to see the day you took that tone with me" and even more telling, the fact that Kazuma has the same laughing animation + expression as Jigoku. He likely took it after him as a child. Kazuma has already been betrayed by Jigoku once before when he tried to show the letter he received from Britain about the Professor, and Jigoku tried to laugh it off, which teaches Kazuma not to trust authority figures. Jigoku making the assassination request to Kazuma years after while dangling the educational opportunity he's worked his whole life for as bait is another massive twist of the knife for him, and Jigoku attempting to pin Gregson's murder on Kazuma is the culmination of it all.
• Had Stronghart won, he would have dealt the most damage out of all Ace Attorney villains. Even Ga'ran's atrocities were limited to a tiny kingdom in the Himalayas, but Stronghart would have become the Attorney General of the largest empire of all time (about a quarter of the world's population and territory). And considering how much of a Control Freak he is, he would have put Britain on a path to totalitarianism, which would have had world-spanning consequences.

Fridge Heartwarming

• In "The Return of the Great Departed Soul," Susato was revealed to be watching the trial the entire time. She could've stepped in and return to Ryunosuke's side at any time, but didn't because she believed he was able to handle the defense by himself, only stepping in when he struggled to decide whether he should prove his client's innocence while rendering his life's work All for Nothing or to respect his wishes in protecting his hypothesis which would condemn him as a murderer. This is in contrast to "The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story" where she had tampered with the crime scene because she didn't believe Ryunosuke would be able to find the truth otherwise. It shows how far she had come to place her complete faith in him.
• Sholmes inviting Ryunosuke and Susato to live with him at Baker Street, as early as when they landed at the port, becomes this when it's revealed that he and Mikotoba have been in correspondence and Sholmes most likely already knew who Susato was. Sholmes wanted to take care of his friend's daughter during her stay in London.