Heartwarming / The Great Ace Attorney

Take moments specific to the Phoenix arc, Apollo Justice, Investigations, Dual Destinies, Spirit of Justice, or the anime to those pages, please.This page contains UNMARKED SPOILERS!!! Read at your own risk!

---

The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures

The Adventure of the Great Departure:

• Seriously, just everything about Ryunosuke and Asogi's friendship. Ryunosuke was framed for the murder and absolutely no one believed him (to be fair, he was only the prime suspect after picking up the gun). Despite the overwhelming evidence against Ryunosuke, Asogi refused to believe his best friend would kill someone and says he has his full trust in him. Even when things looked dire, Asogi stayed by his best friend's side through and through.
  • Points for Asogi allowing Ryunosuke to take the stand as his own attorney. Even though Ryunosuke was pressured to do so by Mr. Mikotoba, Asogi already knew the reason for this and allowed Ryunosuke to do so. Why? Because he believes he'll do a good job!
  • The fact when in court, Asogi is all business but makes it clear he'll defend his clients to the bitter end. When he is not in court? He's making jokes and laughing! This shows that Asogi is only serious when doing his job (as, of course, a defense attorney in the Supreme Court must be) but when he's not, he's very cheerful.
• Later, Asogi does confront Mikotoba about pressuring Ryunosuke to defend himself. This was all because Asogi was supposed to represent Japan as their attorney when he went to the British Empire and a loss would result in him not being able to go. Asogi doesn't care about this one bit saying that even as Ryunosuke defended himself, if he would lose, Asogi would drop out of the program anyway. Asogi just couldn't bear the guilt of going out to a different nation knowing his best friend is still behind bars.
• Iyesa Nosa may be a thief who steals money from the rich along with their food, but he is only doing it for the sake of his family. His job doesn't pay him well, not to mention trying to care for his baby son Aido Nosa.

The Adventure of the Unbreakable Speckled Band:

• One with a dash of Tear Jerker: after Ryunosuke shows Detective Hosonaga evidence indicating a possible connection between the murder and the cabin next door, the detective agrees to let him investigate. When asked if he's allowed to do that, Hosonaga vows to get permission, even if it means risking his life. Most players will laugh this off as a product of Hosonaga's dramatic streak until they return later and find him sporting a black eye and an impressive bruise on his cheek. Turns out he really did get beaten up for letting you go. Taken up to eleven when he still proudly declares that he believes Ryunosuke is innocent and vows to help in any way he can.
• Just the pure fact that Asogi begged Ryunosuke to go with him to the British Empire just so he could experience going to a different nation with him. Seriously, Ryu is lucky to have such a great friend like Asogi.
• Ryunosuke and Susato bonding throughout the case. At first, Susato (understandably) suspects Ryunosuke of being Asogi's killer and is determined to have him arrested. However, Ryuu points out he would never murder his best friend and is determined to prove it. Susato remains cautious around Ryu but she soon starts to see how much Asogi's death is affecting Ryu as well and finally learned to trust him despite the evidence, once again, being heavily against his favor. It's pretty clear that Susato, like Ryu, looked up to Asogi and is no wonder the two was able to bond over the loss of a dear friend. At the end of the trial, Susato even offers Asogi's sword, Karuma, to Ryu hoping he would continue Asogi's legacy and Ryu gladly accepts.
• This one is a doozy, but everything about the relationship between Nikolina, Bif Strogenov, and the rest of the crew. Nikolina was once a famous ballerina from Russia and you think she'd make a lot of money. Nope. Nikolina was only paid with food and water and never had any real money to support herself on her own. So, Nikolina contacted her old friend Strogenov and the rest of the Burya crew members to help her out and they gladly accepted. They went as far as to drug every other person on the ship with sleeping pills so that they could make an emergency stop to pick up Nikolina. (Which, incidentally, is well over five hundred people, considering that Susato is in Cabin 536 in steerage, and we have no idea how many more cabins there are, plus however many are in second-class cabins.) They all know by doing this, Nikolina officially defected from Russia but made it seem she was kidnapped instead so she wouldn't be in trouble. The plan was to get her to a different nation so she could start her life over. It should be noted she also stole the ballerina crown hoping to sell it off and she also took her pet cat Darka with her. It's pretty nice to know how much they care for each other, especially in Strogenov's case who had been nothing but a major Jerkass throughout the case but quickly shifts to a Jerk with a Heart of Gold by the end of it.
  • Small note but it should also be noted that Strogenov took his pet snake, Pirozhko, on the ship despite the rules not allowing it. His response to this is that he cannot be separated from his pet as it's clear he loves it so.
• Herlock Sholmes may seem like a massive troll to Ryu and seemingly wanted him arrested, but once he grasps how important Kazuma was to Ryu, he stops fooling around and helps unveil the real culprit who framed him, even apologizing in a roundabout way for originally implicating him.
  • Also, this case introduces Sholmes' Deductions and whenever Ryu was helping to fix some errors, Sholmes gladly goes with it! It shows that Sholmes doesn't mind his deductions being corrected especially on how well he and Ryu get along during them (a nice case of Foreshadowing for the second game).

The Adventure of the Runaway Room:

• Lord Chief Justice Stronghart allows Ryunosuke to take over as Kazuma's replacement because he was impressed by Ryunosuke's conviction and ideals about being a lawyer.
• Barok van Zieks starts off the trial completely contemptuous and dismissive of Ryunosuke's capabilities as a lawyer but as things progress you can see his opinion subtly changing once the true depth of Ryunosuke's integrity becomes apparent as he repeatedly throws away easy (but dishonest) opportunities to win over the jury in favor of finding the truth. At first Barok is almost disbelieving that the defense is actively undermining their own case, but by the end, though he's nowhere near what you could call friendly, he's actively calling on Ryunosuke in support to point out the ever-growing inconsistencies that are appearing in the Omnibus, even shouting down McGilded when he starts trying to threaten Ryunosuke into silence.

The Adventure of the Clouded Kokoro:

• It's revealed that Sholmes had intended all along to invite Ryunosuke and Susato to stay with him at Baker Street, but was just distracted by the police once they reached port—and after the case is finished, he properly invites them over when they're struggling to think of a place to stay. Considering that they're still largely strangers to each other, it's a sweet gesture.
• Patrolman Beate is revealed to have tampered with the crime scene out of desperation to enjoy his one free day and anniversary with his wife. Crying in remorse, he is prepared to be fired, but the Grim Reaper van Zieks assures him he’ll keep his job.
  • The way he does it somehow makes it even more heartwarming. Van Zieks is criticizing Beate's actions and telling him how badly he messed up, and then tells him to make sure he never does something like that again. It takes a few seconds for Beate to realize the implication that he'll be keeping his job.
• When Joan Garrideb has to take the stand to testify, her husband John joins her on the stand, believing that she shouldn't have to take the stand alone as he was also there.

The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story:

• Iris gives her backstory on why she lives under Sholmes: after her mother died and her father was gone to another land (yet dying there), Sholmes became Iris' Parental Substitute and let her live with him.
• Why Gina is a pickpocket: after her parents and other adults abandoned her, she banded together with other abandoned children and wanted to provide for them.
• Sholmes referring to Ryu as his friend. It's said in one line but it's very heartwarming on how far these two came in the game. Even though Sholmes likes to mess around with Ryu, he never means any ill will.
• Throughout the trial, Ryu constantly reassures Gina to trust that he will defend her to the bitter end, despite her (unwilling) deception of him two months earlier. When Gina questions how he can trust her despite what she did to him, he recounts how Asogi stood up for him in Japan and tells her that she is not the monster McGilded was.
  • When the trial ends, Gina thanks Ryu for his unwavering faith in her with a tearful smile.
• This line after Sholmes delivers the final piece of evidence, Iris's cat flap maker, to Ryunosuke:
  Ryunosuke: (Susato-san is the greatest judicial assistant in the world!)
• During the credits, we see the aftermath of Ashley Milverton's conviction as he laments in jail for his evildoings... only for the Skulkin brothers to pop up beside him and lightheartedly admonish him for his melodrama while suggesting they bring back their old gang scheme, "Milverton & Skulkin's Milk-Run". While the brothers strike their signature pose, Ashley performs his own dramatic pirouette that, as it turns out, matches the brothers' in perfect synchrony, showing once and for all that he really is their 'big bruv'.

Randst Magazine

• In one of the escapades, Herlock claims when disasters happen, you immediately try to grab what matters most to you. Ryunosuke grabs his daruma, which he uses to signify his resolve to becoming a lawyer. Susato grabs her case notes, which are reminders of the people they've helped in the past and to see how far Ryunosuke as come since they've been in London.
• In the sixth escapade, the group discuss the Japanese language with Nastume to which he translates "I love you" to "Tsuki ga kirei desu ne?" ^TranslationThe moon is beautiful isn't it? as he finds it more romantic than other translations. One thing leads to another and Sherlock suggests that they go cycling at night to which Natsume initially refuses but it's insisted by the others. And Natsume, who has told them he felt isolated in London, mutters:
  Soseki: Tsuki ga kirei desu ne?
• In the eighth and final escapade, Ryunosuke immediately defends Herlock despite not knowing the whole story.
• Apparently the reason why Gregson has Madame Rosie is because the parakeet was living with the pigeons in Stronghart's office and Stronghart noticed that the pigeons were picking on her. When Madame Rosie returned, Gregson mentions that Stronghart hopes she's getting along with them now. Given the revelations in Resolve it's nice to see him do something kind even for a little bird. Gregson is also happy to see Madame Rosie flying with the pigeons at the end of the episode.

The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve

The Adventure of the Blossoming Attorney:

• Yujin Mikotoba had secretly told Judge Jigoku that Susato would be the defense attorney, and Jigoku honored his friend's wish to not reveal her secret during the trial.
• As a Book Ends, the chapter ends where it started, with Susato standing over what appears to be a gravestone of sorts, conversing and/or writing about all the adventures she made as defense attorney "Ryutaro Naruhodo". As a Rewatch Bonus, the way she says "Kazuma-sama" in her conversation at the beginning of the chapter, it shows her conversation with what appears to be Kazuma's gravestone, when in actuality it's his cenotaph, indicating a hint that he's still alive somewhere. This makes this Book Ends all the more heartfelt.

The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro:

• After Sholmes' Logic and Reasoning Spectacular lands Soseki as the suspect in William Shamspeare's supposed murder (before he wakes up from his comatose state), Soseki tearfully asks Ryunosuke and Susato to take care of his cat while he is getting locked up again. Later on, when they return to the same scene where Shamspeare had been poisoned, they hear a "Miaow" from somewhere. Sure enough, Soseki's cat returns from her hiding place and meows for food. Runo and Susato remember Soseki's advice and give her cat food, and they find her to be cute before naming her "Wagahai" (since they don't know the cat's gender yet and refer to her by the "he/him" pronouns). When interacting with her while she's sleeping, she wakes up and stretches and gives off a "Miaow" of happiness (which puts a smile on Susato's face) before getting back to her catnap again. So adorable.
• After the truth of the trial is revealed, Naruhodo comforts Olive Green on the stand, which causes her to smile with genuine happiness for what must have been the first time in months.

The Return of the Great Departed Soul:

• In a rare nod of solidarity, Lord van Zieks doesn't criticize or show disdain if you show him your armband, which is used to symbolise a defense lawyer in Japan. Instead he'll commend you for having something to remind yourself of your roots. In the Updated Re-release, this earns you the "Inspirational Roots" trophy/achievement.
• Despite van Zieks' animosity towards him, he greatly respects Ryunosuke's skill as a defense lawyer and even wanted him to defend Harebrayne, his old college friend.
• Ryunosuke and Susato's grand reunion at the climax of the first day of trial. Crosses into funny when the very first thing she does is perform a Susato takedown on him. At first impression, it just seems like her way of saying Get A Hold Of Yourself Man but, after court is adjourned, an embarrassed Susato admits the real reason she tossed him was because she felt so overwhelmed with happiness at being reunited that she didn't know how else to express herself.
• Barok van Zieks still clearly cares about his friendship with Albert Harebrayne even though they haven't been in much contact in ten years. As harsh as van Zieks' insistence was for Harebrayne to leave the country, it was because he feared that the curse of the Reaper would kill Harebrayne if he stayed in London any longer.
  • And now that the Reaper's curse is finally over, van Zieks can finally spend time with his old friend in London again, as shown in the credits.
• Asogi's return scene, which comes complete with a new remastered theme.
• Toby by himself is already adorable, but when you see him licking Gina's face and her smiling broadly... Awww.

Twisted Karma and His Last Bow:

• Inspector Gregson had nothing but respect for van Zieks and was one of the few people who didn't fear him or his reputation as the supposed Reaper. He even had a picture of them together openly in his office.
  • The picture is sweet as well. It's a picture of a younger Barok with his brother Klint and Gregson, most likely taken when Barok earned his prosecution badge. He's shyly smiling next to his brother and Gregson. However, this is sadly the only time you actually see van Zieks smile in-game.
• Gregson always believed that his reputation around Scotland Yard was only because of his appearance in "The Adventures of Herlock Sholmes" and that he was one wrong move of being a laughingstock to the public if the books were to talk of him negatively. That clearly isn't the case as, following his murder, the Yard mourns their loss of a wonderful detective and not once does anyone mention his reputation was because of the books. He did earn his accolades in Scotland Yard.
• Lord van Zieks actually apologizes for his racist behavior towards Ryunosuke and acknowledges that it was illogical and unjustified. He clearly does want to change himself and improve.
• Even though van Zieks was racist towards him, Ryunosuke does not hold it against him. In fact, Ryunosuke- knowing that van Zieks would never kill another person -defends him. Ryunosuke Naruhodo is not one to hold grudges against other people, caring only for finding the truth. Defending van Zieks in court likely saved him from being hanged since no other lawyer wanted to defend him, and any other lawyer that had been appointed to represent van Zieks would probably have failed.
• Professor Mikotoba giving Ryunosuke praise for his efforts in van Zieks' trial. Particularly notable since Ryunosuke, who often suffers from Dude, Where's My Respect? expected a Bait-and-Switch where he was actually praising Asogi only for Mikotoba to clarify he meant Naruhodo. Mikotoba is so impressed with Ryunosuke that he asks him to return to Japan, because the still-developing judicial system of Japan needs a good defense lawyer.
  Mikotoba: You, Naruhodo, are precisely the man our country needs.
  • If Ryunosuke present the armband to Mikotoba, he says that it suits Naruhodo well and when Ryu considers giving it back to Asogi, Mikotoba says he believes Asogi would rather let Ryunosuke keep the armband since he's a capable defense attorney. Sure enough, if the armband is presented to Kazuma, he tells Ryunosuke to keep it as it now belongs to Ryunosuke, who has become the defense attorney Kazuma believed he could be.

The Resolve of Ryunosuke Naruhodo:

• Before the start of the second trial day, Ryunosuke feels that while he's plunged into an even greater darkness than before, he's sure he'll be led into the light because of the wonderful family he has standing beside him, as the other main characters smile in reassurance.
• Kazuma, after having nothing but hatred for the man until nearing the end of the trial, decides to still train under van Zieks. While he can't bring himself to fully forgive van Zieks in his part in his father's conviction, he knows that van Zieks genuinely wants to bring justice to Britain's legal system.
  • After finding out that Klint had a daughter, Barok mentions that if he was told of this, (although Klint had many reasons to not have her associated with the van Ziek name) he himself would’ve gladly taken her in as his own.
  • Before this, van Zieks decides to reveal the truth about Klint van Zieks and retire from being a prosecutor and leave the capital due to the potential backlash. Kazuma is the one to convince him stay.
  • And even before that, Kazuma - who'd been trying to take revenge on the man he believes killed his father for the last 3 days - ends up castigating Stronghart, asserting, "You've done nothing! It's Lord van Zieks who's been fighting for justice all this time while bearing the shame of the Reaper name!" Van Zieks himself is surprised.
• When van Zieks finds out that Iris is his niece and Iris (who doesn't know) invites him over for dinner, he becomes flustered and declines. However he does plan to set up a meet-up at another date. It's kind of adorable especially since Iris was the only person he's been nice to before he even knew.
• Van Zieks finally thanking Ryunosuke wholeheartedly, and telling him, "I believe... you've saved my life."
• Ryunosuke decides to leave London to become a lawyer in Japan. Susato asks if she can come with him and be his judicial assistant over there as well to which he awkwardly but adorably accepts.
• Gregson's appearance during the ending credits, which was a letter he had left for Gina. He admits that Gina had made him realize what he was doing was wrong and that she made him want to be a better person. But that even though he'd be leaving after his "last job", he knew she'd carry on the Inspector's spirit.
• Iris starting to call Sholmes "Daddy". It makes him cry.
  • Also, Iris calling Susato and Ryunosuke her "big sister" and "big brother." Ryunosuke happily calls them all his "great family."
• Maria Gorey has clearly learned from her mother Courtney Sithe's mistakes as a coroner and been set on her own path. Her testimony is vital in uncovering the truth of the cover-up, and she provides the conclusive evidence about it in the form of Genshin's ring. While she has a generally creepy disposition, her smile during the credits as she visits her mother in prison is precious.
  • Despite Courtney being confused by Maria's interests, she still supports her daughter.
• One of the final shots of the game shows Ryunosuke's daruma, its other eye finally drawn.

The Great Ace Attorney Theater - London Episode:

• Barok van Zieks withdraws his own case against Iris once he realizes it's misguided, to avoid having an official acquittal for her on record (and thus making her a target of the Reaper's curse).
  • The "actual" Reaper probably wouldn't have gone through with it anyway.
• Sholmes's completely insane deductions and seemingly unrelated excuse for nearly missing Iris's trial that morning culminate in the reveal that actually, he'd been busy capturing the criminal who tried to poison van Zieks 10 years ago during his first public case.
• And Iris's entire reason for being sneaky around van Zieks's office was because she'd actually wanted to leave him a birthday present, in such a way that he might find it during a trial. The present is a Miaow Zieks plush in a wine bottle. Van Zieks is left speechless and has to excuse himself after thanking her.