Phoenix Wright (character)
Encyclopedia
Phoenix Wright, known as in original Japanese language
versions, is a fictional defense attorney in Capcom
's Ace Attorney video game series. As of , the series has sold 3 million copies and is Capcom
's 11th best-selling series of all time. Phoenix has been featured as the main protagonist in three games of the series and appears as a playable character in the fourth. The character has also appeared in a manga
adaptation of the series and a Japanese musical
.
Phoenix Wright's Japanese given name, Ryūichi, alludes to the mythical dragon
with its use of . His Japanese surname, Naruhodō, references the Japanese expression , which equates to the English "I see". This phrase is often used in Japan to express attentiveness to the subject at hand. Shū Takumi chose the phrase to highlight Wright's inexperience; even though his name reads "I see", he may not in fact understand what is happening, something which may also be true of people using the phrase. It is also commonly used in mystery novels when investigating, a core gameplay concept of the series.
In English versions, Wright's name was localized to present a similar meaning to English-speaking audiences. His first name is also a mythical reference: to the phoenix
, known for "rising from the ashes", an allusion to his almost impossible comebacks, or "turnabouts", during trials. His surname is a pun
, allowing for wordplay (such as "Right, Wright?"). Early brainstorming suggestions for Phoenix's name included "Cole" and "Wilton", but "Phoenix" was chosen as a name that would "stand out". The nickname "Nick" was chosen based on its believability and similarity to the sound of "Phoenix".
, Phoenix is a rookie defense attorney, who usually accepts murder
cases
, attempting to exonerate his clients when there is seemingly incontrovertible evidence and testimony against them. Described as "goofy and single-minded", he often encounters unusual situations. Rather than simply arguing his case, Phoenix uses detective
skills to gather relevant evidence and investigate the crime scene.
When he was younger, he found himself a murder suspect in which he was successfully defended by a defense attorney named Mia Fey. After growing up, Phoenix became a defense attorney himself under Mia's law firm. After Mia was murdered by Redd White, Phoenix takes over the law firm, naming it Wright and co., and also takes Mia's little sister, a spirit medium named Maya, under his wing. As the years passed, Phoenix took on several cases to prove the innocence of those wrongly accused of murder. However, in one case, he inadvertently presented forged evidence to the court and was forced to turn in his badge. Adopting a young girl named Trucy Enigmar as his daughter, Phoenix set up the Wright Anything Talent Agency, hiring the talents of a rookie defense attorney named Apollo Justice after he successfully defends him in court. Phoenix continued to work behind the scenes, helping to implement a jury system to the fictional justice system.
, Phoenix must contend with the loss of his mentor and fellow defense attorney Mia Fey. Throughout the game, Phoenix is hired to defend various people of murder, including his friend Larry Butz. The game culminates with Phoenix defending rival prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, and the conviction for murder of Robert Hammond, an old defense attorney.
In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All, Phoenix defends Maya Fey, the younger sister of his former mentor, and faces the prosecutor and daughter of Manfred von Karma, 18-year-old legal prodigy Franziska
. In the game's climax, Maya is kidnapped by a hitman
, forcing Phoenix to make the true killer admit his guilt. In the course of the game, Phoenix receives a magic Magatama
that is able to reveal whether a person is hiding a secret in their mind.
In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations, it is revealed that Phoenix was framed for the murder of his girlfriend's ex-lover while in college. He was defended by Mia Fey, who hadn't taken a case since her first one against Edgeworth the year before. Mia exposes the true murderer; Phoenix's girlfriend, Dahlia, who is later executed. Phoenix must also contend with the mysterious Godot
, a prosecutor who appears to harbor a grudge towards him.
During a case seven years prior to the events of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, two months after Trials and Tribulations, he was forced to forfeit his attorney's badge after presenting evidence that, unbeknownst to him, was forged. Two weeks later, he adopted Trucy Enigmar after her father, his client Zak Enigmar, became a fugitive
. Wright then renames his office the "Wright Talent Agency". At the time Apollo Justice takes place, he works as a pianist and plays poker at the Borscht
Bowl Club. After being accused of murder himself and being successfully defended by rookie defense attorney Apollo Justice, he hires Apollo, reopening his law office as the "Wright Anything Agency". Wright uses the "MASON System" computer program
to assist the player in piecing together the evidence from both past and present for the game's final case, where the circumstances regarding the day he was disbarred are fully explained.
. The series is currently being published in the United States by Kodansha USA. An additional manga, published by Del Rey Manga
, was released in the United States.
The developers of the crossover fighting game
, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, had wanted to include Phoenix along with Franziska von Karma as a character on the roster, but had trouble designing additional moves besides his finger-pointing gesture. Though they had come up with an attack that used his catch-phrase "Igiari!" ("Objection!" in English), with the letters themselves used to attack the opponent, they found that localization would have changed the four-character phrase (in kanji
) to a ten-letter word and would have unbalanced the game. Phoenix was also considered for inclusion as a playable fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
, appearing alongside Miles Edgeworth as a cameo in She-Hulk
's arcade mode ending. He appears as a playable character in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
. His fighting style sees him gather evidence on the field which he can use to either attack his opponent or save for a powerful courtroom confrontation.
Within his own series, Phoenix makes a cameo appearance in Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, a game starring his longtime rival Miles Edgeworth, along with his assistant Maya Fey and her cousin Pearl. They appear on a boat during the third case of the game. He will also star alongside Professor Layton in the upcoming Nintendo 3DS
title, Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney, currently being developed by Level-5
.
Phoenix, along with Franziska von Karma and Miles Edgeworth, appear as cards in the game
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS.
called him the eighth greatest Capcom character, citing how he perseveres in the face of hardships. They also named him 20th on their "Top 25 Gaming Hunks." They included his hairstyle in the list of "weirdest hairstyles in gaming." Nintendo Power
listed Phoenix as their 10th favourite hero, stating that while lawyers get a bad rap, Phoenix is one who defends the innocent.
A Japanese musical based on the series, staged by the all-female troupe, Takarazuka Revue
, cast actor Tomu Ranju as Phoenix Wright, using the English name rather than the Japanese "Ryūichi Naruhodō". A sequel, Gyakuten Saiban 2 - Truth Resurrected, Again, was produced after the first musical sold out on the first day.
Phoenix Wright's signature mannerism
s, such as finger-pointing and cries of "Objection!", have become well-known, and were parodied in an episode of the anime
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
and Maria Holic
.
Additionally, Battler Ushiromiya in the visual novel "Umineko no Naku Koro ni
" often extends a pointed finger when making accusations or pointing out contradictions, similar to how Phoenix does when he calls out objections.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
versions, is a fictional defense attorney in Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Ace Attorney video game series. As of , the series has sold 3 million copies and is Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's 11th best-selling series of all time. Phoenix has been featured as the main protagonist in three games of the series and appears as a playable character in the fourth. The character has also appeared in a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation of the series and a Japanese musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
.
Conception and creation
The idea of a lawyer was conceived when director Shū Takumi was searching for ideas for a game in which the player could discover lies or contradictions in statements.Phoenix Wright's Japanese given name, Ryūichi, alludes to the mythical dragon
Japanese dragon
Japanese dragons are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and India. The style of the dragon was heavily influenced by the Chinese dragon...
with its use of . His Japanese surname, Naruhodō, references the Japanese expression , which equates to the English "I see". This phrase is often used in Japan to express attentiveness to the subject at hand. Shū Takumi chose the phrase to highlight Wright's inexperience; even though his name reads "I see", he may not in fact understand what is happening, something which may also be true of people using the phrase. It is also commonly used in mystery novels when investigating, a core gameplay concept of the series.
In English versions, Wright's name was localized to present a similar meaning to English-speaking audiences. His first name is also a mythical reference: to the phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
, known for "rising from the ashes", an allusion to his almost impossible comebacks, or "turnabouts", during trials. His surname is a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
, allowing for wordplay (such as "Right, Wright?"). Early brainstorming suggestions for Phoenix's name included "Cole" and "Wilton", but "Phoenix" was chosen as a name that would "stand out". The nickname "Nick" was chosen based on its believability and similarity to the sound of "Phoenix".
Characteristics and backstory
At the time of Phoenix Wright: Ace AttorneyPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, released in Japan as , is an adventure video game published and developed by Capcom in Japan, North America, and Europe, and published by Nintendo in Australia...
, Phoenix is a rookie defense attorney, who usually accepts murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
cases
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, attempting to exonerate his clients when there is seemingly incontrovertible evidence and testimony against them. Described as "goofy and single-minded", he often encounters unusual situations. Rather than simply arguing his case, Phoenix uses detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
skills to gather relevant evidence and investigate the crime scene.
When he was younger, he found himself a murder suspect in which he was successfully defended by a defense attorney named Mia Fey. After growing up, Phoenix became a defense attorney himself under Mia's law firm. After Mia was murdered by Redd White, Phoenix takes over the law firm, naming it Wright and co., and also takes Mia's little sister, a spirit medium named Maya, under his wing. As the years passed, Phoenix took on several cases to prove the innocence of those wrongly accused of murder. However, in one case, he inadvertently presented forged evidence to the court and was forced to turn in his badge. Adopting a young girl named Trucy Enigmar as his daughter, Phoenix set up the Wright Anything Talent Agency, hiring the talents of a rookie defense attorney named Apollo Justice after he successfully defends him in court. Phoenix continued to work behind the scenes, helping to implement a jury system to the fictional justice system.
Ace Attorney video games
In the first game Phoenix Wright: Ace AttorneyPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, released in Japan as , is an adventure video game published and developed by Capcom in Japan, North America, and Europe, and published by Nintendo in Australia...
, Phoenix must contend with the loss of his mentor and fellow defense attorney Mia Fey. Throughout the game, Phoenix is hired to defend various people of murder, including his friend Larry Butz. The game culminates with Phoenix defending rival prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, and the conviction for murder of Robert Hammond, an old defense attorney.
In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All, Phoenix defends Maya Fey, the younger sister of his former mentor, and faces the prosecutor and daughter of Manfred von Karma, 18-year-old legal prodigy Franziska
Franziska von Karma
Franziska von Karma, known as in Japan, is a fictional character in the Ace Attorney series. She is a prosecuting attorney, first appearing in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice for All. She later appears in the sequel Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations and the spin-off, Ace...
. In the game's climax, Maya is kidnapped by a hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
, forcing Phoenix to make the true killer admit his guilt. In the course of the game, Phoenix receives a magic Magatama
Magatama
Magatama , are curved beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jōmon period.They are often found inhumed in mounded tumulus graves as offerings to deities . They continued to be popular with the ruling elites throughout the Kofun Period of Japan, and are often romanticised as indicative of...
that is able to reveal whether a person is hiding a secret in their mind.
In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations, it is revealed that Phoenix was framed for the murder of his girlfriend's ex-lover while in college. He was defended by Mia Fey, who hadn't taken a case since her first one against Edgeworth the year before. Mia exposes the true murderer; Phoenix's girlfriend, Dahlia, who is later executed. Phoenix must also contend with the mysterious Godot
Godot (Phoenix Wright)
is a fictional character in the Ace Attorney series. He is a prosecutor, appearing only in the third game in the series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations, where he serves as the main antagonist. He has tanned skin, white hair, and an electronic visor. He drinks a large quantity...
, a prosecutor who appears to harbor a grudge towards him.
During a case seven years prior to the events of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, two months after Trials and Tribulations, he was forced to forfeit his attorney's badge after presenting evidence that, unbeknownst to him, was forged. Two weeks later, he adopted Trucy Enigmar after her father, his client Zak Enigmar, became a fugitive
Fugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
. Wright then renames his office the "Wright Talent Agency". At the time Apollo Justice takes place, he works as a pianist and plays poker at the Borscht
Borscht
Borscht is a soup of Ukrainian origin that is popular in many Eastern and Central European countries. In most of these countries, it is made with beetroot as the main ingredient, giving it a deep reddish-purple color...
Bowl Club. After being accused of murder himself and being successfully defended by rookie defense attorney Apollo Justice, he hires Apollo, reopening his law office as the "Wright Anything Agency". Wright uses the "MASON System" computer program
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
to assist the player in piecing together the evidence from both past and present for the game's final case, where the circumstances regarding the day he was disbarred are fully explained.
Other appearances
Phoenix Wright appears in a Japanese manga adaptation of the series, written by Kenji Kuroda, illustrated by Kazuo Maekawa and published by KodanshaKodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
. The series is currently being published in the United States by Kodansha USA. An additional manga, published by Del Rey Manga
Del Rey Manga
was the manga-publishing imprint of Del Rey Books, a branch of Ballantine Books, which in turn is part of Random House, the publishing division of Bertelsmann. It was formed as part of a cross-publishing relationship with Japanese publisher Kodansha. Some of the Del Rey titles, such as Tsubasa...
, was released in the United States.
The developers of the crossover fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, had wanted to include Phoenix along with Franziska von Karma as a character on the roster, but had trouble designing additional moves besides his finger-pointing gesture. Though they had come up with an attack that used his catch-phrase "Igiari!" ("Objection!" in English), with the letters themselves used to attack the opponent, they found that localization would have changed the four-character phrase (in kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
) to a ten-letter word and would have unbalanced the game. Phoenix was also considered for inclusion as a playable fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom. It features Capcom's own characters and characters from American comic book company Marvel Comics. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel vs...
, appearing alongside Miles Edgeworth as a cameo in She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
's arcade mode ending. He appears as a playable character in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom. It is an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. After the events of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disrupted the development schedule for downloadable content for the original game, the additional content was made into a...
. His fighting style sees him gather evidence on the field which he can use to either attack his opponent or save for a powerful courtroom confrontation.
Within his own series, Phoenix makes a cameo appearance in Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, a game starring his longtime rival Miles Edgeworth, along with his assistant Maya Fey and her cousin Pearl. They appear on a boat during the third case of the game. He will also star alongside Professor Layton in the upcoming Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
title, Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney, currently being developed by Level-5
Level-5
is an independent video game developer and publisher based in Fukuoka, Japan. The company, which currently employs about 200 individuals, was founded in October 1998 by Akihiro Hino after he departed from the now defunct Japanese developer Riverhillsoft...
.
Phoenix, along with Franziska von Karma and Miles Edgeworth, appear as cards in the game
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS.
Cultural impact
Phoenix Wright has generally been praised by critics for being a likeable character with a realistic profession. However, the older Phoenix Wright has been criticized as "aloof and inscrutable", with "his character's development...lost along the wayside." GameDailyGameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
called him the eighth greatest Capcom character, citing how he perseveres in the face of hardships. They also named him 20th on their "Top 25 Gaming Hunks." They included his hairstyle in the list of "weirdest hairstyles in gaming." Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
listed Phoenix as their 10th favourite hero, stating that while lawyers get a bad rap, Phoenix is one who defends the innocent.
A Japanese musical based on the series, staged by the all-female troupe, Takarazuka Revue
Takarazuka Revue
The Takarazuka Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theater troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals, and sometimes stories adapted from shōjo manga and Japanese folktales. The troupe takes its name...
, cast actor Tomu Ranju as Phoenix Wright, using the English name rather than the Japanese "Ryūichi Naruhodō". A sequel, Gyakuten Saiban 2 - Truth Resurrected, Again, was produced after the first musical sold out on the first day.
Phoenix Wright's signature mannerism
Mannerism
Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. It lasted until about 1580 in Italy, when a more Baroque style began to replace it, but Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout much of Europe...
s, such as finger-pointing and cries of "Objection!", have become well-known, and were parodied in an episode of the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Haruhi Suzumiya
is the general name for a series of light novels written by Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Noizi Ito which were subsequently adapted into other media. The story follows the title character Haruhi Suzumiya, a high school girl who can unconsciously change reality, and her strange antics with her...
and Maria Holic
Maria Holic
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Minari Endō, the author of Dazzle. The manga was first serialized in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive on June 27, 2006, and is published by Media Factory. The manga was licensed by Tokyopop with the first volume in English...
.
Additionally, Battler Ushiromiya in the visual novel "Umineko no Naku Koro ni
Umineko no Naku Koro ni
is a Japanese murder mystery dōjin soft visual novel series produced by 07th Expansion. The first game in the series, Legend of the Golden Witch, was first released at Comiket 72 on August 17, 2007 playable on the PC; the game sold out in thirty minutes...
" often extends a pointed finger when making accusations or pointing out contradictions, similar to how Phoenix does when he calls out objections.