Funny / Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

Who's the lowly assistant now, Herr Forehead?

Promotional

• Early in the anime prologue, Phoenix and Athena are in court against Simon Blackquill. Phoenix argues that a package of meat buns was used as the murder weapon while they had been frozen. Simon cuts the package, causing both Phoenix to have a hilarious expression and the meat buns to go flying. Athena manages to catch most with her hands and has to grab the final one with her mouth. First she tries to talk while it's still in her mouth, then she devours it in one bite! The only thing missing is the judge saying something like, "The defense will refrain from eating the evidence!"
• Later in the anime prologue, when Phoenix high-tails it to Khura'in, he accidentally forgets to put his luggage in the taxi, and then spills it at the airport. Same old Butt-Monkey we know and love!
• The promotional video of a DLC case is basically a comedy skit that tears down the fourth wall, with no attempt to hide that everyone is in a game, and features the surprise reappearance of Wendy Oldbag, having traveled through time complete in 2D sprite form in contrast to everyone's 3D models. Which is later used as actual evidence against her! Especially hysterical is the name of her "testimony": Marrying Edgey-poo.
• In the countdown skits showing off the DLC costumes, Apollo and Athena react to wearing them, a school uniform and a Très Bien waitress respectively, to court.
  Apollo: (Huh? What's my old school uniform...NO! Don't put me in that! I'm a grown 24-year-old man!)
  Athena: What? A waitress outfit? Well, sure, it's cute, but...(I can't exactly wear it to court, you know?)
  • The fact that Phoenix's DLC costume is Furio Tigre's outfit, cardboard badge included is funny just on its own. If only it came with the accent, too. Or at least the neon orange spray tan.
  • When Apollo introduces Athena to the player at the beginning of Case 2, he says something to the effect of "she might not look the part, but she's a lawyer too", to which Athena then protests that she does too look the part. This becomes unintentionally funny if you have her wearing the waitress outfit.

The Foreign Turnabout

• Let's start with the fact that the temple is called the Tehm'pul Temple or Temple Temple^NoteIn the Japanese version though it's called the Jī’in Temple, however since "jīn" also means temple, it still translates to Temple Temple!
• Poor Phoenix cannot catch a break even on the very first trial! Not only does he have to deal with the fact that he's the 1st defense lawyer in over 20 years, but he has to stop the judge every time he is going to go for the verdict and explain things like the cross-examination to him!
  Phoenix: A judge who doesn't know what a "cross-examination" is...what fresh hell is this?
• The very existence of Pees'lubn Andistan'dhin. He sings his testimony.
  Phoenix: Why do I always get the faaaaar out ones?
  • Phoenix's first reaction has him hoping he was just hallucinating.
  • Press the right statements and the prosecutor, Judge, and even Phoenix will sing along!
    Phoenix: (...Wait a minute. Why am I singing?!)
  • And once you make Pees'lubn mad, the amps come out and he gets metal. His voice blips become guitar gallops.
  • The fact that once the above happens everyone in the gallery still loves his metal music despite not hearing it before just because he's trash-talking Phoenix.
• The Judge knows that Phoenix/you doesn't believe that the Founder's Orb has the Holy Mother's soul in it. The reaction is childish.
  Khura'in Judge: Grrr. You don't believe it, do you?!
• "HEAVENS TO BETSY!" Who says that? The princess/royal priestess of the kingdom!
  • Followed by her reaction to being kicked out of court. Behold, Her Benevolence, Rayfa Padma Khura'in...with all the dignity of an upset toddler, repeating the same insult to Phoenix over and over because she ran out of ideas.
• The fact that we can see Phoenix sweating at the bench, with his mouth hung open, from the front during an Orbital Shot focusing on him.
• When Ahlbi's Canine Companion Shah'do shows up, the Judge demands to know if Phoenix plans to cross-examine the dog.
  Phoenix: O-of course not, your Magistry! (Not this time, anyway...)

The Magical Turnabout

• If Apollo presents his Attorney's Badge to Athena as soon as possible, she'll proudly declare that hers is much newer and shinier. He calmly explains that his being dull and worn is a sign of his time and experience, thus a good thing, and then warns her not to dirty hers up on purpose. Her expression is, "Shoot! He's on to me!"
• Later, if you present your Attorney's Badge to Trucy in the detention center, Apollo tries to simply give it to her to cheer her up. She assumes that there must be some trick to it because she's usually trying to steal it from under his nose to mess with him. After he says that he'll buy her a treat once he gets her acquitted, her reaction is essentially, "Who are you and what have you done with Polly?"
• In general, there is a lot of hilarious banter between Apollo and Athena if the player takes the time to examine everything, especially in the Wright Anything Agency.
• The game finally explains why Apollo never wears his red jacket that you see at the agency. If you examine it, you’re treated to a flashback where Trucy saw him wearing it and mistook him for a stand-up comedian. In the Japanese script, she suggests he form an act with Phoenix and Athena called the “Traffic Light Trio”.
• If you examine the microphone in the detention center, Apollo notes that Athena is using it to ask trivia questions to the guard inside. She's losing. Examine the guard himself and Apollo will note that Athena is making goofy faces at him to get him to crack a smile. It works.
• Apollo attempts to run away the instant he and Athena crossed paths with Ema Skye, who is infamous for her short temper in the fourth game. She then calls him out for it, and states how much she changed over the years ever since she passed her forensics test.
• When searching around in Trucy's bag for her notebook, Athena comes across something else. She never confronts Trucy on it, but given her response is "You are BAD!" one has to wonder...
• Apollo lampshades how Ema makes a big deal about her new job even though it is hardly any different from her previous one.
• When it comes time to investigate the scaffolding above the stage, an important fact about Apollo comes up: he's absolutely terrified of heights. Every moment spent up there investigating is cruelly hilarious at his expense, to the point that Athena has to begrudgingly hold his hand to keep him from passing out.
• During Bonny's first meeting with Apollo and Athena, she thought they were a married couple comedy routine thanks to their bright clothing.
• If you present anything to Bonny about Troupe Gramayre, she goes on a long fangirl history lesson which causes the game to skip ahead to the end, where Athena had fallen asleep midway through it.
  Apollo: I can't believe that she dozed off halfway through Bonny's history lesson...No, wait — I can.)
• A tragicomedy example: Apollo's reaction when he reads the contract that Trucy supposedly signed. You can't help but picture his contorted, aghast face asking what madness has caused her to make such a...poor decision.
  Apollo: TH-TH-THREE MILLION DOLLARS?!
  Retinz: Yeah! That's more like it! That shocked reaction, that dopey expression! You'd make a great comedian!
  Apollo: R-Really...?
  • During this scene, Retinz says he will put Apollo in one of his shows: specifically, one that features cartoon anvils falling on his head.
  • One minute, Apollo ponders the very serious situation of a legally-binding contract that could ruin the Wright Anything Agency. The next? Athena's asking if it's a hidden camera prank show. Kind of ironic that a hidden camera prank show is relevant to this case.
  • The Running Gag of Athena assuming that Apollo would be working on a tuna boat if they end up out of a job.
  • If you ask Athena for ideas after being told about the contract, she provides solid advice but overlooks one little detail.
    Apollo: Any bright ideas on how to get us through this crisis?
    Athena: Hmm...Our biggest problem right now is how to pay the money...Y'know, in times like this...
    Athena: ...we should consult a lawyer!
    Apollo: ..........Gee, now why didn't I think of that.
    Athena: ..........Wait.
• When the agency is being reclaimed by Retinz, a rock breaks the window, followed by an angry Trucy hater insulting them. Athena furiously goes over the window and protests loudly in defense. Even the sound is muffled to show she's shouting outside.
• Athena diagnoses Bonny in the first Mood Matrix segment of the game with PTSD. The judge thinks that it's Postal Stress Disorder that makes people violent. Athena helpfully reminds him that the expression is "Going Postal".
  • The poor Judge completely misunderstands "Bonny's" attitude when Athena asks to give her therapy. His reaction is basically a visual "...Oh, screw it. Just shut her up already."
    Judge: (Beat, then shakes head) ...Ms. Cykes, please do whatever you can to help this unfortunate young lady.
• Look closely at Nahyuta's face during the scene where Bonny and Betty start "teleporting" around the courtroom in the dark. It's actually his default expression, but in context it looks an awful lot like he's going "I am so done with this." In contrast, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment shows that Athena is positively delighted at the whole scene. Apollo, meanwhile, is making a "What the fuck is going on?" face, but it can be hard to see.
  • Shortly afterwards, during the floating trick, the animation showcases Bonny's hands holding Betty up. Leave the dialogue there long enough and Bonny's arms start shaking visibly as she struggles to keep the trick going.
• Betty gets a healthy dose of Laser-Guided Karma.
  Nahyuta: ...Betty, you lied to this humble servant of the Holy Mother.
  Betty: Hey, what else could I do? I couldn't blow our cover and ruin our magic act. Kee hee hee! Besides, am I gonna go to your twilight hell or whatever for being a liar?
  Nahyuta: ...You will indeed. However, it won't be after your death. Rather...(furiously bangs the desk) ...I shall give you a taste of your punishment on this mortal coil — in interrogation hell.
• When Betty gets into a tirade after the right evidence is presented during her and Bonny's cross-examination, the former name-calls the Judge, Apollo, Athena, and Nahyuta, in order. While the first three react in shock, offended at her name-calling, Nahyuta doesn't even flinch at the slightest offense, with a straight "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me" look on his face.
• When Nahyuta mentions going to a burger place, Athena is just...aghast at the idea. Just the mental image of him standing patiently in line at a burger joint is hilarious.
  • And some Fridge Logic allows one to assume that Nahyuta's monk training at one point required him to spend some time eating a completely vegan diet.
  • Similarly, Nahyuta mentions that he has studied up on common replies on receiving a business card such as "What's crack-a-lackin', homie?"
• When cross-examining Trucy's sword trick "testimony", pressing all statements in order makes it look like Apollo is gradually earning the ire of Trucy, Athena and even the Judge for constantly interrupting the trick.
  Judge: Mr. Justice. If you needlessly interrupt this wonderful magic show again... [holds gavel up] ...I'll be forced to bring my very real gavel down on your head!
  Apollo: [sweats profusely]
• Out of Nahyuta's "red pepper" insults towards Apollo, this one can be seen as Accidental Innuendo:
  Nahyuta: O hollow red pepper. Your impotent seeds sprout naught but meaningless, empty words.
• Choosing the option "They're dating" when the Judge asks Apollo about the hidden connection between Trucy and Roger Retinz will yield a hilarious dialogue:
  Apollo: I don't even like to imagine this, but could it be possible that the two of them are dating? If Mr. Retinz and Ms. Wright were in a relationship...
  Retinz: Oh, that's good! Yes! Viewers love a secret romance to dish about! (in a lovey-dovey tone) Yes, Trucy and I looove each other sooo much! She's gonna introduce me to her father reeeal soon!
  Apollo: OBJECTION! Trucy would never fall for a guy like you! Not in a million years!
  Judge: Mr. Justice! Are you aware that you are objecting to your own argument?!
  Apollo: I'm sorry, Your Honor, but when I saw Mr. Retinz' antics, I just had to speak out.
  Judge: Hmm...Personally I can't say that I blame you for wanting to do that...but you're the one who came up with such a disturbing idea in the first place.
  (Apollo takes a penalty)
  Apollo: (What was I even thinking?! All that ended up doing is grossing everyone out...)
• In the Revisualization sequence, Apollo asks himself what mistake Bonny made during her magic trick. One of the options is "Her life choices".
  • What's more, if you decide to pick the option he starts a long inner monologue thinking about how one should never say something like that about someone's decisions and ends up saying something along the lines of "you go Bonny" before coming back to the case in point.
  • This case marks the first time you see Nahyuta's breakdown animation and it is a sight to behold: He stretches his rosary so hard that the thread snaps, sending beads everywhere. The majority of which smack him in the face and knock him on his pious ass. Hilarious and satisfying!
• The very ending of the case, which has Trucy using Apollo as the stand-in for her magic trick...You know, the infamous swords in a box trick.

The Rite of Turnabout

• Phoenix cracking his back so bad he faints for a whole day. Looks like all those years of miraculously surviving serious injuries with nary a scratch finally caught up to him.
• Just the fact that Rayfa is your investigation assistant for this case deserves a spot on this list. Naturally she and Phoenix have a number of hilarious scenes together. Anytime you can get her to sputter out something like "nincompoop" or "lamebrain" in a moment of flustered frustration, it'll bring a smile to your face. If you're a fan of "Bridge to the Turnabout", you might even find it rather nostalgic. It's just like you've got Franziska with you again!
  • Even better is the priceless reactions of people when they ask why the Princess is following you around. Even better is when Phoenix's typical answer is "'Cause she has nothing better to do." And then Rayfa responding that she has much better she could be doing...but she chooses not to.
  • Just like Franziska, Rayfa periodically attacks you, except it's a rather hilarious "ka-tonk" which apparently hurts a lot.
  • Essentially every time Rayfa gets ticked off when Phoenix talks about something she doesn't know about. Both the reaction itself and the reasons Rayfa gets mad at (such as not knowing what the "Freedom Express" is) are a great source of hilarity.
• Even as a 28-year-old woman, Maya still puffs out her cheeks when she's mad.
• During the first day of investigation Ema at one point complains on how Nahyuta was making her listen to his sermons. This becomes a Chekhov's Gag during the second day of the trial after Phoenix successfully proves that Puhray Zeh'lot died in a different location through a blood analysis whereupon Nahyuta calmly states that, as punishment for not investigating this information beforehand, he will make Ema listen to one of his sermons for eight hours straight.
• If you present the photo of Inmee's corpse to Beh'leeb, she, talking as her husband with his funeral portrait over her face, tells Phoenix that she understands his situation but wishes that he considered her feelings before showing it to her. She then replaces said portrait of the saintly Abbot with a very wrathful one to make her point.
• Everything about "A'nohn Ihmus (TBD)". An amnesiac mountain climber whose whole face is covered in his hair, beard, and moustache, who has an animation where he pulls an infinite supply of roasted lizards on sticks out of his belt and eats them one after the other with gusto. He's only named that because Nahyuta didn't have anything else to call him given his amnesia, and A'nohn seems to think it's his real name, complete with the "(TBD)" part. Once you reveal in court that he's actually the recently-escaped and highly dangerous ex-military criminal, Datz Are'bal, it seems like he's going to drop all the silly animations and over-the-top reactions and get serious...except it turns out he really is a happy-go-lucky goofball.
  • When we first meet him, he simply seems like a bearded hermit living near the Plaza of Devotion. When asked for his name, he does an odd pose where he stretches his arms out and stands on one leg with one of his hands looking like a shadow puppet dog, and asks if either of them remember it. Phoenix and Rayfa reply "no" and probably start wondering whether or not it's possible for such a weird person to exist.
• Rayfa flaunts her recently acquired knowledge of how the time of death can be determined by body temperature in the 2nd-day trial. Shortly after, Phoenix tells her that a body can be stored at low temperatures to alter the estimated time of death in one of his rebuttals, leading to this reaction:
  Rayfa: [embarrassed] Barbed Head! You- You blinded me with science!
  Phoenix: [awkward smile] S-Sorry. (Why am I apologizing?)
• The reactions of everyone in the court when Maya shows off her ability to channel spirits by bringing forth the soul of the deceased. Everyone is in disbelief about the whole thing and Rayfa has to leave so she doesn't lose her cool.
• Abbot Inmee, one of the murder victims, is channelled by Maya to give testimony. Being totally bald in life, the sight of how mismatched Maya's hair with his face is something to behold, he is overjoyed when he finds himself with Maya's full head of long hair. Before finding out he was channelled, he believes the hair is his reward in the afterlife from the Holy Mother for his piousness. Oh, and he has an affinity for doing really smug-looking Hair Flips. Kind of like the last person to give testimony while being channelled by Maya, come to think of it.
  • Inmee's "damage" animation features his/Maya's body flopping down onto the witness stand like a dead fish while Inmee's soul remains upright in shock, until he realizes he's been separated and flies back down into it.
  • The judge also gets a funny moment after this when he muses that he wishes that one day he will be channeled to give testimony so that he can enjoy having hair again as well.
  • When Inmee starts doing elaborate contortionist poses, Phoenix is about 20% worried he's going to hurt Maya's body and about 80% wishing for Brain Bleach.
• At one point during the trial the subject of identification tattoos comes up as a plot point and the judge nonchalantly mentions how his own tattoo was placed on his buttock. Cue Nahyuta immediately cutting him off and saying that that was way Too Much Information.
• When investigating the Inmee household, one of the first things you would probably want to examine is the TV. Upon doing so, it tunes into an episode of The Plumed Punisher. If the theme song is extremely-familiar to you, Phoenix confirms it since it's a remix of The Steel Samurai theme. Rayfa insists that it's a purely-original show.

Turnabout Storyteller

• Poor Athena can't get a break even before the trial begins: Her client is very nearly late, drunk to the point of slurring heavily, and Simon is not happy with the fact that she's the one taking the case due to being the only attorney from the WAA to actually be available at the time. Phoenix was still overseas and Apollo was still "helping" out at Trucy's magic show. The other funny thing is, given Apollo's reaction at the end of Case 2, he very likely would have been very glad to get pulled out of the show in order to show up in court without any prep time.
  • Even funnier is Simon's deadpan reaction to tell her to call Phoenix back immediately. When she replies that Phoenix would need to teleport to make it in time, Simon declares he can settle for Apollo then.
• Geiru's cross examination involves everyone calling Simon back to the stand, which pisses him off even more since he has to walk from the gallery to the witness stand every time.
• Nahyuta for some reason decides it's a good idea to press all of Simon's buttons AND insult his abilities as a prosecutor. Unfortunately for him, all this does is make Simon join Athena on the defense and make fun of/antagonize Nahyuta the entire trial. What's more, the witnesses aren't nearly as cooperative with the prosecution as they are in literally any other case in the series- all of them are pretty neutral to both parties except for some odd moments (for instance, Uendo will side with the defense more than the prosecution so will all his personalities, and Geiru is more standard since she's the killer and all). Nahyuta actually gets frustrated enough to demand why they won't listen to "a humble servant of Her Holiness". It's quite cathartic if he's been driving you up the wall for the past two cases.
  • This becomes even more hilarious when it's revealed that Nahyuta's behaviour is just an act done to protect his mother and sister. Just play through the trial again, and imagine him desperately reminding himself of his family to hold back the urge to get down on his knees, profusely apologize to Simon, and politely ask him to stop driving him crazy.
• Blackquill calling Nahyuta "Prosecutor Sad Monk".
• Nahyuta says that the grim, intimidating Simon Blackquill will be reincarnated as a panda in the next life as punishment for siding with the defense. Athena says that the threat won't work on Simon, because he already looks like a panda.
  Simon: Who are you calling a panda?!
  • Make a mistake at one point and Nayhuta will ask "that panda over there" if there really is a contradiction. Blackquill admits (through gritted teeth) that there's no contradiction, and then frowns at Athena for the embarrassment.
    Athena: (Yikes! D-down boy...Nice panda...)
• At one point, Nahyuta tries to throw his rosary at Simon, who just Razor Winds it out of the air before it even comes close.
• He does get his moment earlier in the trial, though. Simon tauntingly suggests that Nahyuta is unfit to prosecute the trial because he probably has no idea what rakugo is. Nahyuta responds by giving a lecture so long and detailed the camera skips most of it. He's about to go into a full performance at the interested Judge's request only for Athena to interrupt before it takes up the whole day!
  • Press Uendo at a later point in the trial, and Nahyuta responds with performing the whole first half of Time Soba.
  • The whole thing enters Mind Screw territory when the end of the case reveals the entire trial lasted less than two hours.
• Just try and imagine Simon hanging out with any of the witnesses in Case 4.
• One option when explaining why Uendo's overloading emotions keep switching during his Mood Matrix segment is to accuse him of being a robot. The text color and sound effect even change to match!
  Athena: Why not show your true self now, Uendo! Give us an old 'beep boop boop'!
  U.3.N.D.0.: YOU. ARE. CORRECT. I. AM. A. ROBOT. BEEP BOOP BOOP!
• The following sentence, which indeed makes sense in context:
  Judge: Now then, let us adjourn until the manju arrive by carrier hawk.
  • Better yet, the reason Taka was sent to deliver the manju was because Athena and the Judge begged and pleaded with Simon to go buy the manju, including extras so they could have a snack mid-trial. It even becomes a Brick Joke at the end of the trial when Simon reminds Athena to pay him back for the manju.
• Uendo generates funny moments from the moment he takes the stand. He introduces himself, delivers a terrible pun, then wishes everyone a goodnight and tries to leave. Athena has to "Hold It!" him to get him to stay, and Uendo responds by autographing a fan and throwing it at Athena's face, then makes another terrible pun about giving a fan a fan.
  • Uendo testifies while kneeling on a stack of cushions. After he makes an even worse pun by mistaking "something strange with these emotions" for "some thin stranger with cheesy toe skin", Athena yells at him and when the camera next pans to him, all his cushions have inexplicably disappeared and he's just at eye level with the witness stand, prompting Athena to wonder if he somehow willed the floor itself to open up and swallow his cushions out of shame for that joke. When a bailiff supplies Uendo with replacement cushions, we then see he somehow acquired so many he's now well above the witness stand on a towering pillar, his upper body completely off-camera. Despite this he continues talking as if there's nothing wrong until Athena yells at him again.
• The reveal of Owen, the mysterious fourth personality of Uendo. Specifically, the reveal of the fact that the prime suspect is a Shrinking Violet, Moe five-year-old.
  • Even better is how Owen emerges; he only comes out when the other three personalities are incapacitated by some means, such as being drunk. To draw out Owen, Athena makes Uendo consume a sake-infused manju bun, which gets all three of his personalities piss-drunk off their shared ass one by one before falling over.
• The Judge certainly takes a liking to Geiru's "balloons". One hopes he isn't too disappointed once her Villainous Breakdown shows that they really ARE balloons.
• When Athena asks the Judge to bring back Geiru for testimony, she tells him that he can see her balloons again if he calls her back, which makes the Judge emphasize that that's not why he's asking Geiru for more testimony. There is one thing everyone learned with this: Nahyuta's a total prude!
  Nahyuta: How vulgar! His Honor is not interested in such things!
  Judge: ............Ahem! Setting the matter of her "balloons" aside entirely...I do believe it's appropriate to ask Geiru some questions, given the circumstances. This has nothing to do with her "balloons"...of course.
• When Bucky gives everyone in the courtroom a noodle box to prove that he doesn't wear perfume since it would get in the food and ruin it, the Judge lampshades how it's been a delectable trial because of all the food everyone had been eating.
• The sheer cultural dissonance of the whole case makes one wonder if Capcom of Japan isn't deliberately trolling the localization team by creating increasingly-Japanese cases for them to try and justify taking place in the United States. A fringe benefit is that the western community's in-joke that Simon Blackquill is a total otaku gets reinforced tenfold by the case. This is even supported by an interview:
  Masakazu Eguchi (writer): You said you wanted to interview me about Spirit of Justice?
  Janet Hsu (localization team): Yes. So. Rakugo...
  Eguchi: Yes? *innocent smile*

Turnabout Revolution

• Dhurke telling Trucy stories of when Apollo and Nahyuta were children, and their antics while growing up. He then treats Apollo to a sushi set-which was unchanged in the localization, making it amusing for those well-versed in the "Eat your hamburgers, Apollo" meme.
  • Speaking about that meme, Sarge does offer burgers after opening up to you during the investigation.
  • Just the fact that Dhurke, who up until this case was presented as intimidating and Ambiguously Evil (like the ending of 6-1 and 6-3 and the opening cinematic of 6-5), is in reality a huge goofball and even adorkable. The parallels to a certain Ace Attorney really came out of nowhere.
• Examining the security camera in the Detention Center when visiting Datz will have Dhurke reveal that when he arrived in Japanifornia after the TV hijacking, people asked him for autographs and took selfies with him. Dhurke speculates that they thought the incident was Viral Marketing for a movie.
• There's something really entertaining about tearing Nick's case to shreds and watching his reactions. Well, circumstances^note Maya for why that happens aside, anyway...It's a double-edged blade though- while you might suddenly and completely understand how prosecutors feel when destroying Nick on the bench, you also, as a result, are on the receiving end of the Turnabout Terror. It's rather easy to see why he's considered to be a legend when you're not fully aware at every second that he's floundering.
• Paul Atishon being so vain as to think Apollo wanted to send him birthday gifts, not realizing he invalidated his claim that Dr. Buff had stolen the orb from him. ^Explanation Dr. Buff had emailed one "PAW-711", so his birthday being July 11th or 7-11, is, combined with his initials, decisive proof he's the one Dr. Buff emailed.
• This exchange, in response to one of Paul Atishon's character witnesses.
  Apollo: Can we really trust the memory of an old man?
  Phoenix: ...Mr. Justice. Would you care to explain that statement to the judge?
  Judge: (Death Glare)
• Meeting Sarge for the first time also ramps Apollo's Butt-Monkey status to new heights as he is the first (and repeated) victim of Sarge's mini Gatling gun! That's right, Apollo gets shot multiple times and it is hilarious!
  • Even funnier is when Datz is the first target of Sarge's missiles!
• Presenting the wrong evidence may result in the Judge and Phoenix singing a snippet of "The Gambler" at you as you receive your penalty.
  Apollo: (I don't know what's worse: the penalty, or their singing.)
• After Sarge opens fire with the gun on the bottom of the drone, the Judge calmly shakes his head and gives us this line:
  Judge: While I sympathize with you, witness, you will refrain from firing Gatling guns in this court.
• Sarge steals Widget in the middle of the Mood Matrix session, then the judge's gavel when he demands Sarge calm down. Two bailiffs and even Athena get bombarded with gunfire and missiles trying to retrieve the stolen stuff. Although most of the action takes place through dialogues and a white screen, you can perfectly imagine the bailiffs and Athena on a wild goose chase with the drone!
• A particular reveal, namely Sarge's reveal as a 12-year old girl instead of the 20-something military fanatic they expected, shocks everyone in the court (save for Phoenix, who already knew from asking her to testify) into silence. Athena also can't help but find her adorable.
• Atishon's antics in court. An example is when he just casually walks away from the witness stand after answering a question with a "no comment", followed by Apollo ordering him to go back to the stand.
  • What sells it is that rather than having him simply fade away like most characters in the series, they actually animate him walking away.
  • He falls asleep at one point when Apollo is explaining a contradiction in his testimony. After he wakes up, he vaguely mutters something about puzzles having many sides before segueing into another stump speech.
• After it's revealed that you need to set the Founder's Orb on fire to activate it, the Judge says "I never thought I'd be saying this, but you may burn the evidence."
• When it seems that Apollo has proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the relic is indeed the Founder's Orb, Phoenix tries a ridiculous kind of bluff: he claims that because the Orb didn't bestow Apollo spiritual power like the legend said it would, there's still doubt about whether it really is the Orb or not. Everyone present, from Apollo and Athena to the judge, and even the entire gallery, goes dead silent, likely thinking, "Dude, really, WTF?". When the silence breaks, the judge straight up tells him he's freaking nuts.
  Judge: Hmm...It seems Mr. Wright has lost a few of his marbles.
  Phoenix: Th-That couldn't be farther from the truth, your honor...
  Judge: In any case, I think it's a good time for a recess. Both sides will have 20 minutes to prepare. ...Oh, and Mr. Wright? You'd do well to wash up and find your missing marbles, too.
• During that, Phoenix explains: "The defense's assertion is incomplete, and here's why," followed by presenting a piece of evidence. Exactly as you would do via green text and selecting something from the Court Record when you're playing as Phoenix! He's still obeying the game mechanics of his eponymous series, even as an NPC.
• The Villainous Breakdown of Paul Atishon. He imagines himself on TV, winning the election like he wanted, complete with the courtroom turning into a TV screen. As he cheers, his victory is yanked away from him due to his charges of murder, then he falls into the abyss, crying out for his grandfather. Cut back to the courtroom, where he's crying with a comically exaggerated expression not unlike Dan Hibiki's, and he faints. Then for good measure, his treasured, long-abused placard finally gives up and crumbles to pieces.
• When playing as Apollo, you can present the photo of his late biological father to Athena, who will comment that Apollo's old man looks pretty manly. Apollo takes it as a personal compliment, but Athena didn't intend for it to be one. After a few awkward moments, she teases Apollo by asking if there was a certain compliment he wanted to hear her say about him.
• Examining the electronic appliances in the former Sahdmadhi Office as Apollo has Datz reveal why the Defiant Dragons chose an episode of The Plumed Punisher to hijack the airwaves for their announcement: they wanted to spite the writers for using the show as propaganda against the rebellion, rather than taking advantage of that show's high ratings.
• Examine the bell in the Khura'inese Detention Center, and Athena's immediate reaction is to start grinning from ear to ear. Even better is when she then vehemently denies wanting to ring it...only for Apollo to break out the bracelet...silently. That's enough to stop her.
• In front of Minister Inga's house is an urn that fell over, spilling water everywhere. If you inspect it as Apollo, Athena insists it wasn't her fault, only for Apollo to Internal Monologue that the more plausible it is that she did something, the more aggressive she gets with her preemptive denials. If you inspect it as Phoenix, he immediately suspects Athena, which greatly disturbs Edgeworth.
  Edgeworth: ...What does it say about you if you automatically suspect your own subordinate?
• An optional conversation during the investigation of Amara's Tomb has grape juice appear again. Specifically, there was a bottle found at the scene, and Apollo theorizes that Inga drank some to calm down during the incident, before getting into a discussion about how it's definitely normal grape juice and not alcoholic in the slightest, which Athena finds hard to believe. Essentially, this long-time aspect of the series is finally getting the Lampshade Hanging treatment (and yes, it has always been grape juice in the Japanese version as well).
• Edgeworth entering the game in the last chapter opens up all kinds of hilarity, particularly once the action moves to Khura'in.
  • When he learns they'll all be staying at the temple, with no beds, no shower, and probably sleeping on the floor in the presence of a bunch of strangers, he grumbles and insists that Phoenix wrap this up as quickly as possible.
  • If you inspect Inga's house, Phoenix says that his flashy decor would suit Edgeworth. Edgeworth says that he would never be so ostentatious as to place a golden lion statue in front of his house.
    Phoenix: (Says the man who drives a gaudy red sports car and wears a cravat.)
    • Also serves as a Call-Back to 5-5 where Nick and Edgey randomly argue about each others' artistic sense during a cross-examination.
  • Present something to Edgeworth that he has no opinion on (for example, Phoenix's badge) and he'll mock Phoenix for his (or rather, the player's) tendency to go around presenting random evidence to everyone he meets. Phoenix then says that he's heard from a reliable source that Edgeworth does the same thing during his own investigations. Edgeworth responds by saying that Phoenix's "source" can look forward to his next salary assessment. Poor Gumshoe gets his salary cut in a game he isn't even in!
  • At one point, they are 'attacked' by Shah'do, and Edgeworth ends up with a growling little dog hanging from his cravat. What sells it is he just stands there with a stony expression, adjusting his glasses, and speaking in what seems to be a flat, resigned sort of tone.
    Edgeworth: If you would kindly detach your dog from my cravat.
    • And then Ahlbi nearly strangles him trying to pull Shah'do off...which also has Edgeworth concerned about the state of his cravat.
  • Edgeworth is furious to learn about The Plumed Punisher, a ripoff of his beloved Steel Samurai which the Khura'inese insist is an original show.
    Edgeworth: It's an outrage! Especially its theme song.
    Phoenix: Moving along to things that actually matter...
  • Trucy unexpectedly appears at the end of the final case — because she pulled "the old 'Let's Stow Away in Mr. Edgeworth's Suitcase' trick" and he apparently failed to discover this despite noticing his suitcase was unusually heavy. (Or he did know and just kept quiet.) His phrasing makes it sound like this isn't the first time she's done this...
    • Even funnier when you realize that at one point, Edgeworth had to have his suitcase put through an X-ray machine at least once, leaving you wonder how Trucy didn't get spotted by airport security. Unless he worked around that.
    • And then in the end credits, she's fallen asleep on his shoulder on the plane ride home, as Edgeworth sits there, clearly not happy about this but too polite to move. Poor Edgey...
• If you present Dhurke's Law Book to him in the detention center, Dhurke claims that Apollo is also a member of the Defiant Dragons by virtue of being his son, and even mentions that Apollo also has a Dragon tattoo...on his buttcheek. Athena immediately demands to see it while Apollo has to tell her that Dhurke was joking.
• In the final trial your co-counsel is Phoenix Wright himself. While it is awesome, it also means you see his infamous flop sweat from Apollo's perspective. Just how uninspiring and pathetic it looks in context is worth a laugh.
• One of the initial theories about Inga's death is that he suffers from back pains so often that, on his way to Amara's Tomb, he somehow fails to notice that he was stabbed on the back. It gets more ridiculous once the truth of his death comes out, with the implication that his back pains are so severe he thought he passed out, instead of stabbed to death.
• Apollo uses the fact that Datz is a goofball prankster as evidence, in court. When he hears this, Datz laughs his ass off in the gallery, prompting the Judge to tell him specifically to shut up.
  Datz: Haaar har har har har har! Hey there, AJ, PW! Y'all can thank me later!
  Judge: No one asked for your commentary, Mr. Are'bal!
  • Just the fact that the last thing Inga heard before dying was Datz's signature laugh. Imagining it as it happens is pretty much a Mood Whiplash.
  • If you try to use Datz's laughter rather than the explosion to try and prove that Inga's murder didn't happen at 3 P.M., Rayfa rebuts by saying that he could have been laughing like an idiot at 3 o'clock too.
• Maya meeting Apollo for the first time and asking who he is. Apollo introduces himself, and Maya realizes that she does know of him...from things Phoenix said two years prior when Apollo is still new to the company and Phoenix is a lot more cynical.
  Maya: You're the new guy with the loud voice, and a bit of an unreliable streak, right?
  Apollo: U-Unreliable...?!
  • Maya's first assumption to being called to the witness stand is that she's been arrested again.
• When Nayna first takes the stand she yells at Apollo, calling him "You nincompoop!" Now we know where Rayfa learned it from...
  • Alternatively, it may have been Nayna who learned it from Rayfa, which would be just as funny.
  • The Reveal that she's actually Amara, the former queen of Khura'in and Rayfa's biological mother makes it even funnier.
• The reveal of Justice Minister Inga's full name: Inga Karkhuul Haw'kohd Dis'nahm Bi'ahni Lawga Ormo Pohmpus Da'nit Ar'edi Iz Khura'in III.
  • For added hilarity, pronounce the whole name slowly and phonetically. How could this name be any longer or more pompous than it already is?
  • The cherry on top of this is the fact that he's the Third. That means that there have been two other Inga Karkhuul Haw'kohd Dis'nahm Bi'ahni Lawga Ormo Pohmpus Da'nit Ar'edi Iz Khura'ins before him.
• As serious as the scene was overall, it's rather amusing to see in Jove Justice's Divination Séance that Apollo had his "horn hair" since he was a baby, when he was otherwise completely bald.
• In the credits sequence, Nahyuta feels concerned because Rayfa started calling him "Braid Head". She sticks to that nickname after struggling to address him as her brother. In the Japanese version of the same scene, Nahyuta is concerned that Rayfa calls him an "oni" (demon), because Rayfa had trouble calling him onii-sama, got stuck at "oni" and ran off in embarrassment.
• In the epilogue, Apollo finally opens his law office in Khura'in. But because his is the first law office to open in 23 years, and he is currently the only lawyer in the entire country, requests for defense just keep pouring in. When we see Apollo in court, he is simultaneously handling 15 cases on his own, which caused him to not go through the autopsy report of his current case. And of course, the judge is not being sympathetic to him, and gives him another 16 cases from his friends and family. Nahyuta says that he has 10 more cases for him. As if that wasn't enough, Rayfa steps up and tells Apollo that she did a promotion run on her way to court and gave him over 300 more cases that he has to do for free, some of which are even just standard menial tasks! This prompts Apollo to loudly yell Objection! in the courtroom.
  • Even better, the game starts up the microphone controls, meaning that you have to shout the iconic line.

Turnabout Time Traveler

• Larry Butz is up to his old nonsense again. In less than 5 minutes he's got the Wright Anything Agency surrounded by armed officers because he made a fake bomb threat. Phoenix's reaction is more of a verbal eyeroll and a sigh than the alarm it might have once been.
• Early in the case, when the name Laurice Deauxnim is brought up, Trucy mentions a book of his: Franzy's Whippity-Whip Trip. This was initially a gag from Trials and Tribulations, in which Larry repeatedly tried to get Franziska von Karma to model for him so he could make the book. If this is anything to go by, the book actually got published, and turned out to be quite a hit.
• The reason Athena isn't helping with the case: She promised to help with Trucy's magic show since Apollo isn't available. When Athena tries to bail out, Phoenix tells her that Trucy's shows are the agency's biggest source of income at the moment, and she did make a promise, so she needs to buckle down and help out Trucy.
• The Running Gag of Athena being run ragged by Trucy and trying to escape only for Trucy to find her and drag her back.
  • The implication from all of Athena's suffering that Apollo not only just gave in without a real fight (or else learned offscreen that escape was futile), but has much more stamina and is made of tougher iron than Athena is, is definitely this, considering how athletic Athena is and how much Apollo is not. Although it's also implied that because Athena is physically tougher than Apollo, Trucy feels free to abuse her more than she would Apollo. Either way, it is hilarious.
  • Seriously, her only role in this case is to be chased around by Trucy.
• Ellen Wyatt tries to present herself as prim and proper, but is quick to launch into Ocular Gushers. Right into a frying pan. Furthermore, the fact that many of her lines could be Larry's is funny in and of itself:
  Ellen: "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm NEVER gonna be happyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
  Ellen: "I'm gonna die all alone in a jail ceeeeeeeeell!"
  Larry: "W-WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
• Ellen's "roses" on her veil are all just rolled-up hankies. Which she uses. A lot.
• Show Larry Selena's photo and he'll react just the way you expect him to.
• When Phoenix explains to Maya that Larry was dumped by his imaginary bride, Maya takes it to mean the bride herself is imaginary. She thinks that he somehow got dumped by a figment of his imagination.
  Wow, that's a new low, even for you, Larry.
• Ellen's "slipping into panic" animation is her throwing her roses behind her. Once, she does it with her frying pan-causing a rather loud metallic clatter to echo through the visiting room.
• Edgeworth being ganged up on his single status by Phoenix, Maya, and the Judge (nevermind that Phoenix and Maya are single themselves). He is seething the entire time.
  • Even though Phoenix delivers a killer line, Edgeworth gets in a parting shot.
    Phoenix: Let it go, Mr. Edgeworth. It's clear you don't know much about flowers. It's not like you have anyone you'd actually give any to, after all. But maybe you should study up on them, just in case the opportunity present itself.
    Edgeworth: Nngoooh! This from the man who only knows the names of three types of flowers!
    Phoenix: Th-That's hardly relevant to the case at hand!
• Phoenix calls Larry as a witness, angering Edgeworth because Larry never told him he was aboard the airship. When Edgeworth demands satisfaction, Phoenix singles out Larry amongst the gallery, prompting the Judge to send the bailiff after him. Even better, all of this happens while Larry's theme is playing.
  Larry: Noooooooooooooooooo! Why does this stuff always happen to MEEEEEEEEEE?!
• This case marks the first time Nick, Edgey, and Larry are in the same courtroom as defense, prosecution, and witness respectively. The former two do not pull any punches in snarking at each other, and have no qualms treating Larry as a nuisance in the bluntest way possible.
  Phoenix: Seriously, Larry. If you're hiding something, you'd better fess up now.
  Larry: I-I'm telling ya! I don't know nothin'! Why do you have to doubt me so much?!
  Phoenix: Why? Because you're you, that's why!
  Larry: Edgey...! You think Nick's being awful to me, don't you? So you tell him...! Tell Nick what a big meanie he is!
  Edgeworth: I would... if I thought he was being one.
  • On Larry's drawing:
    Larry: I have the sharp eyes of an artist! Don't you believe me?!
    Edgeworth: No.
    Larry: Niiiick...
    Phoenix: Nope.
• Larry takes it a bit too personally when he's called up as a suspect. His entire testimony (titled Nick Is A Jerk Face) is him insulting Nick for calling him to the stand. Plus, you have to cross-examine this, rather than having it scrapped like usual, and everyone treats it as Phoenix's punishment for bringing Larry in to testify.
• Part of the reason for Edgeworth's being more of an asshat than in the previous case, at least towards Phoenix: he's working through some of the stress of being chief prosecutor by taking it out on Nick.
• Edgeworth's reaction when Phoenix "proves" that Time Travel actually occurred. Maya speculates that if he were to watch sci-fi he'd be constantly complaining about scientific inaccuracies.
• The end of the first day of the trial, when the courtroom devolves straight into schoolyard bickering.
  Edgeworth: I bet you can't!
  Phoenix: I bet I can't eeiiiither!
• When the matter of Sorin's notebook comes up, Phoenix and Maya start arguing over who's to blame for the bloodstain on it. Edgeworth interrupts them much like a parent who's had it with their bickering kids:
  Edgeworth: Never mind whose fault it was! Just get to the point already!
• Phoenix Wright, the lawyer who has successfully cross-examined a parrot (possibly a second one as well), an orca, the world's deadliest hitman, a master spy, and even the spirits of the dead, comes across his greatest challenge yet: a man exercising his right to remain silent. His testimony is nothing but ellipses.
• Edgeworth seems to have taken a second helping of jerkflakes at breakfast during this case, but you have the Judge backing you up, shooting down Edgeworth trying to be cynical about romance: once about flowers (where a flustered Edgeworth jeers at Nick for only knowing three types of flowers), and once about the power of love (which Edgeworth tries to dismiss), alongside reprimanding Edgeworth for upsetting Ellen. This line sums it up:
  Edgeworth: Et tu, Your Honor?
• Being the main scenario of the case is a wedding, the Judge notes that Edgeworth will learn more about The Power of Love when he gets married, only for Edgeworth to angrily shoot down any chance of that happening. EVER.
  • Even funnier when you remember Wendy Oldbag.
• At one point, Edgeworth will sputter about one of Phoenix's "addlepated" guesses being proved correct. Phoenix is more offended at the word "addlepated" than Edgeworth's mingled shock and annoyance that the theory was correct.
• Phoenix has upped his Deadpan Snarker game since Apollo left.
• When things take a nosedive for Phoenix concerning the alleged time-travelling, Edgeworth jokingly suggests to Phoenix to go back in time and do the trial all over again. This sounds extremely familiar if you're prone to Save Scumming.
• Edgeworth's recurring problem with witnesses continues. While Sorin does state his name and occupation, they are on a paper plane addressed to the Judge. Then Edgeworth fails to get a response from Sorin.
• When one of the witnesses snaps, he starts insulting the "useless" prosecution AND the "idiotic" defense. The witness is much ruder to the prosecution for a change, but it predictably backfires, not least because he started acting much more suspicious there, something Edgeworth even points out.
  • When said witness reveals his true self, he takes an X-ray of Phoenix's head and Edgeworth's chest. Said X-rays have Phoenix's hair and Edgeworth's cravat visible in them.
• The ending. As newly-wed Ellen Wyatt throws her bouquet, Maya, Ema and Athena all prepare themselves to catch it. However, they all fumble the catch, instead causing it to land in the hands of one Larry Butz who, though surprised, starts cheering - that is, until Edgeworth places a hand on his shoulder and silently shakes his head, gesturing towards the three furious women. Larry, fully aware of the trouble he's in, makes a break for it with Athena, Ema and Maya on his tail as Phoenix and Edgeworth watch.
• Maya manages to hitch a ride with Edgeworth on the way to the crime scene by jumping in front of his car.
• During the revisualization sequence at the end of the case, Phoenix comes to a painfully obvious conclusion about the murderer that's hilarious when taken out of context:
  He used the murder weapon.

Ace Attorney Theater

• The English titles for the DLC episodes bring our heroes' Butt Monkeyness to new heights: "Phoenix Wright/Apollo Justice - Asinine Attorney"
• Phoenix Wright:
  • Phoenix "proves" that Pearl is the true Princess Rayfa and the Rayfa we knew is just a body double. When everything is revealed to just be a training exercise, the judge still rules in Phoenix's favor, declaring Pearl the real princess and Rayfa her body double (despite ''obvious'' differences in age and height). In the end, it is stated that Pearl eventually succeeded as queen of the Kingdom of Khura'in. Morgan Fey must be rolling in her grave now. Meanwhile, Rayfa breaks the fourth wall to raise her objection to no avail as the screen fades to black.
  • Edgeworth's reaction to Phoenix's 'success' is to stand silent with his one-finger-tapping animation, as if he's too disgusted to even look at his opponent after such a massive mistake.
  • When Phoenix tries to stall for time during the trial, he tries to communicate his plan to Edgeworth by gesturing. Cue Phoenix doing his courtroom animations with their usual sound effects without saying a word...which Edgeworth utterly failed to understand. In Phoenix's own words, a man can really be that dense...
  • Cross-examining both Pearl and Ahlbi at the same time. Said cross-examination consists of Pearl first trying to prove she's the real Rayfa while the next statement has Ahlbi objecting with a counterargument (which only consists of him saying "The real princess wouldn't say X!", making it even more humorous). Made funnier when she keeps contradicting herself with comments that really should have stayed in her head.
  • In order to prove herself as the "real" Princess Rayfa, Pearl channels the judge's father. Cue a weird conversation between them, though the sight of the father-in-Pearl's-body is mercifully spared from us by a black screen.
• Apollo Justice:
  • The entire trial is Apollo trying to figure out Rayfa's dream destination in order to allow her to stay an extra day in order to go sightseeing. If the premise wasn't silly enough, Values Dissonance rears its head in hilarious ways after presenting some tour spot suggestions to Rayfa and getting her point of view on them.
  • Pressing Rayfa's very first statement has her talking about how she enjoys watching various TV shows. When Apollo points out that as crown princess, she should watch the news as well, Rayfa gets so ticked off that she threatens to give Apollo a five point penalty! The badges even appear with all of them glowing, like she really is going to give you a game over right there. Fortunately, Apollo manages to talk her out of it.
  • When viewing Trucy's promo video and seeing the fire trick, Klavier is quite impressed, but also adds the following Call-Back as an aside:
    Klavier: Although I'm not much of a fan of watching things burn...
  • Edgeworth's Steel Samurai fanboy-ism shows up again when he's spotted leaving Penrose Theatre by Trucy. When she asks him what brought him to the theatre, he tells her he was there for the magic show, though Apollo quickly reminds him that there was no show that day, only rehearsals. Edgeworth pleads some excuse and flees, though not before dropping something — one of the Steel Samurai posters which were being given away with every purchase of a ticket for the Steel Samurai stage show next month. Tickets which the theatre just started selling that day...The case ends with a shot of Edgeworth back at the theatre, looking for his lost poster.
    Apollo: (Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth is a fan of the Steel Samurai...? ...Nah, he couldn't be...)

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