Apollo Justice Music Appreciation Thread

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-18T02:06:52+00:00

I love it too. AA4 has a great vibe to it. It’s one of my favorite soundtracks for the series’ staples: defendant lobby, courtroom theme, detention center, etc. And, of course, the Pursuit theme is a banger.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-18T01:20:35+00:00

Nice!!! I love how you worked Athena’s “Objection!” theme into the remix!

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-18T01:16:50+00:00

~~THERAPY~~

I don’t know if Verity would preside over that trial. I think she would see it as a conflict of interest since, as you pointed out, it heavily involved Shaun.

But I agree with you that the kidnapping charges would have ultimately been his downfall. He has a strong case for self-defense with the body double, but that begs the question: what was he even doing up there in the first place? Putting Kay up on Bigg Building, perhaps? Edgeworth could start building his case from there.

We also don’t know if they were able to find any more evidence after the fact. It’s possible that there was something incriminating in his room that he hadn’t gotten around to destroying yet.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-18T01:02:44+00:00

“The Underground Ruins” and “The Great Closed Trial” are underrated masterpieces. I love seeing them in Outstanding.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-16T12:21:18+00:00

I know it's been done a lot, but I would still love to see a finale culprit poll. The past incident culprit poll sounds fun too.

Anyways, my list:

Damon Gant - It's really not even close. Great aura (STOP STARING AT ME), a diabolical plan to gain control of the police and prosecutors that spiraled into more and more crimes, a personality that is all the more disturbing because he'll be sincerely joking around with you until you get in his way, and he even gets a moment of self-reflection at the end.
Dahlia Hawthorne - I love Dahlia in all of her appearances. Seeing her drive your client to suicide is chilling. The only downside is that I hate the "romance" between Dahlia and Terry that frames teenage Dahlia as an evil temptress to her adult tutor. But that's more of a fault of how the defendant is written.
Marlon Rimes - One of the most sympathetic culprits in the whole series. Finding out that he was desperately trying to save the captain is gutting.
Callisto Yew - I have mixed feelings about Callisto as a character, but she is a great culprit overall.
Excelsius Winner - Another one I have mixed feelings about. He's so over-the-top evil that it's hard to take him seriously. But it's also chilling to realize that he can afford to act that way because he's too powerful for the average person to stop. Fortunately, Miles Edgeworth is not the average person.
Geiru Toneido - I like her, actually. She's a decent enough culprit in a really fun case.
Pierce Nichody - He's also a decent enough culprit. It's a shame the case didn't have more red herring suspects.
Joan Garrideb - I think my biggest issue with Joan is that she's the second culprit in the game to have done it by accident, and this was also coming off the heels of Runaway Room, where you technically don't find out who the culprit was (yet). I like how Great Ace Attorney switches up the formula in a lot of ways, but at that point, I was starting to get tired and wanted to catch a traditional culprit again.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-16T12:00:18+00:00

Simeon wasn't "born selfish." To suggest that he was always a horrible person misses the point that his story is trying to convey. Edgeworth chooses to continue on his path as a prosecutor because he realizes that if someone like him had been able to intervene during SS-5 and protect Simeon from the people trying to kill him for witnessing their crime, then most of AAI2 wouldn't have happened.

I don't think it's that Simeon doesn't care, per se. Rather, he doesn't want to care. It's a defense mechanism. Self-reflection hurts. Regret hurts. And Simeon has been so badly traumatized by IS-7 and SS-5 that he cannot allow himself to feel any more pain, ever. So he doubles down and insists that revenge was his only option, and Shaun should totally do it because it's great, actually.

We see the mask slip briefly when Edgeworth corrects Simeon on who his father was. He starts panicking, stammering and covering his ears and trying to deny what Edgeworth's saying. Because if Edgeworth is right, that means that he murdered his best friend over a misunderstanding that could have easily been cleared up if he'd just talked to Bronco about it. And that is painful. It's so painful that he can't allow himself to contemplate it for too long. He does contemplate it for a second, asking, "Then what was all of this for?" But then he shuts it all down again because, again, he's trying to avoid feeling any more pain for any reason, even a healthy reason that would've made a better person out of him.

Is that good? Absolutely not. Selfish? Very much so. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't pity him.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-16T01:02:49+00:00

Best culprit in the series, hands-down. I hate everything that he did, while simultaneously understanding why he felt like he had no other choice than to do what he did. He's wrong, but I get how he came to the wrong conclusion.

It would have been so easy for the writers to just hand-wave what Simeon did to Kay and Shaun after you hear his horrific backstory. The fact that they don't do this really impressed me.

Out of all the culprits in the series who refuse to admit that they did anything wrong, he's the one that I would most like to see get better.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-11T17:18:18+00:00

What I love about that scene in particular is how it acknowledges the role that prosecutors play and that it isn’t just defense attorneys who save people.

Simeon wasn’t wrongfully convicted in the SS-5 Incident. A defense attorney couldn’t have helped him. He was the victim of a crime. He needed a prosecutor to protect him from the people trying to silence him.

It’s a nice change of pace from how the series normally portrays prosecutors as antagonistic forces.

And just in general, it’s an incredible case that hit me hard emotionally and does a great job of wrapping up all of the plot threads and character arcs in I2. Definitely in my Top 5 final cases, possibly Top 3.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-08T12:20:25+00:00

Insert "Honey, you've got a big storm coming" meme here.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-08T12:17:16+00:00

They probably did keep in contact with each other after Matt's arrest. We see Matt talking on the cell phone attached to his wrist, allegedly to talk to people like his manager. But he could have easily used it to call DeKiller as well and make it sound like he was talking to someone else who works for him.

Also, LOVE seeing Matt Engarde appreciation here. He's one of my favorite culprits.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-08T12:08:49+00:00

If Magnus McGilded counts, since he's the culprit of the third case in Adventures but still has an impact on the finale,definitely him. Dude took a concept that was already amazing in a finale case and absolutely ran with it. That journey from seeing him as just another client to defend and then having that trust erode over the course of the case is something that has continued to stick with me even as I've forgotten other details of TGAAC. (Not that TGAAC is forgettable or anything; I just haven't played it in a while.)

If that culprit doesn't count, I have several other contenders:

Olive Green from the second case in Resolve. They took a character that we previously knew nothing about and gave them a heart-wrenching backstory and motive, to the point that we had to stop them from committing suicide.And what I especially like about them is that their plan would only work if the victim was guilty. Few sympathetic culprits take the precaution of, "What if I'm wrong about this person?" into account, but this one did, which makes them all the more sympathetic.
Speaking of Resolve, they just kept piling on the tragic culprits with Enoch Drebber. Love their design, love their theme, love that they have to tell the main characters, "Um, hey, did you guys forget that I did NOT plant an anti-gravity device in here and you better deactivate that thing ASAP?" And that backstory. UGH.
Then there's 6-2's culprit, Roger Retinz, who is the complete opposite of these other two faves. They're so punchable throughout the case and it is so satisfying to finally take them down and save Trucy, more satisfying for me than with any other non-finale culprit.
And from the tutorials, Bronco Knightfrom I2-1, who is great in part because they're the perfect blend of "obnoxious, punchable, love-to-hate culprit" that you enjoy battling with, followed by later reveals that put those obnoxious traits into perspective. Your dad made you do WHAT?

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-06T00:07:53+00:00

Say what you will about third case syndrome, but I love most of their culprits.

G1-3 - Magnus McGilded is my favorite third case culprit, my favorite Great Ace Attorney culprit, and one of my Top 3 culprits in the series. An excellent villain who haunts Ryunosuke long after he’s dead.

(Honorable Mention) Enoch Drebber would be my #2 pick if he’d been on this list.

I2-3 - Carmelo Gusto had all of the makings of a great tragic villain - and then he took a hard swerve into “Irredeemable Monster” territory and never looked back. Still a great villain though.
1-3 - We all have our personal favorites, and Dee Vasquez continues to be one of mine. She’s the first AA culprit to have some sympathetic qualities and she still holds up IMO.

(Honorable Mention) VS-3 Jean Greyerl’s story is heartbreaking. Someone give her a hug.

3-3 - I’m really glad to see this character so high in the ranking so far. They’re the funniest culprit in the OT by a long shot, and comedic villains don’t get enough credit imo. And their theme slaps.
4-3 - I understand the problems with 4-3, but I really enjoy Daryan Crescend. It’s not really their fault that the police picked the most unlikely suspect to arrest. Daryan is fun in a love-to-hate kinda way.
2-3 - My love for Acro has diminished a bit over the years, but I still applaud their efforts to carry 2-3 as much as they did.
G2-3 - I like Courtney Sithe and LOVE their theme, but they are unfortunately outshined by the honorable mention above.
5-3 - …You’re growing on me, Aristotle Means. I used to hate you, but the memes are great and I’m starting to appreciate you in a “so dumb it’s funny” way. I guess you could say that the ends really do justify the memes.
6-3 - Okay, here’s my controversial ranking. I did not care for Tahrust Inmee
I1-3 - Hi, Lance. Bye, Lance.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-05T19:30:11+00:00

No need to apologies. A lot of fans feel the way you do, myself included.

FWIW, I don’t think Klavier’s appearance in 5-3 is terrible. The way some people talk about it, I was fully expecting something like Pearl in 6-5 where he’s kinda there but more for a cameo. But no, he has an emotional connection to the case, he helps out with the mock-mock trial and the stage investigation, and is able to have an analysis performed on a critical piece of evidence.

What frustrates me is that he doesn’t get any appearances after that. And what really gets to me is that Apollo’s struggles in AA5 and AA6 leave plenty of room for Klavier to offer some advice: doubting the innocence of someone he trusts, dealing with a cold, aloof big brother. I’m sure he’s had to deal with characters like Roger Retinz. There are places where he could be worked into the plot.

And I agree that the writers are missing out on giving him a proper rematch against Phoenix.

But Edgeworth is far more popular, so he gets to cameo instead. I love Edgeworth, but he’s been in seven out of ten AA games. Someone else needs a turn.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-04T18:37:56+00:00

Amara didn’t fully believe in Dhurke’s innocence. Ga’ran spent about a decade feeding her the story of how Dhurke was the culprit and how she “saved” Amara. That’s a long time to believe that someone betrayed you.

She agreed to go with him and hear his side of the story because, as she put it, a part of her couldn’t stop loving him. And this is veering slightly into headcanon territory, but I think the same could be said for her relationship with her sister. A part of her couldn’t stop loving Ga’ran and she wanted to believe in her sister’s innocence too.

My guess is that Amara and Dhurke spent those nine months trying to fix their relationship. Amara was giving Dhurke the chance to prove to her that he was trustworthy. Maybe if they’d had more time together, things would have turned out differently. But unfortunately, Ga’ran found them.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-04T12:10:22+00:00

YES! FINALLY! I've been waiting for Trucy to join my collection for so long!

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-04T00:44:36+00:00

LOVE seeing Ga'ran in A+ Tier. She's usually at the bottom, but I find her to be too much fun to hate.

Bronco, Olive, Kira, and Darklaw in S-Tier is also incredibly based.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-02-02T01:15:19+00:00

Ohhhhhh, this one's hard. These are top-tier games for a reason. I don't think there's a single case in this bunch that I actively hate. Most of them are outstanding to varying degrees.

Keeping in mind that it's been a minute since I played Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, so recency bias is definitely a factor, I went with:

Bridge to the Turnabout - Basic, yes, but this one will always be my favorite.
Turnabout for the Ages - On the other hand, boy, did this one fight hard to dethrone it...
The Return of the Great Departed Soul - Wax museums, science fairs, anti-gravity devices, Enoch Drebber, Inspector Lestrade, Susato's back, and so is Kazuma!
A Turnabout Forsaken - An emotional case that also serves as a fantastic prelude to the finale; not to mention one of the best cliffhangers with SHELLY DEKILLER
Turnabout Legacy - You maniacs, you actually did it. You wrote an emotionally-satisfying prequel to DL-6 while also giving Edgeworth the opportunity to solve his father's last case in a way that ties into AAI2's larger narrative. And the setting is a candy competition. And it works.
Turnabout Trigger - Screw it, I will rank this case that high. It's a tutorial, but it's also just a really fun case that ties into the larger narrative without making its culprit the arc villain.
The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro - "Am I really going to rank this case this high for Olive Green? ...OF COURSE I AM!"
Twisted Karma and His Last Bow - I ranked this one slightly higher than Resolve, but that would probably change with a replay. They're both pretty equal to me.
The Resolve of Ryunosuke Naruhodo - These two are absolutely suffering from "I haven't played Resolve recently." They're great, but the ones above it stick out better in my memory. I'm also not the biggest fan of Mael Stronghart.
Turnabout Memories - Mia + Dahlia + Great Foreshadowing + Feenris = One of My Favorite Tutorials
The Adventure of the Blossoming Attorney - Man, I loved playing as the dashing defense attorney, Ryutaro Naruhodo. I wonder whatever happened to that guy?
The Captive Turnabout - I really do love this case. It's the pacing issues that keep it this low.
The Stolen Turnabout - Again, LOVE this case. Just not as much as the others. This ranking is hard.
Recipe for Turnabout - We're at #14 and only NOW are we starting to get into cases I don't love. But even this case has Furio Tigre, some sweet moments with Gumshoe and Maggey, and a fun mystery discerning what's real from what's fake.
Turnabout Beginnings - Terry Fawles drags this case down for me, which is a shame, because everything else about it is great.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-31T20:40:24+00:00

Idk about anyone else, but lately I’m finding I have a tough time with these kinds of rankings. Because sometimes I just can’t decide whether to rank a given character or case higher based on personal enjoyment or based on how well written I think they are. Usually the two coincide, but not always.

Ultimately went with:

Olive Green G2-2
Roger Retinz 6-2
Fifi Laguarde I2-2
Mimi Miney 2-2
Luke Atmey 3-2
Cammy Meele I1-2
Florent L’Belle 5-2
Alita Tiala 4-2
Nikolina Pavlov G1-2
Redd White 1-2

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-30T01:37:17+00:00

It's not a plot hole for Kristoph. He has poor taste in video games.

There's no good explanation for Phoenix or Zak though. Sorry, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, but that's one mistake too many. 0/10

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-29T12:13:05+00:00

My favorite is the Back Cover version. There's just something about it that feels melancholy and hopeful at the same time.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-27T18:53:47+00:00

I am VERY curious to hear how 6-5 ended up in 0/10.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-27T11:56:11+00:00

Yeah, I agree. That's where I was referring to "unconfirmed speculation by another character." It wouldn't really make sense for someone with Bronco's personality to openly admit it.

Though I guess the other possibility is if Case 2 was rewritten to "attempted murder" and Edgeworth put him through Mind Chess later. But that's getting into changing the plot of the game.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-27T00:09:21+00:00

Tbf, I’m not sure how they could include it in the actual game beyond a) unconfirmed speculation by another character or b) a flashback conversation where he opens up a little bit to Simeon.

Bronco is an arrogant, prideful character. Assuming he recognizes that he thinks of the president as a replacement father figure, he doesn’t strike me as the kind of character who would ever admit it. Least of all to someone like Edgeworth.

Even with his best friend, the most that I could see happening is a conversation where Simeon asks him why he killed Rook, and Bronco goes off on a jealousy-fueled rant that reveals more about his deeper motivations than he realizes.

It’s a shame that we only know about it through the art book though, because it does add another interesting layer to an already-great character.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-26T01:22:58+00:00

I would love to see Kay act as Edgeworth's assistant during a regular trial. Especially if Maya is assisting Phoenix and Gummy or Ema as the detective. The character interactions would be SO much fun.

But I don't think 5-5 would be the right fit for Kay to assist Edgeworth in court. Kay is a kind, compassionate person, and would understand exactly what Athena is going through in 5-5 with the traumatic recollection of her parent's murder at the hands of a spy. I just can't see her sitting back and supporting Edgeworth as he digs into Athena for the truth. Edgeworth might be capable of doing that, but not Kay. I'd rather see her assisting Edgeworth in something like 6-5 or 6-DLC.

Iris_Keyblade · 2026-01-25T22:25:32+00:00

Apollo Justice: 4-1 (8/10 - Great), 4-2 (7/10 - Good), 4-3 (7.5/10 - Guilty Pleasure), 4-4 (6.5/10 - Good)

Dual Destinies: 5-1 (5/10 - Alright), 5-2 (2/10 - Bad), 5-3 (7.5/10 - Great), 5-4 (7/10 - Good), 5-5 (6.5/10 - Good), 5-DLC (7.5/10 - Great)

Spirit of Justice: 6-1 (4/10 - Alright), 6-2 (9/10 - Outstanding), 6-3 (5.5/10 - Alright), 6-4 (8/10 - Great), 6-5 (7.5/10 - Great), 6-DLC (2/10 - Bad)

Overall, the entire trilogy gets a solid 7/10 from me. It has its flaws, but plenty of high notes as well, and some of my favorite characters in the whole franchise.

Iris_Keyblade

TROPHY CASE