#Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

Quick follower update:

With the arrival  of the new Mod (yours truly), there’s a bit of adjustment and shuffling of duties behind the courtroom doors, so until further notice, we’re slowing the letters from 12 to 6 per day.

Worry not! We’re still hard at work, and speaking personally, living the dream answering your letters!

-The Mods

#Mod Post #Mod Vera #Mod Kristoph #Mod Paups

[askaacallout]

Whatever happened to Mod Paups? I don’t see her around but I don’t recall her getting a formal goodbye

I'm not really sure. A lot of Mods had other obligations in life keeping them preoccupied. I think Paups was in a similar boat.

[askaceattorney]

Dear youngbounty,

Co-Mod: I didn’t see any clones, but thanks!

Dear BDC,

Co-Mod: That idea sounds interesting, but unfortunately, I don’t know enough about Dangronpa to be able to pull that off.  I can see if the other mods do, but I can’t promise anything more than that.

I agree with you about the Proto Badger, though.  I hate him more than Dr. Eggman hates “that hedgehog.”  Sadly, it looks like we’re stuck with him for now.  Why couldn’t you have taken him with you, the Mod?

Dear MB,

Co-Mod: I’m glad (and impressed) that you were able to free yourself in such a creative way, but it’s all good.  I used to do the same sort of mockery with submitters’ letters before someone pointed out its potential rudeness, since some of them don’t speak English as their first language, so I've got no room to complain.  In fact, I’m a big stickler about getting my spelling and grammar correct, so please feel free to point out any errors you find.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Which ones, specifically?  I know that some of the ones from the Court Record are glitchy (and I failed to inform the new moderator about that), but I haven’t noticed anything unusual in any of the letters.  Show me an example, and I’ll see what can be done about it.

(Previous Letter)

(Link in Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Mod Vera: That’s a good point! I must have missed that Easter egg. I was also originally going to make a joke about Ga’ran needing wigs for herself, but decided to keep it to something closer to canon.

For real, though, with Maya, Iris, Inga, Ga’ran and now Dhurke, it’s really convenient for spirit channeling disguises that so many people in this world have long black hair!

(Previous Post)

Dear AnthonyDeadman,

Co-Mod: I don’t know if I used this sprite before, but it captures how I feel perfectly, so I’m going with it:

Wait, not that one.  This one:

Actually, they’re both pretty accurate.

This letter means a lot to me, not just because I love knowing that my work and dedication have paid off in some way, but because I’ve been going through some serious struggles lately (more on that in a later post).  Being part of a blog that brings fun characters from an fun video game series to life has been awesome enough, and watching it grow into something bigger than it was has been even more awesome, but being able to provide some much-needed opportunities to laugh, smile, and escape from reality during a time of sorrow, fear, and uncertainty has been nothing short of a blessing for me.  Not to mention it’s helped me to enjoy life in new ways, so thanks for that, Capcom.

What I really appreciate, though, is you and so many others wishing me the best for the future.  It just so happens that the future has been one of my biggest fears for a long time, so hearing this kind of support, even from people I don’t know, is precisely what I need right now.  Allow me to offer my heartfelt thanks for it, and to wish each and everyone one of you the same.  The world needs people who can withstand any sort of circumstance right now, so don’t give any less than your best!

Stay gold yourself, pal.

(Previous Post)

Dear mungeondaster,

Mod Vera: Aw, thank you so much! I’m really happy to be here, and to have Co-Mod help me learn the ropes. I also love Vera! Her appearance is brief, but I do love the withdrawn artist trope, especially with a Pearl-level ignorance of the outside world.

Plus her design is just so dang good! Almost as if she drew herself.

(Previous Letter)

Dear ajanisapprentice,

Mod Vera: Ahahaha, twas I who thought of that! I count that as my first report card as the new Mod!

(Previous Letter)

Dear mungeondaster,

Mod Vera: Oh, you know Nick relied on Maya’s budding big sister energy while he was figuring out single fatherhood. As Maya would say, he’s hopeless without her.

Though my personal favorite new headcanon is Pearls helping Gumshoe win Maggey’s heart. (I still need that fanfiction to happen!)

(The Previous Posts)

Dear yuesworld,

Co-Mod: It’s great to hear from you again!  Dang, it’s hard to believe your first letter was sent 2 years ago.  (As if turning 30 didn’t make me feel old already...)

I both appreciate and admire your dedication toward translating the letters we’ve answered here.  I hope you’re able to continue doing so in one way or another, but even if you aren’t, I’m still glad you’ve been so willing to share our character portrayals with a broader audience.  In fact, we might even have you to thank for part of our increased follower count, so thanks just in case!

I’m glad you enjoyed the essays, too.  I honestly hadn’t considered the possibility that I’d have to write some of those myself after the Mod left, but I’ve had some fun with them, and I hope they helped to make the characters they were about more enjoyable, or at least more interesting.  I’m still planning to finish the remaining requests after my departure, by the way.  Hopefully I’ll be able to post them a little more frequently than before.

I’m happy to report that I’ve been staying healthy and well (although I feel like I keep dodging bullets with people around me getting infected), and I hope the same can be said for you and for everyone else reading this.  I won’t lie, things have been tougher than usual for practically every human being lately, even aside from the pandemic.  Thankfully, we have someone who’s all too familiar with trials and tribulations to provide us with a helpful reminder:

That’s Phoenix speaking, by the way, in case you forgot.

In other words, this too shall pass, as the Persian adage goes.  In the meantime, stay healthy yourself, and thanks for the reminder that we’re not alone in these challenges.

Dear AnthonyDeadman,

Mod Vera: Thank you so much! I’ve also been a fan of this blog for years, for almost as long as I’ve wanted to be a writer! It’s such a weird elated feeling, to go from being a fan of something to working on it. I almost feel like those people starting their first day at Pixar or something!

Mod Kristoph: Thanks for the kind response! I’ll be sure to get some letters in there when I get the chance!

Mod Paups: Thank you!

(Previous Letter)

(Video in Letter)

Dear BDC,

Co-Mod: Me too, except I’d add a few more “nope”s.

Mod Vera: Hahah, same. But I’ve have politeness so ingrained into my being, I’d probably throw in a few “no thanks” just to be safe.

-The Mods

#youngbounty #bluedragoncody #Anonymous #AnthonyDeadman #mungeondaster #ajanisapprentice #yuesworld #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Vera #Mod Kristoph #Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

Dear Starry,

Co-Mod: Sorry for almost missing this letter, first and foremost.

As an introvert, I don’t show much personality most of the time, but I do see myself in the quirks of the Ace Attorney cast every now and then.  Sometimes I just want a break from what I’m dealing with, like Phoenix...

...sometimes I get overemotional when things don’t go my way, like Larry...

...sometimes I get too excited when they do go my way, like Pearly...

...and sometimes I struggle not to explode in a fiery inferno that’s visible from space, like...well, like a lot of characters.

But the character I relate most to, as I’ve mentioned several times before, is good old Ms. Cykes.

She’s got skill and ambition, but still struggles in her self-confidence every now and then, and right now, that describes me perfectly.  (I hope the first part does, at least.)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Thanks, I guess.  *blows a noisemaker half-heartedly*

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: I might be willing to share that ship, oddly enough, except for the fact that I've already played through most of the Professor Layton series, so...yeah.  It’s probably not gonna work.

(I still need to finish it, don’t I?)

Dear Starry again,

Co-Mod: I...honestly can’t say I know.  If things go my way, I’ll be doing something I love (or at least enjoy), like drawing/animating for a TV show or video game, writing music, or possibly even working on a game development team.  If Ace Attorney (and life) have taught me anything, though, it’s that no one can predict the future, so maybe I’ll be doing something completely different.

As far as TV shows go (I’m allowed to answer both, right?), most of my favorites were the classic ones, like Green Acres, The Andy Griffith Show, and just about any Looney Tunes cartoon.  I also enjoyed a lot of Nickelodeon’s shows, like Hey Arnold!, Doug, and that one about the sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea.  What was his name again...?

Mod Paups: Mmm for TV shows I’d say Dragon Ball is what I mainly watched, and maybe Pokemon, but that’s about it. I’m not certain where I see myself in 10 years, hopefully it’s good!

Dear Starry again (again),

Co-Mod: I’m guessing you mean this one.  Thanks for waiting to see if it showed up.  For anyone else who’s wondering if your letter fell victim to Tumblr's glitchery or not, letters now take roughly 3 weeks to get answered, so feel free to resubmit it if you don’t see it after that long.

Dear skibot99,

Co-Mod: Technically, DGS2 letters are still off limits, but I sometimes dance around that rule if the letter is only about DGS2, and not addressed to a character from that game.  Let’s just say that letters like that may or may not get answered, so only send them if you’re feeling lucky.

Dear springtime562,

Co-Mod: My mistake!

The other Mods are starting school, so I’ve mostly been on my own, and I’m balancing this blog with two part-time jobs, so...you (collectively) can probably expect a few more errors in the near future.

Dear d0midink,

Co-Mod: Let me just start by saying that if this isn’t one of the nicest compliments we’ve received (and we’ve received quite a few), it’s definitely a contender.

I’m just happy we’re still able to do it with everything else we’re going through (not to mention everything the world’s been through lately), so thanks a million for your support!

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: None in particular, but I do sort of miss answering letters to the Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney cast.  They have their own unique sort of charm.

Mod Paups: Well in my case I looove love answering letters addressed to any of the antagonists, specially Damon Gant. He has to be my favorite character to write as, he’s just so fun!

Dear rogertheegg,

Co-Mod: I’m guessing what they’re referring to is the “culprit feels remorse in the end” concept in each case.  I definitely prefer Marlon’s breakdown over Acro’s, mostly because Marlon put up more of a fight, plus he showed a lot more emotion.  We also didn’t have to cycle through a bunch of profiles and evidence just to remind a clown about a magician’s three symbols, so there’s that, too.

Mod Paups: Honestly? I don’t feel as if Turnabout Reclaimed succeeded or was better? And if I had to choose, I prefer Big Top over Reclaimed. I guess it’s just a matter of tastes.

Dear kxhyuns,

Co-Mod: I repeat myself, but...thanks a million!

It’s been an honor to take what Ace Admin and the Mod created and keep it going for so long.  I’m just glad we’re still gaining followers and make the characters sound like themselves.

Here’s the letter you mentioned, by the way.  Pretty trollish, if you ask me.

Dear TGSPLS,

Co-Mod: Me too, pal, me too.  Looks like it’s finally time to accept this certificate of death for the Ace Attorney series.

(I could be wrong, of course.)

But hey, at least the fandom’s still as alive and well as ever, as evidenced by this very blog!

Never let the flame die out, folks.

Dear mungeondaster,

Co-Mod: Are you kidding me?  My answer to both ideas is YES!!!  I’d like to see a shopping scene and I’d LOVE an open world Ace Attorney game!  Heck, I’d be fine with an anime retelling of AJ, DD, and/or SoJ, an Ace Attorney-themed chess game, Lisa Basil Teaches Typing...  JUST GIVE US SOMETHING, CAPCOM!!!

*huff, huff, huff*

While we’re on the subject, I once had a dream where I was playing a point-and-click adventure game similar to King’s Quest VII, with Maya as a playable character.  I’d pay a huge sum for that if it became a reality.

-The Mods

#doveofthedawn #Anonymous #skibot99 #springtime562 #d0midink #rogertheegg #kxhyuns #TGSPLS #mungeondaster #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

(Previous Letter)

Dear Inferno,

Mod Paups: That would be me! thank you very much honestly, I adore writing Gant, he’s such an interesting character, and so human in a way too, I’m glad I conveyed his personality well!

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Refer to the 3rd letter in this post.

Dear mungeondaster,

Co-Mod: And once again, thank you!  I don’t know how many times I’ve said it at this point, but blogs like this are only possible with help from fans, so thanks for contributing with your letters and love!

My favorite recurring gag has been the “adorable bean” one for Rayfa.  It started with a simple misunderstanding in one of the Mod’s letter responses, and it just kept getting better from there.  Recurring gags are usually my favorite part of just about anything, and this blog is no exception, so I always love answering that sort of letter.

Dear skibot99,

Mod Paups: Oh dear, I have not seen Ben 10 in forever, i kinda forgot about it :o

Co-Mod: I have a cousin who’s a huge fan of that show, but I never really got into it myself.  The Goop and XLR8 transformations looks pretty cool, though.  Simple designs always appeal to me for some reason.

(Previous Letter)

Dear John,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  That case had so much to it that that detail slipped my mind.  That’s the excuse I’m going with, anyway.

Dear Candance,

Co-Mod: Uhhhhhhh, sorry, but I didn’t see that letter in the queue or my collection of deleted letters, so I’m afraid I don’t know which one you’re referring to.  Feel free to resend it if you want.

You don’t have to be a killer in the Ace Attorney series to be hot, though.  Just take it from the Mod.

(The house)

(Previous Post)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  I was afraid it was too cryptic in the first place, so that’s actually kind of funny.  And I couldn’t possibly forget that ugly scene if I wanted to (which I do).  Thank goodness I wasn’t here back then.

And if anyone feels like making a ghost Kristoph sprite, or even drawing a picture of it...

The guy’s creepy enough in the flesh.

(The house again)

Dear Murder,

Co-Mod: Yep!  Congratulations on that again.  I mentioned that below the cut in this post, in case you didn’t see.

Dear Ali S. Fakenamington,

Co-Mod: You’re welcome, and thanks!  I’m just glad we could make it work.  I don’t enough about Tumblr or HTML to pull off a hidden link in part of the header (or if that’s even possible), but I’d love to try something like that some time.  Of course, it'll probably be easy to figure out now that I’ve mentioned it, but it’s still fun idea, so thanks for that.

Dear Self-Deprecating Nerd,

Co-Mod: That hasn’t been much of a problem, since the vast majority of the letters are answered by me, but I do remember one letter the Modthorne answered that contradicted an answer of mine in which Maya stated she’s never gotten drunk before.  I DMed her about it, and she said something along the lines of “Change it, then.  I have to go do something.”  She was always so easy to please when she was here.

I...I miss you, Modthorne.

*ahem*  Moving right along...

(Song in Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: I was expecting something weird, but that actually brought back some nice memories for me.  I think it would be a good theme song for Matt if he wasn’t who he is, but I can totally hear him talking that way.

As thanks for the nostalgia, here’s some more I discovered recently: 

(Previous Letter)

Dear Candance again,

Co-Mod: Glad to hear it, dude.

-The Mods

#ajanisapprentice #Anonymous #mungeondaster #skibot99 #john and so on #Candance #Murder #Ali S. Fakenamington #Self Deprecating Nerd #Mod Post #Mod Paups #Co Mod

[askaceattorney]

(Song in Letter)

Dear iamnotthensa,

Co-Mod: I’m inclined to agree with you, but it also has a bit of a Professor Layton vibe to it.  Maybe it’d be a good fit for the next Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney, if we ever get one?

Mod Paups: I really enjoy it! it gives me detective vibes, kinda reminds me to Hotel Dusk... but I hear more as an AA Investigations soundtrack more than anything.

Dear mungeondaster,

Co-Mod: Not a problem, and thanks!

I don’t know how it got started, but I’m sure glad it did.  The word “essay” used to turn me off before I started reading and enjoying the Mod’s character essays.  They provide a nice in-depth look at a character’s story, personality, development in the game (if there is any), and things the casual player might not have noticed about them.

I’m equally glad that I got into them myself, since it gives me a chance to review the best (and worst) things about a character, and what makes them stand out from the others.  I just wish I could post them a little more often, but in the words of Ace Writer Snoopy,

Thanks to everyone requesting them for your patience, by the way.

I’ve seen a few different Ace Attorney-related videos -- playthroughs, song covers, reviews, *twitch* Phoenix Wrong videos, etc.  I recommend checking out iKiwed’s videos if you enjoy creative things made from Ace Attorney resources, and the Random Encounters musical is a pretty fun experience.  Oh, and let’s not forget CMSPyrowolf’s Boot to the Head video.  That one’s a classic.

Best wishes to you, too!

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: *blink blink*  Really.  I wasn’t aware he had any of those.

My guess is that he spent the rest of his life in prison (or most of it, at least), and gradually came to appreciate the so-called “third-rate” people and realize they’re not all that different from himself.  That’s just a best-case scenario, though.  If he doesn’t kill that attitude of his soon, someone else might do it, and take him along with it.

Mod Paups: I used to be a big fan of Wellington when I first played Ace Attorney! But yeah, what Mod said... it’s probably that. *shrugs*

(Referenced Post)

Dear Anon,

Co-Mod: That’s correct.  Sorry if my previous response was misleading.  Thanks for clarifying that for everyone.

Dear Anon,

Co-Mod: *does some quick research to see who that is*  Yep, that’s pretty sad, all right.  It’s hard to imagine where our favorite ace characters and their story might go without him on the team, but miracles do happen, so I’m not prepared to accept this as the series’ end just yet.

I also just learned that Buddy Faith’s appearance reportedly modeled after him.  I think I speak for a lot of fans when I say we’re sorry to see you go, Buddy.

Mod Paups: Oh no... I actually had no idea about this, that’s quite sad. I really do hope someone else will take over to keep AA going as long as it can, I still want to see more...

Dear mungeondaster again,

Co-Mod: I hadn’t really thought much about it, but I could be convinced either way.  Whether Edgeworth was elected by his peers or hired by the Bar Association, his record speaks for itself, so who wouldn’t want him for that position?  Besides the criminals, I mean.

Dear mungeondaster again (again),

Mod Paups: Well, while I do understand your point, I would by no means call Godot a villain. Godot was a good man whose’s life began to get worse and worse by the seconds, and his antagonism was a byproduct of his situation and suffering. By what you’re saying, Blackquill could definitely be considered a villain as well. 

Now, to the last part of the question, I think maybe it’s time for a little change, to have like an actual villain prosecutor maybe? or maybe even an evil judge, that’d be a cool plot-twist in my opinion. I also wanna say, I do find characters like Blackquill or Nahyuta more appealing than Klavier, so I wouldn’t be mad if we got another one like them.

Co-Mod: I’ve always enjoyed seeing bad guys undergo a change of heart and eventually become good guys (or at least better guys), so if I had to choose, I’d go with a sympathetic prosecutor.  I also enjoy seeing a corrupt one get their just desserts as much as anyone, but if there’s any chance of them joining the side of justice, that's an even bigger win in my book.

And you’re welcome!

(Referenced Letter)

Dear skibot99,

Co-Mod: She only mentions “Bullets the Magic Cat” once in AJ:AA, if you examine the barrel of the revolver in Turnabout Serenade.  I couldn’t find any pictures of it, but you can find it in this game script on GameFAQS.com.  I’m surprised someone remembered that, to be honest.  Mod Paups: I... I actually cannot remember it myself... You really have to check every nook and cranny huh.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: No need to apologize for being human.  I still make mistakes on this blog fairly often, even after being here for roughly three years.  I’ve made my share of dumb moves too, for that matter.

Your modified letter should be posted by now (since I didn’t know of a way to change it and leave it in the inbox), so no worries.

Dear Starry,

Co-Mod: I’ve seen the drawings, and I have to say, they’re pretty amazing.  I always love anything artistically creative, especially in the form of fan art, so thank you for sharing it!  That kind of support goes both ways, so thanks for that, too.

-The Mods

#iamnotthensa #mungeondaster #Anonymous #skibot99 #doveofthedawn #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

Dear kuromajinevil,

Co-Mod: Thanks for letting us know.  I’ve changed the response to indicate that.  I’m still a little freaked out by them, but I like the art style.

(Previous Post)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: You set me up!  You set me up!!!  The Cheat, tell him that he set us up.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Thank you for explaining.  Even without having those stories for context, I find it somewhat believable that Ga’ran could have a hidden interest in something like the Mighty Moozilla.

Dear angry-blonde-ish,

Co-Mod: Thanks a bunch!

In return, I’d like to remind you (and everyone else following us) that it’s all of you who make it possible with your letters.  And compliments like this one, of course.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: I try to keep it T-rated, as indicated in our submission guidelines.  Like in the games, there’s the occasional bit of language, innuendo, or mild violence, but apart from that, I try to keep it clean.  If it ever seems like we’re taking it too far, please let us know.

Mod Kristoph: Exactly. We’re not DD. We’re clean...ish.

Mod Paups: I feel we do a good job mantaining stuff T-rated! but yeah, do let us know if something is too much.

Dear Tony,

Co-Mod: I try my best to answer questions like that as carefully as possible, especially if they’re about heavy topics that I’m unfamiliar with (i.e. mental illness, family issues, etc.).  If you feel like asking one of the characters for life advice, please feel free, but bear in mind that we aren’t professional counselors or therapists, so our answers aren’t guaranteed to provide the best advice.

Occasionally, I run across a letter I feel is either too personal or too complicated for me to give an answer to, so I play it safe and delete it.  We’re here to have fun, after all.

Mod Paups: I’ve answered a few that have been quite personal, and I try to not only put myself completely into the character, but I also do my best to be understanding and caring, I get what Co-Mod is saying but I feel some people may try to cope with heavy stuff with characters they admire, so that’s why I domy best to answer them with care <3.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Spoil R. Warning,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  I’m not sure why I didn’t do so in the first place.

Mod Paups: It’s ok, sometimes it flies by, but thank you for letting us know!

Dear ajanisapprentice,

Co-Mod: I think you might have, but I had to delete all but those three, since that’s one of my rules.

I don’t see a letter to the judge about Operation Turnabout, so feel free to send that one again if you really want an answer from His Honor.

Dear Inferno again,

Co-Mod: Absolutely!  Much as I’d hate to see Athena (or any good-hearted lawyer) suffer abuse, I’m as eager as a human being can get to see her get her own piece of the Ace Attorney pie (heck, I’ll even settle for one game with her as the central character at this point).  If Phoenix and Apollo can take on one civil and two abusive prosecutors each, then why not her?  Huh?  Why not, Capcom?

Mod Paups: I feel that in comparision to Nick and Apollo, Athena is much more hot-headed and might actually retaliate...

Dear Andrea,

Co-Mod: Possibly, but I think it might instead be the new “Franziska’s sick of cats,” if anyone still remembers that trend.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: That sounds fairly accurate, but let’s not forget that even Phoenix isn’t a perfect paragon of morality.  He’s a nice guy overall, but he’s been known to play “hook or crook” on occasion.

I'm not read up on the Green Lantern, so I can’t really say if he or any of the other characters would be worthy of the ring, but it just so happens there are some letters on that subject in the queue, so perhaps we’ll see.

Mod Kristoph: If anyone else would be worthy to join the Green Lantern Corp., it would definitely be Dhurke. I mean his motto is “A Dragon never yields.” If that’s not a strong will, I don’t know what is.

Dear Christianthepupbot,

Co-Mod: It hasn’t so far, but that’s mostly because I answer the vast majority of the letters.  They can always be rewritten whenever inconsistencies or other issues pop up, thankfully. 

Mod Paups: It has happened that we’ve accidentally answered the same ask, but we delete it as soon as we realize it, overall we try to organize things well.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anthony,

Co-Mod: I was just being silly before, but thanks for keeping our nerves in mind.  I hope none of the spiders you had to deal with were that big.  *shudder*

And once again, thank you (meaning you and every other submitter) for your letters!

-The Mods

#kuromajinevil #ajanisapprentice #Anonymous #angry blonde ish #Tony #a1tam0nt #rootingforthevillains #Christianthepupbot #iamnotthensa #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Kristoph #Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

(Previous Post)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: To each their own.  I love Trucy, too, but she’s a different kind of awesome from Athena -- more the “cute and perky little sister” kind.  They both have a personality you can’t help but love.

Dear springtime562,

Co-Mod: Can do!  Or not do, in this case.

(The Previous Letters)

(Puffyjiggles)

Dear sweetlaive3,

Co-Mod: That’s a fair point, and it’s true that we sometimes bend the rules a bit.  One reason for this is that I didn’t write most of them -- the Mod did -- so I’m not always entirely sure how to interpret them.

When it comes to game canon, sometimes we’re forced to create some (i.e. where Athena got her suit, Phoenix and Maya’s favorite burger joint, etc.) that the games didn’t provide.  That was the case with the Damon Gant letter, which was inspired by one of the Mod’s letter answers from 6 years ago, and with the von Karma letter, which was also one he answered.  Altering canon, on the other hand, means doing or saying something that would change how the games’ timeline occurred (i.e. telling Apollo and Trucy they’re related, telling Phoenix that his diary page is a forgery, etc.).  Admittedly, I’ve broken that rule by accident a few times, but that’s just a matter of human error.

As for the rule about real time results, I interpret that as meaning characters can’t answer letters while other things are grabbing their attention, such as a bomb going off or an escape from Khura’inese officals.  On that note, the rule about writing a letter on paper can be ignored if you’re pretending to be one of the characters talking to another -- speaking in person, phone calls, and other forms of communication are okay in that case.

I make it a goal to answer as many letters as possible while still adhering to the rules, but sometimes I’ll bend them a little if the letter is believable enough.  Also, as I’ve mentioned before, I keep a copy of each letter I delete, so if you haven’t seen yours in over a month, feel free to ask if that’s what happened to it.  I hope that makes things a little clearer.

Dear mungeondaster,

Co-Mod: Heaven forbid...literally.

Mod Paups: Unless the next game has a prosecutor who can channel spirits... I don’t think that will happen.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Thanks for the clarification!  That’s just one of the many references I’ve missed on this blog.

Mod Paups: I still have to play MGS, so thank you for letting us know!

Dear springtime562,

Co-Mod: Sorry!  It’s a force of habit when I see the “anonymous please” hashtag.

Dear skibot99,

Co-Mod: 

Unfortunately, I came to this blog a few years after it was begun by the Ace Admin, and the other moderators joined up after me, so none of us can really answer those questions.  As for the Mod, he’s still around, but he hasn’t shown up for a while.  Here’s hoping he makes another appearance soon.

All I know for sure is that he’s the one who played the biggest role in bringing this blog to its current level of popularity, mostly because he knows his Ace Attorney.  The addition of the Dai Gyakuten Saiban cast might have helped some as well, but other than that, I’d say we just found a good fan base to do fan business with.

I have to credit to the others moderators too, of course.  They’ve all got some serious writing talent.  So do a lot of you, by the way.

Dear Trearoos,

Co-Mod: Thanks for the context.  Here’s one of those letters so everyone can see what you’re talking about:

I’m not familiar with Ni No Kuni, but as a fan of open world games (not the least of which is still Breath of the Wild), I can honestly say I’m intrigued.

-The Mods

#ajanisapprentice #springtime562 #sweetlaive3 #mungeondaster #Anonymous #skibot99 #Trearoos #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

Hey guys! Mod Kristoph here. Now, we had some plans for April Fools’ Day but we just received word that a mass prison break has taken place in LA and Khura’in. As such, we’ll have to postpone the event until the villains have been-

...

...

Wait, what are you doing here?

...

You’re not even alive! How are you possibly-ack!

Hello everyone. You all know who I am. I’m here to inform you that this is my blog now. The other Ace Attorney villains have taken care of Co-Mod, Mod Paups and Mod Maya while I’ve handled Mod Kristoph, here. 

We’ll be answering all the letters today. Don’t bother expecting responses from anyone else. They’ll just be answered by one of us.

Don’t worry about the Mods. We won’t kill them...yet.

Have fun!

-Dahlia Hawthorne

#April Fools #mod post #mod kristoph #co-mod #mod paups #mod maya #villain takeover #ace attorney

[askaceattorney]

Dear AnthonyDeadman,

Co-Mod: Thanks for bringing that up.  I made sure to update the rule about games not released in the U.S. before making that announcement.  Also, I didn’t realize what you meant by the “very first rule” until I saw this letter:

I must be getting slower than Sebastian Debeste.

In any case, thanks a bunch for the compliments about our blog!  We’ll keep giving it our best shot.

Mod Maya: Aww thank you! And yes, I definitely agree with that.

Mod Kristoph: Well thank you! I’m certainly trying my hardest here.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod:

Sorry if I missed something there.

Dear thered498cp,

(Previous Letter)

Co-Mod: Yay, finally a mistake that wasn’t mine!

Mod Kristoph: ...guilty as charged, here.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Ali S. Fakenamington,

Co-Mod: That one was mine.  Sorry.

Dear arrosh Hellscream Anon,

Co-Mod: Gotcha.  We’ll keep that in mind when we get to your letter.

Dear angry-blonde-ish,

Dang...  That’d be an ending of biblical proportions, wouldn’t it?

AHA AHA AHA AHA AHA AHA

For real, though, I could see that being an interesting take on the series, where every character ever established, living or dead, has a role to play.  I’d cough up quite a bit to see how it played out.  I know which side would win, of course, but I’d still love to see the entirety of the Ace Attorney taking part in one glorious, decisive battle.  It’d be like an Ace Attorney Smash Bros.

I better stop there before I over-hype myself.

(Referenced Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Thanks for bringing that up -- I somehow forgot about that rule.  It hasn’t changed, though, so fan fiction will continue to remain off-limits.

In this case, I decided against letting Pearl react to it since she’s only a child and the story contained mature content (besides the fact that she’d probably hate it anyway).

Mod Maya: Sorry to add on but do you mean for Pearl to generally answer letters more often? I don’t see any letters addressed to her in the inbox, iirc.

(Link in Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: That’s very touching, but I can’t quite imagine Klavier knowing how to make a vending machine work right.  It seems more likely to me that he’d find something to break the glass with.

-The Mods

#AnthonyDeadman #Anonymous #thered498cp #Ali S. Fakenamington #arrosh Hellscream Anon #angry blonde ish #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups #Mod Maya #Mod Kristoph

[askaceattorney]

Dear thezcmme,

Co-Mod: It’s actually gotten quite a bit shorter since I started here.  It now takes somewhere between two and three months.  It’s a great time to get your asks in!

(Please don’t use that as an excuse to spam our inbox, though.)

Dear thezcmme again,

Co-Mod: Good question.  At this point, I actually sort of hope they don’t make one, since it practically exists already.  I guess we’ll just cross that path when we get to it.  (Get it?)

(Previous Letter)

Dear Trearoos, guquis, and skibot99,

Co-Mod: Thanks for letting me know...again.

(Link in Letter)

Dear skibot99,

Co-Mod: Hey, at least you’re not obsessed enough to try running the blog yourself.  Sometimes I wonder if I spend too much time talking and writing about Ace Attorney.  It’s a beautiful series, but there’s still real life to think about every now and then.

I agree that that Godot/Jake parallel is shaky at best.  For one thing, Jake’s a lot more friendly overall, and for another, he didn’t lose a lover like Godot did (unless there was something between him and Lana we don’t know about).  One big comparison I can see is that they both lost someone close to them and made some irrational decisions as a result, but I sure wouldn’t have picked up on that comparison on my own.

And if I could rewrite one thing about Ace Attorney...I’d add in a beach ball after Mia’s murder.

Dear skibot99 again,

Co-Mod: If you’re referring to the Frequently Asked Questions page, I’ve already encouraged them to add their answers, so hopefully we’ll be seeing them at some point.  If it’s the Mod letters you’re referring to, I’ve been doing my best to get every new Mod’s responses in, but they all live in different places, so sometimes I have to push ahead without them.  Not that I want to, of course, but just so you guys won’t have to wait any longer than you already do.

Mod Paups: If you are talking about the faq, I forgot about that...I'll try to get on it though! 

Dear BadnesstheHuman,

Co-Mod: We are not having this conversation.

Mod Maya: ;-;

Mod Paups: no!! I love all the mods they are all cool ^w^ but thank you ;o

Mod Kristoph: Well...

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Very sorry about that!  One of the other Mods forgot to cut out the name and icon, so I replaced the picture but forgot to change the names in the letter.  I’ll try to keep a closer watch on that.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: Yup.  I can’t be the only one who wants to play Dai Gyauten Saiban and its sequel for himself.

Mod Maya: Only hopping on to say that I would sell my left leg for DGS, thanks,

Dear scineven,

Co-Mod: I first discovered the Ace Attorney series when I read Matthew Taranto’s miniseries Turnabout Kirby in his webcomic Brawl in the Family.  This eventually made me curious enough to check out the games, so I watched some playthroughs of the first game and before long, I started falling in love with the characters, the game’s unique mechanics, and the series as a whole.

I don’t remember many details about how I found this blog (I remember that it started with a Google search), but I’m sure glad I did.  I was thrilled to see that the Mod (the only moderator at the time) made an effort to respond to every letter that was sent to it, and even more thrilled when he finally answered one from me.  It’s quite a treat to be able to talk to characters in a series like this one, even if it’s actually a fellow fan pretending to be them.

I started playing one fan case for a short while, but never made the time to finish it up.  I’ll be sure to share my thoughts I have about any that I manage to make it all the way through when I get around to playing them.

Mod Kristoph: I was first introduced to Ace Attorney through the fan made video series Turnabout Storm, a crossover between Ace Attorney and My Little Pony. (Yeah, I’m a brony. Come at me.) I just gradually got interested in the series from there.

I’ve played several fan cases online. I’ve even come up with my own top 10 list of them. 10. Turnabout Trickery, 9. Turnabout Substitution, 8. Turnabout Imperfect, 7. Turnabout Tomorrow, 6. Curiosity of a Turnabout, 5. Turnabout Curtain, 4. Turnabout of Courage, 3. Two Sides of the Same Turnabout, 2. The Dragon’s Turnabout, 1. A Turnabout to El Dorado. Plus, the fangames Contempt of Court and Conflict of Interest are great too.

Thanks for the welcome!

Mod Maya: 

1. When I started college, Dual Destinies was just releasing. My new friends also happened to like video games, and both happened to be Ace Attorney fans, so they were really telling me to get into it. I tried the demo, absolutely adored Athena, and here I am today.

2. I have not! I do want to write my own one of these days.

Mod Paups: I discovered the series when I stumbled with a Damon Gant sprite!! It made me so curious because I loved (and still love) his design that I started playing the games. 

As for fan made cases I haven't actually played any but I remember that when I was a bit younger I made one fan case! It was more of a story than anything else. 

Dear Certainly Bobby Fulbright,

Co-Mod: I know this wasn’t addressed to me, but...

Mod Maya: Ty! I’ve not been keeping up lately but I’ll do my best~ I love anything nutella flavored! Though I’d die to try something sea salt flavored--Glaceon for sure, any fox-ish pokemon are all my favorite. (My best friend’s favorite is also Snorlax!)

Mod Paups: I know this isn't for me but I can't help but answer! I love loove chocolate, bubblegum and cookie flavors! As for pokes I have too many but my favorite types are in this order: Ghost, Dark, Bug, grass, water, psychic and fighting!

Mod Kristoph: Thanks for the welcome! I think I’ve been off to a slow start but I’m getting the hang of it. My favorite ice cream is definitely mint chocolate chip. Delicious! And my favorite pokemon type is probably ghost.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Inferno,

Mod Paups: I don't think he says he doesn't want one, but it's more that he doesn't plan to retire anytime soon. 

(Previous Letter)

Dear BadnesstheHuman,

Mod Kristoph: Heh. Thanks! I kinda took their scoring with a grain of salt since I’m new and I have no idea what their scoring system was. I think I’m getting the hang of things in any case.

-The Mods

#thezcmme #Trearoos #guquis #skibot99 #Anonymous #ajanisapprentice #scnineven #Certainly Bobby Fulbright #BadnesstheHuman #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups #Mod Maya #Mod Kristoph #Mod Commentary #By the way thanks for suddenly changing our background color Tumblr

[askaceattorney]

Dear rogertheegg,

Co-Mod: That letter was still in the queue when you sent this one.  It’s been answered now, though!  You never know when your letter might be the next one to get answered, huh?

I don’t have any plans to add or remove any Mods at the moment, but I can’t predict the future either, so...we’ll see.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Inferno,

Co-Mod: I’m with you there.  Even if we don’t see any interaction between the two weapon-wielding prosecutors, just seeing a 3D, older Franziska would be a glorious sight.  Well, for most people.

Dear Phoenix,

Co-Mod:

Dear Certainly Bobby Fulbright,

Co-Mod: Is that even a question?

Besides being the coolest, cleverest, prettiest, and most delightful character in the series, Athena is someone I can imagine having all sorts of conversations with -- how she battled her way through her crippling fear of being unheard, how she stays so positive and energetic, what her folks in Europe are like, etc. etc.  Not to mention I’d give anything to have her run a therapy session on me.  I may not have witnessed any murders, but I’m sure I could use a little psychological insight from someone with ears (and a heart) like hers.

I’m not really sure what a “dream case” would be for me.  In fact, Turnabout Time Traveler was pretty much the best thing I can imagine -- a case that brought back (quite appropriately, given the title) the sort of witty humor, lovable characters, and crazy plot twists that the first game gave us while mixing in some new elements (the “critical thought process” part near the end, for example).  If I were to construct my own ideal case, it’d probably do something similar, such as having Trucy work as the legal assistant again, or maybe even bringing back Edgeworth’s “Logic” technique during investigations.  I always enjoy seeing how well old gameplay elements mix in with new ones, especially with this series.

Mod Maya: Ooh that’s tough. Simon Blackquill is my favorite so he’s probably who I would pick, but Athena would be really fun to hang out with. 

A dream case would be something really sweet and fun, kind of like those ridiculous non canon side stories, but something a bit more thought out with no high stakes.

Mod Paups: Oh I don't know!! There's so many characters I'd to hang out with, the first two that come to mind are Damon Gant and Simon Keyes, but that's because they seem so interesting to me, if not I'd say Dick Gumshoe or anyone in Wright's agency, they all seem like a cool bunch! 

As to a dream case... I honestly don't know I guess a dream case for me would be to see previous convicted characters help the main cast, kinda like with Frank Sahwit ^^

Mod Kristoph: I’d probably want to hang out with Trucy the most. She’s cute, bubbly, energetic, and her magic tricks would be fun to watch. (Just as long as I don’t have to be a volunteer.)

As for my dream case, I’d love for another returning villain. Any returning villain would do.

Dear Skibot99,

Co-Mod: That doesn’t happen very often, but I usually ignore that part of the letter, or have the character correct the mistake in some way.  I realize there’s a lot of tiny, easily forgotten details in the Ace Attorney series, so don’t feel embarrassed for misremembering any of it.  I’ve done that plenty of times myself.

Dear skibot99,

Co-Mod: That’s been suggested before, and I’m starting to think it might be a good idea, considering how unpleasant some of those endings are.  If anyone else wants to second that idea, we can start using #Bad Ending or something similar for those letters.

Also, I think you might have a doppelganger unless that was your letter above this one.

(Previous Letter)

Dear guquis,

Co-Mod: Thanks!  I got confused because the previous letter was to Nahyuta, but Apollo’s name was right there in front of me, so...yeah.

Dear Anonymous,

Co-Mod: Letters about that case aren’t currently allowed, but I'll admit you’re making it sound pretty enticing.  I’ll run that idea by the other Mods, and we’ll see if that’s a train worth riding.  In any case, thank you for the offer!

(Fast forward a few days)

We all seem to be neutral on this idea, so it looks like we’ll leave it on the table for now, but we’ll definitely keep it in mind.  Your letter did spark the conversation about allowing letters to DGS characters, though, so thanks for sending it!

Dear sinyove,

Co-Mod: Sorry to hear that, Detective.  Nice job with the anagrams, by the way!  For anyone who didn’t catch it, they spell “anagram” and “Detective James Itater.”  I almost missed the second one.

(Previous Letter)

Co-Mod: Sorry, but you can only write to characters that were established in one or more of the games.  That’s definitely a good question, though -- I didn’t think about that when I answered that letter.  Maybe she just got lucky and the teacher forgot that part of the test?  I dunno.

Mod Maya: I think the driving teacher just didn’t want to subject theirself to that kind of torture again--

Mod Paups: You guys are so mean!! Maybe she actually passed the test! Or maybe Wright payed him to say that

Mod Kristoph: Eh, sorry Mod Paups, but I think the two of them are correct. I mean if Phoenix can’t drive, then neither can Athena. That’s just common sense.

-The Mods

#rogertheegg #ajanisapprentice #Anonymous #Certainly Bobby Fulbright #skibot99 #guquis #sinyove #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups #Mod Maya #Mod Kristoph

[askaceattorney]

Dear Sinless,

I have no idea where that came from, for one thing.  I’m neither almighty nor all-knowing, but I appreciate the praise (even if it’s supposed to be sarcastic -- I can’t really tell).

Dear sinyove,

You look familiar...

Anyway, that’s a good question.  Sweating isn’t something you just forget how to do, so I imagine AJ Phoenix still sweats in nervous situations, just not as often since he isn’t involved in courtroom proceedings.  Plus he works at a cold restaurant, so that’s probably helped to cool him down a little.

Dear sinyove again,

Sorry, but there’s no way for us to do that without answering it right away, so we’ll probably have to leave it as it was.  We’ll change it if we remember, though.

(Song in Letter)

Dear CreatorOfSinyove,

That’s a pretty cool mashup, but I’m a little confused as to why you wanted me to call you by a different name.  You can always send letters with whatever name you want if you log out of your account first.  (Please forgive me if I’m missing something obvious here.)

Dear Ethan Starbright,

Cute!  Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the play, so sorry for not getting the references.

Dear Ethan Starbright, 

I'm not sure how I feel about Dahlia being Eliza... But a more important question, does that make Miles Burr? Or maybe Godot? 

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

I wasn’t sure if this was meant for Phoenix or for us, so I’ll go ahead and answer it.  He’s saying he wouldn’t hire Shelly de Killer because he himself would end Kristoph.  You’d better hope and pray we never have to see that timeline.

Dear skibot99,

It’s hard to say since I enjoy just about all of them, but my least favorite case is probably Turnabout Big Top.  The characters were charming, but the story was slow-going, and the contradictions were way too hard to figure out sometimes.

Incidentally, my favorite case is Turnabout Time Traveler.  It delighted me to see that the writers at Capcom still had it in them to make such a fun and imaginative legal adventure for Phoenix and Maya after all these years, and that neither of them had last their edge as clever and quirky crime-solvers.  I also happen to be a homeless hopeless romantic, and the idea of a man rescuing his bride from certain death (and the two of them continuing to love each other despite his anterograde amnesia) was incredibly touching for me.  In the words of Huey Lewis, “The power of love is a curious thing.”

Dear skibot99,

I honestly don't think I have a least favorite case, because maybe in one case I dislike how the story is proceeding (very slow or confusing), but I may find the characters very interesting, and vice versa.

However, my favorite case would have to be Rise from the ashes or any case from AAI2.

Dear skibot99 again,

I haven’t really seen enough of the anime to judge it as a whole, but from what I’ve seen of it, it’s definitely worth watching.  I'd have to say that I prefer the games overall -- though, to be fair, I’d probably say that about any cartoon based on a game -- but the music, voice-acting, and animation are all pretty spectacular, and I love how many extra details it includes that would’ve been practically impossible to fit into the original trilogy games.  The adaptation from game to anime is fantastic as well, but I definitely prefer the English dubs over the Japanese ones.  Japanese is a lovely language, but hearing the characters speak English, rather than only seeing it, opens the series up to a much wider audience, and you’ve gotta love that.

Speaking of Japan, I’d say the best change to the storyline is having Phoenix and company actually live there instead of America, so we no longer have to wonder where all the Japanese culture is coming from or call it “Japanifornia” -- true, that inconsistency has made for some hilarious jokes, but at least now things make a little more sense.

As for the worst storyline change, it was sort of disappointing for me that Phoenix and Maya’s first encounter was so short -- they didn’t even say anything to each other until he visited her in prison.  It was still pretty sweet, but Maya’s introduction of herself to Phoenix was one of my favorite parts of the game, so I was sad to see that cut out of the anime.  I’ve never attempted to turn a video game into an anime, though, so I can let it go.

I do have to wonder why they thought they needed more than ten policemen to arrest Frank Sahwit, though...

Dear Bruce Goodman,

Aw, crud...  I accidentally smudged an important part of this letter.  And it was sent to us over a year ago, wasn’t it?  Sheesh, I’m getting clumsy...

In all serious, I prefer not to show the names of real-life politicians on this blog, but I hope you can put that information to good use.

Dear Anonymous,

Let’s see...

Yep, that’s a pretty uncanny resemblance, but I think it’s just coincidence.  I can’t imagine his mom letting him take on that sort of role, even if he had a stunt double.

(Picture in the Final Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

I hate to spoil all your hard work, but I’m afraid I don’t know which image link you’re referring to (unless you meant this one).  Could you please clarify?

(Previous Letter)

Dear M,

Thanks a bunch, first of all.  There’s a lot to be said about the Royal Family of Khura’in (plus I tend to ramble anyway), so I did my best to keep it short.

Secondly, you’ve raised some good points.  I sort of snuck in the comparison to the Hawthorne twins at the last minute, so I didn’t give it as much thought as I probably should have.  It’d be more accurate for me to say that I thought she was that she was too meek to disobey her sister (in fact, I went ahead and rewrote it that way in the essay).

I'm a huge fan of Iris, by the way, and I agree that she can be strong when the need arises, but there are at least a few things that led me to believe she still has a bad habit of caving in to pressure from others.  First, while she never actually obeyed Dahlia, she chose to do whatever was necessary to keep her crimes a secret, rather than making the harder but wiser decision of turning her in to the police.  Second, she was willing to cooperate with someone she barely knew (Godot), even to the point of taking a dead body and impaling it with a statue’s sword -- that took some guts, I’ll admit, but it also landed her in prison.  And third, she was willing to take the fall for everyone involved in the plan to stop Dahlia in case something went wrong.  Whether she decided to do that out of guilt for her past sins, or for some other reason, it was still highly questionable at best.  Take the blame for a murder I didn’t commit and let Godot have his way?  Sure, why not?

All that being said, I also believe that she managed to forgive herself after everything was out in the open.  Most of Iris’s responses were written by someone else (the ones with lowercase tags were written by the Mod), but I guess I have sort of portrayed her as still feeling guilty about her masquerade, and that does seem a bit out of character now that you mention it, so I’ll try to keep that in mind for future letters to her.  Thanks for bringing it up.

Also, while we’re on this subject, this comparison reminded me of this letter that I sent back before I was a moderator.  It’s sort of heartwarming, isn’t it?

(You were so sweet sometimes, Mod...  *sniffle*)

-Co-Mod and Mod Paups

#sinyove #ethan starbright #anonymous #skibot99 #m. artin #bruce goodman #mod post #co mod #mod paups

[askaceattorney]

Co-Mod: Dear Fellow Mods,

Just ignore them.  You’re all doin’ fine.

Mod Paups: I'm not even sure how that grading is supposed to work... 

Dear 1998,

Mod Kristoph: Ha! Joke’s on you! I wasn’t old enough to remember that stuff in 1998!

Mod Paups: I wasn't even born by then, I don't know any of these songs ^^'' 

(Previous Letter)

Dear starry-nightengale and zakattacker,

Co-Mod: My mistake!  It’s been a while since I played T&T, but that was just a pitiful error on my part.  I deserve a penalty for that one.

(Previous Letter)

Dear jnv11,

Co-Mod: Aaaaand there’s another pitiful error.  Sheesh, what would I do without you guys?

Dear Anon,

Co-Mod: Yeah, I’m very sorry about that, but it’s just something we’ll have to get used to now that there are four of us here.  I’ve been doing my best to train the newcomers on this blog’s best practices for letter-answering, but there’s bound to be a few errors along the way.  Not to mention at least one of them is a mobile user, so getting things to look right is at least twice as hard for them.

Mod Maya: Oh I’ve been trying to follow the screenshot format o: I don’t think there’s anything I’ve missed...?

Mod Kristoph: I’m probably the guilty party here. I’m trying to get used to the screenshot formatting and I think I have it now.

Mod Paups: I could probably be at fault of these too, I do try to follow the pc looking style than the mobile one, but I guess I can miss. 

(The Previous Letters)

Co-Mod: Yeah, so, about that...  I’m not sure what’s going on in the first case (they appear as greatly enlarged pictures on my computer), but the second one shouldn’t happen anymore -- I’ve notified all the moderators about how to properly capture letters now.

Again, using different devices results in different appearances (thanks a lot, technology), but I’ll do what I can to make sure we can keep all our letters in a uniform style (or as close as we can get).

Dear skibot99,

Co-Mod: That definitely sounds like a good idea, and I’ll keep that in mind during break periods like that, but part of the reason I decided to hire three more Mods is so at least one of us can be here to answer letters (even if we end up having to slow down the pace a little).  I myself am a college graduate, but I still have a pretty busy schedule, so try not to be disappointed if we have to go on hiatus every now and then.

Mod Kristoph: As a busy college student, it would probably work pretty well if we do that.

Mod Paups: That actually sounds like a great idea to me! 

Dear Ethan,

Co-Mod: Way to be!  Welcome to one of the craziest places on the internet.  And I mean that in a good way (mostly).

Mod Kristoph: Hello to you, sir!

(Link in Letter)

Co-Mod: Thanks!  It's been me playing chess as Dogen, by the way.  The only problem now is that the sender of those letters might try the same strategy.  That’s what I get for revealing my strategy, I guess.

Dear Christianthepupbot,

Co-Mod: Good question.  I was going to say Mod Phoenix, but I’d probably go with Mod Apollo, since I’m in a very similar position to him right now -- trying to balance my schedule between a hundred different things every day.  I’m not complaining, of course.

Mod Kristoph: But then again, it would be kinda weird having a mod named after his former boss join alongside him in this server, wouldn’t it?

-The Mods

#Anonymous #starry nightengale #zakattacker #Anon #Alidia #Christianthepupbot #sunkistsenpai #apertureratt #skibot99 #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups #Mod Maya #Mod Kristoph

[askaceattorney]

(Links in the Letter)

Dear kuromajinevil,

Both at once, my friend.  For those who don’t know, Auryn and Scarlet Study are the individuals who created the English fan translations for Prosecutor’s Path and The Great Ace Attorney, respectively (I didn’t know that myself until I looked it up just now).  That sort of dedication to a video game series is an absolute joy and inspiration to fans like me.

(Previous Letter)

Dear Anonymous,

The letter before that one was sent to Apollo before his trip to Khura’in in AA6, so it only made sense to keep it in that time frame for this letter.  Otherwise it would mean a huge time skip happened, and he probably would’ve forgotten about the first letter by then.

I’ll go ahead and write what he might have said after SoJ in case you’re curious about it, though:

“That’s a good point, I guess, but it’d probably need a few more fighting sequences and car chases before it’d be marketable.”

(Previous Letter)

Dear astralshiver,

Ahhhhh, of course.  A recipe for disastrous turnabouts, in other words.  Thanks for explaining that to me.

Also, yeah, sorry for glossing over that part of your question.  I’m not sure who the most popular side character is, but unless I’m mistaken, the reigning champion appears to be Klavier Gavin, with a whopping 78 pages of letters involving him.  If he sounds too “main” to be a side character, there’s also Shelly de Killer with 46 pages.  Oddly enough, the Butz is tied with him there.

I’m not sure how I feel about that.

I definitely love AJ’s Pursuit theme and both of the Mood Matrix’s tunes, and I think they’re both awesome for their respective contexts, but so far, no song has impacted me the same way as Keep Pressing On.  It’s both powerful and energetic enough to make me want to start cheering for the defense (and even start clapping along to the beat), especially when it starts playing right after the tide turns in their favor.  The other songs you mentioned are also great ones, but I generally prefer fast-paced tunes that engage the mind and the ears all at once.  Speaking of which, I forgot how beautiful the piano sounds in the Mood Matrix songs.

And thank you again for the encouraging words!  They’re always a big help.

Dear scnineven,

You know, that’s actually a good argument.  The Mod came up with that rule before I was here, saying the Asinine Attorney episodes were “non-canon window dressing,” but now that you mention it, none of those categories are canon either, so...

Would anyone have any objections to them being answered here?  I’ll gladly do it as long as everyone remembers to treat it as non-canon.

I did play those episodes, by the way.  They’re pretty hilarious.

Dear Anonymous,

It’s sort of strange, now that you mention it -- I like seeing the number of letters in the inbox decrease, since it means submitters can see their letters answered sooner, but I don’t actually want it to reach zero.  It’s sort of a “moderator paradox” in that sense.

No need to feel bad about it, though.  For one thing, I don’t answer every question that comes through -- just the ones that don’t break the rules or have a potential to cause problems.  Secondly, I finally have some help!  Mod Paups is here to provide some much-needed support, and I couldn’t be happier for both of us!

Dear Christianthepupbot,

Glad you asked!  There were a total of four applicants, and believe me when I saw it was a very tough decision to make -- they were all dedicated fans of the series, and they all submitted very good answers to the test questions I gave them.  My biggest reason for choosing Mod Paups was her sheer enthusiasm for Ace Attorney, as well as for this blog.  I’m betting it’ll serve her well here.

My least favorite kind of letter is one that includes a huge list of questions, or requires a bunch of research to answer accurately.  Not that I mind learning things, of course, but it bugs me when I have to take over fifteen minutes to answer one letter.  That isn’t meant to discourage people from sending letters of this sort -- I just prefer it when they’re kept on the short side.

Also, as mentioned before, I’m still going by the name “Co-Mod,” even if I’m sort of the head honcho around here now.  Once a Co-Mod, always a Co-Mod.

(Dang it, why didn’t I pick something cleverer?)

Dear Dillian,

Well, I somehow skipped over your letter, so I guess we’re even.  Also...

Can someone tell me why Phoenix needs a holiday to receive abuse?

(Previous Letter)

Dear Inferno,

It was me, and yes, it was Engarde who blackmailed someone for the last time.  That’s what he got for betraying someone who murdered a star, kidnapped a girl, and injured three police offers for him.  Quite the jerk, isn’t he?

Dear jnv11,

Taken care of.

Dear Inferno,

It's my pleasure to keep this blog going, I'm sure I'll enjoy it here, thank you!

Dear BadnesstheHuman,

Oh I'm glad she's your favorite! I sure hope to do her justice ^^ nice to meet you!

Dear Certainly Bobby Fulbright,

I chose Lauren Paups because I feel its a character that I really connect to, besides that I just love her character design and personality.

I was originally going to choose Modot or Mod Meele, but for some reason Lauren came to mind and I chose her instead, and I'm very happy I did. ^^ Thank you for the warm welcoming!

-Co-Mod and Mod Paups

P.S. More answers from Mod Paups are on the way.  Thanks for your patience!

#kuromajinevil #Anonymous #astralshiver #scnineven #Christianthepupbot #Dillian #jnv11 #ajanisapprentice #BadnesstheHuman #Certainly Bobby Fulbright #Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Paups

[askaceattorney]

Turnabout Goodbyes (again)

Brace yourselves -- this is gonna be long one.

Dear Followers,

Whew...  We made it through another year somehow.  Congratulations to everyone who’s still mentally in one piece -- I’m just barely there myself.  There’s nothing like the holidays, a pandemic, employee shortages, inflation, and a severe lack of human interaction to make you sweat, is there?

Thankfully, that only partly describes the world we live in.  As you know if you watched my 11th parting gift (and I don’t blame you if you didn’t, ‘cause it was admittedly kinda odd), I’m a strong believer in holding onto hope, not just because it makes life somewhat easier and more enjoyable, but because it’s the ones who hold onto hope until the bitter end who find success in life.  You don’t have to be a lawyer, an Ace Attorney fan, or a gamer at all, to see the proof of that.

I realize that doesn’t mean holding onto hope is easy, of course.  From the time I began on this blog until now, I’ve gained a total of four jobs and lost three of them, not because I was incompetent, but because of the simple fear of being incompetent (in other words, I quit them for various reasons, the biggest one being impostor syndrome).  I’ve also dealt with a fair amount of physical and emotional ailments, including chronic anxiety and depression (yeah, me too), a lack of energy, and a vitamin deficiency that made both of those issues worse.  I’m not saying all this to draw attention to my problems, of course -- in fact, I’d say I’ve had it pretty good overall -- but to show that I’m familiar with the difficulty of holding onto hope in a hopeless-seeming situation.  We don’t have the luxury of saving and reloading our game in the real world, unfortunately.

The good news is (here we go again), holding onto hope is, in my opinion, the biggest reason why I and so many others have been able to plow through these and other rough situations.  There are times when hope seems as visible as the world around you, times when it’s harder to see it, and times where you could be convinced that it only exists in your mind, but not once have I lost anything by holding onto hope or gained anything by letting go of it.  In fact, some of my biggest regrets happened when I decided to let it go.

So, while I can’t know exactly what you’re going through, I can say without a doubt that as long as you’re alive, sound of mind, and willing to make an effort, you have every chance in the world of achieving whatever it is you’re hoping for, whether it’s a good job, a better life situation, a steady loving relationship, clarity of thought, confidence, justice, or a better world to live in.  As long as you have those three things in place, there’s no excuse for letting go of hope, so...

Was it not Adam West who once said, “E--

“Enough with the philosophical mumbo-jumbo already!  Just get on with the thanking part!”

...You’re right.  Sorry for getting carried away.

(Sheesh, it’s not like this is my final speech or anything, right?)

So, I was hoping to have some kind of final project prepared now that I’m finally making my departure from the de Modder clan, but I got hit with a little insomnia right around the end of the year, so it looks like that’ll have to wait for now.  In the meantime, I believe some thanks are in order.  There’s no way on earth I could’ve pulled something like this off on my own, after all, so...

Thank you to CAPCOM for creating Ace Attorney, a game series that somehow gave us lessons about life, the truth, and justice through the stories of anime lawyers.

Thank you to the Ace Admin for creating this blog, and to the Mod for bringing it to its current level of popularity.  I know I’m not the only one who’s grateful to both of you for using your talents to make Ace Attorney that much more enjoyable for its fanbase.

Thank you to the Modthorne for suggesting that I apply for a Mod position during the Mod’s first audition...then allowing me to join up after I didn’t.  X )

Thank you to Mod Paups, Mod Maya, and Mod Vera for the help you provided while you were here.  Once again, best of luck in your future endeavors.

Thank you to Mod Kristoph, Mod Edgeworth, and Mod Justice for all the work you’ve done.  Trust me when I say it came at just the right time.

Thank you to the Tumblr staff for creating a platform that makes this sort of blog possible.  And also for including hashtags.  I love those.

Thank you to podcaster and writer Matt Walsh for your advice on striking a balance between boldness and sensitivity.

Thank you to God Almighty for giving this chance to spread some of His joy and laughter here.

Aaaaaaaaand of course...thank you to every single one of you.  Whether you’ve written one or more letters to this blog, liked or commented on any of them, offered some advice or correction, or simply stopped by to peruse our little puppet show, thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking part in it.  Whether you meant to or not, you helped to make it what it is.

And now, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to say a few fictitious final words to the gang here.

To Phoenix Wright: Never stop defending the innocent.

“Of course.”

To Maya Fey: Never stop being awesome.

“Couldn’t if I wanted to!”

To Miles Edgeworth: Never stop pursuing the truth.

”Naturally.”

To Pearl Fey: Never stop being adorable.

”Thank you, Mr. Co-Mod!”

To Trucy Wright: Never stop amazing people.

“Can do!”

To Apollo Justice: Never yield.

“Sure thing.”

To Athena Cykes: Never stop being yourself.

“You know it!”

To Ema Skye: Never stop learning.

“Thanks!  You either.”

To Dick Gumshoe: Never stop being dependable.

“You got it, pal!”

To Franziska von Karma: Never stop aiming for perfection.

“Hmph...  I would not dare.”

To Sister Iris: Never stop becoming a better person.

“Hmm...  Thank you.”

To Dahlia Hawthorne: Um...............  Good luck out there?

“..........................”

And...sorry for the harsh treatment.  I guess not all of it was deserved.

“.........”

To Godot: Keep a cool head.

“That’s one of my rules.”

Of course it is.

To Ibuki Mioda: ...

...Wait, what are you doing here?

“...?”

Ah, well.  Best of luck to you, I guess.

And with that, I must bid you adieu.

Or if you’d rather have a GIF with a few more frames...

I still have a few essays to finish (as well as a final project), so I won’t be completely gone, but my days of answering character letters and Mod letters have finally reached their end.

It’s been a blast, everyone.  Thank you for sharing it with me.

Sincerely,

-James “Co-Mod” C.

#Mod Post #Co Mod #Mod Commentary #Thanks for everythin' y'all! #Hold onto hope!