Only one name strikes fear into the hearts of evildoers everywhere: Phoenix Wright, ace attorney. Join Phoenix Wright and his adorable assistant Maya–plus Miles Edgeworth, Detective Gumshoe, Franziska von Karma, and others–as they investigate twenty intriguing cases. And find out why Phoenix Wright has devoted his life to fighting injustice!
By CAPCOM
Publisher: Del Rey Manga
Age Rating: Teen
Genre: Mystery;Video Game Adaptation
Price: $14.95 (OOP)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I think it is safe to say my kids can influence my reading habits. Some people might say it’s good that I’m looking into what my kids are reading and playing. I’ve been reading the web comic Homestuck after they told me about it. And now, after my oldest daughter discovered the Phoenix Wright Nintendo DS video games, and basically told me the whole plot of them, I am now reading the Phoenix Wright manga. I read the first volume of the ongoing series of Phoenix Wright, and didn’t find it appealing from a mystery-lovers perspective. But having gotten this title for her, I decided to read it and see if it could win me over as the ongoing couldn’t. And it did so, in spades!
This volume is a thick 304-page anthology with 20 different stories written and drawn by 20 different artists, as well as 4-koma strips that appear between chapters. Like each creator, each story is different, some being cases, some looking at the characters relationships, and some just going completely meta! The first story, “Progress Toward Tomorrow” has Nick looking inward, trying to answer a simple question posed by Maya; Why did he decide to become a defense attorney? It’s a really nice story that has Nick questioning his reason and motives, and ultimately his effectiveness as a defense attorney. Fortunately for him, Miles is there to slap some sense into him, and get him out of his self-doubt. It was a nice story validating Nick’s choices and his friendships.
“Turnabout Kitten”, “Spirit Medium or Bust”, and “It’s Not Easy Being a Defense Lawyer” are three stories in a row that gave me some laugh out loud moments. Fortunately, no one else eats in the lunchroom at my work. In “Turnabout Kitten”, Maya finds a kitten, and Nick, determined not to have it in the office, tries to find a home for it. He calls Miles, Gumshoe and Larry, all with increasingly funny results, especially between Larry and Gumshoe. “Spirit Medium or Bust” has former client Mr. Grossberg trying to repay Nick and Maya for their help, and goes a little overboard. But the funniest of the three was the meta “It’s Not Easy Being a Defense Lawyer.” Everyone convenes on the Phoenix Wright Offices when they hear Nick isn’t getting any cases. They all have their own ideas, but end up ganging up on Nick for being a weak lead character.
The 4-komas had some great hits too. “Anything But That” is hilarious while also being the stuff nightmares are made of with Larry finding a new job. I also really liked “Let’s Turn It Around.” It explains a lot about Phoenix’s hair.
Because there are different artists for each story, the art does vary greatly, but I really didn’t have a problem with it. I actually liked the different styles. Kaname Uchimura’s big-eyed, shojo-esque portrayal in “Turnabout Misunderstanding” was cute, as was the SD-ish art in “Ball Search Team, Head Out!” by Tomo and “The Mystery of the Missing Manju” by Tsukapon. Not all of the more realistic artwork worked for me, but I think Daigo’s for “It’s Not Easy Being a Defense Attorney” was the style I liked best.
While I really enjoyed this volume, this isn’t the book to pick up if you’re just getting into Phoenix Wright. This is a title for someone who is already a fan, and who knows who the characters are and their relationships to each other. Even with knowing a lot about the characters, I was still thrown by Maya channeling Mia and who Mia was. I had to consult the Encyclopedia Daughterica for that information. If you’re a fan of the Phoenix Wright games, you really owe it to yourself to pick this volume up. It is out of print, but volumes are available new and used for reasonable prices. It’s mostly funny, sometimes emotional, but always enjoyable.