For 20 years now, the Ace Attorney series has introduced fans to dozens of zany characters, bringing both comedy and drama to the legal-themed franchise. Each game, including the connected Ace Attorney Chronicles spinoff, involves a series of recurring characters while also expanding the series' roster, and the first game has the most new faces to offer.
Even though these characters are frequently involved in serious and dangerous scenarios, they typically bring some levity to the games without sacrificing emotional narratives. Some of the best Ace Attorney characters make a major impact as apparent caricatures that betray an unexpected complexity as each case proceeds forward.
Larry Butz
Later games expand upon the character of Larry Butz, but most fans will never forget their first encounter with Phoenix Wright's childhood friend and first client. Larry is accused of murdering his girlfriend in "The First Turnabout," but the loveable goof has been framed.
Later appearing in the second of his many jobs in "Turnabout Goodbyes," Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney establishes Larry as a major series fixture. Through Phoenix's perspective, fans instantly connect with Larry through this first case, and his endearing humor and clumsiness make it easy to see why the duo have been friends for so long.
Will Powers
"Turnabout Samurai" has Phoenix Wright defending accused murderer Will Powers, also known as TV's Steel Samurai, by investigating the show's production studio. While this unique case has plenty of memorable characters, Will stands out as an imposing figure with an incredibly sweet and gentle personality.
Although he would later reappear in Justice For All, Will's appearance in the first game is how most fans remember him. Many feel sympathy for him as a nice man who is caught up in a murder he didn't commit, but he also forms a bond with Phoenix and friends that fans connect with.
Damon Gant
The chief of police featured in "Rise From The Ashes," Damon Gant is remembered as a majorly charismatic presence and terrifying villain with one of the best breakdowns in the franchise. As Lana Skye's partner, he blackmailed her into helping him plant evidence and hide the victims of his murders.
Fans are fascinated by Damon's genuine desire to do good through ostensibly evil methods, helping to make his case one of the best in the series, potentially competing with the best game narratives ever. Damon may not be a loveable figure, but he is considered a complex and fun villain by many fans of the series.
Dick Gumshoe
Although he is mostly associated with prosecutors, homicide detective Dick Gumshoe is a major friend and ally to Phoenix throughout his exploits, as well. Gumshoe is known in the first game as the kindly, bumbling detective who helps Phoenix's investigations and buys him dinner at the end of the final case.
Fans have fallen in love with Gumshoe's fierce passion for his job, as well as his clear love of working with people he respects like Miles and Phoenix. What makes the detective such an endearing and enduring character in the franchise is his role as both a comic relief character and an emotional connection for Phoenix as they become friends.
Mia Fey
Phoenix Wright's mentor and all-around beloved character Mia Fey dies pretty early on in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney during "Turnabout Sisters." Her legacy lives on through flashbacks and spirit channeling appearances in later games, although she was a fan favorite from the beginning.
Mia Fey is one of the most important characters in the franchise, but, in this first game, she is mostly remembered as Phoenix's kind, passionate, and intelligent mentor. Fans lament Mia's sudden loss so early in the series, making her one of the most memorable victims across the series' cases, too.
Ema Skye
Even though her sister Lana was a one-off character, this charismatic young forensics expert became a regular character after her appearance in "Rise From The Ashes." Ema is loyal to Lana during the older sister's murder trial, and the young Ema becomes one of Phoenix's most memorable assistants besides Maya.
The arc of Lana and Ema's relationship is a high point for fans, and Ema's assistance to Phoenix as a budding forensics scientist are a match for some of the best puzzle games available on the Nintendo Switch. While later games would add to her character, Ema is perhaps most remembered in this first entry as a loveable optimist.
Manfred Von Karma
Setting a high standard for Ace Attorney's villains, Manfred von Karma's influence has encompassed several characters in the series. In "Turnabout Goodbyes," Phoenix faces off with this imposing prosecutor in the courtroom before revealing the depth of his crimes to the world.
Manfred's imposing austerity is intimidating even before he is revealed as a murderer, and his control over Miles' life marks him as one of the most evil villains in the series for many fans. With his manipulations, Manfred looms over much of the first game, making his presence undeniably memorable.
Maya Fey
After the death of her sister Mia, Maya became Phoenix's most trusted assistant, one of the series' main characters, and a major fan favorite in the fandom. She begins this first game as a defendant, but she soon shows off her spunky spirit, which reminds fans of some of the best fictional amateur detectives.
Later games go deeper into Maya as a character, as well as the story of the Fey family, but Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney presents her as a passionate and kind person whose help is invaluable to Phoenix. As fans go on Phoenix's journey of friendship with Maya alongside him, they also connect to the character themselves.
Miles Edgeworth
A rival and eventual friend of Phoenix, Miles Edgeworth is one of the most complex characters and best lawyers in the franchise, rivaling the best lawyers on TV with his perfectionism. While he spends the first game antagonizing Phoenix, the revelations of his past involvements in the incidents surrounding the game's final two cases endear him to fans.
Miles' friendship with Phoenix develops more in later games, but there are sparks of it here as Miles' cold shell melts into a warmer presence. Many fans love his sympathetic story or his uncompromising professionalism, but he is most memorable because he has such a multifaceted character arc.
Phoenix Wright
As the protagonist and perspective character of the game and its first two sequels, it would be easy for Phoenix to fade into the background. Despite this, fans love the goofy, insightful defense attorney whose earliest cases form the backbone of the first game in the series.
Phoenix does not have a dramatic arc in this game, but he does become more confident as the game continues and he gathers both experience and a support system of friends and colleagues like Maya and Gumshoe. Spending time in Phoenix's head also gives players a unique and often humorous perspective of the world.