Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Official Casebook: Vol. 1: The Phoenix Wright Files (Phoenix Wright) - Softcover

Capcom

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0345503554 ISBN 13: 9780345503558

Publisher: Del Rey, 2008

Synopsis

OBJECTION!

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!

About this title

Reviews

Grade 9 Up–Based on a popular game for Nintendo's DS system, Phoenix Wright, in its first English manga translation, is a compilation of 20 full stories and a handful of four-panel shorts. Though written by a mix of veteran and rookie manga writers, the stories blend nearly seamlessly. The book focuses on young defense lawyer Phoenix Wright, also known as Nick; and his gal Friday, Maya, a mystic who houses the spirit of her more buxom sister and Nick's lost love, Mia, within her petite body. Phoenix faces a familiar mix of noir characters, including his charming, slick nemesis and mentor, Mr. Edgeworth, a preppy prosecutor who beats everyone (except Phoenix); and Dick Gumshoe, a moody private detective with a penchant for calling everyone Pal. Phoenix struggles with each of his cases, ranging from learning the truth about a long-ago murder to finding a home for a wayward kitten. It's part typical yaoi manga–complete with temper tantrums and mass-consumption of ramen and burgers–and part noir classic, and both the video game and the manga have a large following online. With mild sexual references and one frightening look at channeling the spirits of the dead, Phoenix Wright fits best with older students.–Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Based on a bestselling video game of the same name, this debut volume takes the time-worn manga tradition of turning everything into a battle to a ludicrous extreme. Phoenix Wright is a newly minted defense attorney, insecure in his skills and aided by the ghost of a departed mentor who speaks to him through her little sister. There's a fairly interesting courtroom sequence early on that has a supernatural twist, but from there the book devolves into yelling matches, asinine plots and a visual style that changes on a dime. The writing implies that the hardest part about being an attorney, the decisive factor in any given case, is who can yell "Objection!" the loudest. Fairly little time is devoted to anything genuinely mysterious or procedural--the story concerns itself with ramen-eating contests and stolen lunches--making this a huge disappointment for anyone expecting real legal action. It works fairly well as a comedy, though, with the occasional self-referential jab ("That's not cool enough for a main character!" Wright's spectral teacher chides) and a generally manic tone and pacing. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Del Rey
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0345503554
• ISBN 13: 9780345503558
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304