#if you read all of this thanks for being insane about franziska just like me

[franzivonkarma]

I desperately need people to understand that Franziska's whipping thing really isn't solely a silly character gimmick. Of course it is to a degree, just like Godot and coffee and Klavier and air guitar in court, but so often I see people dismiss Franziska's whipping trait as an annoying feature that adds nothing to her character and I cannot stand it. This is a bit of a rant and I touch on gender inequality and the way I see a lot of men treat her as a character a decent amount within this because I feel like the fact that she is a woman is actually very important to this element of her character, and her treatment is also a lot of the reason why I feel compelled to talk about this in the first place.

Firstly what you need to understand is that not only is Franziska a woman, she is also laughably young when she becomes a prosecutor. She's a 13 year old girl trying to hold the attention of a courtroom of mostly grown men and be taken seriously. It's no secret that misogyny does exist in the Ace Attorney universe of course (see: Godot), but aside from this, maybe it's just because I've been playing Ace Attorney Investigations recently, but she is just very small all around. It's a running gag in Turnabout Reminiscence that she is short, she's small, she can't see things Edgeworth can - although granted Edgeworth is definitely fairly tall, most estimates I've seen linger around 5'8-5'10 (around 170-180cm). And of course, she is only 13 here, she's not done growing, but it's at this age that she actually did begin to prosecute. Naturally, she'd often be underestimated, and we can see a strong desire to prove herself during Turnabout Reminiscence, even just to her father; I can only imagine that this would extend further into her trials as a young girl. Secondly, she's the daughter of Manfred von Karma, whom she idolises to a godlike status and who teaches her everything she knows about prosecuting, and also a lot about life in general - he's her father. There's a lot I could say about their dynamic, but I feel that much of it doesn't need to be said in this specific post if you're already here dedicated to Franziska enough to bother reading this post.

Manfred's courtroom (and often, regular) behaviour revolves a lot around him taking complete control of the entire courtroom, with him even speaking over the judge, overruling objections he does not like and sustaining his own, and instructing witnesses himself. He also often snaps his fingers to direct attention to himself and his point. Franziska learns this, but how does a literal 13 year old girl follow her father in this regard? Well, by force. Whipping someone is a very clear way to get their attention. Not only the person it hits but the people around - whips cracking are loud, they take up a lot of visual space, and they also obviously cause harm to the person they hit. These are all things you can't really ignore - it forces you to look at her and pay attention to her and gives her control of the room exactly like Manfred. I've also been thinking a lot about the end of Justice For All in relation to this. She's lost to Phoenix multiple times and she couldn't beat him even once just to prove that she was better than Edgeworth as she so desperately wanted to. This brings me to another point about her use of her whip. While I think control is a huge aspect and is my main focus here, I think it falls more under the umbrella of Franziska's own perceived shortcomings. We also know that she doesn't believe she lives up to her father's genius, and that she consistently feels like she's walking in Edgeworth's shadow, she says it herself:

I think at least some part of the reason her whip is so important is because she believes she could very well be less than equal to others in the room in terms of certain traits. She sees her father as a genius, knows she isn't equal to him, and internalises this (whether she is actually less intelligent or not I personally don't know what I believe, I haven't played Justice For All in over a year and a half and I would have to replay it to decide my thoughts).

In having to be perfect, there are many expectations she cannot live up to, and this leads to many ways in which she falls short of what she believes she should be. By using her whip, again, she can account for her perceived shortcomings in other areas - control, her intelligence, her ability as a prosecutor. I think this last scene of JFA actually introduces us to the idea that Franziska is somewhat self-doubting in some ways and compares herself a lot with others, not just Manfred, but also Edgeworth, which we see more of in Ace Attorney Investigations during Turnabout Reminiscence, where we see her at 13 attempting to prove that she can "out-logic" Edgeworth for the entire case, and essentially, that she is "more perfect" than he is.

But to come back to her whip, control, and the end of Justice For All.

She is left with little of who she was before and doesn't know how to move on - everything she was taught to be from the moment she was born, she no longer is. She is 18 here, prosecuting for 5 years already and desperate to be prosecuting for even longer. As far as her life was set out, this was basically it for her - become a perfect prosecutor and prosecute perfectly just like Manfred - the ideal prosecutor in her eyes.

A Von Karma is perfect, but she is not - she lost, just like Edgeworth, whom she shamed for the same thing. She gives up her whip here, and I feel that it's truly symbolic of how she feels like she's completely lost control of herself, her life, her relationship with her father and most obviously her occupation as a prosecutor. How could she continue being a prosecutor when she no longer lives up to the idea of it that she's had her entire life? What use is her whip if she will not need to hold the court's attention any longer?

I'm sure a million other people have thrown their coin in the pot on this exact topic, and I'm sure many have said the same thing as me and many have said something different, but I needed to write my thoughts out about it because I couldn't stop thinking about her. This is one big reason why I feel like I see a lot of men who don't understand Franziska and see her as very annoying, gimmicky, and my least favourite - a "female Edgeworth." She is a woman who steals attention and space forcibly; both from characters in-game, and also from the player with her animations that take up time in trials and a lot of the visual space. Of course this makes her unpopular with a lot of men. I'm not saying that if you dislike her or the whip it comes from a place of misogyny, I am saying that I think her whipping trait is reduced to a stupid, annoying gimmick more than, say, Godot and his coffee, because a lot of people don't really care to see that there is intention behind it that reveals a lot about her character, just like how Godot's coffee problem is relevant to his backstory.

[vonkarma2]

Character analysis: Maya Fey?

So before I get started this is probably isn’t going to be as in depth as the other two because 

I have to admit I’m a fake fan I’ve only played aa1 and watched a let’s play of aa2 (

With ace attorney the only characters I have like mind virus type interest in them are Franziska (ofc) and to a lesser extent Edgeworth. Wasnt it fucked up that he faked his death and didn’t tell her he was alive that was insane. But anyway I actually like Phoenix the most he’s my favorite character but I don’t think about most ace attorney characters that deeply even though I like them a lot. That’s like for now though I want to finish aa3 and aa4 at least bc the story of aa4 sounds very interesting to me, and then also that one case with like Athena’s college friends or whatever. It’s not that they’re not interesting to me at all it’s more so I don’t know much about them and don’t think about them That often even though I do sometimes. Even though I like them

My overall opinion on the character: All that being said I love Maya I think she’s really funny and really makes the game way more fun than it’d be without her. Her dynamic with Phoenix is very fun I like her character design a lot + she’s really good in the investigation segments. Also this joke is like beyond stale people have been making it for literal decades but it is funny how often she is falsely accused of murder

One virtue they have: The fact that she’s silly. No that doesnt count the fact that she carries the game. Also doesn’t count. Ok umm I guess the typical traits of yk not giving up and fighting until the end, which of course she does share with Phoenix but it is nice to see.

One flaw they have: Lack of faith in herself and  also suppression of negative emotions related to trauma, ofc that second part is like so they can maintain the tone of the game but like it’s canonical it counts 

Favorite moment from their arc: I really like the scene where she’s first introduced, and a lot of her lines during DL-6. I also like whenever she channels a spirit or something to save us (Phoenix and the player) in court it’s great Im always like oh thank fuck

Least favorite moment from their arc: The part where she kept asking Phoenix to buy her burgers because for some reason hamburgers are really gross to me like not so much in real life but in any fictional context. I hate anime girl art where they have burgers I hate jerma eating a burger I hate the word on it’s own and I wish they hadn’t localized this because in the original Japanese version of the game it was probably ramen or something. This is why I play ace attorney in Japanese even though I can’t read or speak the language. That’s not really part of her arc I guess ok I would say right before Rise of the Ashes where she leaves to go train not because I think it’s badly written but bc 1) she leaves the game and Rise of the Ashes was so damn long and I got stuck on this one part and idk how to continue I miss you Maya this never would have happened if you were here 2) it all happens off screen and idk it might have been incredibly boring but I think it would be interesting to see what her thoughts were during this time and just what she’s like when not around Phoenix in general 

One relationship they have with another character: Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright definitely have like a sibling type relationship  and it’s really nice to see, I love when they’re willing to be mean to each other it’s very funny. I really like the two of them, it’s nice when they get like stuck in shitty situations together and help each other or what ever. If people ship them romantically I will kill them also

One relationship I'd like to see explored from this character: Actually quite a few of them (her and Mia, her and Edgeworth are very funny) but mostly her and Franziska I know that’s the obvious answer like ofc I would say that but they interact for like 2 lines in the game and I feel like they have a lot in common. Around the same age and similar pressure to live up to expectations in a powerful family, which is broken apart by tragedy and all… I think it could be interesting. Also their personalities are very different which I think would be very entertaining to see 

What I would have liked to see happen with them in the media: Well probably after the timeskip to have changed or developed a little more? Like I ofc have not played. the games. But I’ve heard when she shows up she has basically the same personality and everything which I feel like is if not unrealistic it’s at least boring and repetitive. Phoenix definitely has that same problem a million times worse though like how he went back to his original characterization in aa5 that’s so lame 

also isn’t this photo of her and Mia so cute 

[romance-de-la-luna]

This is too long to send as an ask, so I could send it as a message but it wouldn't be right if I didn't show off our friendship to everyone else on tumblr, would it? So I'm posting it instead xD

Here you go bestie: 80 things I love about you 💖

1) you make me insanely happy

2) talking to you makes me smile (every single time)

3) you're one of the sweetest humans ever

4) you're so funny!!!

5) you use a lot of emojis/exclamation marks when you're texting (and that reassures me because I do too)

6) I can always rely on you to freak out with me

7) you're so thoughtful

8) you're also very smart

9) you often get my friends references!!! And not many people do so I love you so much for that

10) you're beautiful

11) you're positive and enthusiastic

12) you always comment on my fics 🥺

13) YOU HUG ME CONSTANTLY

14) seriously you're such a lovely person

15) I feel like I've been missing you all my life

16) our conversations are the cutest

17) I love whenever you begin a text with 'story time'

18) you put up with me calling you franziska

19) you get annoyed when I call you franziska xD

20) you're an amazing writer

21) you're an incredible baker (who cares if I've never tried any of your food! I JUST KNOW)

22) you're the best sister in the world

23) you're a little bit crazy too

24) you're a good listener

25) you have a great taste in music

26) and TV shows

27) and movies

28) you make my day basically every single day

29) you're the only person in the world who makes me want to hug them literally ALL THE TIME

30) did I mention how gorgeous you are

31) I love how devoted you are to language learning

32) and your English is pretty much perfect (which I'm very grateful for)

33) BABY FRANZI

34) AND FRANZI AND DARIO AAAHHH

35) your accent (you had to know this was coming at some point xD)

36) your VOICE (I know you were expecting this too)

37) your hair

38) you help me annoy my brother by making him jealous of you 😈

39) you're basically a celebrity in our house now because I talk about you so much

40) you make me check my phone to see if you've messaged me at the most inconvenient times!! (in restaurants, when I'm about to go in the sea, on top of mountains... 😝)

41) your smileeeeee

42) your love for animals

43) your sense of humour

44) just your whole personality in general

45) you're just so nice all the time 😭

46) you're ALWAYS right

47) and you ALWAYS make irritatingly good points

48) you make me laugh every day

49) and you make me grin uncontrollably

50) you're a significant cause of my overuse of heart emojis

51) there aren't many people as kind and fun to be around as you

52) I trust you

53) you're such a good friend!

54) you're the kind of friend that you really hope you stay friends with all your life

55) we're like joey and chandler (and wynonna and waverly but I'll have to wait until you've seen wynonna earp for you to understand that)

56) I'm HONOURED to have met you

57) I feel so close to you even though we've never met

58) you always know exactly what to say

59) your enthusiasm when I'm writing my fics 🥰

60) your OBSESSION with Harry Potter

61) I was friends with Harry-Potter-obsessed people for ages and they couldn't convince me to read it no matter how hard they tried, and now here we are

62) I don't think you give yourself nearly enough credit for how awesome you are (but you SHOULD)

63) and I don't think you understand how lucky everyone is who has ever met you

64) your dancing skills are... *chef's kiss*

65) and YOUR SINGING 😍😍😍

66) you know when you're reading a really cute fluffy fic and you have to stop for a second because it's TOO ADORABLE AND YOU JUST CAN'T?? Well I often have to do that when I'm talking to you because I just 😭 love you SO MUCH that sometimes my heart can't take it

67) you make my life happier

68) since I wrote the thing about you basically being a celebrity in our house, it's now got to the point where my parents ask how's franzi every time I'm on my phone 😂

69) ((hehe)) BLESS THE UNIVERSE FOR CREATING YOU

70) there are very few people like you

71) I'm gonna tell you you're beautiful again (and I will keep on telling you until one day you believe me 😉 and then I'll keep telling you after that anyway)

72) you're more fun to talk to than most people

73) okay, I almost started crying when I was writing this TWICE because I was overwhelmed by how grateful I am to know you, but it's fine 😭 it's under control now

74) I text you more than I text all my irl friends put together and that's probably not a good thing but ohhh welllll nevermindddd it's fineeee

75) everyone who's never met you or talked to you is missing out in life and I FEEL SO BAD FOR THEM (you might think I'm exaggerating but NO IT'S TRUE!!! Imagine living life without EVER talking to franziska... How do people do it??!!)

76) a few months ago I had an online friend who I vowed was the best online friend I've ever had and will ever have, and then you came along and ruined that, so thank you 🙄🤗❤️ I really hate breaking promises, FRANZISKA

77) if you think I say nice things to you all the time, you have no idea how many nice things I think about you but don't tell you

78) I keep imagining what it would be like to meet you in real life

79) I'm thinking I'll just end up hugging you for like an hour 🙈 or more..... okay definitely more..... people would just stare at us and wonder what's wrong with us... it would be amazing

80) I love how easy it was to make this list xD (I'm probably gonna keep adding to it so consider this part one)

However, this list doesn't even begin to cover how amazing you are. Your brilliant FEEBLE mind cannot comprehend how much I love you 🥰 but I hope this makes you happy sorella maggiore

[youngbounty]

After being on Tumblr for a while and seeing all the Manfred Von Karma hate, I've come to realize that I might've developed a soft spot for our most dispicable villain. Honestly, the guy gets FAR too much hate than he deserves. Hear me out!

One of the things we learn about Manfred Von Karma is that he has a family. He has a wife, children and grandchildren. We also know that he loves them very much, considering how much he brags about them, takes pride in everything they do and his daughter Franziksa takes pride in being the daughter of Manfred Von Karma. If you play Miles Edgeworth Investigations 2, there's a part where Manfred Von Karma brags about how good his wife's cooking is despite being an amateur. It's clear that he's a loving father and husband to his family. He even took great pride in Miles Edgeworth and his accomplishments, despite being the son of the man he killed, and made him his heir.

On the outside, it does seem strange he would love any amount of pride and care for his pupil he's going to stab in the back in Turnabout Goodbyes, but there's also plenty to consider. Manfred Von Karma's only intention was to frame Miles Edgeworth for the murder of Robert Hammond, not his father. Had he succeeded, there's a good chance Manfred Von Karma would've been permoted as Chief Prosecutor and pulled a Blackquill on Miles Edgeworth as an inmate prosecutor. So long as Miles Edgeworth still followed him like that was his Lord and Savior, he'd take it as his mentor just doing his job. Miles Edgeworth confessing to murdering his father was one thing Manfred Von Karma didn't plan and it was after he realized the note from his mentor about the murder plan that we see Manfred Von Karma inside the Record Room. We see Manfred Von Karma trying to get rid of evidence from DL-6, but we also learn from The Grand Turnabout that if there is no evidence against the Defendant, they can be declared Not Guilty. Sure, Phoenix had files of DL-6, but Manfred Von Karma doesn't know that. Sure, Manfred Von Karma hates his perfect record being destroyed, but wasn't it already destroyed anyways thanks to the Not Guilty on Robert Hammond's murder? Manfred Von Karma's not Godot, he's not going to allow a Not Guilty verdict just to indict the defendant of another crime. He's a perfectionist, if he goes down, then how can he call himself a Prosecutor? Not to say Manfred Von Karma purposely lost to Phoenix when it came to DL-6, I'd definitely disagree on that, but it's clear he was ready to burst with his guilt tumbling down on him like an avalanche. He lost his perfect record and his star pupil. You can't expect this insane guy to walk away with his head held high. The moment Miles Edgeworth realized his nightmare was real was the moment Manfred Von Karma lost everything and had no one to blame, but himself.

Manfred Von Karma's relationship with Miles Edgeworth is the one that really sticks out. This is because, strangely enough, it's a very healthy student/mentor relationship that gives us a reason for why Miles Edgeworth looked at Manfred Von Karma as some sort of god. Think of how Miles Edgeworth looks to Phoenix Wright, setting the gay jokes aside. Doesn't Miles Edgeworth also look to Phoenix Wright the same or similar way as he did with his mentor? We all know the reason why: Phoenix Wright saved Miles Edgeworth. Miles Edgeworth looked to his father to the highest degree, because he saved innocent people. So, what's the reason for him looking to Manfred Von Karma as a character who looks up to those that save innocent people and would go heaven and earth to save himself? I think that speaks for itself.

Manfred Von Karma saving people seems laughable on the surface, after seeing what he did to Gregory Edgeworth and his star pupil, but let us think of this possibility. Wasn't it also Manfred Von Karma that defended Delicia Scones from being falsely accused and framed for murder? It isn't like he had a reason to do so. I'm not saying Manfred Von Karma is Superman, but I do think that his heroic side needs to be addressed to understand why Miles Edgeworth would look up to a man like him. We need to understand why Miles Edgeworth seeing Manfred Von Karma as a murderer is what led to him writing a suicide note and being left with uncertainty of his Prosecutor’s Path. The reason is simply because Manfred Von Karma was a man that has saved innocent lives and perhaps has saved Miles Edgeworth at some point in time. 

If I had to sum up what brought such a soft spot for Manfred Von Karma for me, it’s the fact he’s an evil person with a moral compass. He believes in perfection, but also loves and cares about his family and those under his authority. He’s the kind of person that would kill someone for ruining his perfect record, but is also the kind to save the innocence without being asked. He will call anyone foolish for going against him, but will defend the honor of his lowly wife, because he loves her. Manfred Von Karma is a human being that feels emotion and holds some sort of moral compass. He’s also the only mastermind villain that only murdered out of the heat of the moment. Manfred Von Karma didn’t create the earthquake or plan on Gregory Edgeworth to be stuck in an airtight elevator, then pass out to give him a moment to murder. In fact, what Manfred Von Karma did to Gregory Edgeworth is called Voluntary Manslaughter. 

It’s only once you consider that Manfred Von Karma’s murder was Manslaughter and compare that to all the other villains that did murder through methods that were calculating and deliberate with the sole intention of taking someone’s life that you also have to consider that Manfred Von Karma isn’t a cold-blooded killer. Manfred Von Karma is no Dahlia Hawthorne, Kristoph Gavin, Damon Gant, Blaise Debeste, Patricia Roland, Shelly De Killer, Matt Engard, Dogen, Ambassador Alba, Redd White, Tigre, Acro and many others who had planed and calculated murders with the sole purpose of murder without regrets. Manfred Von Karma fits in with the other murderers that did murder, but only had out of passion at the moment it happened such as Frank Sawett, Dee Vascez, Godot, Jaques Portsman, Melee, Gustavia, Alita Tiala, and probably more, some of whom have been proven to only be given a lifelong sentence. 

I have often had Manfred Von Karma to be given the Death Penalty, but I also consider he may’ve been given a long or life sentence. Phoenix has hinted the possibility of Manfred Von Karma having been executed, but it’s also not certain either. I don’t think we’ll ever know. What I do know is that Manfred Von Karma is in the middle on the scale of the most to least evil villain in Ace Attorney. Even his murder cannot compare to many of the most colorful villains. Manfred Von Karma murdered out of circumstances. He never planned it or even knew the outcome of it. Also, unlike the number of the most evil villains in Ace Attorney, Manfred Von Karma showed love and pride toward his family and students. He never once used them to commit any crimes or schemes. Yes, he stabbed Miles Edgeworth in the back, but again out of circumstances. Had Miles Edgeworth not shown up at Gourd Lake, Manfred Von Karma would’ve thrown Yanni Yogi under the bus quicker than a speeding train. Had he found not found Gregory Edgeworth inside the elevator or if little Miles had been awake, Manfred Von Karma would’ve not picked up the gun and just went off his merry way. Any other most evil villain would’ve found a Plan B. Manfred Von Karma would’ve been angry, but would’ve cooled down after a long walk and a cup of tea. There wouldn’t be so many No DL-6 stories, if this wasn’t the case. You’d have to admit that there was a greater chance Manfred Von Karma could’ve not murdered Gregory Edgeworth had he not been found in that elevator. 

I’m certain there will always be people that hate Manfred Von Karma, even after reading this. This is more of me speaking for myself. I used to hate Manfred Von Karma with a passion after the Trilogy. After playing Miles Edgeworth Investigations 2, I began defending Manfred Von Karma. I think it was mostly because it turned out that he didn’t plan or know that the Autopsy Report of IS-7 was forged. It made me wonder if, like Miles Edgeworth and Franziska Von Karma, if Manfred Von Karma never forged evidence and was just given falsified evidence for him to use from a much bigger villain. Not saying that Manfred Von Karma isn’t a horrible person, because he is, but I don’t think he ever was trying to be a horrible person. I do think he truly believed he was doing right and saving people. Think of it this way, if Manfred Von Karma truly wanted to make Gregory Edgeworth pay and suffer in the most cruel way possible, considering how he blackmailed Jeffery Master using his daughter, which one of these would Manfred Von Karma choose: kill Gregory Edgeworth or kill his son Miles Edgeworth. Which do you believe Manfred Von Karma would use against Gregory to make him pay, if he had everything planed and calculated? 

I will leave you guys with that question to think about.