#sithe's theme started and i was like “wait why is the music so somber”

[jynxedshapeshifter]

I've been wanting to post about this since I finished episode 3 of Resolve (I decided to finish the game first and I'm glad I did) but so much about prosecutor Kazuma breaks my heart.

Kazuma, from the moment he's introduced, is very obviously proud of being Japanese. This reflects in his design and his theme (Samurai With A Mission) — The Great Ace Attorney's soundtrack composers did incredibly well with the soundtrack, especially character themes (the absolute genius of The Great Ace Attorney's character themes is for another post and I swear I will make that post at some point). Kazuma's default theme uses a lot of Eastern inspired instrumentation. It's also incredibly uplifting and optimistic, being played in a major key.

Prosecutor Kazuma is the total opposite, not in that he's necessarily ashamed of being Japanese but he throws his culture away. He utilizes a western-styled sword instead of his usual katana (and at the end of Resolve gives the katana back to Ryunosuke because he doesn't trust himself with it) and dresses quite similarly to van Zieks, a member of the British aristocracy. Additionally, his theme as a prosecutor (The Revived Prosecutor) is in a minor key and more akin to van Zieks's theme (and both are sinister but in a fast-paced way. I also think both have tragic undertones).

In addition to all of this, he acts like he's not Japanese during the last trial, something Ryunosuke brings up multiple times, for example this exchange between Ryunosuke and Kazuma during the discussion of gentlemen's clubs:

As a prosecutor his design and theme are completely separated from his heritage and he makes an effort to separate himself from it and it makes me really sad. He willingly goes against Stronghart's will, which has me inclined to believe he's purposely trying to separate himself from Japan (alternatively, he was pressured into it by van Zieks, which while I can see happening because of how van Zieks is, I also can't see Kazuma going along with unless he wanted to appear more British because Kazuma's stubborn as hell).

It's just really sad to me, seeing Kazuma go from very obviously proud of his heritage to actively trying to ignore it.