strongest family in the world

In the DGS2 DLC episode, Asougi states this in his narration:

いよいよ大英帝国へ旅立つ前た。。。亜双義の本家へ挨拶するためだ。

DGS2 translation: (Regarding his trip) It was to say goodbye to the Asougi family home before leaving for England.

Note his use of 本家 (honke). From Jisho:

(Noun) head house (family); birthplace; originator

A honke is the main house hold of a Japanese family where the head resides, while collateral branches live in bunke (分家). And while Asougi says “say goodbye to the Asougi family home,” in the Japanese language, referring to things such as houses as people also addresses the people living there. 

This establishes that while Genshin and Kazuma have ownership over Karuma, neither of them are the head nor heir to the patriarch position within the Asougi family and are a branch family instead. Additionally, this also shows that Kazuma does indeed have an extended family, albeit one that he does not live with.

However, this statement contradicts information presented in DGS2. Namely, Yuujin’s exposition on why he’s been caring for Kazuma.

DGS2 translation: Kazuma-kun had no relatives. I began to care for him as if he were my own child.

TGAA localization: As you know, I tried to guide Kazuma growing up, as if he were my own son.

Note: If I recall correctly, the TGAA localization makes no mention of Kazuma supposedly having no living relatives; here nor anywhere else. I don’t know why this is.

I would argue that this isn’t a case of inconsistent writing, but instead lying for the reason that this information is given in public, whereas Kazuma mentioning his family in the DGS2 DLC episode is mentioned in private. This is supported by Kazuma and Susato deliberately never mentioning that they lived together as adoptive siblings until Susato chose to, along with a matter of circumstantial appellation.

For example, in DGS1-1, Yuujin refers to Kazuma in public as Asougi-kun, a title that he also uses for Ryuunosuke. However, while in public but in trusted company (Jigoku, Susato, and Ryuunosuke), Yuujin refers to Kazuma as Kazuma-kun, thus showing a great difference in social distance depending on whether Yuujin is in public or private/trusted company.

Note: Despite TGAA having Ryuunosuke and Kazuma be on a first name basis, Yuujin refers to Kazuma roughly the same way in localization.

So, why does Yuujin trust Ryuunosuke enough to call Kazuma by his first name, but still lies about him having no living relatives? Well, it’s never said explicitly, since Ryuunosuke as our player insert doesn’t pursue it; however, there is a likely explanation for it, and that’s disownment.

Concealed information aside, we know that while Kazuma’s extended family is well and alive, Yuujin not only raised Kazuma, but also paid for his university fees.

DGS2 translation: Since then, Professor Mikotoba did whatever he could to help me. He even helped pay my university fees. I, well and truly, owe my life to him.

TGAA localization: Ever since then, the professor was very good to me. He even helped to fund my university education at Yuumei. I’ll be forever in his debt.

It can be assumed that college education in late 1890s Japan was costly, as while primary education is compulsory, college education was limited to the few imperial universities established, e.g. Yuumei. 

What’s alarming, though, is that Yuujin not only houses and cares for Kazuma as a ward, but also pays for something as costly as college tuition, and not, say, his extended family.

Widows such as Kazuma’s mother having little to no financial support is, unfortunately, nothing new in Japan. It wasn’t until 2018 did the Japanese Legislature Council introduce an outline for widows/widowers in a legal marriage to continue living in an inherited residence after their spouse’s death.

In a review for Deborah McDowell Aoki’s study on Japanese widows, Ruth Campbell described Meiji era Japan as the low point in women’s legal status and family role, which saw the institutionalization of the patriarchal family system. 

She also provided an anecdote on a friend of hers:

A friend told me about her grandmother who was widowed in her late twenties in rural Shimane prefecture. The oldest child of a “good” family, her parents made her return to her natal home and remarry. It was understood that she would leave her two young children behind in her husband’s family. She never saw them again.

Of course, this anecdote is hardly universal. As Campbell herself writes, Aoki emphasizes that there is no archetypal widow in Japan. However, this should still be kept in mind when considering the Asougis’ family situation, as while Kazuma’s mother not being cared for by his extended family isn’t that surprising, Kazuma not being taken care of is, especially since he lived with the extended Asougi family for a time after Genshin’s death. 

Not to mention, him living with Yuujin wasn’t immediate. It’s something that happened at least a while after Yuujin came back.

DGS2 translation: One day, when I finally became accustomed to living with my father… […] He said that, in London, he lost one of his best friends to illness. And he told me that this friend, had a child. That child was a boy, who was older than me by seven years. […] That was how I first met Kazuma-sama…

TGAA localization: It took time to adjust to having Father around. But just when I was starting to get used to it… he called me into his study one day. He told me that a great friend of his had passed away in London. And that friend had left behind a son. A boy, seven years my senior. […] So you see… that’s how he and I met.

Meanwhile, Kazuma in 2-4 specifies that the letter was delivered to his family home as he uses 我だ家 (“my home”, 家 carrying connotations of lineage/blood family). He doesn’t specify on whether it was the honke or bunke, but because he and his mother were bereaved, it could be assumed they lived at the honke prior to the letter. 

To reiterate my point from before, Kazuma (and by extension, his mother) being disowned isn’t explicitly stated; but what we do know is this:

Genshin’s branch of the family is not the head of the Asougi family

The letter regarding the Professor case was sent to Asougi’s family home

Kazuma no longer lives with them, and has instead lived with the Mikotobas after Yuujin returned, but not immediately

Yuujin lies to Ryuunosuke about Kazuma having no relatives to care for him (the implication being no living ones, anyway) despite Kazuma visiting them

Yuujin paid for Kazuma’s college education when his extended family did not

See, at the time, rapid industrialization was done in order to bolster the military, as the government believed back then that doing so was necessary at the threat of European imperialism; however, as real-life history shows, this directly led to Japan doing irreparable damage in its own imperialist conquest.

So, for Asougi to have given a speech explicitly in support of low-income working class people was not just him being anti-capitalist, it also very much had to do with him being anti-militarist and anti-imperialist as well. 

Him planning to say 「老若男女」 ("men and women of all ages")  —specifically, him mentioning women of low-income in the working class— also references how labor relations for female workers in the textile industry were mostly girls from poor families that worked in wealthy households in preparation for marriage. Similarly, Asougi acknowledging workers of all ages references how at the time, Japanese labor unions were more inclusive than that of the United States', as apprentices could join regardless of age and skill level. 

Kazuma Asougi is, to the surprise of few, an incredibly political person. In fact, his actions here and generally recalcitrant treatment of authority figures, parallel left-wing socialist views at the time:

"One ideological faction [of the early labor leaders] favored discussion and cooperation with management, avoided strikes and political issues, and tried to win higher wages through improved productivity. These were moderates who favored harmony between labor and capital. The other major faction favored confrontation with management, thrived on political issues, and embraced the strike weapon. These were the left-wing socialists." — The Birth of the Japanese Labor Movement by Stephen E. Marsland

Even the year wherein he gave his speech, namely, the summer of 1897 is relevant to Japan's labor movement and how Asougi's character is rooted in exploitation by Western powers. This is because in April of 1897, Takano Fusataro, a Japanese labor activist, wrote "A Summons to the Workers", calling for the workers of Japan to organize at the threat of being exploited by foreign capitalist powers. Asougi's speech even parallels some of it, but notably, advocates for confrontation now while Fusataro discouraged revolution and radicalization, instead advocating for gradual change.

From "A Summons to the Workers":

「立て職工諸君、立つて組合を組織し、以てその重大なる責務とそのの男子たる面目を保つを務めよ。」

"Stand up, you workers! Stand up and organize unions!"

Asougi's speech:

「さあ！ 今こそ立ち上がれ！ 低所得者層の老若男女よ!」

"Now's the time to make a stand! All you young and elderly, gentlemen and ladyfolk of the downtrodden classes!"

Note: Fusataro references men due to "Summons" being directed towards factory workers at the time, but Asougi's speech generally references workers of all ages due to having a different audience.

In sharp contrast, Naruhodou's speech is about filial piety:

"Let's all cherish our mothers and fathers!"

Asougi losing all support for what was considered a very gutsy and controversial speech when he made a single slip-up —that being the infamous tongue twister— where Naruhodou wins for a very simple, even boring, speech tells us a lot about how they're seen by society. 

Asougi in canon is considered arrogant and annoying by multiple authority figures —namely, Auchi— because he's outspoken about current events and politics; and while being 23 years old is very much an adult by our standards, in Meiji era Japan, one couldn't vote unless they were male, over the age of 25, and paid taxes of at least 15 yen per year. This was something that mainly landowners and ex-samurai could do.

Naruhodou, on the other hand, is initially a typical Japanese young man that conforms to the status quo. He dislikes going against his parents' wishes, and as his speech shows, advocates for an idea that's the standard in Japanese society. He's also notably apolitical, as originally, when he claims he and Asougi talked about politics over lunch, Asougi corrects him stating he only ever talked about comedy theatre.

Note: While Naruhodou uses the term 「愛国」 (あいこく, lit. love of one's country, basically patriotism) when talking about he and Asougi's "debates", from literally everything we know about Asougi's political views, I seriously doubt Asougi was being patriotic when he criticizes the government as often as he does. That, and the fact that Naruhodou is already a very unreliable narrator and doesn’t even remember what actually happened.

Similarly, in the Japan-only DLC episode for Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2, he chides Naruhodou for not keeping up with current events:

Asougi: "It sounds like you haven't been reading the papers, Naruhodou." 

Naruhodou: "N-No, not so much lately..."

Asougi: [...] "Defence attorneys didn't exist in our country until only recently. Our reputations are still as low as mud, being called shysters who make underhanded deals. It's stuff like this which makes us have to claw back the people's trust. You should read at least this much, Naruhodou."

Naruhodou: "Urghhh… Newspapers are too complicated…"

Now, to return to the topic of the Great Ace Attorney, Asougi in the localization instead gives this speech:

Asougi: "So arise, ladies and gentlemen, and applaud our forefathers' plight and the fight for filial piety!"

...Thus, making him losing to Naruhodou a matter of skill and verbal articulation rather than that of politics. While again, yes, the DLC episodes are very much just extra content, the fact of the localization changing this not only weakens Asougi's character due to him being a very political person, but goes directly against his character.

After all, his original speech was a call to action for laborers in a time where labor relations were based in a parent-child (oyataka and kokata) dynamic for employers and employees respectively. To have him say that when he originally challenged this authority is just plain wrong, especially when Japanese society expects one to defer to their elders and authority.

Not only that, but Asougi's motivations for traveling to London had to do with how he and his immediate family were killed or harmed because of the Professor ordeal. He makes no mention of being obligated by his family name, even when he tells Naruhodou and Susato about them, nor the idea of clearing Genshin's name of wrongdoing. After all, while Genshin supposedly being the Professor was concealed from the public, it still would have brought him and his family shame in the wider Asougi family as a result.

While the Great Ace Attorney being localized certainly brings many great things —accessibility, directors' commentary, etc.— to the Ace Attorney's audience, it has several flaws in its localization, and this speech thing is just one of them; one particularly egregious example being Megundal being made Irish in a time where they were racially discriminated against, not to mention the antisemitism in DGS1-3, but that's a post for another day. 

When discussing haji in Yukio Mishima’s Haru no Yuki, Gian Marco Farese writes:

[...] This example suggests that the feeling of haji can transcend generations, as it can be felt because of some bad things done by members of one’s group in the past. The generational transfer of haji is also inherent in the expression ‘shi ni haji’ [...] This phrase stresses the importance of having an opportunity to redeem oneself from haji before death if at all possible, otherwise the dishonour will be transmitted to one’s descendants.

—The Cultural Semantics of the Japanese Emotion Terms ‘Haji’ and ‘Hazukashii’

Considering not only happened with Genshin, but that Yuujin took him in afterward, Kazuma is very much someone who’s had to navigate through all kinds of social and legal discrimination in Japanese society.

Like... What Genshin was thought to have done as the Professor in mind, it’s possible the reason why Yuujin took him in is because his extended family disowned him out of shame. After all, Yuujin states in DGS2-4 that he paid for Kazuma’s college education. 

Not his extended family.

And since he still goes by Asougi, I doubt that he could have adopted him on paper.

The Mikotobas are an aristocratic and very privileged family. While this is something I’ll write more about on its own, this much can be inferred from Yuujin having ties to someone as politically important as Jigoku; so, if word about the Professor ever got out, chances are, no one would be willing to take Kazuma in, and it would bring a lot of shit to the Mikotoba family name as well.

This is also on top of the social discrimination adoptees face. Considering it was very easy to get a hold of one’s koseki back then, if Kazuma was ever adopted on paper, chances are his reputation would go to Hell. 

After all, it wasn’t until 1974 that employers were prohibited from asking prospective employers to show their koseki. Imagine what that meant for someone participating in a program as significant as the exchange that Kazuma did.

Meaning on paper, Kazuma would’ve been an orphan for years.

This in mind, him acting very formal towards the Mikotobas in public is social defense. To make sure none of them get any flack simply for taking him in. And it’s because of that I would guess he would act differently in private compared to what we, as the player, as Ryuunosuke, see.

Sources and further reading:

Japan's koseki system: dull, uncaring but terribly efficient

Japan's discriminatory koseki registry system looks ever more outdated

The Cultural Semantics of the Japanese Emotion Terms ‘Haji’ and ‘Hazukashii’

Many Adoptions in Japan are Not About Raising Children

Japan's rigid koseki system keeps it all in the family