Welcome to Rubian LP Airlines

(Case 5, part 15)

Whew, we're finally out of court. Time to see off best girl.

Um... oops. You know, I was tempted to say that I did this on purpose, but the reality is I suck at catching the right moments. At least they turn out funny? Now she looks like she's yawning, like "Yeah, I know. Thanks anyway."

#SavageSusato

Off to the credits, yaaah!

Heh. They didn't call themselves "Muske-wotsits" in the JP, but it really fits way better. But to be fair, the usual "Tinpillar Bros" is swag on its own too.

Ah, a beautiful masterpiece worthy of a wallpaper to end this beautiful, wonderful ga-

WHAT THE F... Oh my God.

No, not my God. Kazuya Nuri is everyone's God. Praise be.

--

Whew... finally gotten through it all.

I'll be moving onto the next game shortly, so pretend that the hiatus I had earlier was meant for a break here. Cor blimey! It's been rackin' me head that I've been away from me blog!

(Case 5, part 14)

Momma Iris here to calm the children's fight. :)

Awww... Been waiting all case long to see Gina's genuine smile.

What? What happened to the alliterative titles!? Noooo!

Well, to be fair, I don't think there's a synonym for "innocent" that starts with a P that would fit. Well, I guess there is "pure", but "Pickpocket's Purity" may be a bit misleading...

All aboard the Hurlin' Hurley Express, folks. Guaranteed to make you sick, if not from the motion, then from the tab he leaves you with.

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(Case 5, part 13)

We couldn't possibly end this trial without a classic van Zieks roast of the defense.

Anyway, we did it, guys! We got Gina off the hook at last!

And she sets off a single firework out of schedule, but then gets arrested again for public disturbance and endangerment because these real-life courts are silly like that.

Jk. This is Ace Attorney, so they'd probably just leave all the cleanup to the janitor. I swear, that janitor is going to retire in a very furious fashion at some point.

He even takes his leave like your average Castlevania fan.

Finally out of court...

Hehe, I really like her nickname for him. 'Oddo feels just right for this weird Japanese guy walking around with a sword and saying it's his best friend's soul.

...It sounds way better in context, yeah.

What a perfect trifecta of snapshots. I didn't even mean to make them fit, but here they are.

--

(Case 5, part 12)

I seem to be good at catching snapshots a bit late, but then it only looks even more hilarious.

Looks like we got a new witness, ladies and gents of the court.

No matter how many times I read this, I have to smile and nod in agreement. Best assistant girl in the whole franchise, by far. People can fight me on this.

Haha. With these side by side; it looks like Runo's toasting with his head.

Man, if this gets any sweeter, I'm gonna need some bitter green tea to wash it down.

--

(Case 5, part 11)

This line from van Zieks feels so much deeper now that I've met and come to adore his German scientist friend. Is this spoilers? Not sure, but it's dang good foreshadowing!

Ha. I may have the camera skills of a bull, alright, but even I got this rather nice-looking screenshot, eh?

...Well, maybe I coulda gotten just a slightly off-beat shot for extra comedic effect, but... Bah! I'm not a camerawoman! I'm a dog that knows how to type!

I feel bad for laughing. He just comes out with this without any context or buildup. Maybe li'l Mousse there got a share of that pirozhki instead.

Btw, here's the Wiki on pirozhki. I've never had any before and I don't know where to get some, but I would like to try it one day. It reminds me of those Chinese meat buns filled with pork or beef and green onion and sometimes other veggies, though the latter also tend to use a different type of bread. Maybe there's some cross-cultural history there too?

This is like a before and after comparison, but featuring illegal entry into court. Sholmes' disguise was so effective that even up close on the stand, Ryu doesn't even see his hair tuft out until he realizes it is Sholmes. Either that's some amazing illusory power at work or Ryu actually can't see properly due to how brilliant this disguise is.

I know Dual Destinies technically did it first, but this is the first time we've had Herlock Sholmes himself at the defense bench. It had to be recorded.

Funny. I was always under the impression that the mighty Herlock Sholmes was absolutely indestructible and that his plot armor was too strong to possibly become injured for long.

Well, in a way, he does have plot armor, but not against his own plot... and I mean that word in more ways than one.

RIP Van Zieks, though. His prayers have henceforth died and gone to heaven themselves, all thanks to this half-dying man. (Disappointingly, he did not make such a quip in the original JP. Glad that was changed.)

"If only these people could recognize the prototypes to scientific investigative tools that will be made the standard 100 years in the future!"

"Alas, my dear Iris, most people rarely see beyond a few days of their own livelihoods."

"I sure hope someone's at least going to build golden statues of us in our honor eventually."

"Oh, I'm sure those will come in due time... and will last far into the centuries beyond."

"(What the heck are these two talking about...?)"

--

(Case 5, part 10)

The man himself. His name is Robert Crogley in the JP version, being a pun with the Japanese word for "black", kuro, and the English word grey. Robert may simply come from "robber", as he is caught up in quite the complicated heist.

I assume "Ashley" is not only a reference to the color grey/gray, but also in reference to his father, "Thrice-fired" Mason, being a brickmaker. Their surname is also Milverton in the JP, though his dad's first name is Morter there (ya know, like "mortar"). I think their surname is a pun on miru, "to see" and baton, since the father unknowingly passed some responsibility to the son in some ways.

8/18/21 edit: Ah, wait. It's Rubert, not Robert. So in Japanese katakana, it would be "Rubato", which comes from Milverton, which is "Mirubaton". It was much simpler than I thought.

I've saved this picture for one reason and one reason only: I was reminded of that old Prozd dub of an amazing Layton vs. Edgeworth skit several years back, where Phoenix failed spectacularly to defend Edgeworth from committing the crime of ignorance.

Whether you haven't seen it yet or have seen it a million times like I have, it's here and the sequel, with all the gentlemen in top hats, is right here.

Clearly, Phoenix had to get that top hat from somewhere.

This may be the first time Van Zieks has genuinely toasted him, and it's when Ryu is ready to die in this courtroom here and now for his client. Man, the things it takes to get some well-deserved respect around here.

I've played through both these games, My Lord, and I still struggle to understand myself.

Ryu's first foray into Morse Code is going very well, it seems.

It's too bad the "Stop"-s here are localization-exclusive. Makes sense that they'd be a part of Juror No. 5's vocabulary since it was standard practice for telegraph, and later radio, operators to add stops to indicate the end of statements.

This was pretty much the same name in the JP, aside from the change to "Skulkin".

Tell that to Sholmes while you're at it, Runo. I'm sure the thought has already crossed his mind at one point, but he just never told Iris about it. But maybe that's just me.

--

I've taken liberties and gone ahead up to the first trial day of TGAA2-2 in the meantime, and boy, I can't wait to dig into all the cross-cultural phenomena! But before then, I got some other cases to finish up.

There is that one issue I always run into, though, no matter which game I play: how to fill in the gaps between scenes that I don't have a lot to talk about. I like to present these posts with a short of story of my own reactions and adventures through the games, so maybe I'm just making it harder on myself than I need to. But I'm still getting new followers here and there, so I guess I must be doing something right.

Shoutouts to @chipsncookies for basically being my wingman all these years and sharing the love. <3

Thanks for all the support, guys! These random hiatuses can come up any time, but I'll always return after a while! Make sure you're notified whenever I post!

(Case 5, part 9)

Now this is something I need to point out. In the JP, this doc kept calling him "Mr. Hollock" or something like it, like he mixed up "Sherlock Holmes". But I would like to propose that it is in fact a deliberate reference to the name "Herlock Sholmes" in the original script, as a cheeky nod to Leblanc's famous crossover. The name is flipped in a similar fashion, even if it isn't the exact way Herlock Sholmes would be transcribed to Japanese. I hadn't noticed enough fans point this out, so I wanted to be sure word gets out!

Speaking of cheeky... this is a very loose interpretation of the original line, where he simply points out how the statements are in agreement. But it's worthy of the snapshot so now it's here.

Lol. Clearly, this guy is supposed to seem to be that Russian revolutionary, but at least in the JP, there is still technically room for doubt. See, his name is Dimitri Demiglaski, but Dimitri is a fairly common name even among non-Scandinavians, so he can get away with introducing himself with just his first name. But yeah, it's clearly supposed to be the same guy.

Yeah, it's much more sleek and refined than your average detective's gruff exterior and clearly fits a man who is paid much higher.

...Man, why did I just do poor ol' Gumshoe like that.

I'm just keeping this for future reference and to see if Ryu actually stops standing to the left of Sholmes...

Hahaha! Yeah, just as likely that Sholmes wouldn't follow Ryu anywhere and everywhere! He sure likes to get up close and personal too.

This comes after Iris reminds the court that they were still technically in the summation period. I just want to point out that in the JP here, Iris simply says "Bang!" like she'd fired a gun. Cute.

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(Case 5, part 8)

These two are great together.

Even better with this guy as the third, but he's definitely no big bruv to them.

These lawyers sure keep getting younger and younger in this franchise. (This snapshot comes after when Iris makes a rather touching speech about trusting his instincts.)

"Protects Planet"...? Oh, God. I don't think it was intentional at all, but I've always associated anything about planet protecting with FF7 since I was a wee lass, and now I just pictured Gina as Aerith. Cockney accent Aerith. Who pickpockets.

...Wait a second, isn't there a character like that in FF7 Remake? Yeah. Her name is Kyrie, though, and she doesn't have a Cockney accent. But who knows, maybe we'll see more of her down the line and in the sequel she gets a pet doggy too!

Man. What am I doing, making all these stretches? I'm not athletic, I'm gonna get cramps again! Moving on after the 2nd judicial findings!

Yep. That's either a happy alcoholic fan or a disgruntled janitor. Somehow I'm both at the same time.

Anyway, we had the jury convinced for not even 5 minutes...

RIP, Herlock Sholmes. Ripped by the Reaper even away from his hospital bed.

I can toast to that. I also love fruity jam on my toast. My fave's still that passion fruit jam I had some years back, though I think I ended up as the only one who really ate it regularly... All the more for me!

--

(Case 5, part 7)

Ironic, eh? In the JP, they just shout their last name like a cheer.

Barok, dear, you're the one who summoned them as witnesses. Don't fling your drink in a bad temper.

Off to the Summation Examination...

Yes, Ryu. Men can be maids if they try hard enough. And maybe dress for it too. Hurley already helps around the office with cleaning duties when Iris is too busy anyway.

To think that even in our modern world, this remains true for the Internet. It's just the cables have been replaced with huge optic fibers protected by the sturdiest of bunker tunnels. Or they'd be laid underground beneath the ocean beds wherever possible since it reduces the chance of leakage. The world feels just that little bit smaller in a way...

And a cute mouse it is, sir. But the lawyer was suggesting you were on "the wrong end of the stick". I'm not sure if you can be on the wrong end of the mouse...

Mousse! Nooo!

...Yes, I nicknamed the mouse, Mousse. Shush. I know it's not Russian, but it's still a good name.

Anyway, looking at this case stereoscopically is the way to go...

There are two kinds of people in this world. I'm the latter.

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(Case 5, part 6)

Maybe it's just me, but the way she says Susato is endearing.

Localization Team Terrorizes Local Translator with Laudably Tactful Titles.

...Pop. They literally called the poor pawnbroker Pop. And his last name is Windibank.

Well, I get the pun. "Popping" something at a pawnbrokery is dropping it off there, presumably to get it back later. Also, he's a middle-aged man, so it's like calling him "Pops". But still. I thought it was brutal enough that his last name was "windy bank". I mean, sure, he's a bit round-ish, but saying he's a bank full of wind is a bit rude, you know. And now they straight popped him off. Like a balloon. He's dead. This is the British equivalent of "Deid Mann" I swear.

Well, to be fair, his name in Japanese was Hatch. I don't think it was specified what his last name was, or if that was his last name and they never gave his first. I thought it was pretty clever how it referenced a "hatch" as in Iris' cat flaps or the peephole, but it's also kinda like "hatchet" as in an axe... which in "give the hatchet" is also another way to say he's dead. Damn.

Now these names are a bit clever. Skulkin is clearly a play on "skulking", or sneaking around, since they're "profeshnal baddies". Nash is also a word in Edinburgh dialect meaning "to run, get away". It also sounds close to nashi, or Japanese for pear. Ringo is a reference to the famed Western outlaw Johnny Ringo. It's also the Japanese word for apple, ringo.

Btw, their names weren't based on their fruits in the JP version. They were Nemmy and Tally Tinpillar, where "Tinpillar" is a mutation of chinpira, meaning "hoodlum, thug". I think Nemmy is from the phrase nemimi ni mizu, which is literally "water in sleeping ears", an idiom meaning "a great surprise". Tally may be like in futari, meaning "two people", since he's usually the second one to respond. Or it could be like the grammatical suffix tari for continuous action, though it only applies to verbs, so I'm not sure there.

And in the JP, they call Gregson "Uze no aniki" or "Big Bruv Uze". Like "uzee", as in the slang version of uzai, meaning "annoying". Usually it's translated into a coarser swear in other more mature-rated mediums. Use your imagination.

Your Lordship, no! ...Well, actually yes, he is a little sulky. But poor Mr. Gregson. I actually like this guy, ya know.

--

I just finished through the last case of the first game and blazed through it... like a slow-burning incense, anyway. So many good moments to savor, so many good shots to snap. I've got a load of info incoming later tonight and I'll explain this post's title later. Will be posting around the same time, do stay tuned.

Oh, boy... I wanna get into the next game already so bad. This is why I rarely ever get whole collection titles. One moment, I'm taking my time through the game; the next, I'm marathoning it all in the next few days.

(Case 5, part 5)

I just happened to present random stuff to Iris while shuffling through the Court Record. Keep forgetting to present stuff other than the armband unless it's required...

Here, there's a bit that isn't as clearly conveyed in English, but it is a common custom for the Japanese to begin conversations with a humble statement like "This is boring, but..." or "It isn't much, but..." or simply "Not to bother you, but..." It's meant as a sign of courtesy to others, but once translated to English, that meaning is kinda lost, especially on a 10 yo girl.

Damn, he really just got away with this with just a bit of a scolding.

But I just wanted to look through those boxes! It's not theft if we don't take anything! :)

Anyway, how is Gina doing...

Oh. Oh, my.

(This shot is kinda spoilery, but...) How nice that Gina finally tries to say his name. I don't think she says it differently than other English people, though, from what I remember of the JP version. Oh, well, she's one of the only ones to not call him "Mr.", but that's for later after they've gotten to be good friends.

And later that night, after they'd gotten through to her...

Sorry, I can't not share these. Such a beautiful bonding moment.

A beautiful bonding moment, indeed.

Btw, this move is actually different than the usual Susato Takedown. The Takedown is "スサト投げ" (susato nage), literally the "Susato Throw", and this one is "スサト割り" (susato wari), literally the "Susato Ratio". Yeah, she ratio'd him.

Ok, sorry, bad joke. This is supposed to be a serious moment. In context, it's more of a sumo term for a set match. She isn't a sumo wrestler, of course, but her techniques are of a non-descript, judo or possibly aikido-inspired moveset. The move itself is likely a hard shove or flip to knock the opponent off-balance, as opposed to an actual judo throw. It's hard to describe, but just picture a sort of tripping technique.

Or ya know, just do as I do and picture Susato suplexing him because that's funnier.

--

(Case 5, part 4)

Um... interesting hospital name, I guess? Iirc, it was originally called "St. Antrude Hospital" in the JP. I wonder why it had to be changed? There's no particular Japanese pun with the name that I can see. In fact, I'm not quite sure what the pun in that name is. Maybe with "intrude" because people often rudely barge in there? I dunno. I would start diving into the many different hospital names that start with "St." but there really are too many.

Over 100 years later, Phoenix suddenly sneezes out of nowhere.

Iris confirmed Team Shovel. Well, I already knew that, but now I have the snapshot to prove it and for future use if need be!

Sholmes has gone the way of a certain prosecutor from over 100 years in the future... Soon enough he'll be talking to Ryu in private late at night about some really bad news and soon they'll run into another murder...

Wait a minute. I thought something to this case was familiar in another 5th case.

Iris is apparently a fan of spider-like daruma dolls, noted.

I don't know why or how I keep doing it, but I keep finding the perfect snapshots to fit together perfectly in a comedy rule of 3. "Tea toadal" is my new favorite insult, honestly. (Yeah, it wasn't anywhere in the JP afaik. This last shot is from when he was complaining about his mental, worrying so much that he'd gone sleepless nights, over Iris' latest publications.)

Too cute, these two are. If only my eyes weren't melting in my sockets as I tried to cross my eyes... Ryu gets me, he does. He was very patient too as I must have taken a good 15 minutes or so just staring at the two images of the white kitty until I gave up and then went back to try again to little avail.

This is the true meaning of self-inflicted karma.

Good thing he's Japanese or this would've been borderline swearing at a 10-year-old! Ryu, watch your language!

--

(Case 5, part 3)

Welp, that's one treasure lost to time that Phoenix would never be able to see in his life.

At first I was gonna save the first snapshot as an inspirational piece, but on second thought, everyone treated death rather lightly until it actually happened. So the real lesson here should be: If you talk casually of someone's death and then it happens shortly after, you should consider if you're in a piece of fiction.

Because in secret, Susato-san, we are all devil-worshippers. Or at least van Zieks simps, I dunno, there's a lot of crossover.

Jokes aside, she's just talking about the stereoscope. Man, as much as I love this case, the stereoscopy segments killed my eyes. They're already bad enough as is, and then I have to strain them so much just to cross my eyes! I used to be able to do it easily; not any more... But enough about my problems.

Hahahaha! I definitely did not expect Gordon Bennett's name to pop up here, but it makes perfect sense. Just in case there's anyone who doesn't get it, shouting this name is just an expression of disbelief or disgust. Not sure exactly how his name came to be synonymous with "Ugh!" but the man whose name is used was once a controversial figure in his own right.

I just love how he has his own caramel bar brand. 7 cents, you say? Why that would be... a little over 2 dollars today if we assume the games take place around the year 1900. Not bad if you ask me; I'd think a Sherlock Holmes brand would be worth way more. It's even a special caramel that doesn't melt easily, hurrah!

Joke's on you, Sholmes, the only ones who are wearing hats at this moment in time are you, Gina, and the gentleman named Eggert Benedict; all shady characters with even shadier pasts, really.

By the way, if you think that is a silly name, I'll have you know his name was originally simply "Egg Benedict". He'd called himself a breakfast item.

Admittedly, a surprisingly spicy breakfast item in this case...

Just a PSA: The most important tidbit I have found from investigating this council notice.

Anyway, after a certain inspector arrives to clear the scene of said spicy breakfast item...

Aren't these two just adorable together? And now they know how to pickpocket and maybe pick locks. We all know Sholmes was able to do so anyway, but...

--

(Case 5, part 2)

Man, even in this game violas are trashed and made into cat toys. As a former violist myself, it's not a bad instrument... but the violin and cello are far superior in every aspect. EVERY aspect, I assure you, as a former violinist and cellist.

...Okay, maybe the viola was a bit easier to port than the cello, but that weight was a fair sacrifice to be able to witness the divine timber of a properly tuned cello.

Anyway, I dunno how I managed to catch Sholmes distorted like this, but uh, here you go, guys.

Inspecting the picture over the fireplace nets you a special achievment simply named "The Woman...?"

Fans of Sherlock Holmes will easily recognize the reference to Irene Adler, who first debuted in A Scandal in Bohemia. While this story was from the era of classic Holmes, who showed no particular sentiments toward most people, still well respected Irene for her wit and cunning. She was introduced as "the woman" in Holmes' eyes, and since then, derivative works have jumped on the shipping train.

Granted, it could also be a loose reference to a couple other Sherlock Holmes film adaptations in the 1940s by Roy William Neill, but I think Irene is the most obvious as a reference.

Ryu, please, that violin is basically his son! Well, yes, it would be odd if Iris had a foster brother that was a violin, but she's seen weirder from Hurley.

I dunno, maybe my ears are shot after all those years of string practice, but Sholmes' viola skills hit me a little too close to home and the ensuing nostalgia actually makes me genuinely like that cat-strangling music.

--

(Case 5, part 1)

I've waited this whole game for this: the spade vs shovel controvahsy. In the original, they argued over the sizes of the tools. Given that in the English language, the two words have historically been used interchangeably and differ by region and country, it makes sense they would specify the tools' utility, since sizes also differed across regions and countries.

Digging tools are so simple yet so complex, it seems.

Ryu, that's no longer tea. That's milk tea.

Incidentally, matcha may be the most well-known variant of Japanese green tea in the West, as it has a very mild flavor and smooth texture. It's really nice. But there are hundreds of different variations of green tea across Japan. Tea may have come from China in ancient times and spread far across the world, but Japan has taken tea ceremonies to a strict custom T... or should I say tea? Heh.

Wait... does this confirm that Nick really does take milk and sugar with his tea or coffee? He might have inherited that habit from his great grandpappy, who knows?

These three snapshots aren't adjacent to each other, but I just wanna thank the localization team for bringing us the classic deadpan Sherlock Holmes just for this moment.

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