Phoenix Wright: Honey badger. I like honey badger for Phoenix for several reasons. Firstly, honey badgers are very difficult to kill. Their skin is very thick and tough (enough to resist machetes, spears, etc.), and it’s also loose, allowing them to twist around and bite back at something holding them. That seemed fitting to me in both the joking “Phoenix is immortal” sense, but also in the courtroom when prosecutors think they have him pinned and he turns the situation around to his benefit. They are excellent diggers, which you could link to Phoenix’s relentless search for the truth/investigative abilities. They eat pretty much anything, including snakes and scorpions, and have been noted as being resistant to venom. Seeing as Phoenix’s worst personal foes are both linked strongly to poisoning, I thought that fit well too. They are very adaptable and intelligent (able to use tools), which is pretty self-explanatory, but have poor vision and smell, possibly representing Phoenix’s tendency to sometimes miss or overlook flaws in those he cares for/relevant details at first glance. Honey badgers are known for their strength and ferocity, hunting down or driving off animals much larger than themselves. Their claws are very powerful, as is their bite. Phoenix is fearless and can be very aggressive once provoked, but he’s fairly easy-going most of the time. If you don’t know about honey badgers, his daemon might not look like too much to worry about until it’s too late. Alternatively, people recognizing Phoenix’s daemon and waiting for him to be aggressive or intense are gonna be very surprised - until they meet him in court.

Apollo Justice: Scarlet dwarf dragonfly. I knew I had to give Apollo a dragonfly, even though it might not look like the toughest animal. Dragonflies have possibly the greatest success rate when hunting prey, estimated to be around 95% successful. They also have incredible eyesight, which of course is a must for Apollo. Their vision is nearly 360 degrees, they can probably see ultraviolet and it’s likely they can see colors we can’t. I chose a red dragonfly because c’mon, I had to, but I also learned there is a famous Japanese children’s song “Akatombo” (”Red Dragonfly”) whose lyrics make me think of Apollo feeling nostalgic for his childhood, so that’s a nice bonus. I chose this particular species to be Japanese in nod to the symbolism there (they are associated with victory) and also because giving him a teeny tiny daemon appeals to me. He’s short, yes, but also an itty bitty bug might seem like a contrast to his loud nature and all... but his daemon is actually more intense.

Athena Cykes: Eurasian lynx. I strongly considered a barn owl for Athena, since owls are associated with the goddess Athena, and barn owls especially have fantastic hearing, with their whole faces built like a satellite dish. (Actually, if I’d been going for best hearing in the animal kingdom, it would’ve been a moth.) But in the end a bird just didn’t feel right for her. She is strong, tactile, clever, and alert - a cat just fit. Eurasian lynx live across huge swaths of Asia and Europe, which was a nice nod to Athena’s habit of peppering in bits of various European languages. Males (as her daemon would be) in particular tend to hunt over large areas. As far as cats go, they have pretty excellent hearing, with the distinctive tufts on their ears being supposed to aid with that. They hunt using both hearing and sight, typically by ambushing prey. There is no animal equivalent to Athena’s ‘therapy’ technique but I think ambush is a decent enough analogue, since it too takes prey by surprise and can send them into a panic. Lynxes are skilled predators with a great jump, and just look muscular and I find that a great fit for the very active Athena. 

Trucy Wright: White rabbit. I thought about what to give Trucy but just kept circling back to the classic magician’s animal. I think it fits beyond that too, though. Rabbits have a wide field of vision, as well as great hearing and sight. Makes sense for a prey animal, but also for Trucy with her (albeit unutilized like Apollo) eyesight. Rabbits are long associated with trickery, which is an excellent nod to her magic. Rabbits have also been associated with good luck, with the rabbit’s foot the most-known example; I think that lines up nicely to how she became a spot of joy and hope in Phoenix’s life after he was disbarred. Rabbits are quite intelligent, social, and sweet - but also can be total brats if they want. They tend to chew through everything (carpet, wires, etc.) if you don’t keep them away, which reminds me of Trucy taking over the office with all her magician mess. And lastly, a small detail, Trucy’s annoyed sprite involves her shoulders going down in a way that looks a little bit like she’s stomping, which reminds me strongly of a rabbit.

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