Rate the Ace Attorney case: The Adventure of the Blossoming Attorney (G2-1)

Rules:

1. Rate each case on a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. Anything above 10 gets rounded down to a 10, and anything below a 1 gets rounded up to a 1.
2. Anything beyond one decimal point will be rounded accordingly: .04 and below will be rounded down, .05 and up will be rounded up.
3. You may grade on any criteria you like.
4. You can rate cases from previous topics if you miss a topic.

Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PiEuURt1qf19VoYzcFCU1EFa8uqs2teJiVcip7JmjDw/edit?usp=sharing

Previous Results:

Bridge to the Turnabout (3-5) - 9.8 (37 votes)
Farewell, My Turnabout (2-4) - 9.7 (30 votes)
Turnabout Revolution (6-5) - 9.6 (25 votes)
Turnabout Goodbyes (1-4) - 9.2 (32 votes)
Turnabout Reclaimed (5-6) - 8.8 (23 votes)
The Golden Court (L-3) - 8.6 (14 votes)
The Inherited Turnabout (E2-3) - 8.5 (16 votes)
Turnabout Beginnings (3-4) - 8.4 (26 votes)
The Rite of Turnabout (6-3) - 8.4 (22 votes)
Rise from the Ashes (1-5) - 8.2 (28 votes)
The Stolen Turnabout (3-2) - 8.2 (24 votes)
The Adventure of the Runaway Room (G1-3) - 8.2 (20 votes)
Turnabout For Tomorrow (5-5) - 7.9 (27 votes)
Turnabout Memories (3-1) - 7.4 (30 votes)
Turnabout Samurai (1-3) - 7.4 (29 votes)
Turnabout Academy (5-3) - 7.4 (27 votes)
The Grand Turnabout (E2-5) - 7.3 (16 votes)
The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story (G1-5) - 7.2 (21 votes)
Turnabout Target (E2-1) - 7.1 (17 votes)
Turnabout Trump (4-1) - 6.9 (25 votes)
The Magical Turnabout (6-2) - 6.7 (22 votes)
Recipe for Turnabout (3-3) - 6.6 (27 votes)
The Fire Witch (L-2) - 6.6 (14 votes)
Reunion, and Turnabout (2-2) - 6.5 (25 votes)
The Monstrous Turnabout (5-2) - 6.5 (23 votes)
The Adventure of the Great Departure (G1-1) - 6.0 (20 votes)
Turnabout Ablaze (E1-5) - 6.0 (19 votes)
The Cosmic Turnabout (5-4) - 5.9 (24 votes)
Turnabout Sisters (1-2) - 5.7 (25 votes)
Turnabout Reminiscence (E1-4) - 5.6 (22 votes)
Turnabout Storyteller (6-4) - 5.3 (21 votes)
The Imprisoned Turnabout (E2-2) - 5.3 (16 votes)
The Forgotten Turnabout (E2-4) - 5.2 (16 votes)
The Foreign Turnabout (6-1) - 5.0 (23 votes)
Turnabout Visitor (E1-1) - 5.0 (20 votes)
The Final Witch Trial (L-4) - 5.0 (13 votes)
The First Turnabout (1-1) - 4.9 (25 votes)
The Kidnapped Turnabout (E1-3) - 4.6 (22 votes)
English Turnabout (L-1) - 4.3 (14 votes)
Turnabout Airlines (E1-2) - 4.2 (22 votes)
Turnabout Countdown (5-1) - 4.1 (24 votes)
Turnabout Corner (4-2) - 4.0 (25 votes)
The Adventure of the Clouded Kokoro (G1-4) - 3.9 (21 votes)
Turnabout Time Traveler (6-6) - 3.9 (19 votes)
Turnabout Big Top (2-3) - 3.7 (25 votes)
Turnabout Succession (4-4) - 3.5 (24 votes)
The Lost Turnabout (2-1) - 3.3 (27 votes)
The Adventure of the Unbreakable Speckled Band (G1-2) - 3.2 (18 votes)
Turnabout Serenade (4-3) - 2.7 (24 votes)

People generally liked G1-5. Some really liked it due to the strengths of GAA1, in particular the story and characterization. Most people liked Gregson's role and the Skulkins. The cat flap was a bit divisive, with some finding it clever and other finding it silly. Others did not like

Summary:

Two months have passed since Susato's return to Japan. When a known killer winds up dead a day before their extradition, Susato's friend Rei Membami is arrested, and Susato steps into court to defend her herself.

Main Characters : Susato Mikotoba, Ryutaro Naruhodo, Yujin Mikotoba, Taketsuchi Auchi, The Japanese Judge, Seishiro Jigoku

Other Characters: Rei Mambami, Jezaille Brett, Satoru Hosonaga, Soseki Natsume, Raiten Menimemo

My rating: 4.5/10. Kinda feel similar about this case to 2-1. A relatively simple Case 1 with good characterization of familiar characters with an entertaining culprit. I kinda wish Susato wasnt so similar to Ryunosuke as an attorney, though. Menimemo really makes this case for me.

5.5/10

A bit of a step back from the first game's intro case but still good. Playable Susato is fun. Having more Auchi is good. I wish they hadn't killed off Brett so unceremoniously, but I imagine she may have been a victim of having to truncate the series from three games to two.

6

Serviceable introduction to the second game. Echoing that playable Susato is awesome.

5

Leonhart4 posted...

5.5/10
truncate the series from three games to two.

This was a thing? I had no idea.

Bitto posted...

People generally liked G1-5. Some really liked it due to the strengths of GAA1, in particular the story and characterization. Most people liked Gregson's role and the Skulkins. The cat flap was a bit divisive, with some finding it clever and other finding it silly. Others did not like

Summary:

Didn't like what? Didn't like what?!

6/10

Trials and Tribulations - 8.08
Ace Attorney 1 - 7.08
Spirit of Justice (without DLC) - 7
Dual Destinies (with DLC) - 6.77
Investigations 2 - 6.68
Spirit of Justice (with DLC) - 6.5
Dual Destinies (without DLC) - 6.36
Layton - 6.125
Justice For All - 5.8
Great Ace Attorney 1 - 5.7
Investigations 1 - 5.08
Apollo Justice - 4.275

Updated rankings. GAA1 ranks third from the bottom due to uneven quality and a relatively weak finale.

5.7/10

Menimemo is my favorite intro case villain in the series. He's very goofy and understands his assignment and role, despite the case matter being fairly dark and serious. He also personifies some of the craziness of Ace Attorney in a way most people don't. "YEAH I STABBED HER, BUT SHE WAS POISONED SO THAT PROVES I'M INNOCENT" is a hilarious representation of Ace Attorney as a whole. He also has fantastic animations. I legitimately think he would make the top half of all meaningful characters in the series if I were to rank all of them.

Thirding loving playing as Susato.

I dunno, I just can't justify rating it any higher than this. It's pretty basic; there's not a whole lot going on.

Anagram posted...

This was a thing? I had no idea.

I don't think it was ever officially confirmed, but it was originally rumored to be a trilogy, and there are things that are mentioned in the first game that are altogether forgotten or just rushed through in the second game.

The Russian plot in particular is just absent from the second game, and I can't imagine that was Takumi's intention, especially since we visit the World's Fair.

4/10

It's just really short and aside from having good characters it's just... unmemorable and doesn't add much. More than any other case in the series it left me with a feeling of "wait, that's it?" due to the fact that it was even shorter than G1-1 - to be fair, G1-1 overstayed its welcome, but, meh. I think this one leaves a bad taste in my mouth because of the way they just never pay off Susato being an attorney. It's just something she does once in this case and then never again. The fact that it doesn't serve as part of any broader character arc just kinda pisses me off.

Leonhart4 posted...

I don't think it was ever officially confirmed, but it was originally rumored to be a trilogy, and there are things that are mentioned in the first game that are altogether forgotten or just rushed through in the second game.

The Russian plot in particular is just absent from the second game, and I can't imagine that was Takumi's intention, especially since we visit the World's Fair.

It was supposed to be a trilogy, yes. Then the first game sold worse than expected.

I think G2-1, like all the Natsume Souseki cases, probably suffers a lot in translation. Though now I'm just curious why Rei Membami is the only person who got a localized name in the case -- and it's one that's only legal Japanese in traditional Hepburn! (deep dive: is usually transliterated as 'n' but it is pronounced closer to "m" before some consonants, so older transliteration styles would write it as 'm' in those cases. "Asahi Shimbun" is perhaps the best example of one where that style has survived to the modern era, but it's all over the place -- "senpai" should be pronounced "sempai," for instance.) Granted I'm the one that always writes e.g. "Tempei Sato" so I'm not complaining, but it is weird.

...oh i guess Menimemo from Mamemomi counts too, that one's so similar though.

I'm guessing for Rei it was to make the pun easier to figure out for people who don't know Japanese? A non-Japanese speaker would read the 'n' as an 'n' instead of the intended 'm'.

oh i'm not opposed to the decision at all, it just made me go "huh."

(God I wish they'd localized Susato and her father's names. And Seishiro Jigoku, though that given name hits the nail perhaps a little too hard on the head.)

4

Most people I saw play the game enjoyed this one more than the first game's case 1 interestingly enough, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

G1-1 had issues but I think there was a certain excitement about starting the series in a new time period and setting that overwrote some of those issues and that excitement isn't there anymore by the time you get to this case so even if it's objectively roughly equal(arguably better maybe), I found it overall less enjoyable.

Still a 5/10.

also i'm surprised at the G1-2 dislike. I remember really liking it in Japanese, especially with how it played with the real-world Case of the Speckled Band.

6

susato's theme tho

6/10, i enjoyed it a fair deal

4

eh

6.5

6.5

ding dong the witch is dead. fuck jezaille. all my homies hate jezaille. menimemo is a real one.

i love playing as susato so so much. this ranks as high as it does because i adore her. i wish there was payoff and i wish we saw more of rei, but neither of these are the fault of this case.

also omg my boy soseki natsume shows up again. love him <3

6/10 Menimemo is such a hot design. A shame he isn't in a case with Ryunosuke .

Also uh the thing with poison was pretty interesting and giving me Umineko vibes.

6/10

Man, this case had so much potential. Things kick off with a bang with Lawyer Susato and the surprising nature of Brett's return, and Menimemo winds up being my favourite part of the case, he's very fun. And Natsume being cocky now is kinda neat. But that's about it? Despite the setup the case sadly doesn't do much for Susato's character (and neither does this entire game!). The trial is short but the case beats don't hit very hard, the court is convinced of Menimemo being behind the poison far too easily.

Rei Membami is a baffling character, Susato's childhood best friend who is never mentioned before or after this case and somehow gets a prominent spot on the boxart. She's not interesting, and I've never been big on the Susato takedown gag. Jigoku and Mikotoba aren't great either until they get to England. , and Hosonaga adds nothing to the case.

Oh, but there is Auchi's hair takedown with the sad Kazuma music and everyone in court taking it so seriously, that's fun.

Poor Auchi

8

It's the only case where you can hear susato's objection theme

7

7/10. Liked this one quite a bit, very well paced and hits the themes of the duology well. The mystery was solid and playing as Susato was great. It is a bit disappointing that this is the only time we do, and it makes me wonder if that aspect was a casualty of the games going from three to two.

Dels posted...

Didn't like what? Didn't like what?!

I had to rewrite the post since I clicked away when making the topic :(

They didnt like that it did not feel like a finale case, particularly the lower stakes and the culprit.