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The Top 10 Worst Ace Attorney Characters

Kaempfdog・66 minutes read

Kev Dog presents a video ranking the least favorite Ace Attorney characters, critiquing their development and impact on the story, with a focus on poorly written characters and lackluster characterization. The video highlights characters like Ben Woodsman and Stickler for their flaws, while also discussing issues with characters such as Alba, Manny Cochin, Lance Amano, and Mahi for lacking depth, clear motivations, and impact on the narrative.

Insights

The video ranks Ace Attorney characters based on their poor writing and lack of audience engagement, not just on how hateable they are.
Characters like Ben from Turnabout Big Top are critiqued for lacking development and contributing to uncomfortable humor, with his engagement ring subplot and immaturity highlighted.
Lance Amano from the Kidnap Turnabout case is portrayed as unlikable and lacking clear motivations, leading to an uninteresting character arc and a mundane resolution.

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Recent questions

Who are the least favorite Ace Attorney characters?
Characters perceived as poorly written or unengaging.
What are the criticisms of Ben Woodsman and Triloquist?
Involvement in a controversial romance subplot with Regina.
What are the criticisms of Stickler in Ace Attorney?
Inappropriate behavior overshadowing important plot points.
What are the criticisms of Alba in Ace Attorney?
Overboard portrayal and mishandled downfall.
What are the criticisms of Lance Amano in Ace Attorney?
Unlikable character lacking clear motivations.

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Summary

00:00

"Ranking Ace Attorney Characters: A Critique"

Kev dog introduces a new Ace Attorney list video focusing on ranking individual characters with his brother, M256 Pi, voicing Phoenix and Kev dog voicing Edwards.
The video discusses the least favorite Ace Attorney characters, emphasizing the high standard of character writing in the series.
The list includes characters perceived as poorly written or failing to engage the audience, not necessarily the most hateable ones.
Characters from the main series, Two Investigations games, and the Layton crossover are eligible for the list, with a spoiler warning for major plot points.
Honorable mentions include characters like Jinxy Tema, Karen Jensen, Bucky Whet, Pierce Nickety, Kane Bullard, and Dead Man, critiquing their development and impact on the story.
Olivia Al Dente, Pop Wind Bank, and Marvin Grossberg are highlighted for their lackluster or inappropriate characterization.
The list proper begins with Benjamin Woodsman and Triloquist from Turnabout Big Top, critiquing the character's involvement in a controversial romance subplot with Regina.
Ben's character is seen as an outlier in the case, not directly addressing his flaws like other characters, making him less essential to the storyline.
The dropped love triangle subplot and lack of resolution contribute to the characters' immaturity and lack of development, with Ben's age difference with Regina being a notable issue.
Ben's ventriloquist act with Trilo is viewed as standard uncomfortable humor, with the character's awkwardness and exaggerated personality being the focus.

14:43

Ben's Engagement Ring Annoys Max, Circus Drama

Ben bought an engagement ring and maintained the act even behind the scenes, possibly to annoy Max due to his pompous nature.
Themes in 2-3 highlight the circus members' immaturity and social awkwardness, with Ben exemplifying poor communication skills without his puppets.
Regina's unrealistic view of the world makes her susceptible to manipulation, but the love triangle setup with Ben and Trillo is a joke.
Ben's comedic act is criticized for being cringe-worthy and not enjoyable, leading to his inclusion on a list of disliked characters.
Ben's attempt to shift focus to a new act is overshadowed, and his lack of on-screen realization of his flaws contrasts with other characters in the series.
Stickler's actions in stealing panties for a magic trick investigation are seen as inappropriate and damaging to the case's reputation.
Stickler's presence in the case overshadows important plot points and forces Apollo to present panties in court, detracting from the case's seriousness.
Stickler's behavior, while humorous, is considered out of place and detracts from the case's overall impact and reputation.
Alba, a final villain in the series, is critiqued for being overboard in his portrayal, particularly when his power is taken away prematurely, diminishing his threat.
Alba's downfall is seen as mishandled, with his character losing impact and becoming a nuisance in the case, despite initial potential as a compelling villain.

29:45

Character Depth Critiques in Ace Attorney

Manny Cochin is criticized for being overdeveloped as a plot device but underdeveloped as a character, lacking visual memorability and depth.
Investigations 1 is faulted for having too much plot and not enough character development, particularly with victims and characters not interacted with directly.
Ernest Amano, linked to the game's plot, is deemed forgettable and lacking in clear motivations, impacting the overall narrative.
The crossover game between Professor Layton and Ace Attorney is praised for its concept but criticized for blending different character writing standards, resulting in varying levels of character depth.
Birdley, a character from the crossover, is highlighted as an example of how combining writing styles can go wrong, being annoying and lacking depth, disrupting the tone of the game.
Lance Amano, the killer in the Kidnap Turnabout case, is portrayed as unlikable and lacking in clear motivations, making his character exhausting and uninteresting.
Lance's motivations for the fake kidnapping are deemed illogical, as his father would likely have given him the money if asked directly, raising questions about the necessity of his actions.
Lance's disloyalty and cowardice are emphasized, showcasing his lack of redeeming qualities and making him a character that is neither loved nor hated, but rather uninteresting.
Lance's lack of an entertaining breakdown or satisfying resolution in the case is noted, contrasting him with other characters like Acro from a previous case who had more understandable motivations.
Lance's character is critiqued for lacking depth and being uninteresting, failing to evoke strong emotions or engagement from players, ultimately making his takedown feel mundane.

44:49

"Mahi's Lackluster Development in Spirit of Justice"

Lance is at the heart of the unpleasant kidnap turnabout case, lacking depth and impact.
Lance's unlikable character could have been enhanced with stronger reasons for his actions.
Mahi, the main prosecutor in Spirit of Justice, is criticized for being repetitive and lacking character development.
Mahi's background as Dirk's son and his motivations are explored, but his repetitive behavior is not satisfying.
Mahi's lack of character progression is compared unfavorably to other prosecutors like Edgeworth and Judge Courtney.
Mahi's repetitive dialogue is seen as a missed opportunity for a more interesting character arc.
Mahi's lack of development is attributed to the writers' decisions, making him unlikable and uninteresting.
Lauren Pops in the Kidnap Turnabout case fails to provide the emotional core needed, feeling fake and disconnected.
Lauren's character is criticized for not matching the intended emotional impact due to writing and sprite inconsistencies.
Lauren's lack of believability could have been improved with minor adjustments to her character and sprite expressions.

59:10

"Unique Characters and Plot Twists in Ace Attorney"

Lauren Pop's unique facial expressions in the Ace Attorney game make her stand out among other characters
Lauren Pop's lack of emotional depth is a rare anomaly in the franchise, making her memorable
Despite being a side character, Lauren Pop's peculiar portrayal sets her apart from others in the game
The character Espella Cantabella in the crossover game is central to a significant plot twist involving suicide
Espella's traumatic past and the mystery surrounding her character build intrigue throughout the game
The revelation that Espella was not directly responsible for a tragic event leads her to attempt suicide
The sudden twist in Espella's character development undermines the depth and impact of her story
The character Darklaw's actions throughout the game reveal her true intentions and motivations
The missed opportunities in Espella's character development and the handling of her story leave a lasting negative impression

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