Life Lessons from Capcom's Ace Attorney series

Objection! To me, the excitement of court room drama is best conveyed by Capcom's Ace Attorney series. The Phoenix Wright trilogy, Apollo Justice, Miles Edgeworth (Investigations), and the latest and greatest, Dual Destinies, these games involve an interesting story line and a game play that is rather simple but satisfying all the same. But this post isn't about how great of a job Capcom has done, no this is about the various life lessons that I have learned from playing these games.

I'm fine! I'm [Insert Name], and I'm fine!

Apollo Justice, with his red suit and Chords of Steel, has a catchphrase that he says constantly. He proclaims at the top of his lungs, "I'M FINE! APOLLO JUSTICE IS FINE!" At first I thought it was a little weird, but it fit into the world of Phoenix Wright just fine so I let it go. In Dual Destinies though, the deeper meaning of him yelling, "I'm fine!" was mentioned. In the Monstrous Turnabout, Apollo says,

"I find that shouting "I'm fine!" in a loud voice really relieves stress. It's part of my "Chords of Steel" workout, and a must before every trial."  -Apollo Justice

In The Cosmic Turnabout, Apollo talks about what he told his best friend Clay Terran when Clay's mother died,

"I always think, that everybody else has a mom. Why am I the only one...? But, you know, when I start to feel that way, I yell at the top of my lungs. I holler, 'I'm fine!' and then, you know what? I start to feel like maybe I really will be fine. APOLLO JUSTICE IS FINE!!! ...Okay, Clay. Now it's your turn." When Apollo finishes the memory, he comes back and says, "When you say it out loud, it really starts to feel real. And as long as you don't give up, you can keep on fighting! That's what we believed." -Apollo Justice

So I've taken to telling myself that I'm fine. While I don't shout it from the rooftops, the basic idea is overall the same. And it helps. Telling myself that I'm fine actually helps. I feel better and I'm able to keep going and move forward.

The worst of times are when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles.

This really goes for anyone, but sometimes you have to force a smile in the face of bad times. This statement, though it was probably stated in earlier games, made an impact in my life for me because when I read it, I really needed to hear it. It reminded me that times aren't so bad at the moment and the day I have to force a smile is the day that I have to haul myself through life kicking and screaming. But right now, I'm not at that point, so I haven't hit the worst of times yet.

So those are just a couple things that Ace Attorney has taught me. I'm planing on replaying the trilogy, as well as Apollo Justice, at some point, so I might have more as I go through all those wonderful courtroom adventures again. Sanders out.