Whether you've played all the Ace Attorney games or this is the first time you've heard of the existence of such a thing, you can find a relatable quote here!

So what exactly is Ace Attorney?

It is a series of games, created mainly for the Nintendo DS platform, produced by Capcom, that follows a group of defense lawyers trying to solve weird and bizarre cases. The gameplay is relatively simple as most of the time you click through the dialogue, present evidence, or click on different objects in different areas to examine and obtain evidence. The games are also relatively funny and punny so I would definitely recommend playing them for an enjoyable time!

While pondering what I should write for my next Odyssey article, I realized that ever since I got the most recent Ace Attorney game, Spirit of Justice, which was released in 2016, I've been constantly looking forward to playing that game in my free time, which hardly exists in my schedule.

And while aimlessly wandering around the internet, I stumbled upon a really inspirational quote that I quite liked from one of the Ace Attorney games (try to guess which one down below!) and realized that the series has some really funny and really inspirational quotes so I was suddenly overcome with fervent motivation to write this listicle.

So that's the whole backstory. Here are some quotes for those days of struggle for students and anyone who needs some uplifting!

1. When you haven't started your assignment and it's due in an hour and you realize you have no hope

"Words can not describe how screwed I am."

-Phoenix Wright (Farewell, My Turnabout - Justice for All)

Maybe it's time to just accept your fate and late grade.

2. When you try to read your thick textbook

"Difficult-looking legal books stand in a formidable row. They mock me. I tried reading one, and it made my head hurt. When I closed it, it slipped out of my hand. Then my foot hurt too."

-Phoenix Wright (Farewell, My Turnabout - Justice for All)

You'll get through them...someday.

3. When you're faced with failure

"No one can change the past. The only thing we can do is strive to make up for our mistakes. Because in so doing...we can find our way back to our path. And after that, we can move on from our past mistakes towards a brighter future."

-Phoenix Wright (Turnabout Sisters - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)

It's better to focus on what you've learned from failure and apply that to the next time. Growth is a progress of figuring what things work for you, and failure just naturally results from that.

4. When you want to burn others

"You look like I did after I mistakenly took a swig of Worcestershire sauce."

-Godot (Bridge to the Turnabout - Trials and Tribulations)

Ace Attorney games are filled with creative, out-of-the-box, and lowkey burns. Just whip out one and take in the satisfaction of seeing the stunned and impressed faces of the people that were just burned.

5. When you're debating whether to speak your mind or not

"A fool who doesn't think is more foolish than a fool who foolishly thinks."

-Franziska von Karma (Bridge to the Turnabout - Trials and Tribulations)

Ever had a question pop into your mind but never actually say it out loud for fear of people judging you and thinking it was a stupid question? Let go of those feelings and speak your mind! 'Think' and 'Speak' are very related and it goes both ways! Asking questions and expressing your opinions all contributes to your growth.

6. When you've run into a roadblock

"When you've run into a wall with no place to go, return to the basics."

-Miles Edgeworth (Rise from the Ashes - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)

We've all had those days of writer's block, artist's block, athlete's block, etc. When you feel like you are not making any progress, step back, and look at the whole picture. If you're writing, think back to your initial purpose of writing; if you're playing a sport, think back to your favorite memory playing that sport and why you love it so much. If you're feeling stressed about the workload you have, allow yourself to take a break and re-think your schedule. Create a good plan and stick to it!

7. When you've lost hope in a system

"The law is the end product of many years of history...the fruit of human knowledge! Like a gem, polished to a gleam through trials...and errors. It is this fruit we receive, and pass on, and face in our time. And it is always changing, growing. Nurturing it is our task as human beings."

-Judge (end of Trials and Tribulations)

In the quote, it is the legal system, but I think this can pertain to essentially any system that you might find fault with. For example, the U.S. election in November 2016, led to some serious mistrust and decreased belief in the capability of the government, but it is through trial and error like the Judge says in the quote, that we can further develop as a society.

8. When you defend a stranger

"It's only natural for living creatures to fight to protect their own lives. But what makes us human is that we fight for others. But who do fight for? How hard much you fight...? That's the true measure of what human life is worth. We defense attorneys are warriors who are constantly challenged by that question. Even when the battle is over, and the bonds that connect us are severed...We always return...Time and time again."

-Phoenix Wright (end of Trials and Tribulations)

Although the quote pertains a little bit more to defense attorneys, it is definitely important to embody. Looking out for each other helps a community be safer and stronger as a whole. This can also be an inspiration for people who aim to become a defense attorney to think about what it means to be a defense attorney.

Another quote that pertains to not only the job of a defense attorney but also discovering a truth that can be hard to admit:

"Our job is to find the truth, no matter how painful it may be."
-Miles Edgeworth (Rise from the Ashes - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)

What comes to me when I saw this quote was of all the hidden truths in American history. This semester I'm taking a class in Asian-American Studies and it has changed my perception of American history. It makes me horrified that so much racial discrimination has been apart of the history of a country that seems so successful and whose citizens boast that it is the best country in the world. Although it is a hard truth to swallow down all of the injustice and pain in American history, it has to be acknowledged. Only when you acknowledge the truth, can progress can be made, instead of burying the truth.

Hope any one of these quotes has either given you a laugh or some inspiration or both!