Phoenix Wright

Shu Takumi created Phoenix Wright, in addition to voicing him in the Japanese language releases of the first four games in the series.

The idea of a lawyer was conceived when director Shu Takumi was searching for ideas for a game in which the player could discover lies or contradictions in statements.[13] Takumi used his privilege as the director to cast himself as Phoenix. Phoenix was a private investigator who finds a body at his client's office and is arrested. As the lawyer who is assigned to his case is useless, Phoenix takes up his own defense. One staff member suggested that Phoenix should be a hamster; while this didn't happen, this early version of Phoenix did have a pet hamster.[14]

Wright's Japanese given name, Ryūichi, alludes to the mythical dragon with its use of ryu (竜).[15] His Japanese surname, Naruhodō, references the Japanese expression naruhodo (なるほど), which equates to the English "I see". This phrase is often used in Japan to express attentiveness to the subject at hand. Takumi chose the phrase to highlight Wright's inexperience; even though his name reads "I see", he may not in fact understand what is happening, something which may also be true of people using the phrase. It is also commonly used in mystery novels when investigating, a core gameplay concept of the series.[16][17]

In English versions, Wright's name was localized to present a similar meaning to English-speaking audiences. His first name is also a mythical reference: to the phoenix, known for "rising from the ashes", an allusion to his almost impossible comebacks, or "turnabouts", during trials. This is referenced in the first game, in which the fifth case is titled "Rise from the Ashes". His surname is a pun, allowing for wordplay (such as "Right, Wright?" and "Phoenix Wrong").[16] Early brainstorming suggestions for Phoenix's name included "Cole" and "Wilton", but "Phoenix" was chosen as a name that would "stand out". The nickname "Nick" (used by his partner, Maya Fey) was chosen based on its believability and similarity to the sound of "Phoenix".[18]

At the time of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Phoenix is a rookie defense attorney who usually accepts murder cases, attempting to exonerate his clients when there is seemingly incontrovertible evidence and testimony against them.[19] Described as "goofy and single-minded", he often encounters unusual situations. Rather than simply arguing his case, Phoenix uses detective skills to gather relevant evidence and investigate the crime scene.[20]

When he was in grade school, he was accused of stealing Miles Edgeworth's lunch money, and since he was in a small school, there was a class trial. During the trial, Edgeworth and Larry Butz stood up for Wright, saying the teacher and students had no evidence of Wright's guilt. The class trial was dismissed and the three students became best friends until Edgeworth moved away following his father's murder. Fifteen years later, Larry would reveal that he was the one who stole Edgeworth's money that day, paying it back in full. While Wright is surprised, Edgeworth gives the appearance that he knew Larry stole his money all along.

While a college student at Ivy University, Phoenix is accused of murder and successfully defended by a defense attorney named Mia Fey, who finds the true culprit to be Phoenix's apparent girlfriend and Mia's first cousin, Dahlia Hawthorne. After passing the bar exam, Phoenix becomes a defense attorney himself under Mia's law firm, Fey & Co. Following Mia's murder, Phoenix takes over the law firm, naming it Wright and Co., and also takes Mia's sister, a spirit medium named Maya, under his wing. Maya becomes Phoenix's assistant and legal aide, assisting him by setting him up with clients, and by searching for information and clues during cases. As the years pass, Phoenix takes on several cases to prove the innocence of those wrongly accused of murder, developing a name and reputation for himself. He also helps out Maya with the well-being of her younger cousin, Pearl, after her mother was arrested. However, in one case, he inadvertently presents forged evidence to the court, not knowing it was forged until it was too late, and is forced to turn in his attorney's badge. Adopting a young girl named Trucy Enigmar as his daughter, Phoenix sets up the Wright Talent Agency, turning to playing piano and poker games for a steady source of income while supporting Trucy's career as a stage magician.

Seven years later, Phoenix is accused of murdering a man named Shadi Smith, who has no known past and is simply a wanderer. Phoenix hires a rookie defense attorney named Apollo Justice, who works for Phoenix's friend, Kristoph Gavin, a renowned defense attorney. During the trial, Apollo and Phoenix reveal that Phoenix had been set up, and Kristoph was the real murderer. After he successfully defends Phoenix in court, Apollo is brought into the Wright Talent Agency as their attorney, Trucy changing the name to the Wright Anything Agency. Phoenix continues to work behind the scenes, helping to bring the truth behind his disbarment to light, as well as implement a jury system to the fictional justice system.[21] In the years after losing his badge, Phoenix also develops a talent for poker, which he plays to determine the intents of those around him by reading their body language ("tells"), and is said to be nigh unbeatable at it.

After clearing his name, Phoenix retakes the bar exam, regaining his badge and once again becoming a defense attorney. He also retains Apollo Justice as a protégé, and takes newcomer Athena Cykes under his wing as the newest junior attorney for the Wright Anything Agency. He later reunites with Maya in the fictional Kingdom of Khura'in and helps to change the country's legal system, after which point they become legal partners once again.

Phoenix Wright has generally been praised by critics for being a likeable character with a realistic profession. However, the older Phoenix Wright seen in Apollo Justice has been criticized as "aloof and inscrutable", with "his character's development…lost along the wayside."[34] GameDaily called him the eighth greatest Capcom character, citing how he perseveres in the face of hardships.[35] They also named him 20th on their "Top 25 Gaming Hunks."[36] They included his hairstyle in the list of "weirdest hairstyles in gaming."[37] Nintendo Power listed Phoenix as their 10th favourite hero, stating that while lawyers get a bad rap, Phoenix is one who defends the innocent.[38] In 2009, GameSpot chose him as one of the characters to compete in their poll for the title of "All Time Greatest Game Hero".[39] His appearance in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was also positively received, with Metro GameCentral describing him as "the star of the show."[40] In 2012, GamesRadar ranked him as the 55th best hero in video games[41] while UGO Networks ranked him as the 57th best hero in entertainment in 2010.[42] GamesRadar also included him in a list of "The 30 best Capcom characters of the last 30 years", remarking that he has no power, and "isn't even that good of a lawyer when he starts out, but watching him grow is part of why we love him".[43] Reviewing the characters of the series, Jason Mecchi of Screen Rant complimented how despite how "it would be easy for Phoenix to fade into the background [a]s the protagonist and perspective character of the game and its first two sequels," that the character's "goofy, insightful[ness] form the backbone of the first game in the series." concluding to praise the character's "unique and often humorous perspective of the world" despite a general lack of a "dramatic arc", and ranking them as the "most memorable" character in the game.[44] Calling Phoenix "one of gaming's most enduring icons", the San Francisco Chronicle further praised Capcom's "dadification" of a character "popularly interpreted as bisexual" through his adoption of Trucy Wright.[45]

Phoenix Wright's signature mannerisms, such as finger-pointing and cries of "Objection!", have become well-known, and were parodied in episodes of anime such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, No Game No Life and Maria Holic.[46] Multiple video game characters have been compared with Phoenix based on their ideas of standing on trials, including Makoto Naegi from the Danganronpa series, or Takayuki Yagami from Judgment.[47][48][49][50][51][52]