Last time we talked about the Phoenix Wright manga series from Del Rey, I said, "It seems as though the authors themselves had trouble creating an identity for Phoenix, and many were itching to focus on specific characters with a more well-defined personality." Yet, at the same time, I enjoyed the volume, although a good chunk of the stories didn't appeal to me personally -- one of the great pitfalls of dealing with a collection of stories by different authors and artists.
Well, now that the second volume has hit store shelves, it's time to take another look at the endeavor and see how it's improved with a change of focus. So, if you wouldn't mind joining me today, let's get into The Miles Edgeworth Files!
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: The Miles Edgeworth Case Files
Published by Del Rey
Released on February 24th, 2009 ($14.99)
I was a little ambivalent when it came to reading this title when it first arrived at my door -- my fuzzy memories of the first volume were less than ideal. The potpurri of stories really stuck in my mind, and when I approached Edgeworth Case Files, I figured that the stories would be equally as chancey.
But I was pleasantly wrong. The overall quality of each of the stories in Edgeworth Case Files was markedly improved over the last volume. As I read each story, I had a laugh at one point or another, and there was never really a point that I can remember where I wanted to pass on the story.
One of the most notable improvements for me was the visuals. None of the art styles were patently offensive to my eyes, and most of them portrayed Edgeworth in a way that was fairly accurate to the game. Some of them, unfortunately, drew Phoenix and Edgeworth a little too similarly, and anything that required a change of standard clothing looked odd -- so, some artists decided to keep the characters in their standard suits even if they were going hiking in the woods.
Many of the stories really try to flesh out Edgeworth's backstory, and as such it really makes for a more worthwhile read than Phoenix Wright Case Files was. The cast of characters following Edgeworth is different, along with a shift in focus, which really makes for a nice change of pace. As a bonus, the focus isn't heavily on a certain side character, like it was with Maya in the last volume; Gumshoe is never such an overbearing presence.
For the Phoenix Wright fans, this title is a definite buy, I must say. The storylines sometimes edge on the shonen-ai sort of relationship between Phoenix and Edgeworth, but that's only to be expected. So, if you're in Borders, be sure to pick this one up -- it's well worth the price.
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