Highlights

• The Ace Attorney series has many prosecutors, but some stand out more than others due to better serving their role in the story.
• Less screen time doesn't necessarily mean a worse character. Nonetheless, main rivals and one-off prosecutors should be memorable and entertaining.
• Not all prosecutors need to be aggressive opponents, with some opting for a more playful rivalry.

You can't have a courtroom battle without a prosecutor, and the Ace Attorney series has no shortage of them. From a masked genius who throws coffee at defense lawyers to a literal knight in shining armor, Capcom's famous visual novels are packed with quirky, colorful rivals.

While Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice face off against many foes, some stand out more than others. The best Ace Attorney prosecutors have distinctive personalities and contribute to the story rather than just standing around and yelling "Objection!" now and then. That being said, which of the series' rivals is the best?

Updated on February 23, 2024, by PJ Molloy: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is finally out, bringing fan-favorite characters such as Klavier Gavin and Simon Blackquill to all platforms for the first time. But how do Apollo's prosecutors compare to the rest?

It can be hard to compare the Ace Attorney prosecutors since each plays a drastically different role in the story. For example, main rivals naturally have more screen time and better-defined character arcs than one-off prosecutors. To make it fair, these characters are ranked based on how well they serve their part in the narrative.

Spoilers ahead for every Ace Attorney game.

19 Jacques Portsman

A Rather Forgettable Foe

No one will blame you for forgetting about Jacques Portsman. He's Edgeworth's first rival and the tutorial culprit in Ace Attorney Investigations. Sadly, he falls short in both roles. He's a shockingly terrible liar, practically giving himself away by how easily flustered he gets over tiny contradictions in his testimony.

Despite getting tragically little screen time, the first prosecutor can still leave an impact by having a unique personality or humor. Unfortunately, Portsman's smiley, basketball-loving demeanor leads to few memorable interactions, jokes, or conflicts.

18 Prosecutor Flynch

A Quirky Character Who Feels A Bit Too Familiar

As the first prosecutor of Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, Flynch acts as the British equivalent of Winston Payne, sharing the same goofiness and unwarranted over-confidence. While it maintains the series' running joke of incompetent first rivals, it's nothing you haven't seen before.

While featuring many similar traits, each member of the Payne family has one or two unique characteristics that set them apart. Flynch does little to distinguish himself from his peers, leading to a character that, while entertaining, evokes a sense of déjà vu.

17 Gaspen Payne

Quite A Payne, Indeed

As the most morally dubious of the Paynes, Gaspen is more of a villain than a rival. The Rookie Humiliator is not above dirty courtroom tactics like forging evidence, leading to his termination and self-imposed exile to Khura'in.

As the Khura'inese Chief Prosecutor, Gaspen gave in to his wicked desires and tried to sentence Phoenix to the death penalty as revenge for their previous encounter. He's just as comically inept as his brother, albeit way less likable due to his comic book villain levels of evil.

16 Zacharias Barnham

A Promising Character Arc That Falls Slightly Short

The chivalrous Inquisitor Zacharias Barnham has a few fascinating qualities. His disdain for witches is matched only by his knightlike dedication to Labyrinthia. He's even willing to sacrifice his life as retribution for wrongfully convicting Maya Fey.

Barnham's journey from mindlessly following orders to being imprisoned for paving his own path is undoubtedly interesting and tragic. However, it isn't given the proper screen time to explore fully. His baffling absence from the game's climax only showcases his missing potential.

15 Nahyuta Sahdmadhi

A Slow Build Up To A Somewhat Satisfying Conclusion

Many Ace Attorney prosecutors are aggressive, so it's refreshing to see the meditative Khura'inese monk Nahyuta Sahdmadhi at the opposing bench in Spirit of Justice. Sadly, there's not much more to his character than reciting proverbs and condemning criminals to the underworld.

Granted, his character arc in Turnabout Revolution is touching, leading to a powerful moment when he stands in defiance of the tyrannical queen while exclaiming his father's motto, "A dragon never yields." However, given his amount of screen time, it would have been nice to see a bit more depth.

14 Professor Layton

A Grand Entrance With A Subdued Payoff

Layton is Wright's greatest ally throughout their adventure in Labyrinthia, so it's quite a plot twist to see the professor as the opposing counsel during the final trial. As Phoenix's intellectual equal, he theoretically makes for a worthy adversary.

However, Layton is more of a laid-back prosecutor, nudging the defense toward the truth with subtle hints. Despite that, he always has a rebuttal to Wright's arguments. He winds up feeling like a friendly chess opponent, which doesn't exactly jive with the high-stakes nature of the case.

13 Klavier Gavin

A Fun Prosecutor With Little Screen Time

Known as the "cooperative prosecutor," the rock and roll superstar Klavier Gavin developed a fanbase for being less antagonistic than other main rivals, instead opting for playful teasing and informal courtroom tactics. Despite that, he gained notoriety for disbarring Phoenix Wright.

Tragically, the rock star gets swept under the rug after Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, never needing to cope with his brother and best friend being in jail or the guilt of disbarring an innocent lawyer. There's a lot of missed potential to explore the character's nuances and struggles.

12 High Inquisitor Darklaw

The Most Tragic Ace Attorney Rival

Darklaw lives up to her name, having the darkest backstory of any Ace Attorney villain. After accidentally causing a fire that destroyed an entire village, the High Inquisitor of Labyrinthia escaped into a world of magic and witches to block out the horrifying tragedy.

Her hatred for the defendant, Espella Cantabella, and aggressive courtroom tactics make Darklaw a formidable rival, leading to an intense battle of wits during the last trial. It's unfortunate that she only prosecutes half the case, but she puts up a decent fight regardless.

11 Taketsuchi Auchi

The Funniest Payne There Is

Arguably the silliest of the Paynes, Winston's ancestor, Taketsuchi Auchi, sets the family's precedent for clumsiness and cartoonish antics. The biggest difference is that he's more of a push-over than his successors, allowing witnesses to walk all over him in court.

That, mixed with his unwavering belief in tradition, leads to many funny interactions with Ryunosuke, Kazuma, and Susato. He even goes as far as to chop off his hair with a sword after losing a trial. Overall, he does exactly what a first prosecutor is supposed to do: be funny and ensure the tutorial is entertaining.

10 Queen Ga'ran

The Scariest Rival In Ace Attorney

Initially seeming like a mild-mannered ruler, Queen Ga'ran reveals her true colors as a tyrannical dictator during the final trial in Spirit of Justice. Commanding, powerful, and scary beyond belief, the Khura'inese queen is a fitting final boss to the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney trilogy.

As the crowned ruler of Khura'in, Ga'ran can freely rewrite the law, constantly altering the rules in her favor. While this begs the question of why she never makes it so she can bypass the court system and automatically win, it makes for a formidable opponent nonetheless.

9 Winston Payne

The Best Tutorial Prosecutor

Phoenix's very first rival, Winston Payne, does a wonderful job setting up the series' comedic tone. The bumbling yet arrogant prosecutor has sparred with Wright, Mia, and Apollo, creating many hilarious moments, including the tragic backstory of how he lost his hair.

Winston doesn't have the depth or character arc of rivals like Edgeworth or Godot, but that's also not his purpose. His role is to show up at the beginning and act silly to make the tutorial fun and quirky, which he does with flying colors.

8 Manfred Von Karma

A Deliciously Evil Ace Attorney Villain

Manfred von Karma nails the role of the first game's final boss. Known as a god among prosecutors, he rules the courtroom with an iron fist, raising an objection almost anytime Phoenix utters a word. He's a worthy adversary for such an intense and exciting case.

The legendary prosecutor only appears three times, yet his actions as Edgeworth's adoptive father and Gregory's killer are felt throughout the entire series. While he may seem a bit too mustache-twirling at times, he makes for a frightening and memorable villain.

7 Kazuma Asogi

The Greatest Surprise Prosecutor

Out of all the Ace Attorney mentors, Kazuma Asogi is one of two to wind up behind the opposing bench. Initially thought to be dead in The Great Ace Attorney, his return in the sequel makes for a shocking and thrilling plot twist.

His honorable values and friendship with Ryunosuke don't prevent him from putting up a challenge. He's quick-witted, ambitious, and relentless in the courtroom, leading to action-packed trials in episodes four and five of The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve. You do not want to get on his bad side.

6 Franziska Von Karma

An Intimidating Rival With Subtle Depth

Franziska von Karma is as intimidating as it gets. With her trusty whip and knack for calling people a fool, she uses fear and threats to get her way in court. While these may seem like her only traits at first glance, there's far more to her as a character.

Her perfectionism and desire to earn respect through violence stem from her tragic childhood when her father was emotionally unavailable and her brother abandoned her. The rare instances when she shows vulnerability are heart-wrenching, providing her with a subtle layer of depth.

5 Barok Van Zieks

Throwing Wine At People Since The 1880s

Only Barok van Zieks has the audacity to throw wine bottles at people in court. The Reaper of the Bailey is known for being stoic and snarky, with just a hint of gentlemanly speech while he shoves his boot in your face.

The one thing that holds him back is his character arc of hating the defense attorney until getting arrested for a crime orchestrated by his mentor, which hits similar beats as Edgeworth's story in the first game. Otherwise, he's a compelling and memorable prosecutor.

4 Sebastian Debeste

The Goofiest Prosecutor With An Emotional Arc

A dimwitted main rival doesn't seem engaging in theory, but it works for Sebastian Debeste. This self-proclaimed "best" prosecutor is after Edgeworth's job for most of Ace Attorney Investigations 2. There's just one problem - he's a terrible lawyer.

Not only is Sebastian hilarious, but his journey from being incompetent to successfully convicting his abusive father is one of the most powerful character arcs in the series. It's a shame that he's absent from the game's climax, but his on-screen moments are both comedic and emotional.

3 Simon Blackquill

A Formidable Antagonist With A Twist

Known as the "Twisted Samurai," Simon Blackquill distinguishes himself from Apollo Justice's other rivals by being a convicted murderer. With his extensive knowledge of psychology, Blackquill can subtly manipulate the Judge to rule in his favor, making him one of the toughest opponents the Wright Anything Agency has faced.

His character becomes even more fascinating when it's revealed that he was wrongfully convicted and stays silent to protect Athena Cykes. Many prosecutors have been suspected of murder, but Blackquill's story twists the trope and delivers an excellent character.

2 Godot

An Enigmatic, Charming Villain

The mysterious Prosecutor Godot committed a crime so complex that many fans debate whether he did anything wrong. The coffee lover's romance with Mia Fey and ultimate fall from grace is an enthralling story of passion, tragedy, and revenge.

Godot only appears in one Ace Attorney game, yet he makes a huge impression with his collected, smug personality and heart-wrenching story. He's a faithful ally to Mia and a fearsome enemy to Wright six years later, creating the most interesting dynamic between a prosecutor and a defense attorney.

1 Miles Edgeworth

The Best Ace Attorney Prosecutor

No other prosecutor comes close to Edgeworth's level of charm and depth. Known as a genius investigator with Sherlockian observation and deduction skills, Miles has solved the most baffling mysteries while sporting his iconic, endlessly endearing smirk.

Edgeworth's journey of losing his father at a young age, becoming a crooked attorney, losing everything, and finally rising to hero status is the series' most well-defined and satisfying arc. Behind his cold and calculating demeanor lies a heart of gold, providing the emotional complexity to make Miles the best Ace Attorney prosecutor.