Twitter: Box of Memories (2017)

Title: Box of Memories
Source: Takumi Shū 's Twitter

Summary: On October 11, 2017, Takumi tweeted that his extended leave after finishing Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2 was now over, and that his very first job was to move offices. Takumi made use of the occassion to clear up some of the boxes with all kinds of files and other things related to his projects, and he decided to tweet photographs of some of those documents, including the original notebook he used to plan the very first Gyakuten Saiban (Ace Attorney) game in, but also the initial scenario plots he had for Gyakuten Saiban 2 (Ace Attorney 2 - Justice for All). Reading those notes shows how Takumi's plots take shape, as these prototypes are quite different from the final product

In the translation below, each paragraph is a seperate tweet. Images are taken from the source tweets. Copyright belongs to their respective owners.


Good evening everyone. Takumi here. My extended leave has finally ended, and now I have returned to the ocean that is the office, my first big job is... moving offices. I have always been very bad at "cleaning up" so I felt like just giving up on all of this and returning back to my extended leave. [Source]

I made use of this occassion to clear out some stuff, managed to move everything from the dozens of boxes I had with memories over twenty years old, to a mere six of them.  Wait, perhaps I overdid it and cleared out too much. Anyway, as always happens when you "move", once you open one of those old boxes you hadn't seen in ages, all work stops as you keep reaching for those nostalgic objects. [Source]

This is one of those rare promotion goods that were made in 2001 for the release of Gyakuten Saiban (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney GBA) and Yurunosuke Piggy Bank which was made as one of the extras for the e-Capcom limited edition of my latest game, Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2 ("The Grand Turnabout Trial 2"). Having "the original" and "the latest" standing next to each other, across a gap of sixteen years, makes quite the impression. [Source]

And just for this occassion, we have my famous (?) pet and the ancestor... Ah, how soothing for the spirit. Looking at them, I feel his "comrade" should also be there... But lo, I heard they are working right now on the plans to make a piggy bank of Mr. Asougi.

"I'm fine!" [Source]

Dai Gyakuten Saiban Request Project: "Saving Hard! Yuruma Piggy Bank". I heard that if they get a certain amount of pre-orders before November 20, it will be made. Let's turn him into a piggy bank with the combined powers of ourselves and all of you!

http://www.e-capcom.com/sp/daigyakuten/nuri/ [Source]

... But putting that aside. During the move, I came across some of the earliest planning documents for Gyakuten Saiban and I thought I'd show them to you. By now, they've become 'witnesses of history".  The one on top is the very first notebook I used, when I started thinking about the project in the summer of 2000. It's been 15 years already since I last saw it. [Source]

And this is the commemorable first page from that notebook. "Defense Attorney Game". There are of course parts that are different fromt the final product, but you can somehow feel I was brimming with hope back then. It all started from here... [Source]

Defense Attorney Game　→　Utmost attention must be paid to having the thrilling feeling of getting hold on the opponent and cornering them.

Court → Investigation →　Court →　Investigation

Thus runs the daily schedule, with one case lasting about three days. One scene last for about thirty minutes. ←　Don't make them feel anxious about whether things are going well or not.

* By dividing the story up in scenes, the story can develop within a short space.
* You use the testimony and evidence you find in the investigation part the following day in court to defeat the witness.
↓
* Timing of when you present evidence →　might influence judge parameter? 
* Timing of when you object →　might influence judge parameter? 

→　The timing of misdirection will be important

And there are scenario plot documents for Gyakuten Saiban 2 (Ace Attorney 2 - Justice for All).  I had first planned 2 to have five episodes, and I did write five scenarios. But we just hadn't enough for space for one episode, so the case at the restaurant was moved to 3 (Ace Attorney 3 - Trials & Tribulations). The title of Irish's famous book I had in mind is so blinding... No, no. [Source]

Page 1 (Bottom)
August 15, 2001 / Takumi
Episode 3: Circus Story plot

● Basic outline
* Day 1 - Investigation
Following the plot of the case.
● Have the magician tell you their story at the detention center.
He went to his boss [OBSCURED]  and he had taken off his cape,

Page 2 [Center]  
Emphasizing that the person Mako (Maggey Byrde) knows she saw has disappeared!! 
PHANTOM LADY

August 21, 2001 / Takumi
Episode 4: Fake Naruhodo (Phoenix Wright) Appears! plot

● Intro demo
Starting with a guilty verdict scene. Defendant wears an Anna Miller's costume (TN: maid costume).
Naruhodō grins.

● Opening
Mitsurugi (Edgeworth) barges inside in anger, with a rolled up newspaper. "Rookie Attorney Losing Trial Is (W)Right" ... You have no memory of this. Utterly confused.
→ Newspaper Article "Fake Naruhodo" obtained. 

● Day 1 - Investigation
Detention Center -  What She Has To Tell You
The Fake Naruhodo brought newspaper articles about him winning and said "You can leave it to me" [OBSCURED]
The two of them were listening to music. They had a CD. (It has disappeared) [OBSCURED]
There was a band name written on the CD jacket. It was something like Crac[OBSCURED]
→ CD obtained (still not proven whether it really existed or not)
The man did put some powder there. The bottle was found on her [OBSCURED]
→ Murder Weapon (Bottle) obtained. Only her fingerprints were on it.[OBSCURED]
The lottery ticket is the motive. They found it on me.[OBSCURED]
→ Lottery Ticket obtained. 

Page 3 (Top)
August 30, 2001 / Takumi
Episode 5:  The Bear Saw It! Plot

● Intro Demo 
Starts with a dark screen. Someone requests a murder. If it's clear that the other is a professional, B won't be suspected, so keep that unclear. "You know the time and day?" "Tomorrow, after the award ceremony, right?" Obscure what the person's sex is. "And don't forget about that thing!""Understood" Award Ceremony of the Japanese Academy Awards - Best Male Lead. A heated battle between Tonosama Hey (The Nickel Samurai)and Ninja Nanja (The Jammin' Ninja). Above the glorious Tonosaman! A grin appears...

● Opening
The party after the ceremony. Mayoi (Maya) is excited. The spirit medium from the second episode is also there. Niboshi (Will Powers) too. They're informed of the murder. A is arrested by Itonokogiri (Gumshoe). Then an elderly waiter appears, and takes Mayoi away as there's a phone call for her.

● Day 1 - Investigation
Investigate the case together with Itonokogori. Obachan (Wendy Oldbag) and Natsu... (Lotta Ha-)[OBSCURED]
The elderly waiter appears with a transceiver on a plate[OBSCURED]
...In exchange for a not guilty verdict...[OBSCURED]
Watching you. The press conference[OBSCURED]
First meeting with B. A[OBSCURED]
Detention center[OBSCURED]

Notice the date on the documents. They're from before the release of the first game. Actually, at that time, I was put on the incredible schedule of having to think of, and write all the scenarios for 2 from August until the end of the year, so I had one week to come up with a detailed plot, including tricks, per episode. Now I think about it, these documents are like the crystallization of my ideas back then, traces of that horrible period. [Source]

Looking back at these files, that should make you think "If it weren't for these, I wouldn't be here now".... All kinds of feeling pop up: I even feel threatened by my own younger self, but also feel that I wouldn't have things like that now. And now I'll carry these six boxes stuffed with heavy memories and move on again.... [Source]

To finish this, one last time: the Asougi Kazuma Piggy Bank Project "Saving Hard! Yuruma Piggy Bank" is now on e-Capcom. This product will be made if you request it, so please check it out!

http://www.e-capcom.com/sp/daigyakuten/nuri/ [Source]