Sal Manella

"Phoenix Wright"

- (ROFS? Rolling on the Floor... Starving?)

Sal Manella is a director at Global Studios best known for directing the TV show The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo and creating its sequel The Pink Princess: Warrior of Little Olde Tokyo.

The Steel Samurai

 * Main articles: The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo, The Pink Princess: Warrior of Little Olde Tokyo and Turnabout Samurai

Manella found success with the massive popularity of The Steel Samurai. However, the show would abruptly end with the murder of actor Jack Hammer, who played the role of the antagonist, the Evil Magistrate.

During a board meeting at Studio Two of Global Studios, Hammer, dressed as the Steel Samurai, attacked producer Dee Vasquez, which led to his death as Vasquez tried to defend herself. Manella helped to cover up the crime by cleaning up the crime scene. They incinerated the bloodied Steel Samurai costume and dressed Hammer in the Evil Magistrate costume. The head of a giant caricature of the Global Studios mascot, Mr. Monkey, had broken off and blocked off the only path out of Studio Two, trapping Vasquez and Manella, but when it was cleared, they moved Hammer's body by a studio van to Studio One, and planted the Samurai Spear nearby to make it look like Powers had killed Hammer with the spear.

Lawyer Phoenix Wright took Powers's case. He and assistant Maya Fey soon met Manella, and Fey's spirit medium dress inspired Manella to create concepts for a sequel to The Steel Samurai, which would become The Pink Princess. However, Wright found Manella and Vasquez out in court, and Powers was found not guilty.

However, it appears that no severe charges were brought against him as two years later,In the miles edgeworth game he was seen at an airport happily eating some food. He could be overheard talking to himself about his next Steel Samurai show, and even plans for a film version.

Personality
Manella has a penchant for speaking in L33T and reciting internet memes. He has been seen referencing Yakov Smirnoff's "Russian reversal" jokes, as well as the "Over 9000!" meme. Once under pressure, however, he speaks normally. He sweats a lot and comes off as a little creepy due to his "nerdy" personality especially to women, such as the unsuspecting Maya Fey. He begins drooling when he encounters attractive members of the fairer sex. He also has a great liking of food, salivating as much at the mention of food as at the sight of a pretty girl. Manella was submissive to Vasquez, with her treating him like dirt. He didn't seem to mind however.

Name

 * "Uzai" (宇在) means annoying in Japanese, and "Takuya" (拓也) comes from the word "otaku". Therefore, his name literally means "annoying otaku".


 * The names "Sal Manella" and "Sal Monello" are plays on the name of the bacteria genus "Salmonella", likely a reference to his less-than-attractive personality.


 * "Sal" is also a nickname for the male given names "Samuel", "Salvador" and "Salvatore".