* In the 2009 point-and-click adventure game, ''[[Wikipedia:Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories|Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories]]'', the player can examine a stepladder in a boathouse. Upon doing so, protagonist [[w:c:anothercode:Ashley Mizuki Robbins|Ashley Mizuki Robbins]] calls it a ladder, before correcting herself and remembering that it's actually a '''step'''ladder. She then ponders what the difference even is between the two. This was likely intended as a reference to the running ''Ace Attorney'' joke.
* In the 2009 point-and-click adventure game, ''[[Wikipedia:Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories|Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories]]'', the player can examine a stepladder in a boathouse. Upon doing so, protagonist [[w:c:anothercode:Ashley Mizuki Robbins|Ashley Mizuki Robbins]] calls it a ladder, before correcting herself and remembering that it's actually a '''step'''ladder. She then ponders what the difference even is between the two. This was likely intended as a reference to the running ''Ace Attorney'' joke.
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* [https://store.steampowered.com/app/1249260/Birth_ME_Code/ Birth: ME Code] is another investigative mystery game that references the debate. The player Ancora fails to get anyone to actually debate with her however.
A conversation between the protagonist and his assistant about the difference between a ladder and a stepladder is a recurring joke in the Ace Attorney series that has appeared in every game in the series to date, with the exception of Dai Gyakuten Saiban: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Bōken.
The first instance was in Turnabout Samurai, the third case of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, with a stepladder reappearing in at least one location in each game to date, sometimes in several locations, for the sole purpose of continuing the "tradition". Upon examination, the protagonist and a partner character engage in an argument on the usage of the words "ladder" and "stepladder", and the difference between them. One usually accuses the other of being too absorbed in the details instead of looking at the big picture and realizing that stepladders and other ladders serve roughly the same function. The latter's response to this varies. Similar gags involving other items have been used on occasion over the series.
In its original incarnations, Phoenix Wright makes the distinction and Maya Fey tells him to "stop judging things based on narrow-minded cultural assumptions". However, in later instances of the gag, the protagonist fills Maya Fey's role.
I've met plenty of guys like you, always picking on the smallest details. The vegetable store guy near my place does it all the time. He even corrects me when I ask for a head of lettuce. "That's a cabbage," he says. I'm telling you, they're the exact same thing!
You have to plant both of them firmly in the ground before they can grow, don't you? Listen. You gotta take a step back and look at the bigger picture sometimes. Otherwise you could miss a really important clue. That's advice from a pro, pal!
No way! From their structure up, they're totally different! But of course, from a thief's perspective, the best kind of ladder is the rope-ladder. A step-ladder is much too heavy to carry around, after all.
This article contains information about Ace Attorney media that has been released only in Japan.
The information in this article comes from a game, demo, or other media that has been released in Japan, but not in any predominantly English-speaking country. The subject of this article has not been officially revealed for English versions of this media. English versions of this content are only available through unofficial translations. More information on this can be found here.
If you have personal experience with the item of media in question, you can help the Ace Attorney Wiki by improving on this article. Please heed the manual of style when adding information.
This article contains information about Ace Attorney media that has been released only in Japan.
The information in this article comes from a game, demo, or other media that has been released in Japan, but not in any predominantly English-speaking country. The subject of this article has not been officially revealed for English versions of this media. English versions of this content are only available through unofficial translations. More information on this can be found here.
If you have personal experience with the item of media in question, you can help the Ace Attorney Wiki by improving on this article. Please heed the manual of style when adding information.
In the 2009 point-and-click adventure game, Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories, the player can examine a stepladder in a boathouse. Upon doing so, protagonist Ashley Mizuki Robbins calls it a ladder, before correcting herself and remembering that it's actually a stepladder. She then ponders what the difference even is between the two. This was likely intended as a reference to the running Ace Attorney joke.
Birth: ME Code is another investigative mystery game that references the debate. The player Ancora fails to get anyone to actually debate with her however.