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"Ace Attorney, feature-length film, is hitting North American shores this June at the AM2 (anime, manga and music) convention in Anaheim, California. Ace Attorney, directed by Ichi the Killer's Takashi Miike, debuted as a feature film in Japan earlier this month.AM2 will hold two exclusive screenings at the Anaheim Convention Center, one for passport holders only and one with pass holders preferred and general audience as seating permits. The AM2 convention runs from June 15-17.While this isn't exactly a widespread theatrical release for Ace Attorney, it does open the doors for US screenings. Keep your eyes on your local independent theaters for a chance to see all the cartoony flair (and hair) of Phoenix Wright in reality.AM2 ANNOUNCES US PREMIERE OF THE MANGA BASED LIVE ACTION FILM ACE ATTORNEY    One of Many U.S. Film Premieres Happening this June 15-17, 2012 at the  Anaheim Convention Center and Anaheim Hilton! Get your Passports Today and  Experience the Difference!    LOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 15, 2012) &amp;shy; The ever popular ACE ATTORNEY  (Gyakuten Saiban-2012/Mystery, Drama/Approx. 130 min) manga and video game  comes alive in this live action feature film to be screened EXCLUSIVELY at  this summer&amp;sup1;s most anticipated Anime, Manga and Music event AM2. Two  screenings will be available-one EXCLUSIVELY for Passport holders ONLY and  the second for Passport holders preferred (with general attendees as seating  permits). More info and attendee registration can be found at  www.am2con.org     First released in 2001 for the Nintendo &amp;sup3;GAME BOY&amp;sup2;, ACE ATTORNEY was ported  for the DS, PC, Wii. With four games in the series, Ace Attorney has sold  over 4.2 million copies worldwide. The series has been further popularized  and continues to build a new fan base via the advent of spinoff series Ace  Prosecutor (gyakuten-kenji in Japanese) to the game appearing on GREE,  Japan&amp;sup1;s leading social networking service and in comic book form. In 2008,  the Tokyo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra performed a concert based on the  game, and the following year, the Takarazuka Revue Company started their  live musical performance of the series.    Set in a futuristic, fictional Japan courtroom where &amp;sup3;bench trials&amp;sup2; have  been implemented to fight rising crime, the appealing amusement of Ace  Attorney has to be its leading character, hot-blooded, sometimes  4th-down-and-long-Hail-Mary rookie defense lawyer, Phoenix Wright. The  speedy storyline, filled with twists and turns of sheer enjoyment, unfolds  as Phoenix finds the truth and wins his case. Rising from the ashes when the  chips are down, he challenges the court with &amp;sup3;evidence&amp;sup2; collected through  his own investigations and exposes the actual criminals and their pack of  lies.    The story structure of the film is based on the characters and amusing story  twists from the first work in the series. Penning the screenplay are none  other than the cop and courtroom drama master Takeshi Iida (writer for  SHINZANMONO and PARTNERS) as well as Sachiko Oguchi (KAIJI 2) who is popular  for her fast paced scripts. The director is hit-maker Takashi Miike,  world-renowned for his talent and the pride of the Japan filmmaking world  whose latest works always attract attention. In this film, Miike depicts a  heated courtroom battle by evoking his novel visual sense with VFX and CG  and his unique &amp;sup3;Miike magic&amp;sup2; directing of actors from films like YATTERMAN,  the CROWS &amp;shy; Episod 0, CROWS and Thirteens Assassins. While most films set in  courtrooms tend to offer low-key, pedestrian visuals, the courtroom scenes  in this film are amazingly attractive for audiences.    Hiroki Narimiya, the talented young actor whose performances in Drop and the  TV series Bad Boy &amp;amp; Good Girl resonated with a new generation of young  people, plays the hot-blooded, rookie lawyer Phoenix Wright. His childhood  friend and ultimate rival Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth is played by Takumi  Saitoh (medical TV series Saijo no Meii), a younger actor in the limelight.  Extremely popular, teenage actress Mirei Kiritani plays the damsel in  distress Maya Fey, a spirit medium in training. Veteran actors from the  Japanese film world and regular Miike Takashi film actors including Ryo  Ishibashi (Audition, Ju-On The Grudge), Rei Dan (Kabei: Our Mother), Fumiyo  Kohinata, Kimiko Yo (Departures), Akira Emoto, round out the cast. Court is  in session for this &amp;sup3;courtroom battle&amp;sup2; entertainment film at theatres  nationwide on February 11, 2012. Don&amp;sup1;t miss it!    SYNOPSIS  In 20XX, to prevent the rise of vicious crimes the government introduces  \"bench trials\" a new justice system where the defense and prosecutor go  head-to-head in open court. Within just three days, a guilty or not guilty  verdict is decided.    Talented attorney Mia Fey, who shows understanding for her junior lawyer,  Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya), is murdered. Arrested for the murder is  her spirit medium in training sister Maya Fey (Mirei Kiritani). Phoenix  believes in Maya&amp;sup1;s innocence and takes the case where he meets Prosecutor  Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saito), a level-headed, prodigy attorney and  childhood friend. An intense courtroom battle unfolds as testimony and  evidence are presented.    After the trial, Phoenix receives word that Miles has been arrested for  murder! Phoenix steps forward to defend Miles. Opposing council is none  other than Miles&amp;sup1;s master, legendary prosecutor von Karma (Ryo Ishibashi)  who has been undefeated in court for 40 years. As the trial goes on, the 15  year old DL-6 case, where Miles&amp;sup1;s father Gregory Edgeworth was shot and  killed in the evidence room, is examined closely.    What will become of Phoenix, Miles and Maya? What dangerous truth lies  behind this mysterious case?      Staff and the Cast    Directed by Takashi Miike    Screenplya by Takeshi Iida, Sachiko Oguchi    Music by Koji Endo    Theme Song by pronograffitti (SME Records)        CHARACTERS (Japanese name follows the English name)    - Hiroki Narimiya as Phoenix Wright (Ryuichi Naruhodo) A hot-blooded,  rookie lawyer.    - Takumi Saitoh as Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (Reiji Mitsurugi) A  calm, cool genius prosecutor. Phoenix&amp;sup1;s childhood friend and fateful rival.    - Mirei Kiritani as Maya Fey (Mayoi Ayasato) Phoenix&amp;sup1;s client. A  spirit medium in training. Mia&amp;sup1;s younger sister.    - Akiyoshi Nakao as Larry Butz (Masashi Yahari) Phoenix&amp;sup1;s childhood  friend. A good-for-nothing loveable guy.    - Shunsuke Daito as Detective Dick Gumshoe (Keisuke Itonokogiri) A  shoot-from-the-hip cop who places his trust in Miles&amp;sup1;s ability to convict  felons.    - Akira Emoto as The Judge aka Your Honor (Saibancho) A veteran judge  who calls, &amp;sup3;Order in the court.&amp;sup2;    - Rei Dan as Mia Fey (Chihiro Ayasato) A talented lawyer. Phoenix&amp;sup1;s  boss and sister to Maya.    - Mitsuki Tanimura as Lotta Hart (Natsumi Osawagi) A would-be  cameraman and witness to the alleged shooting. She speaks in an Osaka  dialect which is translated as a Southern dialect.    - Takehiro Hira as Attorney Gregory Edgeworth (Shin Mitsurugi) Miles&amp;sup1;s  father and role-model reason for becoming a lawyer. He was a victim in the  DL-6 case.    - Esuke Sasai as Robert Hammond (Yukio Namakura) The defendant lawyer  in the DL-6 case who represented Yanni Yogi.    - Makoto Ayukawa as Redd White (Masaru Konaka) Freelance magazine  writer, wiretapper, witness to Mia&amp;sup1;s murder and possibly more.    - Kimiko Yo as Misty Fey (Maiko Ayasato) A spirit medium. Mother to  Mia and Maya.    - Ryo Ishibashi as Prosecutor von Karma (Gou Karuma) Miles&amp;sup1;s master, a  legendary prosecutor who has not lost a case in 40 years. He turns out to be  the true criminal behind the DL-6 case.    - Fumiyo Kohitani as Yanni Yogi (Koutarou Haine) Former court agent. A  defendant in the DL-6 case. His wife Polly later committed suicide. He also  has a pet parrot named after his wife.      Attendees can avoid the anticipated huge lines at autographs, premiere  screenings, workshops, main events, concerts and panels by purchasing a  Passport fast pass for the event. The Passport fast pass will also provide  holders with premier seating options at Main Events and at Concert events as  well as major discounts with theme parks, retailers and local restaurants.  Bypass the lines and get your Passport today and experience the difference!    AM2 current activities include Exhibit Hall, AMV&amp;sup1;s, Arcade, Summer Festival,  Behind the Voice Actors Studio, Masquerade, Dances, Fashion Shows, Table  Top, Console Gaming, Workshops, Panels, Concerts and more!    Follow us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/AM2Con    Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/AM2Con      About AM2  Located in Anaheim, California &amp;shy; AM2, established in 2010, is a multi-day (3  days) 24 hour event with no general attendance/badge purchase requirement  and is aspiring to be a key meeting place for fans that share a common  interest in Asian music, Animation/Anime, and Comics/Manga. Nominal fees  are charged for certain activities that attendees choose to participate in.  AM2 will be held on June 15-17, 2012 at the Anaheim Convention Center in  sunny Anaheim, California. More information can be found at www.am2con.org"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/15/phoenix-wright-movie-to-premiere-at-am2-convention-this-june-no/>