Phoenix "Nick" Wright, known as in the original Japanese language versions, is the fictional titular defense attorney and the main protagonist in Ace Attorney, a visual novel adventure video game series created by Japanese company Capcom. Phoenix is featured as the main protagonist in the first three games of the series, appearing as a supporting character in the fourth before returning as one of the protagonists of the fifth and sixth games. The character has also appeared in film, anime and manga adaptations of the series, a Japanese series of musicals and stage plays, and crossover video games such as Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2012), Project X Zone 2 (2015), and Puzzle Fighter (2017) and has received a universally positive critical reception, described as a likeable character with a realistic profession. Conception and creation The idea of a lawyer was conceived when director Shu Takumi was searching for ideas for a game in which the player could discover lies or contradictions in statements. Takumi used his privilege as the director to cast himself as Phoenix. Phoenix was a private investigator who finds a body at his client's office and is arrested. As the lawyer who is assigned to his case is useless, Phoenix takes up his own defense. One staff member suggested that Phoenix should be a hamster; while this didn't happen, this early version of Phoenix did have a pet hamster. Wright's Japanese given name, Ryūichi, alludes to the mythical dragon with its use of . His Japanese surname, Naruhodō, references the Japanese expression , which equates to the English "I see". This phrase is often used in Japan to express attentiveness to the subject at hand. Takumi chose the phrase to highlight Wright's inexperience; even though his name reads "I see", he may not in fact understand what is happening, something which may also be true of people using the phrase. It is also commonly used in mystery novels when investigating, a core gameplay concept of the series. In English versions, Wright's name was localized to present a similar meaning to English-speaking audiences. His first name is also a mythical reference: to the phoenix, known for "rising from the ashes", an allusion to his almost impossible comebacks, or "turnabouts", during trials. This is referenced in the first game, in which the fifth case is titled "Rise from the Ashes".