Thanks to AShadowLink and Hamada for helping with edits.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is an imperfect entry in its series, yet it’s one of my favorites nonetheless. It keeps series stalwarts Phoenix Wright and Ema Skye present while introducing several newcomers, from its titular lawyer to his original mentor, Kristoph Gavin. And those four people are closely connected to our subject for today, a friendly fellow regularly met throughout Apollo.
Klavier Gavin, seen in 2007’s Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (Image: Capcom)
Since attorneys must clash with someone in court, protagonist Apollo required a rival to call his own. Phoenix already had three, one for each of his games, of whom prosecutor Miles Edgeworth was the trendsetting original. Now on the fourth entry, Ace Attorney brainchild Shū Takumi felt emboldened to toy with the series’ clichés a bit, reexamining the relationship between defense attorney and prosecutor…
Klavier Gavin’s History
When reflecting on Apollo Justice, Takumi admitted it’s challenging to create a prosecutor. As those Phoenix fought bore “a sense of darkness,” Takumi wanted to differentiate Apollo’s. So he wrote the prosecution’s latest prodigy – named Kyouya Garyū in Japan, and Klavier Gavin here – as a bubbly sweetheart who moonlights as a rockstar, the Gavinners’ frontman. However, that through line of darkness persisted, transforming into Klavier’s “shadow” and older brother, the defense attorney Kristoph. Character designer Kazuya Nuri understood Klavier’s importance; he spent the most time fine-tuning the musician, a claim supported by the abundance of concept art he drew (Nuri even bought three reference books just for Klavier). In his The Art of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney commentary, Nuri mentions Klavier originally wore a leather jacket. A purple suit jacket later replaced it, serving as a medium between Klavier’s two jobs. Additionally, Nuri designed Klavier’s younger look to exude more attitude than his present-day self.
Originally, the Gavins’ hair sported two “pointy twists each,” channeling the imagery of Egyptian pharaohs. According to Takumi, the hairstyle was finalized first through Klavier. (Image: Capcom)
Klavier Gavin is introduced during Apollo’s second case, “Turnabout Corner.” Here, three seemingly unrelated incidents – a murder, a missing noodle stand, and a hit-and-run that hospitalized Phoenix – coalesce into one mystery, with Klavier and Apollo opposing each other in court. Apollo eventually proves his client innocent, partially thanks to Klavier’s guidance. Shortly thereafter, “Turnabout Serenade” begins. Klavier invites Apollo and Trucy Wright, his assistant and Phoenix’s daughter, to a Gavinners concert. It becomes a disastrous evening; while performing with famed singer Lamiroir, Klavier’s guitar spontaneously combusts, and it’s soon discovered that Lamiroir’s bodyguard was murdered. After another grueling multi-day trial, Daryan Crescend, a detective and bandmate of Klavier’s, is found guilty.
“Turnabout Succession,” Apollo’s final case, alternates between the past and present. Serving as the prosecution during both periods, Klavier participates in Phoenix’s career-ending trial seven years ago and current-day jurist test trial. During the latter, reclusive defendant Vera Misham remains fixated on Klavier. Phoenix had been disbarred for presenting forged evidence, and once Vera’s connection to that forgery is established, Klavier reacts… oddly. Apollo, aiming to oust Kristoph for his crimes, summons the elder Gavin as a special witness the following day, ultimately landing him a guilty verdict. After Kristoph’s manic breakdown, Klavier disbands the Gavinners, deciding to focus on his legal career.
A pattern arises in how Klavier organizes his office: things pertaining to music are generally red and those to prosecuting are blue. Considering a question he also asks Apollo, Klavier makes a clean distinction between his gigs. (Image: Capcom)
2009’s Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth alludes to the celebrity, featuring the Gavinners’ logo and instruments resting atop a concert stage. Six years after Apollo’s release came its direct sequel, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies. Set within Themis Legal Academy, Dual Destines’ third episode, “Turnabout Academy,” reunites the vocalist with Apollo. After Dual Destinies‘ final case, Miles purges the prosecutor’s office of all its amoral residents, keeping Klavier on-staff. 2016’s Spirit of Justice shows the purple performer sent Trucy a “stupidly big” bouquet during its second episode. And though a non-canon affair, Klavier nevertheless challenges Apollo one final time in its Apollo Justice: Asinine Attorney DLC. Additionally, merchandise honoring Klavier is occasionally produced, and he helped promote an Ace Attorney cafe last summer. Outside the Ace Attorney umbrella, a cute homage is made to Klavier and Apollo in an episode of Lucky Star.
So, what’re my thoughts on Klavier?
In the lopsided Ace Attorney universe, defense attorneys are harshly mistreated with regularity. Much of that abuse is incurred onto them by prosecutors, who are unanimously venerated (aside from Winston Payne, the inefficacious “rookie killer”) and begin as hostile adversaries. Apollo Justice plays with the series’ longstanding tropes, often cynically. But there’s a partial exception to that cynicism: Klavier Gavin, who’s outright chummy with Apollo. At most, he teases the greenhorn – “Herr Forehead,” Klavier dubs him – but never with any malice (though Apollo’s often uncomfortable around Klavier regardless). While this does make Klavier unique, it unfortunately also lessens the satisfaction in cooperating with him. When Phoenix earns his rivals’ respect, it’s a significant milestone in their growth. Apollo and Klavier sharing intel is fine and kind of welcoming, befitting how Apollo’s development corresponded with judicial reform in Japan (Capcom even collaborated with the Japanese Ministry of Justice). But it doesn’t feel like anything has been accomplished when teaming up with Klavier, nor does facing him posit a sense of dread or tension; he’s just a decent guy doing decent work (well, sometimes. Klavier calls most women “fräulein,” a German phrase frowned upon today for sexist undertones. He also enjoys a turbulent relationship with Ema, who implies he’s impaired her investigations. As a “joke,” Klavier even withholds information from the detective during “Serenade,” publicly humiliating her).
Capcom’s Ryoji Yamamoto and Andrew Alfonso initially voiced both Gavins in Japanese and English, respectively. Currently, Yuri Lowenthal and Toshiyuki Kusuda portray Klavier. (Image: Capcom)
However, compensation for that absence of accomplishment lies in Klavier’s dynamic with Kristoph. As brothers and opposite numbers, the Gavins contrast each other in design and demeanor splendidly. A welcoming facade notwithstanding, Kristoph’s nature leaks through his body language: he habitually crosses his arms, exposing how guarded he is. Klavier, conversely, usually looks relaxed and eager to chat – he may even playfully lean in to do so. Both Gavins are perfectionists, although Klavier’s zeal can be obscured by his flamboyant sheen. Similarly, the two champion the color purple, something correlated with status and riches, things both possess. But the purples they wear echo their personalities, with Kristoph favoring a cooler shade and Klavier a warmer one. Accentuating the younger Gavin’s look are silver chains, rings, and a necklace flaunting his band’s logo. Considering how well the metal complements Klavier’s palette while furthering his association with wealth and moderness, these accessories suit him perfectly. An inverse of previous prosecutors, the buoyant blonde’s demeanor also provides an interesting foil to the serious Apollo and Ema.
So, do the Gavins enjoy a healthy, loving relationship? No, Kristoph flagrantly manipulates and controls Klavier (a Gyakuten Saiban 4 Anthology gag manga even suggests Klavier’s traumatized). Seven years ago, the latter dutifully followed the former’s instructions, pressuring Phoenix whilst being condescending. Understandably, Kristoph’s incarceration affected Klavier, who responds to it by ensuring he’d face “the little boy who bested” him. Later, Klavier not only panics during “Succession” when the forgery gets brought up, he threatens to quit the case. It starkly contrasts his usual protocol; not even with Daryan did Klavier’s devotion to uncovering the truth waver. Kristoph, however, remains perfectly calm, practically ignoring Klavier except to berate him whenever he slips up. Where earlier installments sport a different prosecutor than the usual for at least part of their final cases (barring “Rise from the Ashes,” a bonus in the original’s Nintendo DS re-release), Apollo doesn’t, letting Klavier directly confront his demons. Guilty over Phoenix’s disbarment while secretly questioning Kristoph’s involvement, Klavier bravely does so, ignoring Kristoph’s threats and freeing himself from his brother’s grip.
“Guilty Love” is Klavier’s leitmotif, and a version with lyrics sang by Kusuda hit in 2017. (Image: Capcom)
Some argue Klavier’s character progression was lacking, but he did grow in his own, less overt way. My interest in Klavier largely revolves around his relationship with Kristoph, something that’s unlikely to be revisited. Ample rooms exists to evolve Klavier beyond that, but he’s regrettably been sidelined. Nothing prevented him from prosecuting a proper case in Dual Destinies or Spirit of Justice except an uncertainty of, or disinterest in, how to handle the Apollo cast. Dual Destines‘ Simon Blackquill got four cases to prosecute. Ideally, one of them – either “Academy,” given his personal stake therein, or the Phoenix-centric “Turnabout Reclaimed” DLC – would’ve been allotted to Klavier. Then Spirit of Justice whisks Apollo off to another country alongside a new (and insufferable) prosecutor. Nevertheless, the door remains open for Klavier to return for an encore someday. I hope he does.
Congratulations, Klavier! Today, we play it your way!
Even the guy’s names play into his musical milieu. Klavier means “piano” in German, and Kyouya means “to echo” or “to resound.” (Image: Capcom)
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