Interviewer: And in the eyes of Naruhodō, Mitsurugi is…

Takumi:I’m sure he thinks Mitsurugi is a pretty cute guy (laugh). Mitsurugi’s characteristics only really started to show from Gyakuten Saiban 2 (Ace Attorney 2 - Justice for All) on.

everybody knows this iconic narumitsu hinting by Shu Takumi himself but i think more people need to know the actual context in what this “cute guy” actually means.

so adding extra context, this was the previous question. (sourced from gyakutensaibanlibrary)

so Shu Takumi projects himself a lot onto Phoenix when writing his game, and in his perspective Phoenix would think Edgeworth is cute.

that we know already, but what does he actually mean by “cute guy”? Edgeworth’s appearance being good looking?

hm.. well, knowing that its Takumi himself who’s looking at things through Phoenix’s eyes, i think theres a much more higher possibility.

and that its not necessarily his handsome face, but its Edgeworth’s demeanoris cute.

in the same interview, Takumi reveals that Edgeworth was originally this perfect stiff character with no flaws that is untilhe saw one of Suekane Kumiko’s comics with Edgeworth depicted as a Steel Samurai fan. due to this, Takumi realized that Edgeworth is much more interesting when he has this different sides to him, having “weaknesses” makes him “cuter”.

in conclusion? Edgeworth being a Steel Samurai geek gives such an opposite vibe to Edgeworth’s character, “double-faced”, he has stiff and cold manners in court and yet also has more vulnerable and human side in a form of being such a nerd, thus “a cute guy”.

so “cute” doesn’t necessarily mean by his looks per say, but “cute” like looking at an excited puppy type of cute, like looking at a sneezing kitten type of cute.

TL;DR, Phoenix is aware of Edgeworth’s gap-moe and he thinks its cute.

Source of interview : Gyakuten Saiban Fanbook, ISBN4-8402-2446-3,

published 2005. Found on page 53