February 2012
Shadowsleuth
Hmm... Maybe I shouldn't tell him...
I personally select each month's Member of the Month. People are picked based on their contributions to the community, whether they are: making excellent trials, providing comic relief or just being a brilliant person. The next Member of the Month could be you!
If you have any questions about the Member of the Month system, please PM me.
He's well-known for his unique drawing style -- a skill that translates into his completely custom character sprites. He's a big part of our community ever since he joined, and has always gotten along with everyone here.
Due to timezone issues, this interview was done asynchronously (so we weren't talking at the same time).
Shadowsleuth: Hello, Meph-san. Nice to see you here. I'm very glad to have been chosen for this! It's quite an honor.
Meph: Can you tell us about how you found AAO, and what made you want to join?
Shadowsleuth: It was nothing special. I first learned of the site while checking out Court Records. All the other casemakers required downloads and such, so I didn't want to try them.
Meph: Tell us about the cases you're working on at the moment.
Shadowsleuth: Well, if you look at my sig right now, you'll see a very flashy animation for my latest project, Miles Edgeworth: The Final Bow, which revolves around Edgey's last case as an attorney (I say "attorney" because, well, he's not exactly prosecuting this case...) It's a pretty ambitious project, but I've made some good progress with it, and I really want to get it done...
Also, I'm working on rebooting (again) my Dark Detectives series. I've got a lot planned for it, but before I can do any of it, I have to make sure the game has a grounded focus, story, and direction I want it to go in. Hopefully I can get it out, and make an enjoyable story for everyone.
Meph: What's your favourite fan trial on AAO?
Shadowsleuth: Unfortunately, I have a serious case of unfinished case-itis. I haven't played any fan trials all the way through yet. The ones I have played are parts of Turnabout of Courage, Setting up the Turnabout, and Turnabout Crackdown. Out of those three, I'd probably have to say that I likes Setting up the Turnabout best, because it had a bunch of interesting characters that I'm looking forward to seeing more of.
Meph: Now let's talk about your personal life. What was your childhood like?
Shadowsleuth: I won't lie, my childhood was very nice. But I feel it was time wasted; I was far too immature back then, and I feel like I lost a lot of my time... I did a lot of things I regretted. But I did have a very good childhood, and I was happy a lot. I'm very grateful for that.
Meph: So what sort of things did you like doing as a kid?
Shadowsleuth: I wasn't as dedicated to my computer work back then, so I spent a lot of time just playing around. I also watched a lot more TV back then. (Of course, that's when TV was good...) I watched a lot of more educational shows, but like any kid I watched the cartoons too. I also read a lot. I think around the end of my elementary years, I started getting into anime and manga.
Meph: What is your average day like?
Shadowsleuth: I get up and go to school, then spend some time working on homework, then go home and spend the rest of my day online. In between I spend at least a few hours dedicated to drawing. At around 10:00 PM, I get to bed and stare at the ceiling contemplating my plans for world domination, the nature of humanity, and the many possible futures that await me. Then I spend some time typing and go to sleep.
...Man, I never noticed how boring I was...
Meph: What are your plans for the future?
Shadowsleuth: I plan to do what any self-respecting detective plans to do: Destroy the world. I kid, I only wish to conquer the world. And when I do, I will finally finish The Final Bow!
Meph: What is your favourite Ace Attorney game?
Shadowsleuth: That is a hard one... I could be generic and say that my favorite was Trials and Tribulations. In all honesty, I have to say that the original was probably my favorite; it just made me fall in love with the series, and even if the stories weren't as good as they got later on, they feel so classic and are a joy to play through again and again.
Meph: What other games do you really like?
Shadowsleuth: I've always been a big fan of Sonic the Hedgehog and Kirby, my two favorite gaming characters of all time. Despite his decline in game quality, I still enjoy Sonic games, and don't find many of his newer games to be THAT bad. And Kirby is just plain awesome. Seriously.
Meph: What was the first video game you ever played?
Shadowsleuth: I believe the very first game was "Gran Turismo" for the original Playstation. My dad got it as a prize, I believe, along with the console, and we used to race in it. After that, I was hooked for life.
Meph: Was your dad as "hooked to life" on video games as you were?
Shadowsleuth: Not as much as me. He likes them, but he doesn't have enough time to be as obsessed as I am.
Meph: Last question, now. Do you have any other interests?
Shadowsleuth: I think anyone who knows me knows that I care about two things: Art, and SHARKS. I've loved art and drawing since I was a child, and I really love all things art, especially animation and music. Whenever I find something that inspires me, I get filled with an urge to create, and I love doing that more than anything. I feel very much alive when I'm able to make stories and worlds, bringing characters to life... It's part of what makes me me. And, of course, SHARKS! I freaking LOVE sharks, in case you haven't noticed. Really, I love the ocean in general, but sharks are just my favorite. I don't care what anyone says, I will always love sharks.
Meph: We know all too well about how talented you are at drawing, but how did you get your love of sharks?
Shadowsleuth: When I was really young, I was into a lot of marine life, but I just liked sharks the best. Before I knew it, I had shark toys, shark figurines, shark books, and my own fictional superhero called "Shark Boy". I don't recall what exactly made me love sharks so much, but it's been a part of me for as long as I can remember.
Meph: Before we conclude this interview, do you have anything else you'd like to say?
Shadowsleuth: I'd just like to thank you for selecting me again, and I feel quite honored to be recognized here. This site has become a big part of my life, and so have the people here. Some people I know scoff at the idea of creating connections online, but I feel like I've made connections with a lot of you. So thank you all for being awesome!
...And don't forget to play Miles Edgeworth: The Final Bow!
Meph: Thanks a lot for letting me interview you! Sorry about the fact that I couldn't ask you as many questions as I normally do.
Shadowsleuth: That's fine. Sorry for being so late with the answers!