Personality: When someone first encounters Ema, he or she is likely to write her off as a grumpy, moody twenty-something who takes out her frustrations on other people. In many ways, that person would be absolutely right. Ema finds it easier to sulk, glower, snap, and hurl tiny snack projectiles than to try and adequately express emotions such as anger, insecurity, and hurt. When dealing with people who don’t hold her attention, she has a tendency to simply ignore their existence; when dealing with people she actively dislikes, she’s likely to become hostile. In the end, it’s little more than a defense mechanism, designed to force people to keep their distance until she’s really ready to let them in. Her two years in Mayfield has tempered this tendency somewhat--they're not going to get anywhere if they don't cooperate--but she's still more than capable of prickly behavior.

Ema has a healthy disdain toward showy people—she condescendingly refers to Klavier Gavin (her cooperating prosecutor) as “glimmerous.” In her professional life, she much prefers to deal with people who are calm, cool, and collected (“simmerous,” by her own vernacular). Considering her fangirling over admiration for Miles Edgeworth in her appearances at age 16 and 18, respectively, she seems to prefer this type in her interpersonal life as well, or at least in a prospective romantic partner. (Of course, what she prefers is not necessarily where she ends up; her current (Mayfield) relationship is with Edward Nigma, who is perhaps the showiest person she's ever met. It's a relationship filled with pushing, pulling, disdain, and affection. Somehow, this works.)

Beyond the grumpiness, Ema is actually capable of warmth and friendly behavior. If she feels comfortable enough, she does know how to let go and actually enjoy herself. Generally, she’s more open around her friends and family, although many of them are not quite exempt from fits of temper. People she openly admires (e.g. Miles Edgeworth) are likely to receive unbridled admiration from her; age has tempered the tendency toward hero-worship down quite a bit, but not entirely. Alcohol is a good way to get her to loosen up in circumstances outside her close social circle (it’s not seen in canon, but this picture suggests that might be the case).

However, the most prominent aspect of Ema’s personality is science. Science is the love of Ema’s life—just the very mention of it brings a light to her eyes. Her love for forensic science is great enough that she purchases kits over the Internet and carries out scientific investigations at crime scenes when the forensic team isn’t around to stop her. It’s a love she’s willing to share with pretty much everyone, regardless of whether anyone is actually interested. It goes without saying that appealing to Ema’s scientific interests is the most effective way to bypass her otherwise sour behavior.

Just after Ema’s love of science is her love for Snackoos. She keeps a stash with her at all times and will pull them out to munch when she’s bored, irritated, or trying to ignore someone/something; how she’s not overweight from the near-constant snacking is a mystery.

Abilities: Science! And a damn good metabolism! And hurling small projectiles at people with deadly accuracy!

Seriously, Ema is canonically above-average in her proficiency with science, despite having failed the test to become a forensic scientist (probably due in large part to her inability to draw correct conclusions to her scientific observations). Considering her dependence on Luminol for investigation in both of her AA appearances, the vials peeking out of her purse, and her chemical threat (Hydroxyacelunodosetrase, which she describes as “experimental”) to Apollo Justice in game four, chemistry seems to be Ema’s strongest scientific area. Ema’s also relatively technology-savvy, considering how high-tech scientific investigation has become… which is essentially useless in a setting like Mayfield, but might be good for a few regains.

Sample Entry: Here and here.