Let’s get it out of the best way: This isn’t a spoiler-free evaluate of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Netflix’s anime tackle Brian Lee O’Malley’s online game reference-ridden romantic comedy graphic novels and their subsequent live-action film adaptation is unattainable to speak about whereas tiptoeing round specifics. I’m not going to inform you the way it all ends, however I do must set the stage in a method that can give away a fantastic second within the first episode if I’m going to speak about this present with any type of conviction.
When you’re simply in search of a fast thumbs up or thumbs down, then sure, it’s best to watch Scott Pilgrim Takes Off in case you are a fan of the unique story and have additionally seen the movie. Hell, throw the excellent online game in there, too. The anime is in dialog with the supply materials, and regardless of nonetheless being concerning the titular dopey, irresponsible fuck-up and his enigmatic supply lady love curiosity Ramona Flowers, it’s nonetheless finest skilled when you understand what this sequence is all about. And right here’s why:
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off begins off equally sufficient. Many of the first episode is a devoted retelling of Scott assembly Ramona, changing into infatuated along with her, after which ordering a film for her to ship to his dwelling so he can ask her out. Their date is nice, their respective pasts are shrouded in thriller, and as issues begin to decide up between them, their budding romance is interrupted by Ramona’s ex Matthew Patel attacking Scott at a battle of the bands present. Anybody who’s seen the film or learn the books is aware of that Scott is meant to win this struggle. However this time, Matthew comes out victorious, seemingly killing Scott, and it turns into clear we’re on a totally completely different trip.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off just isn’t a retelling of Scott Pilgrim or its film adaptation. It’s a 3rd, alternate model of the story that examines the very premise all of this was constructed on. Suppose The Rebuild of Evangelion or Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake. Whereas the supply materials focuses on Scott dealing with Ramona’s Seven Evil Exes in a need to win the “proper” so far her (wow, that sounds extremely loaded all these years later simply typing it out), the anime’s title is fairly apt as a result of, for a number of episodes, Scott Pilgrim is barely even within the present.
That’s as a result of it’s not likely about him this time round. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is Ramona’s story, and after the live-action film did her so goddamn soiled (A thoughts management chip? Actually?) I used to be really pleasantly stunned with this framing and exploration of the Scott Pilgrim story. A part of me is a bit upset that we obtained all these unbelievable actors again from the movie to voice these characters and didn’t get an opportunity to do higher at re-telling that story, this time avoiding issues like relegating Nega Scott to a bit, utterly stripping Ramona’s story of nuance with the aforementioned thoughts management chip, and reducing out characters and relationships for time’s sake. However the second I spotted what Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was really about, I knew this was the best name and was glad to be on the trip.
Even when it’s not a direct retelling, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off nonetheless manages to drag some story beats off with extra sincerity than the live-action movie did. I purchased into Scott and Ramona’s relationship extra right here thanks to raised writing, pacing, and performances from each Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. As a result of I used to be having fun with that relationship way more this time round, I did have a short second of disappointment when it grew to become clear this present wasn’t going to be telling the story I already knew, however that was rapidly changed by a heartwarming delight as I used to be drawn into the anime’s personal intricacies and its willingness to look at the sequence’ blindspots.
All the premise of Scott Pilgrim is that Ramona’s exes have shaped a gaggle of superpowered villains who’re out to spoil her love life for the remainder of eternity. As quickly as a brand new paramour throws their hat into the ring, the exes swoop in to curb-stomp them in order that Ramona will get again along with whoever wins the struggle. That’s the concept, at the very least. It doesn’t appear to be any of them really stopped to consider whether or not or not Ramona would willingly go together with any of them. However these exes are villains of the week who Scott and Ramona struggle collectively after which transfer on from in a short time.
Even when Ramona talks about them, it’s typically in a dismissive tone. Scott Pilgrim’s core battle originates from ex-lovers who demonize one another whereas absolving themselves alongside the best way. Finally, what makes Scott Pilgrim so nice isn’t the stylized motion, the witty quips, the nerdy references, however its perception into its surprisingly complicated characters. And Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’s shifted perspective lets it study characters who’ve typically been left behind: the evil exes.
Ramona spends a lot of the eight-episode sequence begrudgingly reconnecting along with her exes whereas investigating Scott’s mysterious disappearance firstly of the present. Certain, it’s obtained all of the zany motion sequences and over-the-top exaggeration long-time followers know and love, however at its core is one thing introspective and illuminating, lending new depth to characters who beforehand existed largely simply to gesture at Ramona’s underlying points. For instance, take Roxy Richter, the only real lady within the League of Evil Exes, who is usually dismissed by Ramona as a part. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off begins off with the 2 confronting one another, and after the swords and big hammers have stopped swinging, Ramona begins to mirror on how she is simply as a lot an Evil Ex in Roxy’s story.
By specializing in Ramona and placing Scott on the again burner, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off critically re-examines the inspiration it was constructed on almost 20 years in the past with the primary e book. Love is tough, and it’s solely pure that even when we cared for somebody at one level, we would begin to resent them when issues finish. There are exceptions, after all, however most of the time the individuals who damage us and the individuals we damage in sort aren’t malicious; they’re flawed individuals identical to us making an attempt to determine all of it out.
Whereas the anime is all about unpacking the narrative baggage Scott Pilgrim has carried all these years, the characters stay as emotionally and psychologically complicated as ever. Their thorny interpersonal dynamics are nonetheless core to the story—they simply manifest in new, actually efficient and subversive methods.Subversion is the premise of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, in any case. At the same time as Ramona is making issues proper with the individuals she’s wronged and who’ve wronged her, that very same demonizing of 1’s outdated flames remains to be foundational to the story, and the present’s late-season twists are a few of the finest realizations of every little thing it seeks to discover. I received’t spoil them right here, however suffice it to say that this present additionally takes time to make up for the movie’s shortcomings as an alternative of repeating them.
I’ve spent quite a lot of time speaking about Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’s subversive parts as a result of that’s the place it excels, however the present additionally nonetheless presents a tasty recreation of the sequence’ finest parts on this new framing. It’s gorgeously animated and colourful, with some glorious choreography to its over-the-top fights. The writing is simply as sharp, witty, and full of popular culture references, however doesn’t really feel so beholden to that tone that it’s simply continuously winking on the digicam. The present brings the type of laugh-out-loud absurdist humor that made the unique’s gags so memorable however doesn’t really feel prefer it’s simply enjoying the hits. That refreshing newness is properly married with its snug familiarity and comes from its figuring out subversion of what we’ve come to anticipate, and fortunately the brand new materials offers the voice forged loads to work with. Characters who barely work together within the books or film get complete arcs collectively, and it’s all so recent it retroactively makes the considered a devoted adaptation much less thrilling.
However with all that newness comes trepidation. At first blush, I’m not thrilled that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off ends on a cliffhanger. Getting invested in something Netflix does is simply setting your self up for ache as a result of the streaming service cancels reveals like I delete tweets that don’t pop off. An animated Scott Pilgrim sequence that introduced again your entire film forged appeared too good to be true when it was introduced, and now that it appears Netflix is entertaining a second season, any unabashed glee I’ve towards this present feels prefer it’s on shakier floor.
Netflix has been reducing jobs in its animation division whereas additionally counting on AI to do animation work resulting from what it calls a labor scarcity. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off succeeds as a result of the individuals on the coronary heart of it love and perceive it, and folks loving one thing is what places it on the chopping block at Netflix, it appears.
I depart Scott Pilgrim Takes Off with a mixture of feelings as a result of its full re-examination of Scott and Ramona’s story satisfied me everybody concerned would do proper by a second season, however I additionally simply felt content material with the remixed story it instructed. I felt glad revisiting this story and it from a special perspective and didn’t really feel like I wanted a second season. However hey, if Scott and his mates do go on extra adventures, possibly there will likely be one other likelihood to lastly see Stephen Stills and Joseph smooch on display.
