This post contains spoilers for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. 

I’m going to open this review with complete honesty – I wasn’t a fan of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. 

I know, I know. It’s a cult classic. I watched it for the first time in 2021 and found myself cringing more than anything else during it. I can’t exactly explain what I found so uninteresting about it, but I know that I didn’t like how Ramona Flowers was portrayed. The manic pixie dream girl of it all was a turn off for me. I was always glad that I had finally forced myself to watch it so I could participate in conversations about it, but I was certain that I wasn’t ever going to watch it again. 

When I heard that Netflix was releasing an anime version of the story this fall, I didn’t think much of it. However, I found myself interested in the concept once it became available to stream. Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to sit down and try it out. And let me tell you…. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is one of my favorite shows of 2023. 

But let’s back up. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is, like the film, based off of the graphic novels written by Bryan Lee O’Malley. The first episode largely follows the film plot, with Scott dreaming of and then meeting Ramona, taking her on a date, falling asleep in her bed, etc. However, the show completely changes gears at the end of the first episode. You know how Scott is supposed to win the fight against Matthew Patel, defeating Ramona’s first evil ex? Well, he doesn’t. He dies. 

Or does he?

That is the mystery that the show sets out to solve. With Scott out of the picture, we follow Ramona as she skates around town, trying to find out where Scott really went. It’s a brilliant twist that I did not see coming. 

Ramona is a fantastic protagonist. The next few episodes open with a beautiful sequence of Ramona dying her hair a new color each morning, symbolizing where we’re going on the journey in the episode. Mary Elizabeth Winstead does great voice work opposite Aubrey Plaza, Alison Pill, Mae Whitman, Chris Evans, and Brandon Routh in these episodes. 

In these episodes, we watch Ramona track down each of her ex’s to see if they are the key to finding Scott. While confronting them, we’re treated to seeing Ramona make peace with each of them and come to terms with all that she had done to contribute to the downfall of each relationship. It’s great character development for everyone involved. 

I won’t spoil how the show ends, but I will say that it comes to a satisfying conclusion. The show is billed as a limited series and if this is the last we get of this iteration of Scott Pilgrim, I think fans will be pretty happy. 

I was shocked at how much I genuinely enjoyed this series. Honestly, it was the animation style that convinced me to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did. I’m an adult animation fan, but this is the first official anime I’ve ever watched. I really enjoyed the art style and will definitely check out more in the future.

I’ll end this review with a quick list of some of my favorite changes featured in the Scott Pilgrim show versus the film. 

1. Ramona! She’s fully fleshed out in this show and skates straight away from the manic pixie dream girl trope. 
2. KNIVES! Oh my gosh, what a badass. She has a fantastic plot where she ends up as a valued member of Sex Bob-omb, and it’s so fun to watch. I love that girl. 
3. More Wallace! Who doesn’t love Wallace? Kieran Culkin is brilliant as Wallace and is featured in every episode. I love that man, and I love this character. 
4. Less Scott —- SUE ME, I’M SORRY. 
5. Better Scott —- The Scott we see is consistently sweet and treats Ramona (and Knives) as human beings. We love to see it. 

Have you watched Scott Pilgrim Takes Off? Were you a fan of this adaptation? Let me know in the comments!