Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off turned out to be quite different from what I initially anticipated (a simple anime adaptation). Even after finishing the last episode, I can't decide if it's something I needed to see or merely something I wished for. While the story does expand and certain characters are explored in more detail, I find myself questioning if I'm enough of a fan of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and its universe to fully appreciate it. From an animation standpoint, it's a solid production. The Science SARU studio, known for their unconventional and visually original projects, did a commendable job with this one as well. The music was enjoyable, and I particularly appreciated the return of the original actors from the movie, which was the main reason why I opted for the English dubbing in this case. However, the overall story didn't fully captivate me. At the end of the first episode, I might have gotten too excited about the fact that this wouldn't be just an adaptation but rather a highly alternative interpretation that would go beyond the original story. Consequently, I wasn't as blown away by its uniqueness as I had initially hoped. While it was an interesting series and enjoyable to watch, I can't bring myself to praise it more than saying it was nice, which, for me, equates to 6.4/10. (22/11/2023)

Were it not for the fact that many viewers expected a copy of the movie in a version twice as long, into which every tiny detail from the source material is placed, there would have been a rating here even a few percentage points higher. The Scott Pilgrim series differs completely from the my expectations and those of his fans, or even his fierce opponents. It's different in everything, and thanks to that, I finally got really close to this fandom. I don't want to spoil any of the reveals, but from the end of the first episode, we follow a completely different narrative that does whatever it wants to. It entertains, moves, and sometimes almost rests. Seriously, how else to describe moments when two characters just walk around the Hollywood dream factory or play a song together and the script waits for them, doesn't rush, and just entertains you and deepens the characters, which I always knew only as caricatures (albeit entertaining ones). The maturity of all involved is also terribly noticeable, because even though it is told in similar settings and about the same topics, at last they are not mere poses or shortcuts, there is something to say about the characters and their relationships and comment on life and all its pleasant and unpleasant nostalgic twists with perspective. To my own shock, I would even consider giving this the highest rating; after all, the meta level that sets the scene for increasingly bigger accomplishments, rides on the wave of Futurama or Rick and Morty, and yet remains humane. It's just that Scott is still played by the unappealing Michael Cera and I simply cannot warm up to him. Give me a series where it's only Ramona chatting with Kim, Julie, or Envy and I will at last start writing Bryan Lee O'Malley long fan letters too. (07/12/2023)