Great Idea, Rough Execution
At this point I think we all know the big twist that happens at the beginning of the series, but I'm going to do my best to remain spoiler-free regardless. Unlike a lot of the more reactionary, incel-adjacent (yeah I said it) negative reviews of this show, I actually whole-heartedly support the decision to flip the narrative in this way.
We already have three great versions of this Canadian coming-of-age story, did we really need another straightforward retelling? The answer is no. If you want the classic Pilgrim story then go read the graphic novel, now available in gorgeous color. Go watch the Edgar Wright movie that is way better than it has any right to be. Hell, go play the video game with a couple of friends over the weekend. It's been done, and done well. Considering the fact that nearly two decades have passed since this story came out, using the basic framework of Scott Pilgrim as a means to converse with its own legacy was an inspired approach. My problem is not with the idea, but with how it was executed.
Disclaimer: I watched this show in English. I have to start with this because after watching a few clips in Japanese, I genuinely feel like it was the intended viewing experience. The jokes land with more consistency and the Japanese voice acting much better fits the expressiveness that animation studio Science SARU brings to the table. This is a shame, since one of the original selling points was all the English actors from the live-action move returning for this adaptation, and I imagine that many people also watched this inferior version as a result.
While the awkward English voice acting and pacing definitely affected my overall score, my main issue is with the exploration of the side-characters, which is unfortunately the main draws of this reimagining. You've been reading for this long so I'll just get to the point: I don't feel that the characters are represented in a way that meaningfully adds to or develops the original story. The balance between abstract video game logic and heartfelt character moments that worked so well in the original comic is just completely off here, leading to an unfocused story that never reaches the comedic heights of the movie or the emotional depth of the comics. Ramona's character is probably the most successful, but even her story lacks the clear definition of Scott's original character arc.
Long story short, whatever magic that bound together the disparate ideas of the original story into an impactful experience are missing here, and given the intention, it's a darn shame.
We already have three great versions of this Canadian coming-of-age story, did we really need another straightforward retelling? The answer is no. If you want the classic Pilgrim story then go read the graphic novel, now available in gorgeous color. Go watch the Edgar Wright movie that is way better than it has any right to be. Hell, go play the video game with a couple of friends over the weekend. It's been done, and done well. Considering the fact that nearly two decades have passed since this story came out, using the basic framework of Scott Pilgrim as a means to converse with its own legacy was an inspired approach. My problem is not with the idea, but with how it was executed.
Disclaimer: I watched this show in English. I have to start with this because after watching a few clips in Japanese, I genuinely feel like it was the intended viewing experience. The jokes land with more consistency and the Japanese voice acting much better fits the expressiveness that animation studio Science SARU brings to the table. This is a shame, since one of the original selling points was all the English actors from the live-action move returning for this adaptation, and I imagine that many people also watched this inferior version as a result.
While the awkward English voice acting and pacing definitely affected my overall score, my main issue is with the exploration of the side-characters, which is unfortunately the main draws of this reimagining. You've been reading for this long so I'll just get to the point: I don't feel that the characters are represented in a way that meaningfully adds to or develops the original story. The balance between abstract video game logic and heartfelt character moments that worked so well in the original comic is just completely off here, leading to an unfocused story that never reaches the comedic heights of the movie or the emotional depth of the comics. Ramona's character is probably the most successful, but even her story lacks the clear definition of Scott's original character arc.
Long story short, whatever magic that bound together the disparate ideas of the original story into an impactful experience are missing here, and given the intention, it's a darn shame.
- heckbrain
- Jan 14, 2024