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Scott Pilgrim

Back in 2004, a pretty important, influential piece of fiction was written and drawn by Brian Lee O’Malley. It’s called Scott Pilgrim and the original run of the graphic novel series ended in 2010.The story was so popular that it got a live action movie adaptation and even a video game. They came out with a full colored version of the story in recent years which is the version I read. I know I’m late as the series has been completed for six years but this has become one of my all-time favorite series in general. The video game is also pretty fun and the movie was surprisingly, not upsetting.

Every once in a while, there comes a story with a plot synopsis so captivating, you can’t help but be compelled by the concept. One example is a manga called Oretama. Long story short, Lucifer is sealed in the testicles of the main character (who is a chronic masturbator) and now if he cums, he’ll release the demon and destroy the Earth. Fucking comedy gold. The central plot for Scott Pilgrim is that Scott,  a 23 year old musician in-between jobs, must defeat the 7 evil exes of his new girlfriend in order to date her (in peace).  The main story for this comic book was too amazing to be ignored.


This story starts off relatively normally, in downtown Toronto (my city) with Scott dating a high schooler. He has been sad about a previous relationship for over a year and is dating a 17 year old to cope with it. He lives, excuse me, he bums off of his homosexual roommate, Wallace Wells. They have only one bed which they share and if any of them have company for the night, the other one must find somewhere else to stay. While dreaming, a pink haired girl on rollerblades appears in Scott’s dream. Unable to get her out of his head he’s distracted all day. He' distracted at band practice (they are called Sex Bob-omb) and even while with his high school girlfriend, Knives Chau. He would later see this girl in real life and then meet her at a party. And that’s pretty much where it all begins, won’t spoil any more of the details because it’s better when experienced.

At a first glance, Scott Pilgrim might seem like an action focused series modeled after shounen manga (manga like Naruto, Dragon Ball, One Piece) and not to say it isn’t but at its core, it’s really a love story. Romance, cheating, drama and heartbreak are present all over the story and this story's main focus if for Scott to be able to date Ramona Flowers (that’s her name by the way). There are obstacles that get in the way of their relationship aside from Ramona’s seven evil exes. The other characters have their own share of issues concerning the matters of the heart and not everyone gets a happily ever after. While the events that happen can be insane, the core themes of the narrative are realistic and at it's center, love related.


Initially, when I was witnessing the book’s artistry, I didn’t think it’d be suited for action, just comedy. But I was very wrong. The fights are actually really dope. Luckily for me, I read it in all color, which could have added to my enjoyment of the action sequences, but they were well done none the less. The comic is also very funny. Scott’s remarks and responses to some very normal questions are hilarious. When asked about the future, as in his future plans he responded confused with something like, “you mean like hover boards and jetpacks and stuff?” Oh Scott. One of Ramona’s exes has psychic power and the reasoning behind why he has them has to be the best reason ever. There are always the character quirks some of the people in the story have which are always funny as well.

The characters in this narrative are good as well. Scott is relatable, especially for me since he’s the same age as me and living in the same city. He’s got baggage from his past including exes and such that affect him to this day and he ain't living wealthy. Scott makes mistakes, gets scared, gets hurt, hurts people and is on a pursuit of happiness just like all of us. Ramona carries the weight of the world on her shoulders and can often come across as aloof and detached. She’s kind of shady but you can tell there’s something big holding her from just opening up completely and being happy with Scott. Knives has a fantastic character arc and by the end I was proud of her growth. Kim Pine, Young Neil and the rest of the main cast all have their own shit to deal with and some of their character arcs end quite unexpectedly. 


My major criticisms come from how crazy it could get and throw off some readers and the dialogue is a still simple. It’s definitely more realistic that way because some stories have very character speak as if they’re all accomplished English majors with the most eloquent of vocabularies, but yeah it’s simple. As a seasoned anime watcher and manga reader, the absurd, over the top type of narratives do not intimidated me or throw me off in the slighest (Japan, you can be weird). But I can absolutely see that throwing off some readers.

I don’t want to go on too long about this series since it’s been out for over a decade but, if you haven’t check out this graphic novel, it’s time. The artwork is unique, the characters are great, the story is fun, funny and full of great action. This is one of my personal favorite romances and Scott Pilgrim is a great piece of fiction and if you don’t want to read the books at the very least check out the live action film. Still, I highly recommend the comic books.


Written By: Nya Hemmingz
Twitter: @LolitaZenpie

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