Netflix’s Scott Pilgrim Takes Off takes the familiar story of Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers and tears it apart at the first episode. The titular character disappears entirely, leaving his love interest to investigate his vanishing while the world around her changes shape. It is a bold move, and mostly it lands.
The series, created by Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski, adapts the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim. It reuses the full cast from the 2010 film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, with Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers, and voices from Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, and Johnny Simmons. The anime style suits the story’s wild fantasy elements, and the voice work carries real weight from actors who know the material well.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Ramona Takes Over
The story opens with Scott losing a battle against Ramona’s first evil ex, Matthew Patel, voiced by Satya Bhabha. Scott appears to die, and the series shifts focus to Ramona as she searches for answers about his fate. Other characters in the story start a fictional version of Scott’s life, a framing device that runs through the entire series. The shift from Scott’s point of view to Ramona’s changes the tone from comedy to mystery, and the series handles the change with care.
The seven evil exes remain central, even after Scott is gone. Their presence drives the investigation, and the series finds new angles on old characters without losing the spark that made them memorable in the first place. Matthew Patel gets more screen time here, and his arc is one of the strongest in the series.
Voice Acting Carries the Weight
The voice cast is the series’ biggest strength. Cera and Winstead anchor the story with chemistry that feels genuine, even without Scott on screen. Culkin’s Wallace Wells, Evans’ Lucas Lee, Kendrick’s Stacey Pilgrim, Larson’s Envy Adams, Pill’s Kim Pine, Plaza’s Julie Powers, Routh’s Todd Ingram, Schwartzman’s Gideon Graves and Gordon Goose, and Simmons’ Young Neil all bring their film-era energy to the animation. The familiarity pays off, giving the series a sense of continuity with the original material.
Cihi voices both Katayanagi twins, replacing Shota and Keita Saito, who played the roles in the film. The production confirmed more cast members would be announced later.
A Short Run With a Long Shadow
The series is an eight-episode miniseries, first airing on November 17, 2023. It ends without renewal for a second season. That ending leaves the story unresolved, which is a deliberate choice rather than a flaw. The series sets up a sequel video game, Scott Pilgrim EX, released on March 3, 2026.
The animation quality holds steady across all eight episodes. The action sequences, built around battles between Ramona and her exes, are energetic and well-choreographed. The fantasy elements, including the rules of the world that govern how people can fight, are explained clearly enough that newcomers can follow along without confusion.
Not every episode reaches the same heights. Some middle chapters lean harder on setup than payoff, and a few jokes land flat. But the series never loses its core identity, and the final stretch delivers a payoff that justifies the wait.
Key Numbers
- Title: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
- Creators: Bryan Lee O’Malley, BenDavid Grabinski
- Network: Netflix
- Season: 1, 8 episodes
- First aired: November 17, 2023
- Last aired: November 17, 2023
- Video game sequel: Scott Pilgrim EX, March 3, 2026
The series is not a remake of the film, and it is not a faithful adaptation of the comics. It is a new story that borrows the same characters and the same world. That approach works because the creators understand what makes Scott Pilgrim special, and they build on it rather than repeat it. The result is a tight, inventive piece of animation that respects its source material while finding its own path.
The absence of Scott is a gamble, and it pays off more often than it fails. The series earns its reputation.
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