With the arrival of the Scott Pilgrim Takes Off anime on Netflix, interest in the magical and video-game-like universe of Scott Pilgrim continues to rise. It is full of characters with video-game and anime-like powers and abilities, but do people actually have powers in the Scott Pilgrim universe, or is it just an exaggeration from Scott Pilgrim’s perspective?
Scott Pilgrim centers around the titular protagonist, Scott, who tries to juggle his slacker life and band life, all the while dealing with his complicated love life.
He has a lot on his plate, but there’s no stopping Scott Pilgrim when it comes to the love of his life—Ramona Flowers.
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What Happens in the Video-Game-Like Universe of Scott Pilgrim?
The Scott Pilgrim universe is heavily influenced by many video games, comic books, and anime, which, when combined, produce a magical yet distinct and unforgettable twist on Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel series.
If you enjoy playing retro video games like Super Mario and Street Fighter or watching cartoons and anime, you will easily notice such influences and references.
Music also plays a crucial role in the graphic novel series, as if it were translating the characters' feelings, emotions, and personalities into words.
In an alternate universe, Scott Pilgrim lives in Toronto, Canada, with his gay roommate, Wallace Wells.
He just wants to keep playing video games while also playing bass in his indie rock band, Sex Bob-omb. What naming sense, right?
After a bad breakup with Knives Chau, Scott Pilgrim pursues the love of his life, Ramona Flowers, whom he first met in a weird but interesting dream.
He set his sights on Ramona, only to discover that he needed to eliminate all of her seven exes to have a happy ending with her.
This is where the magic begins, as Ramona’s seven evil ex-boyfriends all have strange powers and abilities!
Matthew Pattel, for example, possesses paranormal powers of levitation, pyrokinesis, and demon hipster girls. The other is Lucas Lee, a skateboarder turned action movie star with superhuman strength!
There are more of them in the League of Ramona’s Evil Exes that Scott Pilgrim has to defeat at all costs. Throughout the series, Scott has a difficult time dealing with some of them because each one is powerful on their own.
Ramona's seven villainous ex-boyfriends are not the only ones who have intrinsic powers.
Even Ramona Flowers possesses superhuman talents, such as the ability to wield a massive hammer and the power of subspace, which she uses to travel quickly to numerous locations.
Scott Pilgrim obviously has his own set of talents and powers that are influenced by Street Fighter and other comics and anime.
He can take out his opponents with several move sets, such as the Shoryuken, Reversal, Air Juggle, Musical Shield, Yeti, X-Strike, and more!
According to Bryan Lee O’Malley, whenever Scott Pilgrim kills off his opponent, they respawn in their homes, having learned their lesson!
So, don’t worry whenever Scott’s opponents vanish and drop items and coins like defeated video game characters.
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So, Do People Actually Have Powers in the Scott Pilgrim Universe?
While the Scott Pilgrim universe is full of characters using exaggerated magical video game powers and abilities, they don’t have actual powers.
Scott Pilgrim is only retelling his encounters with Ramona’s seven evil ex-boyfriends and making them more epic, like Street Fighter, Super Mario, and other retro video games.
The characters have no real powers or abilities because Scott Pilgrim is only making it up in his imagination. He is so exposed to video games that he’s mixing reality with his games.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off has a video-game theme universe, and what will be the point of it if the viewers are not fed with exaggerated powers and abilities from the main characters?
It is the core of the show that will leave a lasting impression on the viewers, after all.
Others believe that the fight unfolding between Scott Pilgrim and Ramona’s ex-boyfriends is a form of verbal sparring that leads to one side winning and losing.
Meanwhile, others liken these magical bouts to sudden musical numbers in other movies and shows.
So, what do you think about Scott Pilgrim's creative and colorful effects?
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