Not so long ago, the opening credits of a show were indispensable. Can you imagine The Simpsons or The office without the songs that start almost every episode? These hilarious themes helped set us up for the comedic delights that followed. Yet the legacy of the opening credits is very much in jeopardy, thanks to the Skip Intro button. It appears on almost every streamer and with the click of a button the intro is gone. That is why we want to warn you: do not miss the joy of Scott Pilgrim takes offthe introduction of
Based on Brian Lee O’Malley’s comic book series that also became the fan-favorite live-action film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Netflix’s hotly anticipated anime makes a fantastic case for why we should give intros their screen time. It’s a cleverly conceived celebration of everything that makes Scott Pilgrim beloved – a joyous barrage of great music, gorgeous animation and ingenious detail, packing an endless amount of charm into less than two minutes. Plus, it helps you get an ad for what’s coming up!
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’s the opening music will rock your world.
Credit: Screenshot courtesy of YouTube
The opening credits begin with a big part of Scott Pilgrim’s identity: the music. Of course, Scott is in a band, the bombastic Sex Bob-Omb. And his world gave us the kick of Envy Adams “Black sheep,” perhaps the best song from a movie. A glimpse of some Sex Bob-Omb iconography makes way for a droning bass line visualized on screen in 8-bit glory.
Music can be expected in the subtitles, but what does it do Takes off credits so much fun that the music doesn’t just play along with some different animation; the rhythm of the entire sequence matches the music. When the title of Scott Pilgrim takes off appears on the screen, the words ringing out to the beat of the song, pulsating as if it were a heartbeat. It’s a delightfully shrewd acknowledgment that music is the beating heart of Scott Pilgrim and nodding that Takes off plans to continue this legacy.
Then there’s the music itself. The song that appears in the credits is “bloom” by the Japanese rock band Necry Talkie. It’s an infectiously compelling beat, but more importantly, it feels like a believable part of the story’s universe. There’s enough of an indie vibe to imagine Scott’s girlfriend Ramona Flowers listening to it and Scott wanting to do a similar song with Sex Bob-Omb to try to impress her. The song also has that propulsive rock energy that could easily fit into a live movie soundtrack. It’s a smart choice because of the synergy, but also one that allows the new show to, well… go in the direction of Japanese anime.
The intro is a beautiful visual delight full of great references.
Credit: Screenshot courtesy of YouTube
Aesthetically, the series is extremely satisfying, synthesizing the look of the video game and the original comics while embracing its new anime-like style. The style feels both familiar and new, with each character instantly recognizable, but also different enough to Takes off feel like a brand new project. There is enough of the essence of the comic book characters to be recognizable, but in Takes off, they are more compact and cartoonish, enhancing the sense of fantasy. There are also many excellent 8-bit visual references to not only the Scott Pilgrim video game, the aptly titled Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Gamebut also the abundant iconography of video games in the comics, such as graphics that spell out sound effects and health bars.
Of course, the core of the franchise is Scott and Ramona, which is reflected in the visuals. In gorgeous bursts of color, we see Scott see Ramona for the first time and be instantly smitten. Scott’s appeal is clear as he is overwhelmed by icons of hearts and a pink star coin. The couple falls from the sky holding hands, spinning around in vibrant block colors. And the series ends with chibi 8-bit versions of their characters coming together for a quick kiss.
Scott Pilgrim takes off showcases its stellar cast.
Credit: Screenshot courtesy of YouTube
One of the biggest surprises that came with the announcement of the Scott Pilgrim takes off was that Netflix made an incredible splash in getting the whole cast to reprise their roles. That’s notable not only because the movie came out 13 years ago, but many of the cast members — including Michael Cera, Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, and Anna Kendrick — are now some of the biggest stars around.
This is something the captions start on Scott Pilgrim takes off is keenly aware of Although the norm these days is to have the main actors’ names written in small text so as not to overwhelm the visuals of the sequence (think The white lotus, The last of usor Inheritance), Scott Pilgrim says the hell with all that. Each of the main cast – all 15 of them – gets their own title card with equal screen time, their names in bright, bold colors taking up a quarter of the screen.
It’s a smart move, because while the series is an adaptation of O’Malley’s comic book, the movie and cast are a huge reason why fans of all things Scott Pilgrim are so strong. This devotion to the cast is a hilarious bit of fan service; those fans who came across the series organically will be blown away that all the voices they know and love are back in full force.
The opening inscriptions of Scott Pilgrim takes off bring back the joy and vibrancy of an often neglected art form. It establishes the show effectively, clearly signaling a huge respect for everything Scott Pilgrim has come before, while also ushering in a whole new universe for fans to obsess over. If these credits are any indication, we’re in for one of the most exciting shows of 2023.
Scott Pilgrim takes off premieres on Netflix on November 17.
