mifustudy

[mifustudy]

short essay on bo burnham and why i would want to meet him

Being asked, “If you could meet anyone from anywhere, who would it be?” makes for a difficult essay prompt, and having to choose from a specific pool of people has made this even harder. After serious consideration, I narrowed it down to one of the most influential figures in my life: renowned comedian and creative Bo Burnham. While not physically impaired, he has shared in countless interviews that he struggles with severe anxiety and, assumably, depression. Although he has never blatantly stated that he suffers from depression, his comedy specials offer intriguing glimpses of symptoms that are undoubtedly relatable to me and many others who have been diagnosed.

I could have chosen anyone to write about, but Bo Burnham seemed to be the most sensible choice. As a person with clinical depression and crippling imposter syndrome, I clung to Bo’s comedy style heavily during my developmental years. I’ve somewhat idolized him for the past decade, to his dismay, as he has spoken outwardly about how much he dislikes the notion of that. Bo Burnham’s specials Inside and Make Happy focus on the topics of imposter syndrome and depression. For obvious reasons stated previously, these two projects have gradually increased in relevance to me over time.  

Make Happy, his 2016 special, has been the most impactful to me mentally. Being a visual experience relying on physical gags, it is full of unforgettable moments. In this special, Burnham alludes to the damaging effects of social media and criticizes the glorification of celebrities through elaborate bits. The outro song, taped separately from the live performance, “Are you happy?” asks the rhetorical question posed by its title repetitively while picking at himself and the audience in a deprecating manner. Admittedly, not aging perfectly, it stands out as an introspective look into performance art. Make Happy remains Burnham’s final stand-up performance due to the detrimental panic attacks he experienced while touring his previous show, what., which Bo had never experienced prior. 

I would love to meet Bo Burnham not only because he has become a huge inspiration for me but because he has made himself such an unintentionally captivating comedian. He often points to his distaste for parasocial relationships in his works and in interviews. Looking back on Make Happy, to quote directly from a song he performs, “The truth is my biggest problem is you.” I have his style of comedy deeply ingrained into how I interact with those around me, and I find it humorous that he would most likely detest that. Meeting Bo Burnham would be a dream and a nightmare. 

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I Think It’s Great That You’re Failing: A Home Movies Retrospective

Adult animation has evolved significantly throughout the years. The changes this form of entertainment has undergone are most notably seen in the creation of Cartoon Network’s late-night programming block for mature audiences: Adult Swim. Debuting on September 2, 2001, Adult Swim kicked off an adult animation renaissance with seven new shows in tow. Out of the library-sized selection of cartoons aired during its lifetime, one Adult Swim program still stands out to me: Home Movies. The first show to ever air on the network, Home Movies is a perfect example of Adult Swim’s general mindset—indie and ambitious—despite not being made specifically for the block. With a wildly distinct visual style compared to its peers, Home Movies and its unorthodox approach to adult animation was unlike any other show airing at the time. As Adult Swim continues to redefine adult animation, Home Movies remains a timeless testament to the block's bohemian attitude and imaginative storytelling, setting it apart in the unpredictable landscape of animated entertainment. 

To further push my point of Home Movies being a unique viewing experience compared to the other shows on Adult Swim, it would be best to give further context as to what the block is. Conceptualized as the passion project driven by former head programmer of Cartoon Network, Mike Lazzo, there was always a push to make something more of the channel; CN began as a hub for Hanna-Barbera reruns without any original programming. In collaboration with network president Betty Cohen, Lazzo borrowed recycled animation cells from a forgotten Hanna-Barbera superhero cartoon to create the first adult-oriented show that predates Adult Swim. Named Space Ghost Coast to Coast, it is a cheaply made and hardly animated talk show with celebrity guests such as Björk and Bob Odenkirk. With unexpected success and a high number of older viewers, there was a demand for an adult programming block on the channel.  

The desire for a separate block came with budgeting issues, most of them stemming from the fact that organizing a collection of mature content on a channel aimed at children was a risky move. Sarah Bahr quotes former executive VP of Cartoon Network, Jim Samples, and his worries concerning the pushback from ad sales teams: “As a kids’ network, how were we going to actively market to adults?" Being given a restricted budget in combination with the limited amount of time they had to name the block and produce content for it, the team had to get creative. “It was a very small group of us doing all of that in addition to our regular jobs at Cartoon Network,” president of Adult Swim Michael Ouweleen expressed. Borrowing the same method used for Space Ghost, they assembled three shows ready to air: Sealab 2021, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and The Brak Show. In addition to the creation of these programs, there was a need for even more content to flesh out a stand-alone block. Aqua Teen Hunger Force was one of the last in-house shows made for Adult Swim’s first lineup, but not the last to be added. Currently full of convenient, low-budget projects, it was inevitable for the team to acquire another just as easy to produce. Enter Home Movies, created by writer and animator Loren Bouchard and musician-comedian Brendon Small. 

  Given the greenlight to produce a show with the help of longtime industry partner and Soup2Nuts CEO, Tom Snyder, Bouchard needed a muse. Quoted by Brian VanHooker, Bouchard recalls how Snyder suggested producing the show: “Find somebody local who could be the lead voice and a big part of the show so that you feel like you have an engine behind it." First meeting at a stand-up comedy gig, the two clicked right away; Small took on the role of “engine” quickly. Brainstorming ideas around the loose concept of a family dynamic, he was also the first to push a major part of the show’s overarching theme: moviemaking in the most amateurish way. “When I was a kid, I would go through the rigamarole of charging up the family camera and clearing a tape, and I’d make movies with my friends, so I was thinking maybe that’s the thing for this show,” Small explained. 

Home Movies follows the unconventional life of eight-year-old aspiring filmmaker Brendon Small—voiced by and named after co-creator Brendon Small—living with his offbeat single mother Paula Small. Brendon accomplishes his moviemaking ventures with help from friends Melissa and Jason, completing one short film per episode. Shots from each movie they make are placed sporadically throughout the runtime; the stories usually connect with the overarching theme of each episode. Additional notable characters of the show include alcoholic soccer coach turned friend and pseudo-mentor of Brendon’s, John McGuirk, and fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Lynch. Brendon uses filmmaking as an outlet for creativity and escapism. This is seen in countless storylines throughout the show.  

The show debuted on The United Paramount Network on April 26th, 1999, with an order of five episodes. This premiere was far from a strong one. While not an extremely popular channel, UPN received its worst ratings with the arrival of Home Movies. “The ratings were terrible,” Bouchard explained, loosely quoting what the head of the network told him during a phone call the night of the first broadcast. “I would be fired if I even hinted that there was a chance that we were going to pick you up for more episodes,” he added. Looking through the rest of UPN’s airing cycles, animated or not, the channel was far from a success. Out of the twenty-four shows UPN aired, Home Movies is ranked second to last based on viewership. This network was far from what the show needed to reach its full potential.  

After getting canceled once the first episode aired, the team felt trapped. Even with UPN still airing the leftover episodes, the future was bleak. “I was nervous I would have to start over or go back to bartending,” Bouchard joked. When all hope was lost, an unexpected call from Cartoon Network production writer Khaki Jones changed the game. Despite being one of the lowest-rated shows broadcast on UPN, Jones ended up loving it. She played a vital role in giving Home Movies its second life on Adult Swim, inevitably guiding the show towards taking on the task of introducing the adult-oriented programming block to the world. “When Khaki Jones called me, there was this unbelievable sense that we were right,” Bouchard observed. “The work was good; we just had no place on network television at that time." 

One of the reasons why Home Movies was dropped from UPN was due to its outlandish visual style—not just the general art style but also the animation technique used. Bouchard had worked closely with Tom Snyder and his production company in the past, which led to their influence being transferred to his independent project. Adopting Soup2Nuts’ animation method, other quirks present in Home Movies are also due to Bouchard’s past work on Comedy Central’s Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. Both shows utilize Squigglevision—the name of the animation method alluded to prior—which is described as a “compact form of animation” on the AllExperts forum by user Tony Hansen. The defining trait of this technique is the use of five or more distinct-ish frames that repeat per shot. “Traditional animation consists of going frame to frame and perfectly connecting different cells to provide a crispness and clarity that Squigglevision doesn't provide,” Tony explained in his post. While both affordable and novel, Squigglevision was not used for long during Home Movies’ lifetime. The team continued to utilize it throughout Season One before switching to Macromedia Flash, the multimedia software. “Squigglevision was wonderful and charming, but it was definitely a Dr. Katz thing,” Small expressed.  

In addition to visual modifications, the writing was also revised. Originally following indistinct outlines during recording sessions, the team branched out to full scripts with Dr. Katz writer Bill Braudis' help. This switch occurred due to Small wanting to create a narrative within each episode rather than having the show be reduced to comedians continuously riffing off. The comedy style of Home Movies is blatantly influenced by Dr. Katz, even down to the whole “center around a comedian” part of it all. Jonathan Katz, lead voice actor and namesake of Dr. Katz himself, even appears in Home Movies as Melissa’s dad. The association of Dr. Katz with Home Movies is a topic lavish enough to warrant authoring another paper, but that is not what matters here. This paper is dedicated to Home Movies and its peculiar aura in contrast to the other adult animated comedies at the time. 

A look at an old text thread on the animation-themed forum, Toonzone, shows that a substantial number of fans agree that the changes established in the program were improvements. “I think it boils down to what kind of humor people like.” forum user Shnay posted. This sentiment rings true, becoming increasingly obvious throughout Season Two and onwards. The dialogue revisions from the later Seasons compared to the first are most noticeable in Season Two, Episode Ten: History. Shnay also uses this episode as an example in their post, pulling from the experience they had watching Home Movies evolve. “I loved season one, and the "Starboy and Captain of Outer Space" episode was my least favorite episode of the series.” Shnay added, in contrast to how a good deal of fans enjoyed that episode, in addition to how they also “loathed” Season One. “Starboy and Captain of Outer Space” is the title of the movie Brendon, Jason, and Melissa produced during Episode Ten. While a portion of this episode is just the nonsensical film in parts amidst Brendon's attempt to improve his history grade, the lines shared by the ten-minute mark unveil something that had not been stated outright in the series yet: Brendon’s relationship with his movies.  

The most daunting thing about Home Movies is not the art style. It is the dialogue. I admit the visuals are far from ordinary, but the conversations between characters are incomparable to anything else seen on Adult Swim at the time. Watching Brendon interact with his work in such a mature manner is enough to have the audience forget he is an elementary schooler. Even his immature attributes feel mature for his age. The best example of this is Brendon’s need for control, following the insecurities within himself and his art. His ego is offset by the inclusion of Jason and Melissa. The way these three characters interact with each other comes off as seriously authentic and not in an average eight-year-old way. With parents neglecting the role of guardian, their role as kids is both evident and not. Standing levelheaded in contrast to the uncertainty present in the adults, Brendon and the other kids in the series take on the role of caretaker.  

Throughout the peculiar show, John McGuirk serves as a notable example of this unusual relationship. McGuirk is a stunted thirty-seven-year-old man who appears to only speak to the kids he coaches—specifically Brendon, as mentioned before. While McGuirk wants to be a father figure, his attempt falls flat with offers of phony advice. Brendon usually ends up being the one advising. The eleventh episode of Season Three, “Broken Dreams,” exhibits this relationship perfectly. Summarized by Winston Cook-Wilson, “McGuirk gets a serious concussion during lifeguard training and terrorizes [Brendon] at the library while covered in blood." While McGuirk misbehaves in the library, Brendon attempts to gently parent him and study for a test simultaneously. 

Transferring over from UPN to Adult Swim, Home Movies distinguished itself from its contemporaries immediately. The first lineup made for the programming block feels incompatible with the method of storytelling Home Movies adopted. Small—the co-producer, not the character—was aware of this throughout production during its Adult Swim lifetime. “I never thought that Mike Lazzo necessarily responded to the show.” He expressed, quoted by IGN interviewer Ken P. (Ken). Being an outsourced show with monotone yet quirky performances in a sea of aspiring, in-house productions led Home Movies to its demise. “Each season that aired would never perform well on Adult Swim.” Small added. This is because the scheduled time Home Movies would air changed frequently due to the network trying to find the timeslot that would improve its performance. The show’s inevitable cancellation came and went for the team and the network, considering that it was not an expensive show to produce. Both parties accepted that Home Movies had run its course.  

Being given the chance to end their show with a final, fourth season, Small and Bouchard knew what they had to do. “Knowing it was going to end was energizing in its own way.” Bouchard clarified, “It allowed Brendon to explore some heavy themes for the finale” (VanHooker). Season Four, Episode Thirteen, "Focus Grill" follows Brendon, Jason, and Melissa re-watching their past films. Realizing they aren't as great as they thought. In the series finale, Brendon utters sheepishly: “I have no idea why we make them. All I know is this, we keep coming here after school every single day, and we just keep doing it” (Focus Grill 20:35-42). This new attitude towards their creations thwarted their drive.

After their failed attempt at building a grill that ended with an explosion, McGuirk and Paula decided to abandon their plan and pick up food instead. During the car ride, Brendon brings his camera and starts filming out the window until they hit a bump. His heart sinks as he watches the camera slip out of his hands and crash onto the rough pavement. The sound of crushed metal rings as another car drives over it shortly after. Brendon stares on in anguish and disbelief. Before he can get a word out, the vehicle erupts in chatter over what they should get for lunch. Sitting there for barely ten seconds—though it is obvious this is played off for comedic effect—with tears welling up in his eyes, he joins in on the conversation, forgetting about his camera.

This entire sequence occurs at the very last minute of the episode and in an impressively short amount of time; it all went by so fast that there was barely a moment to process the weight of what just happened. This show has had an unparalleled impact on my relationship with art, reshaping my perspective in ways that no other cartoon has. Revisiting Home Movies for the first time since I was Brendon's age at seventeen, then reading countless interviews with the cast recently, my appreciation for the show could not be any more evident. Brendon's reliance on filmmaking because of the sense of control it gave him made me feel better represented than I ever have compared to any other type of media. Despite not being produced in-house, this show has become a standout Adult Swim program for several reasons beyond that. Its unique qualities and outstanding execution cemented its place as a must-see for fans of adult animation. As decades pass, Home Movies continues to stand as a model for the late-night block’s essence of innovative production, differentiating it from its contemporaries.

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Lisa Miller vs. The Screen

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a six-volume graphic novel series that was published in 2004 by Canadian cartoonist Bryan Lee O’Malley. Through the growing fan base surrounding the novels, its story was adapted into four types of media, the most notable being the movie. The franchise boomed in popularity since its 2010 motion-picture adaptation, proving that as the years go by, most of the series' fans come from the hour-and-fifty-two-minute-long self-described epic. Gradually becoming a staple in pop culture, it was difficult to miss in online spaces, but one component of the story slipped through the cracks: a character named Lisa Miller. Completely scrapped from the movie script, fans of the Scott Pilgrim universe who are unfamiliar with the original graphic novel series will be pleasantly surprised if they look back on the source material; Lisa is a far richer character than the other adaptations fail to depict. She is more than a mislabeled "manic pixie dream girl" and contributes to the plot's progression in a major way. 

Zeroing in on the well-known film adaptation, entire storylines were scrapped from the script, one of which follows Lisa closely. Introduced in Volume 2 and then properly utilized in Volume 4, she is established as an old friend of our protagonist, Scott Pilgrim. Meeting in high school, Lisa and Scott became fast friends then created a band together with drummer Kim Pine called “Sonic & Knuckles.” This flashback that lasts about 34 pages gives the audience a peek into how these characters came to know each other while Volume 4 builds on Lisa’s motives and feelings towards Scott.  

Lisa, abruptly entering Scott’s life after around a decade, strains his relationship with his current girlfriend, Ramona Flowers, leading her to believe he is cheating. The couple quarrels on and off throughout the book as Lisa looms on the sidelines. The two have a big fight, leading to Scott getting kicked out of the apartment for the night. Stuck with nowhere else to turn, he calls Lisa, and she lets him crash at her place. There seems like she has an ulterior motive; she dressed suggestively, subtly moving closer to our unassuming protagonist within each panel, causing an alarming amount of tension. Scott comes to his senses and proclaims his love for Ramona to Lisa, rejecting any and all advances and closing the door on her one-sided infatuation. The three of them move on from this, Scott and Ramona remaining a couple and Lisa leaving for California to pursue an acting career.  

This (very) brief summary of her arc fails to capture the depth of Lisa’s character. Discussing her Volume 4 actions further shows that this character propels our two protagonists, Scott and Ramona, through their own respective character arcs. Giving our main characters more than their regular relationship—as regular as “defeating seven evil exes” can be—creates a refreshing plotline within an episodic graphic novel series while simultaneously developing the audience’s understanding of the two. Illustrating a clearer image of Scott and Ramona’s relationship beyond the rose-colored glasses applied to the audience in the first couple of volumes is beneficial for the development needed to maintain undivided attention throughout the story. 

Let’s discuss how Lisa's presence affects Scott Pilgrim’s character arc. Her short-lived appearance in Volume 2 set the stage for Volume 4, with most of the reason Scott decides to reconnect coming from nostalgia. Bringing Lisa around the group shortly after their reunion, this nostalgia-driven get-together expanded their individual connection, branching out into her connecting with everyone else; the only person Scott worries about is Ramona, his girlfriend. The undeniable discomfort present on his face as the two women interact feels uncalled for—considering Scott has not done anything inherently wrong—as he remains on edge the entire time they interact.

The coup de grâce of it all is when Scott stays at Lisa’s place the night after his big fight with Ramona. She finally comes clean about how she has been acting since they have reconnected; her dressing “all tarted up” specifically for Scott because he “couldn’t take [his] eyes off [her].” She felt awful about her actions, but she kept going anyway. When Scott tells her why he is there, he is greeted with a romantic advance. The panels fade to black and open back up to the next morning. Lisa filled Scott in on what happened: he chose Ramona over her—the panel explains it far better than I could summarize. Lisa plays a significant role in Scott's character arc, demonstrating how much he has matured and improved his relationship skills, realizing he feels genuine love for Ramona and should confess through Lisa’s actions.

Ramona’s growth is not as extreme as Scott’s but still offers further characterization absent in the film adaptation. Like Lisa, the two women have little to no character development; Ramona at least stars in the movie while Lisa lands a namedrop. The blonde’s introduction back into Scott’s life damages Ramona’s trust in their relationship, partly due to the fact she had not once heard of her before this, that the two have been spending an awful lot of time together, and that he is too dense to realize the subtle advances Lisa had been making the entire time. Creating friction and hostility between the couple generates a peek into Ramona’s mind, an infrequent occurrence throughout the six volumes. The two women share multiple “manic pixie dream girl” attributes—this is a complicated movie trope to dissect here, but a simplified definition can suffice. The MPDG is a female character portrayed as eccentric and desirable used only to push the plot in a film forward. They have no other character traits besides that, they are sort of like props. Lisa falls into this category and Ramona falls here only in the context of the film; Lisa’s existence prevents Ramona’s mischaracterization in the movie from happening within the books, acting as a character foil or “Evil Ex” for her in a way. 

Winding down from intense character descriptions, Lisa Miller plays a pivotal role in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World adaptations. While she may not be involved in the most popular portions of the franchise, she still holds up as an important part of the original story. With occasional references here and there, Lisa remains a piece of the oversized puzzle of Scott Pilgrim. Fans of the film unfamiliar with the graphic novel series’ story are highly encouraged to read back on what they are missing: the character of Lisa Miller is far more nuanced than she is usually portrayed as online. She serves as more than just a “manic pixie dream girl” and has an enormous impact on the plot's progression.  

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Ramona Renaissance: The Multi-Media Timeline of Ramona Flowers 

  The Scott Pilgrim vs. the World franchise has charmed audiences with its unique blend of action, comedy, and romance, offering an imaginative perspective on early adulthood. This story follows protagonist Scott Pilgrim and his mysterious love interest, Ramona Flowers, in a nerd-culture-reference-filled narrative; quiet the mouthful, I know. From Bryan Lee O'Malley's original graphic novel series, Edgar Wright’s film, and BenDavid Grabinski’s anime series, Ramona's characterization undergoes nuanced adjustments that show her development as a character through the varying plot points in each retelling. Her portrayal across the adaptations is a centerpiece for analysis and discussion surrounding this franchise. Fully understanding each depiction of Ramona requires examining how her relationships, personality, and internal struggles affect and shape the medium she is involved in. I aim to highlight each adaptation's intricacies and how they affect the overall story plus Ramona Flowers’ character. 

  Following a complex character like Ramona Flowers across more than a decade's worth of content between three types of media is a demanding task. With the constantly evolving climate of what is acceptable in entertainment in the past couple of years to creative differences, the story of Scott Pilgrim has shifted as many times as Ramona has alone. These overall plot shifts are the catalysts of said changes within her character. To satiate the overwhelmed, let’s break down the basics of this puzzling persona. 

  The most crucial part of Ramona’s character in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the catalyst of the general plot in each adaptation: her past romantic endeavors. These previous partners fall under the title of the “Seven Evil Exes,” all of them posing as a threat to Scott and Ramona’s budding relationship throughout the story. Being well-known for her hectic love life both in and out of the fan base, Ramona Flowers brings more than that to the table. Creator Bryan Lee O’Malley lays out the process of developing Ramona’s character in the afterword of Volume 1 of the graphic novel series: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life: 

 “I briefly worked with Brian Wood on one of his cool, sophisticated, ass-kicking New York girl comics. Part of the genesis of Ramona was wanting to grab a character like that and take her out of her element to boring old Toronto—I think that’s why she was a rollerblading delivery girl” (172).  

  In this brief passage, O’Malley makes a point to reflect on the inspiration pulled from American comic writer and illustrator Brian Wood. Being a Canadian artist, the joke of using American character tropes becomes a recurring theme in the series, along with Ramona’s habitual hair dying. Within the stories of each adaptation, this woman’s introduction to Scott Pilgrim’s life was through dreams. Throughout the first couple volumes of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, readers are thrown into an ebb of video game references, indie rock, and relationship troubles as Scott navigates his twenties, paired witty dialogue against the backdrop of Toronto, Canada. As Ramona enters the scene, it is evident that she becomes a central figure in the series with every page turn; her presence influences much of the story's intrigue and conflicts. Originally introduced as an ordinary object of a male protagonist’s affection, Ramona persistently exudes an undeniable sense of unique appeal with her character quirks. 

  A quirk particular to the book series that is worth mentioning is something called The Glow. First occurring in the last few pages of Volume 1, this odd trait appears due to Scott name-dropping a significant ex-partner of Ramona’s, Gideon Graves (Precious Little Life, 164). The Glow is a type of “psychic warfare” created by Gideon to imprison people in their heads to “weaponize(d)" their emotions (Fandom.com), strengthening negative emotions and having them overpower any positive ones. This power was made to tear down relationships Ramona attempts to form while also being infectious through physical touch, proving to be quite the plot device. The usage of this bizarre ability is seen most notably in Volume 4, Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together, as Scott and Ramona confront the insecurities in their connection due to a book-exclusive character leading to harmful judgments (127-129). The infectious quality of The Glow is shown with Scott himself experiencing the effects of the glow, giving the audience a chance to see how it feels firsthand (166-171). 

  With the absence of The Glow in the film and anime adaptations, each story undercuts vital aspects of Scott and Ramona’s relationship, stripping viewers of an in-depth portrayal of their bond through a strange phenomenon. The movie has its own version of this plot device, being close in concept to the novel. This Glow stand-in is a microchip planted into Ramona’s neck by Gideon, though it feels more like a throwaway line rather than a definite story choice; the only noticeable challenge between Ramona and Scott through this microchip is their argument over the Seven Evil Exes and Ramona’s overall dating history (Scott Pilgrim, 1:18:06). The underutilization of a device like The Glow in the film adaptation is a hindrance to the plot. Following the discussion of the replacement and absence of a plotline through The Glow in this medium, it would be best to explore the rest of what hinders Ramona’s growth story-wise further.  

  The depiction of Ramona in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World film takes significant steps back in characterization compared to the graphic novel series. Merging multiple books into 112 minutes is daunting, many things had to be done to write a plot that fit what was needed to create a faithful enough adaptation. The most notable change is Ramona Flowers’ character as she enters movie trope territory. Being introduced in each iteration through a dream, many reviewers and audience members pinned her as a “manic pixie dream girl.” This trope, originated by film critic Nathan Rabin, alludes to quirky and desirable female characters who are used to push a narrative forward; these characters often lack depth and act as romantic interests for male protagonists (Dixon). The story alterations made for this cinematic adaptation display the departure from the nuanced character Ramona was in the books. These alterations have led to the major mischaracterization of her among a much wider audience.  

  Throughout the 2010 cinematic release, Ramona Flowers’ role in the story has been debated as time goes on. With the importance of her Evil Exes being the main push of the plot, it has been noted that these fights for her affection have put Ramona in an “influential position” (Dixon). This unusual predicament is one of the reasons she is considered a “manic pixie dream girl” in the first place. Within the sea of Scott Pilgrim reviewers, few of them stray away from this idea, but Emma Shapera decided to get vocal. Shapera’s article on the pop culture news site Collider focuses on why Ramona “Deserves Another Look,” explicitly pointing toward her movie appearance. With prior knowledge of her characterization from the source material—the graphic novel series—it is evident that Ramona Flowers’ past relationships shaped her into who she is when the audience meets her. Shapera states the way these connections affected Ramona’s persona gradually made her self-aware of the men she’s been with trying to take control. Not wanting to go through with that again, she was adamant that her new love interest, Scott, would not get to do the same (“Why Ramona Flowers”). 

  After discussing the distinctions between the film and novels concerning Ramona, it is finally time to set the scene for the franchise’s most recent addition: the anime series. Ramona’s depiction in the anime series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off notably diverges from the nuanced characterization in the movie and books. Starting by following the same formula, the show eased the audience into a false sense of security. By the end of Episode One, everything is flipped upside down; Scott Pilgrim goes missing during his fight with an Evil Ex! This swiftly transitions into Ramona taking on the protagonist role. With the camera on her, the narrative focuses on her avoidant attachment style and relationships with surrounding characters. This element of Ramona's character was severely undeveloped in the film, so having the anime focus on something the mainstream adaptation failed to expand on does a great deal of work recontextualizing Ramona’s character (Fox). 

  There is no better way to start breaking down Ramona’s developed connections with others than with her romantic interest, Scott Pilgrim. The attraction between these two characters is unquestionable the moment they meet in Takes Off, which is unheard of compared to the film and novels; their relationship grew gradually while the anime took an immediate turn. From a gimmicky top ten list, Josuha Fox describes Ramona as “being as in love with Scott as he was with her,” and this sentiment is clear throughout each episode (“Biggest Differences,” 7). As the show progresses with the absence of Scott as the protagonist, Ramona’s mission is to discover what had happened to him. As she moves through the plot to find her boyfriend of one day’s whereabouts, Ramona is tasked with confronting her past—also known as her Evil Exes. Going to her exes for answers, as she believes they are the culprits of Scott’s disappearance. Her eagerness to find Scott transcends her fear, forcing her not to run away like she always had before. As Fox had put it, “it’s impossible to see their relationship as anything other than true love” (“Biggest Differences,” 7). 

  Each episode focuses on a different Evil Ex and how Ramona reconciles with them. To avoid explaining and getting into the intricacies of every single one, I picked my favorite episode that shows how much Ramona’s character grows in this adaptation: Episode Three. Episode Three, “Ramona Rents a Video” introduces the audience to Ramona’s fourth Evil Ex, Roxie Richter, and how their relationship blossomed then died. With Roxie having little screen time across the franchise, her storyline this episode is a breath of fresh air similar Ramona’s character rework. In the episode, the two women battle in a video store, somehow sending them in and out of reality through different movies as Ramona tries to piece together where Scott had gone and why Roxie ended up being so cruel. After flashing through the real and film world while simultaneously looking back on their relationship, Ramona finally apologizes for how she had treated Roxie (“Ramona Rents a Video,” 16:30-18:14). “I was too afraid to face you,” Ramona explained before Roxie responds, heartbroken: “You were afraid? Good for you! All I wanted was for you to see me” (17:41-17:58)! The connection between the two slowly reforming is heartwarming while also displaying a crucial upgrade in Ramona’s character; this interaction would not have happened in the film. 

  The multifaceted portrayal of Ramona Flowers in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World franchise perfectly reflects the developmental changes each adaptation has undergone. Starting with a graphic novel series, to a critically acclaimed film, and finally landing a Netflix original anime, Ramona’s personality has been through multiple reimagined storylines. As the focal point of most analysis and discussion in the fanbase over the years, it is most important to recognize her growth as a character. Examining the creative interpretations and narrative differences across mediums provides a deeper understanding of Ramona’s depth and relevance in each rendition. 

sources below: https://pastebin.com/nLum4ta0

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something will get added here at some point, give it a second