You remember 2010? It was a wild time for the Scott Pilgrim universe. Edgar Wright’s movie was hitting theaters, the video game was eating everyone’s quarters (digitally speaking), and right in the middle of that hype, this weird little four-minute short popped up on Adult Swim. It was called Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation, and honestly, if you missed it, you aren't alone. It aired in two-minute chunks during commercial breaks between 12:00 and 12:30 AM. Not exactly prime time, right?
But for the die-hards, this wasn't just a promo. It was a glimpse into what a faithful adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley’s art style could actually look like on screen. While the live-action movie had to cut a ton of backstory to fit a two-hour runtime, this short focused on the one thing fans were dying to see: how Scott and Kim Pine actually met.
What Actually Is Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation?
Basically, it’s a flashback. Specifically, it’s the flashback from the beginning of Volume 2 of the graphic novels (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World). It takes us back to Scott’s high school days in North Bay. If you’ve only seen the movie, you might be confused because the short features Lisa Miller, a character who was almost entirely erased from the live-action version.
The plot is simple. Scott is the new kid at school. He rescues Kim Pine from a rival school’s gang (led by the hilariously named Simon Lee), they start a band, and they eventually break up when Scott moves to Toronto. It’s short, punchy, and surprisingly emotional for something that barely clocks in at four minutes.
The Voices You Might Recognize (and Some You Won't)
One of the coolest things about this project was the voice cast. Edgar Wright managed to pull in the heavy hitters from the movie to record lines for their animated counterparts.
📖 Related: Wrong Address: Why This Nigerian Drama Is Still Sparking Conversations
- Michael Cera returned as Scott.
- Allison Pill was back as the eternally grumpy Kim Pine.
- Mae Whitman, who plays Roxy Richter in the movie, actually voiced Lisa Miller here.
- Jason Schwartzman, the movie's Gideon Graves, voiced the high school rival Simon Lee.
It’s a bit of a trip hearing Gideon’s voice coming out of a random high school kid, but it works. Titmouse, Inc.—the studio behind Metalocalypse and Venture Bros—handled the animation, and they nailed O’Malley’s chunky, manga-influenced line work perfectly.
Why This Isn't the Netflix Series
A lot of people get Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation confused with the 2023 Netflix show Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Let's clear that up: they are totally different beasts.
The 2010 short was a literal, panel-for-panel recreation of a specific comic chapter. It was meant to supplement the movie. The Netflix series, produced by Science Saru, is more of a "remix" or a sequel that subverts everything you think you know about the story. If the 2010 short was a cover song, the Netflix show is a complete experimental reimagining.
Honestly, the 2010 animation feels more "pure" in its commitment to the original books. It doesn't try to change the timeline; it just wants to show you why Kim Pine is so bitter all the time. (Spoiler: It’s because Scott is kind of a jerk who moved away without really saying goodbye.)
👉 See also: Who was the voice of Yoda? The real story behind the Jedi Master
The "Lost" Character: Who is Lisa Miller?
If you want to sound like a Scott Pilgrim expert, talk about Lisa Miller. She’s the biggest omission from the 2010 movie. In the books, she’s a huge part of Scott’s past and a major source of tension for Ramona in Volume 4.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation is the only time we see her in that specific era of the franchise. She’s Scott’s friend who clearly has a crush on him, and she’s the one who helps him "rescue" Kim. Without this short, movie-only fans are left wondering why Kim and Scott have such a weird, prickly dynamic. This short fills that gap. It shows the moment they bonded over a shared love of music and the trauma of high school social wars.
Where to Find It Now
Back in the day, you had to catch it on Adult Swim's website or hope someone uploaded a grainy version to YouTube. Nowadays, it’s much easier to find. It was included as a bonus feature on the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Blu-ray and is widely available on various streaming archives.
It’s a tiny piece of history. It represents a moment when the industry wasn't sure if Scott Pilgrim could work as a full anime, so they tested the waters with a four-minute "backdoor pilot" that never really went anywhere—at least not for another thirteen years.
✨ Don't miss: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
How to Dive Deeper into the Lore
If this short scratched an itch you didn't know you had, there are a few things you should actually do to get the full picture.
- Read Volume 2 of the Graphic Novels: The short covers about 10% of the backstory provided in the books. The full "North Bay" era explains way more about why Scott is the way he is.
- Compare the Art Styles: Look at the Titmouse animation versus the Science Saru animation. The 2010 version is much closer to the original "shorthand" style of the early books, while the Netflix version is more fluid and polished.
- Check out the Deleted Scenes: The live-action movie has several deleted scenes that reference the events of the animation, including a few mentions of Lisa Miller that didn't make the final cut.
Knowing about this short is like knowing the secret handshake of the Scott Pilgrim fandom. It’s not the main event, but it’s the connective tissue that makes the whole world feel a lot bigger.
To see how the story eventually evolved, your next best move is to watch the first episode of the Netflix series and look for the specific nods to Scott’s high school days—you'll notice they play with those memories in a very different way now.