Scott Pilgrim

Scott Pilgrim is a 6-volume comedy/romance/action comic series with a movie adaptation. The story goes like this:

Scott Pilgrim is a 23-year-old lovable geeky slacker. When he begins dating a mysterious girl named Ramona, he finds that he is required to defeat her seven evil exes in epic video game-style battles.

The incredibly well-done off-the-wall humor of Scott Pilgrim (present both in the comics and the movie) is endlessly entertaining—even on multiple readings/viewings—and the ongoing plot of Scott's dating life is genuinely captivating. It's been said that in the world of Scott Pilgrim, people break into superpowered fights the same way that people break into song for no reason in musicals. It makes all the sense in the world and it feels perfectly amazing.

Of course, moreso than the fantastical elements, what really makes Scott Pilgrim work is the relatability of Scott's life. The characters in the story actually live relatively normal lives for 80% of the series; the fighting doesn't even show up until the very end of the first volume. This is, essentially, a comedy/drama about a group of young people, enhanced by fantastical elements. It's been said that both people in a new relationship must fight the ghosts of each others' exes; it only makes sense that Scott must literally fight Ramona's exes in this heightened-reality world.

If you've ever considered yourself a geek in the slightest, you will love this series. If you've ever been a young person just living life, you will love this series. I honestly don't care who you are; you need to read this.

The movie is pretty decent, though it does have some major flaws (like casting Michael Cera). AMAZING music, though. I recommend reading the books first, then watching the movie afterwards.