Big Hero 6
Children’s movies are often made to appeal to as large an audience at possible—unfortunately, at the cost of the unique and foreign. “Big Hero Six,” however, draws viewers in by doing just the opposite: creating a distinct world similar to our own, yet unfamiliar, making us laugh and pulling at the heartstrings with oddity and spunk.
The film is set in a near futuristic city named San Fransokyo, the name suggesting a mishmash of Japan and America. Trolley cars coexist with loud neon signs written in Japanese, and Asian architectural elements are strewn throughout the city. Although alien and unlike anything else in the world, the locale draws the viewer in rather than icing them out. The setting is just relatable and familiar enough for the viewer to understand and interact with this parallel world but new enough to allow for the feeling of exploration.
The film is based off of a fairly obscure Marvel super hero team of the same name. Following the death of his older brother, 14-year-old Hiro Hamada teams up with his brother’s co-workers and an adorable healthcare robot named Baymax to investigate the mysteries surrounding the death. Hiro is precocious, having graduated high school already, and cocky as a result. Nevertheless, it is easy to grow attached to his relatable angstiness. The motley crew that makes up Hiro’s avenger team is certainly eccentric. There’s the fierce and spunky Go Go Tomago, sweet chemistry
genius Honey Lemon, the gentle giant Wasabi and the Shaggy-like Fred. It’s nice to see non-white characters in children’s entertainment , especially with a cast of characters that is so unique and ethnically diverse, each of them with identifiable character traits outside of silly gags. The true standout, however, is the aforementioned robot Baymax. Cuddly and cute, he is the star of the show. All together ,they help Hiro cope with the death of his brother and avenge him.
Like most kids movies, “Big Hero Six” is fairly predictable. Once the cast of characters are introduced, the plot twists can be seen from a mile away. This is unfortunate, but typical of a Disney kids’ movie seeing as the minds of the targeted viewers of such films are not used to processing complex film plots.
“Big Hero Six,” however, pushes the boundaries in different ways. It exposes viewers to something new through the incorporation of Japanese culture into the plot and a diverse and unique cast of characters. All viewers are new to the world portrayed in “Big Hero Six,” and so the alien feeling that comes with unfamiliarity is almost inclusive rather than exclusive. Weirdness and creativity end up serving as the elements that draw in rather than shut out. I applaud Disney for pushing the boundaries on children’s entertainment by exposing audiences to other cultures and normalizing the foreign—and for creating an utterly loveable and heartwarming film.