Baymax is a fictionalsuperhero character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau, Baymax first appeared in Sunfire & Big Hero 6 #1 (September 1998). Baymax begins his existence as Hiro Takachiho's science project. Originally designed to be a hydro-powered robotic synthformer programmed to serve as Hiro's personal bodyguard, butler and chauffeur, Baymax becomes Hiro's best friend and father figure after being programmed with his recently deceased father's brain engrams. When the Giri recruits Hiro into the fledgling super-team Big Hero 6, Baymax also joins the team, where his phenomenal strength, amazing surveillance and data analysis capabilities have proven useful.
Baymax is an artificial synthformer capable of synthtransing his body into various forms: a large humanoid male, "Battle-Dragon" and "Action-Mecha". The first serves as his default form, designed to be less conspicuous in public while attending to Hiro's daily needs. His other forms, significantly more powerful and imposing, are primarily used during undercover missions and other hostile operations. In all forms, Baymax has internal scanners and sensors able to detect and evaluate threats posed by nearby lifeforms. He is also programmed with fighting techniques from forms of combat including karate, tae kwon do, Western boxing and Wing Chun.
Baymax appears in the 2014 Disney animated film Big Hero 6 and its extended media, voiced by Scott Adsit. He is depicted as an inflatable robot built by Tadashi, the older brother of the protagonist Hiro Hamada, to serve as a healthcare companion. When he is with Big Hero 6, Baymax wears armor that has wings allowing him to fly, while his fists can detach like rocket punches. The armor also has magnets attached to his back for Hiro to stick on while flying. Baymax appeared in the sequel television series, which continued the story of the film which aired from 2017 to 2021 on Disney Channel and Disney XD. Baymax appeared in the spin-off series Baymax!, it premiered on June 29, 2022 on Disney+.
Publication history
Created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau in their spare time while working on another project, Baymax was first intended to appear with the rest of Big Hero 6 in Alpha Flight #17 (December 1998). However, the team first appeared in their own self-titled three-issue miniseries by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Gus Vasquez, which due to scheduling issues, was published before Alpha Flight #17.[1][2] The character appeared with the team in a subsequent five-issue miniseries which was launched by Marvel Comics in September 2008.
Fictional character biography
Baymax is a hydro-powered robotic synthformer programmed to serve as Hiro's personal bodyguard, butler, and chauffeur. He possesses an artificial intelligence based on the brain of Hiro's deceased father Tomeo, which he and Hiro keep secret from Hiro's mother Maemi.[3] Baymax later joins Big Hero 6 after the Everwraith kidnaps Maemi.[3]
Powers and abilities
Baymax is an artificial synthformer capable of synthtransing his body into various forms. His default form is a large humanoid male designed to be less conspicuous in public while attending to Hiro's daily needs. His other forms "Battle-Dragon" and "Action-Mecha", are significantly more powerful and imposing than his default humanoid form, and are primarily used during undercover missions and other hostile operations. When Baymax sustains physical injuries beyond his damage threshold, he automatically reverts to his humanoid form and becomes temporarily depowered.[3]
In all forms, Baymax is equipped with internal scanners and sensors able to detect and evaluate the threat posed by lifeforms in the immediate vicinity. He can also deploy remote monitors to record events from afar. His feet are equipped with jet engines capable of generating a thrust sufficient to propel him at speeds up to Mach 4. He can send, receive, and intercept radio transmissions, and monitors all networks maintained by the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Baymax is also directly linked to Hiro's Core Cyber-Network (CCN). As a result, when Baymax is not in Hiro's vicinity, he can be immediately summoned via a wrist-mounted communication device. Baymax is also connected to Hiro's cybernetic glasses, so that everything that Hiro sees and hears while wearing the glasses is stored in Baymax's databanks for later reference and analysis.[3]
Baymax is programmed with fighting techniques from several forms of combat, including karate, tae kwon do, Western boxing, and Wing Chun. He possesses a durable, polymantium endo/exoskeleton resistant to most forms of small ballistics. Baymax uses water as his primary source of power for locomotion. His artificial intelligence system is memory-card-based and contains thoughts and emotions of Hiro's departed father, industrialist Tomeo Takachiho.[3]
Reception
In 2020, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Baymax 4th in their "Marvel Comics: Ranking Every Member Of Big Hero 6 From Weakest To Most Powerful" list.[4]
Baymax appears in Disney's Big Hero 6 franchise, voiced by Scott Adsit.[6][7] This version is a white inflatable robot built by Hiro Hamada's older brother Tadashi to serve as a personal health care provider companion. Co-director Don Hall said "Baymax views the world from one perspective—he just wants to help people, he sees Hiro as his patient." Producer Roy Conli said "The fact that his character is a robot limits how you can emote, but Scott was hilarious. He took those boundaries and was able to shape the language in a way that makes you feel Baymax’s emotion and sense of humor. Scott was able to relay just how much Baymax cares."[7][8][9] The film was released under the title Baymax in Germany and Japan.[10] Baymax's design in the film drew influence from Japanese anime and Shogun Warriors toys.[11]Mecha designer Shigeto Koyama, who previously did design work for mecha anime such as Gunbuster 2, Eureka Seven, Gurren Lagann and Rebuild of Evangelion, worked on the concept design for Baymax in the film.[12][13]
While battling Yokai, Hiro teaches Baymax to fight and gives him armor equipped with wings and detachable rocket fists. Baymax later sacrifices himself to ensure that Hiro and Yokai's daughter Abigail escape an alternate dimension, but entrusts the former with his personality chip, enabling him to be transferred into a new body.
The original and second Baymax appear in Kingdom Hearts III, with the former being a non-playable character and the latter being a support character.[22][23]Riku resurrects the original Baymax and uses him to battle Big Hero 6, but Sora and the second Baymax defeat him, destroy the chip, and restore his original self.
Heneveld, Stephen and Ben Juwono (director); Sharon Flynn and Paiman Kalayen (writer) (November 20, 2017). "Baymax Returns". Big Hero 6: The Series. Season 1. Episode 1. Disney XD.
Heneveld, Stephen (director); Sharon Flynn (writer) (June 10, 2018). "Fred's Bro-Tillion". Big Hero 6: The Series. Season 1. Episode 4. Disney XD.
Good, Kathleen (director); Paiman Kalayen (writer) (July 14, 2018). "Mr. Sparkles Loses His Sparkle". Big Hero 6: The Series. Season 1. Episode 10. Disney XD.
Juwono, Ben (director); Sharon Flynn (writer) (August 4, 2018). "Kentucky Kaiju". Big Hero 6: The Series. Season 1. Episode 13. Disney XD.
Good, Kathleen and Kenji Ono (director); Paiman Kalayeh (writer) (August 25, 2018). "Mini-Max". Big Hero 6: The Series. Season 1. Episode 16. Disney XD.
Heneveld, Stephen (director); Sharon Flynn (writer) (January 11, 2020). "Portal Enemy". Big Hero 6: The Series. Season 2. Episode 20. Disney Channel.
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