When I first heard about the Big Hero 6 movie, I got really excited! It has two of my favorite things in it: a group of diverse, geeky friends who love science and a giant robot that looks a bit like the Michelin Man! What could be better?
The movie, which is loosely based on a comics series which I’ll talk about shortly, revolves around teenaged science genius Hiro Hamada. After an accident at a lab where he is working, he decides to transform Baymax, his brother’s “personal healthcare companion” robot into a fighting machine. Enlisting the help of his other science genius friends: Wasabi; Gogo; Honey Lemon; and Fred; the six of them decide to take on the man who orchestrated the lab explosion.
It was a great movie filled with lots of laughter, exciting action sequences, and I’ll admit, a few heartfelt moments that brought tears to my eyes! If you liked the movie and are looking for some readalikes that feature teams of super-powered teens, some awesome science, and diverse characters, check these out:
Big Hero 6 Comics originally created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau: There are actually way more than 6 main characters who rotate in and out of the comics, forming Japan’s great superhero team. The style(s) looks really different from the movie version but could be a fascinating read for big fans.
Why you’d like if if you liked Big Hero 6: To get back to the source material, of course! I admit that I haven’t read any of the comics but it would be interesting to see how they differ from the Disney adaptation.
Dangerous by Shannon Hale: After winning a contest for a Space Camp experience, Maisie Danger Brown (yes, Danger is her middle name!) encounters technology far beyond her wildest dreams. It changes her and her friends into super-powered beings but at a dangerous cost.
Why you’d like it if you liked Big Hero 6: It’s got a team of smart and diverse teens who become superheros (and villains), cool gadgets, and even marshmallow-y beings!
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: When the FBI assembles a team of teens who are especially gifted in different types of profiling to look at cold cases, Cassie gets involved. A master at reading emotions, she helps the investigators with the other teens until a crime from her past and a current serial killer start to catch up to her.
Why you’d like it if you liked Big Hero 6: This one is definitely for the older set of fans of Big Hero 6 because of the serial killer plot, but also features a group of smart teens working together. Science features as well, but in the more psychological aspects of profiling and criminology.
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona: Kamala Khan, a normal Muslim teenager is granted Captain Marvel’s powers and uses them to fight crime in Jersey City.
Why you’d like if if you liked Big Hero 6: Diversity in super-heroics is a big part of the appeal here but Kamala Khan’s sense of humor made me laugh as much as Beymax and Hiro’s antics did. Kamala’s story of being torn between her parents’ more traditional world . . . and the challenges of being a brand new superhero is great for everyone!
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson (a 2014 Teens’ Top Ten winner): Ten years after some humans got super powers, the world is struggling to deal with these so-called Epics. After witnessing one kill his father, David wants to take them all out. Joining forces with the Reckoners, a group of non-super-powered humans who want to destroy all Epics, he learns killing them all will be harder than he thought.
Why you’d like if if you liked Big Hero 6: Again we have the theme of a group of super-powered humans, but this time it’s the villains. Plus, there are some pretty cool inventions created by the Reckoners!
On a final note, the short film that aired before the movie, “Feast,” about a food-loving Winston the dog, his owner, and the owner’s love interest made me cry! Worth going to see Big Hero 6 even just for “Feast”!
-Anna Tschetter, currently reading Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi