The Neurocranial Transmitter, also called Neurotransmitter, is an original invention by Hiro Hamada. The first neurotransmitter was also used as a mask worn by robotics expert Professor Robert Callaghan while under the supervillain alias Yokai. Eventually, other people copied Hiro's idea, while Hiro himself built new transmitters after the original was destroyed.
Appearance[]
The first neurotransmitter is a simple headband-like invention with several small lights that glow up when it is in use. When Callaghan stole the neurotransmitter, he also used a white Japanese Noh theater mask with red markings and yellow eyes, giving it a sinister appearance, to conceal his real identity.
Krei's neurotransmitter, which was a rip-off of Hiro's, also had green goggles to make it seem slightly different and pretend it was an original idea.
Cobra's neurotransmitter was nearly identical to Hiro's and was in fact created by stealing his tech, but the lights in it had a green glow.
History[]
Big Hero 6[]
The first neurotransmitter was created by Hiro for the SFIT convention expo. With the help of his brother, Tadashi, and Tadashi's friends, Hiro mass-produced Microbots the neurotransmitter was designed to control. At the convention, Hiro was at first nervous to show off the Microbots, but with Tadashi's support, Hiro was able to showcase the full range of the products' capabilities to build and transport that captivated the audience, especially from two influential SFIT figures —Alistair Krei and Professor Callaghan.
Krei offered to buy the Microbots from Hiro, but Callaghan warned Hiro not to trust Krei's motives. His claims were validated when Krei tried to take one Microbot away, but Tadashi caught him and asked him to return it. Shortly after the presentation finished, a mysterious fire started in the building, and as Callaghan was still in the building, only Tadashi went inside to save him, resulting in Tadashi's death. Unknown to anyone, it was Callaghan who had started the fire to procure Hiro's neurotransmitter, and with it, he was able to shield himself with the Microbots to fake his death. With the neurotransmitter, Callaghan got to work on his revenge against Krei, having millions of new Microbots secretly mass-produced in an abandoned warehouse. It was during this time he also grafted the neurotransmitter into a kabuki mask to hide his true identity, creating his persona of Yokai.
Since the neurotransmitter was still linked to Hiro's microbots, the last Microbot that was in Hiro's possession tried to return to the neurotransmitter when it was called forth, though Hiro dismissed this as a malfunction at first. However, Baymax followed the Microbot's direction back to the warehouse, and when Hiro caught up with the robot, they stumbled upon the Microbot assembly line. Yokai saw them and discreetly commanded the Microbots to attack. As the duo escaped, Hiro witnessed Yokai and the mask for the first time. Seeing a masked man controlling far more Microbots, Hiro tried to report this to the police but his story wasn't believed. Hiro thought that this man had caused the fire that killed Tadashi and Professor Callaghan to steal his Microbots, so he set off to apprehend the man himself with help of Tadashi's friends.
During a scuffle between Yokai and the group of friends at what used to be a testing facility owned by Krei Tech on Akuma Island, Hiro managed to remove the mask, and Yokai was revealed to be none other than Callaghan himself. Callaghan demanded Hiro give him back the mask, to which Hiro responded by corrupting Baymax and ordering him to terminate Callaghan. As rest of the team attempted to stop Baymax from committing murder, the professor retrieved the mask and escaped with the Microbots.
In the final battle against Yokai, the team initially aimed for the mask, but Callaghan proved to be unstoppable due to his control of the Microbots, so Hiro had to come up with a plan to strip Callaghan of his power. After the Microbots were eliminated, the mask was finally destroyed by Hiro and Baymax, thus causing Callaghan to permanently lose control of the Microbots.
Season 1[]
After some time, Krei decided to bank off Hiro's neurotransmitter by having his company reproduce their own version with the final product to be sold at a high price. To keep his project a secret, Krei had the prototype neurotransmitter allocated to one of San Fransokyo's warehouses that, by sheer coincidence, was also where Dibs was hiding out after snatching Honey Lemon's Chem-Purse. Shortly after Krei left the area, Dibs impulsively decided to put the neurotransmitter on, but as the neurotransmitter activated, he accidentally tripped into the purse and exposed himself to the chemical contents, causing a chain reaction that fused Dibs to the neurotransmitter and mutated him to a blob of chemical compounds. Initially, Dibs tried forcing Krei to remove the neurotransmitter, which did not work due to the neurotransmitter being permanently attached to Dibs. But as Dibs later discovered, the neurotransmitter linked to the chemical mixture that now composed his body, enabling him to transform his cells into any form of matter based on whatever he thought. With these new powers, Dibs became the supervillain Globby for a period of time before deciding to became a superhero instead.
Season 2[]
Over time, Globby felt his transformation was a burden in having a normal life, and sought assistance from Honey to cure his condition. The cure was successful and Dibs could remove the neurotransmitter long bound to his head. However, when his monstrous clone dubbed Nega-Globby went on a rampage in San Fransokyo, Dibs donned the neurotransmitter and repeated the incident that turned him into Globby. This gave him back his powers which helped him defeat Nega-Globby.
Season 3[]
One day, Mochi ran away from home after hearing Cass would take him to the veterinary, and ended up stuck in a warehouse vent. Although Baymax attempted to rescue him by switching bodies with Mini-Max to fit in the vent, Mochi's paw was stuck, so Hiro went home and brought two neurotransmitters: one for himself and one for Aunt Cass, controlling Megabots that safely helped free Mochi.
Later on, a thief named Cobra managed to develop a neurotransmitter based on Hiro's. This neurotransmitter was linked to a quiver of robot cobras that would serve Cobra as her arsenal, as well as appear as a headband when it was not in use. However, as the neurotransmitter was linked to all of Cobra's robots like Hiro's was, removing it would shut them all down. Fred and Heathcliff are attacked by Cobra, and eventually Fred and Heathcliff go back to Big Hero 6's base where they show the footage to Hiro, who noticed she was using his technology and became upset that it had been stolen. Soon, Heathcliff, Mini-Max and Fred face Cobra again, but just as it seemed she had the upper hand, Hiro and Baymax appear, then Hiro uses his suit's magnetism to snatch the neurotransmitter away from Cobra and deactivates all the snakes under Cobra's control—still upset as he tells her to get her own technology before calling the cops and having her arrested.
Trivia[]
- Yokai's mask appears as a cameo in a deleted scene from Zootopia.
- Yokai's mask displays red kumadori markings, which typically symbolizes strength and passion in kabuki and is used for the role of a heroic character. This is likely because Yokai does not see himself as a villain, but his daughter's rightful avenger.
Gallery[]
Film Screenshots[]
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 Hiro puts on his neurotransmitter          The mask on Hiro's screen.   The mask being destroyed by Baymax. |
TV Series Screenshots[]
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   Hiro about to activate the neurotransmitter in his helmet  The neurotransmitter in Hiro's helmet activates        Hiro and Aunt Cass with their neurotransmitters  Cobra activates her neurotransmitter  Hiro finds that Cobra had stolen his tech            Hiro has snatched the neurotransmitter from Cobra Hiro: "Get your own tech next time." "Baymax: "I have alerted the authorities." |