Inspired by the Marvel Comics name of the same name, Disney 2014 film Big Hero 6 was a critical and commercial hit, earning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. That, in turn, led to the 2017 debut of Big Hero 6: The Series, which continues the adventures of 14-year-old tech genius Hiro Hamada, his robot Baymax and their superhero teammates, who protect the city of San Fransokyo. The success of first the film and then the television series, which continues its second season Tuesday on Disney Channel, comes with its upside and its downside.

"I don't know how many people know this, but we're the No. 3 [highest-grossing] Disney animated film of all time," Scott Adsit, who voices Bayman, told CBR and other outlets at the D23 Expo. "I know at the time, it was Lion King, Frozen, and us... I see people dressing up as Baymax with inflatable costumes. It's amazing."

That devoted fan following is, of course, is the upside. However, Ryan Potter, who plays Hiro, noted Big Hero 6's popularity has also resulted in tons of pirated merchandise. "I think Big Hero 6 has the most knock-off merchandise of any Disney movie," he said. "I see an insane amount of Big Hero 6 backpacks and stuff that I've never seen Bandai or Disney produce." Adsit laughed, adding, "Baymax has a look that's very easy to replicate."

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Both actors have played their characters since the original Big Hero 6 film, and their performances have slowly morphed over the course of the TV series. "Hiro is aging; he's getting a little older," Potter said. "He's not wiser. He's definitely hitting puberty. "I didn't want to do the same exact voice for the series that I did for the movie, because some time has passed, so I tried to age him up a little bit. But he still has that youthful tone and sense of optimism in his voice, but I'd say that's the primary thing that's changed. It's been a full two years since the film because it took him half a season to get into college and then he spent an entire freshman year in college. So now he's getting ready to be a sophomore."

Adsit reflected on how, for Baymax, "his timing might be a little different because you have to pack the jokes into a half-hour. I think he's a bit more savvy about timing, and he's exploring new avenues of care-giving, which includes psychotherapy. I think he can learn... I think he's becoming a little more cuddly with [the team] because he feels more like a member of the team... he's also feeling more joy with [Hiro] because he's grown. He feels more involved. Or at least his sub-processors are operating more human-like."

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"[Baymax] is definitely more self-aware than he was in the film," Potter added. "I think his level of [understanding ] since the film, his understanding of the world has grown because of all the adventures he's been on."

Something both actors appreciate about the TV series is the attention paid to the importance of science. Almost all of the central characters are established scientists, and showcase the potential for knowledge. "I like it because it reminds me of a younger version of The Twilight Zone without the horror aspect," Potter said. "We have a couple of episodes where it can get pretty dark, but it's mostly about exploring the unknown and trying to push boundaries and push the needle forward for science. Any show that has that message, I'm all for."

"There's a lot of science-fiction that uses science as an evil tool that has to be overcome," Adsit continued. "We have that element, but then it's always overcome by science and the proper application of it... I think we're considered body horror." Potter teased that, "You can see all the destruction caused by supervillains and bio-enhanced villains, and Season 2 will deal more with the biology and chemistry of our villains."

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The series features a number of creative and strange villains and monsters. Considering the many threats they've encountered, Potter said that his favorite is Globby. "I think we've seen this type of character before, but never in this way," he said. "He has his own arc, which is very interesting." Adsit countered with Burger-Noodle Boy. Potter then said, "My favorite episodes to this day is the cook-off between Aunt Cass and Momakase in the giant 'cook until death' scenario which I think is great."

The tone of the series appeals to a wide audience, which is something that Adsit appreciates. "I think the demographic is supposed to be kids," he said. "But the scripts and situations are as enjoyable as Endgame. It's not geared towards children, but it's certainly the same form of storytelling. Big Hero 6 can be enjoyed by any age. I haven't seen the movie in a few years, but I know I cried four times during the movie, four specific times. That carries over into the television show, and I think it's very easy to dismiss it as just for kids. I think the characters are good enough and rich enough and enough room to explore that anyone who enjoys entertainment can enjoy this entertainment."

Returning Tuesday, Sept. 3, on Disney Channel, Big Hero 6 stars Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Brooks Wheelan, Jamie Chung, Khary Payton, Genesis Rodriguez, Maya Rudolph and Alan Tudyk.