Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
James holds the Alice stuffie in concept art by Jean Walter
Adventure Games Alice Madness Returns creator American McGee is making a spiritual successor, and he's not worried about EA
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Animated Movies Adam Driver accidentally "invented this thing that changed animation forever" as Kylo Ren: the Adam Driver bar
An illustration shows a plush rabbit in a blue dress and white apron reading a leather bound book
Adventure Games 15 years and a nasty IP war with EA can no longer hold back game after creator decides to turn characters into bunnies
Mabel and King George in Pixar's Hoppers
Animated Movies Hoppers director Daniel Chong says his "chaotic, unhinged" Pixar movie took inspiration from Avatar and Studio Ghibli
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 screenshot of Verso, a man with black hair with white streaks running through his fringe
RPGs After Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's divisive Best Indie TGA win, publisher's CEO admits the J'RPG is "blurring the line"
Buzz Lightyear and Woody in Toy Story 5
Animated Movies Ahead of Toy Story 5, Hoppers director says Pixar knows "originals have to exist" and "you can't keep making sequels"
A screenshot from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 showing Maelle fighting an enemy.
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dev blames Final Fantasy 10 for letting you nuke its final boss
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs' next game will focus on "what we think is cool" rather than trying to please everyone
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Gustave winces
RPGs Clair Obscur Expedition 33 lead "underestimated" the popularity of side content, leading to his one regret with the RPG
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Gustave in a French-inspired outfit
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs "basically did twice the work" of a more experienced team to get the RPG out the door
New Overwatch hero Emre
FPS Games New Overwatch VA shouts out the subreddit that's been waiting 8 years for his character to become playable
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's director was "surprised" that someone managed to beat the RPG's most infamous boss without cheesing
Two Beavers during the trailer for the new Disney movie, Hoppers.
Animated Movies Hoppers is being called Pixar's funniest movie ever in glowing first reactions
Two characters standing on a glowing battlefield during Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
JRPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 controversially wins Best Independent Game at The Game Awards
Princess Peach and Mouser in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer
Animated Movies After Chris Pratt promised more characters, The Super Mario Galaxy movie delivers with an incredible game deep-cut
  1. Games
  2. RPGs
  3. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's beloved Esquie was pitched as being like Mulan's own lovable giant, but his actor saw another character in him: "I pictured Baymax from Big Hero 6"

News
By Anna Koselke published 27 January 2026

How very "whee," indeed

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Clair Obscur Expedition 33
(Image credit: Sandfall Interactive)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

It's no secret that we all love the ever-whimsical Esquie from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – but how exactly he was conceived (and which other iconic characters inspired his vision) might just leave you surprised.

Everyone knows the silly Esquie moment – yes, the "whee" and "whoo" one – that became one of the most recognizable lines from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. What exactly inspired the character behind the heavily referenced dialogue, though?

As it turns out, a couple of fellow lovable giants did… two Disney giants, to be precise. As actor Maxence Cazorla recalls in a new video with Fall Damage, Esquie's charm started with Mulan's Chien-Po.

"We had to find his voice – and the reference from Guillaume [Broche], the game director, was Chien-Po from Mulan," explains Cazorla. He saw someone else in Esquie, however – someone from another Disney gem. "And I don't know why, but I pictured Baymax from Big Hero 6," as he reveals.

"So, I feel like Esquie was somewhere in between because Chien-Po is always like, 'Yes. Oh.'" Baymax balances this wisdom with… well, a bit of a silly vibe.

You may like
  • Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Clair Obscur's Esquie actor "would love" to play the lovable lump once more, but the "story is kind of complete"
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs shout out fellow French studio's climbing sim launching with clever nod to their J'RPG
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Gustave in a French-inspired outfit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director says the RPG's success was "completely unexpected from pretty much everybody"
Can Esquie Actor Remember His Iconic Lines? - YouTube Can Esquie Actor Remember His Iconic Lines? - YouTube
Watch On

"Baymax, he was more like, 'Hi, I'm Baymax,' as Cazorla puts it. In other words, Baymax adds a lighthearted flair to Esquie's character, and I'd argue it certainly shines through well.

The blend of both the Big Hero 6 giant and Chien-Po makes for a unique figure – one that's now widely regarded as a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 icon, alongside the likes of Maelle and, of course, primary protagonist Gustave.

Unsurprisingly, comments show fans are happy to hear that the two Disney characters inspired Esquie. One person exclaims, "Now I love thinking of Esquie as a mix of the Mulan character and Baymax!" Another responds, "It made so much sense when he said this. Can't believe I never made the connection."

I can definitely see it myself, and I'm glad to learn I'm not alone. Esquie is a solid mix – and as a result, he's undeniably perfect.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Esquie actor "would love" to play the lovable lump once more, but he thinks it’s unlikely because the "story is kind of complete."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Xbox Series X PS5 Platforms Xbox PlayStation
Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Clair Obscur Expedition 33
Clair Obscur's Esquie actor "would love" to play the lovable lump once more, but the "story is kind of complete"
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs shout out fellow French studio's climbing sim launching with clever nod to their J'RPG
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Gustave in a French-inspired outfit
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director says the RPG's success was "completely unexpected from pretty much everybody"
 
 
Clair Obscure Expedition 33
Baldur's Gate 3, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 actor agrees with Charlie Cox that mocap actors deserve more recognition
 
 
An RPG party strolls through a whimsically colorful fantasy landscape.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's new update is loaded with JRPG references
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead says "anyone who's a fan of our story" should read the French novel that inspired it
 
 
Latest in RPGs
Dragon Age 2
Dragon Age 2 was originally planned to be "much bigger" before EA made other demands, says series lead
 
 
Fallout 4
Fallout 4 was "missing something," but Todd Howard helped confirm "there should be this overriding sense of paranoia"
 
 
Screenshot from Banquet of Fools
Ridiculously pretty Baldur's Gate-like with a beat 'em up twist and 91% positive Steam reviews finally hits 1.0
 
 
A mind-boggling skeleton stands next to a chest in King's Field
Dark Souls and Elden Ring studio FromSoftware was "worried" how its OG RPG King's Field would be received
 
 
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
5 years after the reimagined Star Wars RPG was revealed, KOTOR remake is "still in development," Saber boss confirms
 
 
Oblivion multiplayer via ReadyM
Oblivion multiplayer "coming soon," claim creators of platform that gave Black Myth: Wukong the same co-op treatment
 
 
Latest in News
Key art for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen showing Venasaur against a swirling green background, cropped for a header image
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have been on Switch for over a week, but many players are still stuck in Oak's Lab
 
 
Big Walk
"Complicated feelings on our end": Indie devs behind new Peak-like co-op understand you think it's friendslop
 
 
A Na'vi draws a bow in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron says Avatar 4 is still "very likely", despite Fire and Ash making $870 million less than The Way of Water
 
 
Ghost of Yotei Legends
"Mark my words. You cannot win without 4 players," Ghost of Yotei multiplayer lead warns of Legends' "hardcore content"
 
 
A soldier holding a gun and running through a battlefield with a group, showing the strong multiplayer elements and crisp visuals of Battlefield 6.
Battlefield 6 devs reportedly hit with layoffs after what EA called "the biggest launch in franchise history"
 
 
Pickmon
Pokemon and Palworld clones are officially out of hand, as fans react to "lawsuitmaxxing" new game Pickmon
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Key art for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen showing Venasaur against a swirling green background, cropped for a header image
    1
    Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have been on Switch for over a week, but many players are still stuck in Oak's Lab trying to get shiny starters: "I'm going to cry"
  2. 2
    James Cameron says Avatar 4 is still "very likely", despite Fire and Ash making almost a billion dollars less than The Way of Water
  3. 3
    How to make and move duckweed in Pokemon Pokopia
  4. 4
    "Complicated feelings on our end": Indie devs behind new Peak-like co-op understand you think it's friendslop, but "it's a slight bummer that the other half of the term is the 'slop'"
  5. 5
    "Mark my words. You cannot win without 4 players," Ghost of Yotei multiplayer lead warns of Legends' "hardcore content," all but guaranteeing a flood of players trying to prove Sucker Punch wrong

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...