Heroes/Hiro Nakamura

Hiro Nakamura
Heroes
Actor	Masi Oka
First Appearance	1x01 - Genesis
Series Billing	Main Star
Episode Count	32 (through season 2)
Notable Episodes	Cx02 - The Crane 1x08 - Seven Minutes to Midnight 1x10 - Six Months Ago

Hiro Nakamura is a programmer from Tokyo, Japan. He discovers he has the power to bend time and space. He is played by Masi Oka and has appeared in every episode to date.

Basic Information

Hiro Nakamura works a desk job at Yamagato Industries in Tokyo, Japan where his best friend works in the cubicle next to him. His primary language is Japanese but he understands some English and can even speak a little.

One day, shortly after a solar eclipse, Hiro discovers he can bend time and space, initially by slowing the ticking second hand on a clock to a stand still. He also learns he can teleport himself to anywhere he can think of, and in doing so winds up in New York City where a series of unsettling events ends with a cataclysmic explosion that destroys everything. Instinctively Hiro teleports back to Tokyo and begins searching for answers to who he is and his ultimate destiny.

Powers and Weaknesses

Powers

• Time Manipulation — Hiro can alter his experience of time, allowing him to perform actions while the world remains frozen in place. He can maintain this state for at least one minute, likely much more.
• Teleportation — Hiro can teleport himself long distances, although that may have the side effect of causing time travel.
• Time Travel — Hiro can travel forward and backward in time.

Weaknesses:

• He needs to concentrate for a few seconds to activate his powers.
• Emotional stress can cause his power to accidentally activate when not desired or fail to activate when it is desired.
• He cannot yet control his long-distance teleportation without traveling in time.
• He can't control his time travel well, attempting a one day reverse jump took him back at least six months.
• He doesn't want to risk travelling back in time for fear of causing a rift in the space-time continuum.

Season One

Hiro Nakamura bored out of his skull at Yamagato, stared at a clock on his desk until the second hand stopped then slipped backward before returning to normal. He runs down an aisle of cubicles shouting, "I did it!" until he reached the cubicle of his best friend, Ando Masahashi. He told Ando what he did, but Ando just laughed him off. Later, at a bar, Hiro once again tried to tell Ando that he thinks he can bend space and time, and possibly even teleport himself. Ando went to get more drinks, and challenged Hiro to teleport himself into the ladies washroom. Hiro concentrated. Ando returned from the bar in time to see Hiro being carried out of the women's washroom by bouncers and thrown into the street. Ando follows and they argue about why Hiro wants to be different so much. The next day, Hiro was riding on the subway. He saw a poster of New York and concentrated. A nearby digital clock started speeding through the digits. Hiro opened his eyes and suddenly he was standing in Times Square.

He walked around the New York streets, and as he passed a news stand, his eye caught Issue #14 of the 9th Wonders comic book. It depicted Hiro in Times Square saying "I did it!" and "Hiro arrives in New York" in a box on the bottom right. Hiro had no American money, so he gave the man 200 Yen and fled with the comic. The comic depicted exactly what happened to get him to New York, every line of dialogue the same. He flipped to the end and sees the comic was written by Isaac Mendez, and has his address. Hiro showed up at Isaac’s studio. The door was open. Hiro saw a trail of blood and a gun. He picked up the gun and discovered Isaac lying dead on the floor. His head had been cut open and his brain removed. Suddenly, the police barged in. Hiro dropped the gun, put his hands up, and fainted. The police find a Japanese translator so they can question Hiro. Hiro said that he teleported himself to New York, and a phone call to his friend Ando will clear everything up. The police call Ando and the translator talks to him. Ando hasn't seen Hiro in five weeks. Hiro is confused, and insisted that it was October 2. A detective showed Hiro today's newspaper showing that Nathan Petrelli won in a landslide. The date on the paper is November 8. Suddenly there's a loud noise from outside. Everyone looked out and sees an approaching shockwave shredding buildings. Hiro concentrated and returns back to the subway at the time he left.

Hiro visited a Hiroshima memorial and promised his deceased grandfather, who died of cancer induced by the atomic blast that he won’t let what happened at Hiroshima to happen again. He threw away his Yamagato Industries ID badge.

A day or two later, Hiro went to see Ando at Yamagato. Hiro showes Ando the 9th wonders comic featuring himself, and told him that he teleported to New York in the future. Ando asked Hiro if that's what he's been wasting his time doing. Hiro told Ando that he can prove it, but they have to leave right away. Reluctantly, Ando goes with Hiro. Hiro and Ando are on a street somewhere in Tokyo. Hiro said that the comic shows that he has to save a schoolgirl near here from being hit by a truck. Hiro spotted the girl and the truck and told Ando to stop the truck. Ando tried to flag the truck down, but it swerved to avoid him and headed right for the girl. Hiro concentrated and stopped time. He carried the girl out of the truck's path. Ando was startled at Hiro's sudden appearance many meters from where he was previously, and finally believed him. Hiro and Ando fly to Los Angeles, their first step to changing the future for the better. They drive to Las Vegas, but the comic book ended as they left Los Angeles.

Hiro and Ando arrived at the Montecito Casino in Las Vegas. Hiro had been leaving messages for Isaac Mendez, but he didn’t know how to say what he wanted. Ando told him he’ll help teach him. Ando gambled, but lost most of their money. In desperation, Hiro stopped time and manipulated the outcome. Hiro told Ando that he did it. Ando wanted Hiro to do it some more. Hiro didn’t want to, it’s cheating, but they were down to their last chip. Ando asked if it is cheating when Peter Parker takes pictures of Spiderman, and persuaded him that every hero has an edge to get ahead. They gambled for a while, but made the mistake of cheating a high-roller in a cowboy hat. The hotel threw them and their luggage unceremoniously out into the alley, where the high-roller and his group of toughs, confront them. Ando told them to watch out, his friend has “very big powers”. A tough knocks Hiro out with one punch. They beat Ando for a while, then dump Ando, Hiro and their luggage by the Fly by Night Diner out the outskirts of Las Vegas.

Hiro and Ando bickered, and Ando left to hitch a ride back to Las Vegas. Hiro ordered breakfast. As he looked outside, he was the only one to see Nathan Petrelli fly in and land outside the diner. As Nathan waited for his entourage to bring a car to get him, Hiro talks to Nathan and told him that he saw Nathan flying, but not to worry, he’ll keep the secret — he’s special too. Hiro tells Nathan that he can bend time, went to the future and saw New York explode. He is going to stop it. Nathan didn’t believe him, but humored him and asked who won the election. Hiro told him that Petrelli won in a “mudslido”! Hiro asked Nathan for a ride back to town and Nathan agreed. Nathan dropped Hiro off at the Montecito and gave him a “Vote Petrelli” pin. Hiro went to the rented car, but he couldn’t figure out how to start it; the manual was printed in English. He helplessly waited until Ando showed up.

Ando suggested that they call Isaac again. Peter Petrelli answered. Hiro said his name, and Peter told Hiro and Ando “Save the cheerleader, save the world”. Hiro and Ando were confused. Peter told them that a Hiro Nakamura from the future who had a sword came back to tell him to “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” Peter tells Hiro to meet him in New York and they’ll find her together. Hiro was both surprised and thrilled by this development. Ando wondered why Future Hiro didn’t just go back and tell them. Hiro speculated that Future Hiro didn’t want to risk creating a causality paradox.

They were about to leave when the high-roller that Hiro and Ando cheated blocked their way. He took them to a place where a poker game was happening and instructed them to cheat the other players until they win back the money they cheated him out of. Hiro paused time and rearranged the cards between when they were dealt and picked up. After their long winning streak drew suspicion, Ando accidentally dropped something and noticed that the man they’re cheating had a gun under the table. Ando hustled Hiro to the bathroom and told him to get them out of there or else they’ll get killed. While they were in there, a woman went into the poker room, and slaughtered all the poker players. Hiro tried to use his powers, but Ando distracted him and he couldn’t save them. Hiro and Ando escaped out the window.

Hiro was upset that he failed to save the poker players. Ando told him that if he tried he'd have been killed. Hiro wasn't swayed and still believed he failed. Ando told him that heroes need to take a journey, they can't start at the end of the path. Hiro wondered if he is on the wrong path. Ando told him that since he can bend time and space, maybe later he can go back and fix things, like a do-over.

Hiro and Ando pulled up behind D.L. and Micah at an accident scene somewhere east of Las Vegas. D.L. rushed to free a trapped woman. Hiro went to assist, and Ando kept Micah from getting too close. As a car exploded, Hiro froze time and moved D.L. and the woman to safety. Micah and D.L. were confused at how they got away. Hiro showed Micah the comic book he got from the future and told him he saved his father’s life. Micah recognized Ando from Niki’s house.

Hiro and Ando made their way to Midland, Texas (20 miles from Odessa), and ordered breakfast at the Burnt Toast Diner. They were served by Charlie, a waitress who has a remarkable memory. She read the Japanese writing from Hiro's jacket and knows what it means (“I don’t belong here.”). She told them that she got a Japanese phrasebook for her birthday six months ago, she picked it up again last week and can remember everything in it. At another table, Sylar is watching. Hiro teaches Charlie a bit of Japanese between her customers. They bond. She told him that lately she's been remembering everything she reads. Hiro almost revealed her of his power, but thinks better of it. Charlie tells Hiro that he's sweet. Hiro goes to the washroom, but when he comes out, someone has murdered Charlie in the back room, her head sliced off and brain removed. The police suggested that Hiro and Ando to stick around to give statements. Hiro told Ando that Charlie was killed the same way that Isaac was when he went into the future. It can’t be a coincidence. Ando said that means they have to be very careful. Hiro wanted to try and travel back in time to yesterday to warn Charlie not to come to work today. Ando thought it was too dangerous – the last time he teleported, he wound up five weeks in the future. Hiro said that if he’s too scared to use his powers, then he doesn’t deserve them. He has to try. Ando asked what they’re going to do about the cheerleader mission. Hiro said that he’ll be back. He told Ando to count to five, then he’ll be back. Hiro concentrated, and vanished. Ando counted to five, but Hiro did not return.

Hiro travelled six months into the past, to April 24. He introduced himself to Charlie and told her that he was there to save her life. She thought it was just a strange line and invited him into her birthday photo. Hiro was shocked to learn that he travelled back six months, but didn’t dare travelling again for fear that he could end up anywhere. Hiro tried to call Ando, but got his past self instead. He started working as a busboy at the diner, and got Charlie a Japanese phrasebook for her birthday. Charlie learns some phrases extremely quickly because of her learning ability. Hiro tried to convince her he was from the future, telling her that a swallow will slay a dragon tomorrow. The next day he brings in a Japanese paper saying that the Swallows baseball team defeated the Dragon’s baseball team. She wasn’t convinced, so Hiro told her about a Japanese origami tradition that says if you fold a thousand paper cranes a wish will be granted. He freezes time and puts a thousands paper cranes up all over the diner. Hiro gives Charlie a ticket to Tokyo, and tells her he doesn’t care if she doesn’t believe he’s a time traveller, as long as she goes. Charlie finally believed Hiro and wanted him to go with her. She told Hiro she has a blood clot in her brain that could kill her at any time. Hiro was puzzled and sad and told her that he came back to save her life. Charlie told Hiro that he did – before he arrived she had given up and stopped living. She told him that she loved him, but as they were about to kiss, Hiro unwillingly teleported back to Japan. He tried hard to go back, but he couldn’t.

Hiro returned to Midland from Japan and found Ando was still waiting for him. Hiro told Ando that he failed, he couldn’t save Charlie, he couldn’t drastically change the past, not matter how hard he wished. He said he loved Charlie.

The next day they were outside Union Wells High as the bloody homecoming banner was carried out. They knew a cheerleader had died, and assumed it was the one they had to save. Hiro was still determined that they would find a way to stop the explosion. He got a call from Isaac Mendez, asking for a place to meet. They met at the Midland bus depot and went to the Burnt Toast Diner. Isaac was surprised to see a finished issue of a comic that hadn’t been printed yet. He believed that Hiro went to the future, and asked him what else he saw there. Hiro told him about the explosion and finding Isaac dead with his brain missing. Isaac told them that the brain-stealer had been captured. Hiro and Ando were glad, he killed a friend of theirs. Isaac remembers sketches he drew a couple days ago when he was sober of Hiro, Ando and Charlie in the diner. They confirm that the woman was their friend. Isaac was happy to learn that he can paint the future without the drugs. He tells Hiro that he thinks stopping the bomb is their destiny, and he recently painted a man exploding. Hiro wondered how they could stop an exploding man. Hiro, Ando, and Isaac went to a motel room. They provided Isaac with painting supplies and looked on expectantly. Isaac still wasn’t sure how he could paint the future. Hiro suggested that he concentrate, then Isaac closed his eyes, concentrated them and his eyes went milky white as he started to paint. After a while, Hiro and Ando checked on what Isaac was painting. To their shock, it was Hiro, sword in hand, facing off against a dinosaur. Hiro worried about changing history drastically, Ando worried that Hiro was going to die!

Future Hiro

A Hiro Nakamura from the future, who spoke English fluently, looked much different and had a Katana with the mystery helix symbol on the hilt appeared to Peter Petrelli in the subway. Future Hiro froze time, but Peter was unaffected. He told Peter that he had a message for him: return to Isaac's place and use his paintings to try and find the cheerleader, and when he calls, tell his past self where to meet Peter. If they save the Cheerleader, they can save the world. With those cryptic words, he left. We learn in Episode 20 "Five Years Gone" more about the Hero of the Future. He is from a future that is five years after the "bomb" exploded in New York. He seems to be a depressed and cold loner, and it is established in this episode that he is a terrorist. Future Hiro seems to limit the use of his powers, but also seems to have a mastery over them. One of his great achievements is a timeline that he has constructed in Issac Mendez's studio. The timeline is an elaborate collection of articles and pictures that seemingly has a string for each hero. The timeline is set up in a way that where the paths of the characters cross, so do the strings. We learn that Future Hiro constructed this to find out exactly where history could be changed so that the bomb wouldn't go off. He claims that he stabbed Sylar in his past, but Sylar was able to regenerate because he was in possession of Claire Bennet's powers. Future Hiro thought that if Claire Bennet could be saved, than so could New York. However, in the future there is also the misconception that the "bomb" was Sylar—but in all actuality, it was Peter Petrelli. We also learn in this episode that the reason Future Hiro is so cold is because Ando died in the New York explosion and every since, Hiro has been trying to change the past. Future Hiro claims he has something to tell Ando, but never manages to do it. He is killed in the end of the episode before present-day Hiro and Ando return to pre-"bomb" New York—leaving him as possible bait for future Sylar.

Character History

Significant Episodes

• Don't Look Back: Hiro witnesses the destruction of New York on November 8 and resolves to change the future.
• One Giant Leap: Hiro proves his powers to Ando.
• Hiros: Hiro has a crisis of faith after failing to save the lives of some people.
• Seven Minutes to Midnight: Hiro resolves to try and save a waitresses life by travelling back in time, even though it's risky.
• Six Months Ago: Hiro falls in love.

Memorable Moments

• Genesis: Hiro teleports to Times Square in New York City.
• Don't Look Back: Hiro discovers that he traveled five weeks into the future, and witnesses a massive explosion tear apart New York.
• Hiros: A Hiro from the future travels back in time and tells Peter Petrelli to "Save the cheerleader, save the world"
• Hiros: Hiro sees Nathan fly and land near a diner, and tells him that he is also "special".

Trivia

• You say Yamagoto, I say Yamagato: The comic Cx02 - The Crane reveals that Hiro is a level 3 programmer working for Yamagoto Industries, but Hiro's blog says he works for Yamagato.
• Blog your way to Victory: Hiro has a blog. Masi Oka is allegedly the one who writes it!

Quotes

• Genesis: "YATTA!" ("I did it!")
• Genesis: "Every hero must learn his purpose. Then he'll be tested and called to greatness."
• Genesis: "Every ten year old wishes he had super powers. And I get them. Me of all people. Last in my class. Last on the sports field. I'm not a loser anymore."
• One Giant Leap: "My only concern is should I hide my true identity? A costume maybe?"
• Collision: "A super hero doesn't use his power for personal gain."
• Hiros: "Save the cheerleader save the world!"
• Seven Minutes to Midnight: "If I'm too scared to use my powers, then I don't deserve them. I have to try."