Hiro Nakamura |
|
Portrayed By |
Masi Oka |
Gender |
Male |
Date of Birth |
August 6th |
Age |
28 |
Zodiac Sign |
Leo |
Aliases |
Takezo Kensei |
Place of Birth |
Tokyo, Japan |
Current Location |
New York, NY |
Occupation |
Hero, Landlord, and CEO of Yamagato Industries. |
Known Relatives |
Kaito Nakamura (Father, deceased), Ishi Nakamura (Mother, deceased), Kimiko Nakamura (Sister) |
Significant Other |
Ando Kitty Hanner |
Known Abilities |
Spacetime Manipulation |
First Appearance |
Genesis |
Hiro Nakamura was a mild-mannered computer programmer and Japanese salaryman. Now he's a time-traveling superhero. A lot happened between point A and point B.
History
One would find that despite a rather extraordinary background, Hiro Nakamura was always directed - even pushed - to be ordinary. Despite being the scion of a wealthy family and slated to become CEO of Yamagato Industries, Hiro was more interested in comic books, science fiction, roleplaying and video games - all things deemed to be the province of youth and not that of a respectable, self-sufficient man. Regardless of the fact that he was a dreamer more interested in the realms of fantasy than in reality, he was still a good son and when his father directed him to take a position as a computer programmer (a level three computer programmer no less) he did as he was told and began working at Yamagato Industries.
Despite working in a cubicle and carefully examining mind-numbing code day in and day out, Hiro never really became grounded and instead found himself with more time to fantasize and dream. He plastered the walls of his cubicle with images from comic books and video games, set himself up with a '9th Wonders' screensaver and let his imagination run wild. A socially awkward young man, Hiro made friends with another individual equally awkward in social situations by the name of Ando Masahashi. Although they did tend to bicker from time to time and Ando was more conscious of reality than Hiro, they soon became best friends.
But then something strange happened.
The train was late.
The train was never late. A train running late in Tokyo was about as common as a solar eclipse. That is to say, it was not common at all. It was at this time that Hiro began to believe that he was indeed special and not just because he was the heir apparent to Yamagato Industries - no, this was far bigger than that. Hiro could bend space and time. He knew it. All he needed to do was prove it - so he set to work doing just that.
Hiro would sit in his cubicle for hours on end concentrating. He'd screw his eyes shut and ball his fists and focus all his willpower towards making time slow. And one day - Yatta! He did it! By sheer force of will, Hiro made the second hand on the clock in his cubicle slow for the briefest of moments. It was proof positive that he was special, that he did have powers and he was going to be a hero. Of course, Ando did not believe him at the time - even when he teleported himself into the women's bathroom at a Karaoke bar.
Even though Ando wouldn't believe him, Hiro was convinced that he was special and that he would become a hero. He was not sure how, of course, until he experimented with his powers on the train home and found himself teleported to New York City - except this was New York City five weeks into the future. After a celebratory shout in Times Square and greeting everyone he met with a cheerful hello, Hiro found a copy of '9th Wonders' that had not been released yet - a copy with him on the cover. Seeing it as a sign, he made off with it (through the rather unheroic method of theft) and found the address of its author - Isaac Mendez - on the back cover.
After finding Isaac Mendez dead in his studio, his brain having been removed, Hiro was confronted by the police who believed him responsible. After a conversation across the phone with Ando and a look at a local newspaper, Hiro learned that he'd teleported into the future. It was at that time that he saw, out the window of the apartment, a nuclear explosion tearing New York City apart. Shocked, Hiro managed to teleport himself back to Japan at the moment he'd left for the future. With his 'comic book of the future' in hand, he knew what he had to do - save New York.
After convincing his friend that he had powers by saving a schoolgirl from being run over by a truck (thanks to the prophetic 9th Wonders), Hiro and Ando set off to the United States. The comic directed them to travel to Las Vegas and so they did, having a falling out after they were caught using Hiro's powers to cheat at various games in the casinos. Stranded in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, they went their own separate ways for a short while before they met up yet again in Las Vegas.
And so the adventure continued. Hiro met and lost Charlie, whom he would go on to call his Gwen Stacy - his first love. Despite an attempt to be taken back to Japan by his father and sister, Hiro continued on with his mission to save the world. A trip to the future, a (near-victorious) encounter with Sylar and a swordsmanship master class with his father later, Hiro found himself in Kirby Plaza facing off against Sylar. Despite managing to run him through with his sword, Hiro was thrown a great distance by Sylar's and was forced to teleport to save his own life. Unfortunately, the stress of the situation caused him to greatly overshoot and he found himself in Kyoto, Japan.
In 1671.
Amazingly enough, Hiro found him right in the middle of a legend he remembered hearing tales of as a child - the legend of Takezo Kensei. Determined to make sure the legend played out as Hiro remembered it, he used his powers to try and help Kensei along - only for things to reach boiling point when Yaeko, the object of Kensei's affection, fell in love with Hiro instead. It all came to a head when Kensei changed sides, taking Yaeko and Hiro hostage and agreeing to help Whitebeard conquer Japan with a cache of firearms. After confronting Kensei and managing to destroy the weapons cache (and Kensei took, or so it seemed) Hiro knew that it was time to return to the future and fulfill the last part of the legend. He would leave Yaeko, the woman he loved, behind - metaphorically cutting out his own heart.
Upon returning to the future (or the present), Hiro found himself right in the middle of an explosion!
Timeline
- February 16th, 2007 — Hiro Nakamura arrives in the present. See also: Episode 1: Combustion.
- February 17th, 2007 — Hiro makes contact with Ando and Kaito in Tokyo, retrieves the Kensei Sword, and begins his search for "the artist", following his only clue: a burnt sketchbook with the name "Sydney Ransom" in it. He is joined in his search by Clint and, ostensibly, Paige.
- February 18th, 2007 — Recognizing the importance of the Mendez Set, Hiro and Clint raid the only known Company office, at Kirby Plaza. Hiro successfully steals the Mendez Paintings, and Clint has a face-to-face with Rainer Madsen himself. In the process, Hiro rescues Kellie, whom he believes is an innocent girl held against her will.
- February 19th, 2007 — Clint, Kellie, and Jane go to to ground, splitting up and keeping out of sight in case of Company reprisal. Hiro tracks down and contacts Jack, who has one of the remaining paintings.
- February 20th, 2007 — Hiro locates "the artist" — Sydney Ransom — who turns out to be an exotic dancer working in downtown New York. He finds the last four Mendez paintings in her possession, and has thus what is as far as he knows the complete set. From the paintings he learns that Sylar and Takezo Kensei are still alive, and he catches his first glimpse of the tornado.
- February 21st, 2007 — Hiro begins to relocate the paintings, as well as Kellie, to Sydney's loft, which has not yet been compromised. He also pays a visit to Nathan, who was crippled by the bomb, in an effort to get a grip on his mission, which is rapidly increasing in scope.
- February 22nd, 2007 — Hiro works on stopping the tornado, a difficult proposition, considering he has no idea what causes it or when it happens. He begins making contact with numerous Evolved in New York, believing it is his mission to band heroes together behind the common cause, or to at the very least warn them against the dangers of Sylar and the Company. He quickly realizes he is becoming the center of a network of heroes, and the pressure of being looked at as a leader is not lost on him. Despite his uneasiness at being viewed as a "leader", Hiro spends the next several days coordinating the efforts of his allies and making contact with new heroes until he can discover a way to find Sylar and Kensei, to stop the tornado, and to figure out the meanings of the other paintings.
- February 26th, 2007 — After meeting with an unwilling agent of the Company, Hiro realizes it may be his duty to directly oppose them, and considers the possibility of staging a breakout at Kirby Plaza.
- February 27th, 2007 — Kellie disappears. While out searching for her, Hiro encounters Molly, who recognizes him as the man who killed Sylar at Kirby Plaza. She informs him that Kellie is in Hartsdale. Before he can learn more, Hiro encounters Adam. After a chase, they have a brief confrontation during which Hiro attempts to persuade Adam to help him save the world; Adam is still holding a grudge, but they do not yet come to blows.
- February 28th, 2007 — During a visit to Nathan, Hiro runs into Noah Bennett, who had been planning on secretly meeting with the paralyzed Petrelli. Noah and Hiro compare notes and realize that they can rescue Claire from the Company, and set off to make contact with Suresh, who has Molly in his care. They find that the apartment has been broken into, and also find signs of gunplay. Hiro travels back in time to investigate, and discovers that Sylar has kidnapped both and taken them to Mohinder's lab in an effort to have his abilities restored. In the present, Hiro and Noah teleport to Mohinder's lab to prevent Sylar from doing so. Sylar decides to shoot Molly in order to cover his escape; Hiro stops time and shoves Molly out of the way, but takes the bullet in the chest when time resumes unexpectedly. Though Sylar is forced to flee without his abilities restored, and both Molly and Mohinder are safely recovered, Hiro is killed immediately.
- March 1st, 2007 — Hiro is revived in the early hours of the morning by a blood transfusion from a regenerator. His resolve bolstered by his pyrrhic success against Sylar and the experience of dying, he sets out to get back on track with his plans: Stop Sylar, stop the Company, stop the tornado, stop the virus. In short: Save the world.
- March 2nd, 2007 — Hiro learns from Molly that Peter Petrelli is alive, and held by the Company at Kirby Plaza. He and Nathan immediately begin forming plans to rescue him.
- March 3rd - March 8th, 2007 — Amidst the logistical difficulties of planning a large-scale break-in and Hiro's self-doubt when it becomes more and more apparent that he is the leader of his motley band, difficult questions must be answered regarding the ethicality of rescuing Peter Petrelli, who poses a risk of exploding again. Encounters with both the Company and the Foundation leave him with many unanswered questions regarding right and wrong, and Hiro realizes that when he is uncertain of himself, his powers wane.
- March 9th, 2007 — After Mara is badly injured by Sylar, Hiro considers the grave possibility that he must kill Sylar while he is powerless and imprisoned, an act which would undeniably be murder.
- March 10th, 2007 — Hiro and a small band of heroes break into Primatech's facility at Kirby Plaza to rescue Peter Petrelli. However, Mohinder Suresh and Noah Bennett are revealed as traitors when the rescue mission quickly becomes a trap. In the ensuing chaos, Bennett tranquilizes Hiro, exhausted from teleporting Noah and the others into the building. Though most of the would-be rescuers escape, as well as Peter Petrelli and an unconscious Elle Bishop, Hiro, Nathan, and Jane are captured and taken into custody.
- March 11th, 2007 — While in custody, Hiro is interrogated by Rainer, who shows him Kellie's file and informs her of her shady past. Though shocked, Hiro refuses to give up Kellie or any other of his allies.
- March 13th, 2007 — Through extreme persistence and help from a secret benefactor, Hiro escapes the Company facility to Yamagato Industries. After an argument with Kaito Nakamura over his methods and his failures, Hiro resolves to learn from his mistakes and never again put so many people at risk. Still, his self-doubt takes a noticeable and negative toll on his powers.
Relationships
Hiro knows people.
Logs
- February 16th, 2007 -- Chapter One: Combustion - Bushido
- February 18th, 2007 -- Chapter One: Combustion - The Rescue
- February 19th, 2007 -- Pondering Purloined Paintings
- February 20th, 2007 -- Us
- February 21st, 2007 -- Get Well
- February 23rd, 2007 -- Connections
- February 23rd, 2007 -- The Time Traveler and the Psychometer
- February 23rd, 2007 -- Knowing is Half the Battle
- February 23rd, 2007 -- Answers
- February 25th, 2007 -- No Damsel
- February 26th, 2007 -- Quite the Party We're Having
- February 27th, 2007 -- Secret Meetings
- February 27th, 2007 -- Don't Be a Menace To New York While Driving Your Car In Times Square
- February 27th, 2007 -- So We Meet Again, Nakamura
- February 28th, 2007 -- Visiting Hours Are Apparently 24/7
- February 28th, 2007 -- With a Little Help From My Friends
- February 28th, 2007 -- She's Leaving Home
- February 28th, 2007 -- Fixing a Hole
- February 28th, 2007 -- Getting Better
- March 2nd, 2007 -- Everybody's Hero
- March 4th, 2007 -- Finding What Was Lost
- March 6th, 2007 -- A Plan to Save Peter Petrelli
- March 7th, 2007 -- Perfect Timing
- March 8th, 2007 -- Such a Convenient Ability
- March 8th, 2007 -- How To Fit Saving The World In A College Girl's Schedule
- March 8th, 2007 -- I Have An Idea
- March 9th, 2007 -- Beaten, But Not Broken
- March 10th, 2007 -- Chapter Two: Betrayals - The Foe You Know
- March 11th, 2007 -- Before I Kill You, Mr. Bond
- March 13th, 2007 -- Acceptable Losses
Abilities
Hiro has the ability to bend space and time, making it possible to do almost everything from slowing time to teleporting intercontinental distances and traveling hundreds of years into the past. Unfortunately for Hiro, his ability is a complex one and difficult to master, meaning that his powers have the tendency to be inaccurate, fail completely or sometimes work too well. An example of the latter being that, when trying to teleport himself out of harm's way, Hiro ended up approximately three hundred years and a different continent out of harm's way.
Hiro has learned that his powers hinge on his degree of self-confidence, basically meaning that if he does not believe he can do something with them then chances are he will not be able to. While his ability has a great range of possibilities, Hiro is nevertheless still learning and is only able to tap into a select few of them. For example, he is not yet able to completely stop time although he is able to slow it to an almost infinitesimal fraction of its speed to make it appear stopped. He can teleport great distances (from New York City to Tokyo), but it requires immense concentration and generally any teleportation effort that involves his moving more than one person generally leaves him worn out. Therefore, long-distance travel either through the current timeline or into the past or future is not an everyday thing but rather something he reserves for when it has to be done. This is not entirely because it is draining for him but also because he wishes to avoid causing a rift which becomes more and more likely the more he travels through time.
Hiro is more capable with the Kensei sword in his possession, perhaps because it reminds him of how powerful he felt shortly after he obtained it, and so his powers are more effective and easier to control and use when he has it with him. However, this should not be translated as meaning the sword has any sort of mystical power over him. In truth, having it simply gives him a boost in self-confidence (and coincidently it makes him feel cool and more like a hero) that is revealed in his greater degree of control over his abilities.
Even with all the self-confidence in the world, however, Hiro still has to concentrate to use his abilities. This means that anything which could break his concentration would render him unable to use his abilities. In the past, opium has been used as well as toads which secreted hallucinogenic poisons. If his concentration is broken, Hiro is no more a time traveler than any other Japanese man. Of course, there are some exceptions. Namely, if he or someone he cares about is in great (most likely mortal) danger, he can want to save them so badly that his abilities will come into play on their own. A very rare (read: wizard locked) event, it can result in random teleportation and time travel.
In short, it is likely that Hiro will continue to gain control over his abilities as time goes by. Things that, at the moment, require intense concentration will become easier and greater feats will become possible. In the future he could possibly freeze time completely rather than his current feat of slowing it down drastically or allowing other people to experience frozen or slowed time as he does without having to make physical contact with the.
Hiro is still learning to use his powers and he is still attempting to gather the self-confidence that he needs to use them effectively. All the same, it is rare that he is able to change the speed at which he moves through time, teleport or time travel without concentrating hard - and he does this by squeezing his eyes shut, furrowing his brow and balling up his fists. Meaning that, if taken by surprise, Hiro is just as vulnerable as anybody else.
Quotes
Hiro: [in Japanese] I look upset.
Ando: [in Japanese] Go. Talk to yourself.
Hiro: [in Japanese] No way…! I scare me, you do it
-
Ando: [in Japanese] You came back for me.
Hiro: [in Japanese] This is how we roll.
-
Hiro: I teleported. Forward. Backward. But I couldn't save her. I couldn't save Charlie.
Ando: So, try again!
Hiro: It won't work. This power, it's bigger than me. I can't change the past. No matter how hard I wish. I failed.
-
Hiro: [in Japanese] Like a do-over?
Ando: [in Japanese] Exactly.
Hiro: [in Japanese] A do-over. I like that.
-
Ando: [in Japanese] Your father looks angry.
Hiro: [in Japanese] My father always looks angry.
Ando: [in Japanese] But your sister looks hot.
Nathan: Can I help you?
Hiro: Hiro. Hiro Nakamura.
Nathan: Oh. Nathan Petrelli.
[they shake hands]
Hiro: Petrelli! Nathan! Very nice to meet you!
Nathan: Thank you.
Hiro: [whispering] Flying man! Oh, you fly. I see you! Whoosh!
Nathan: Thank you. I don't know what you are talking about.
Hiro: Oh it's ok. I keep secret. I bend time and space! Teleporting into future! We are both special!
Nathan: Alrighty then.
Hiro: Oh, I go to New York. I see future. Big bomb goes there. Bad for many people
[makes exploding noises]
Nathan: I can see where that might be a problem.
Hiro: Don't worry. I stop it. I'm a hero.
Nathan: Lucky us. I better go. In this future that you see? You don't happen to know whether or not I win the election, do you?
Hiro: Nathan. Petrelli. Nathan. Hai! Hai! Yes! I know you! Nathan Petrelli! Election. You win. Very big win. Landslide.
Nathan: I gotta get back to Vegas.
Hiro: Give me ride-o? Please? Ride-o?
[imitates car horn]
Hiro: Boo-boo!
Nathan: Sure. What the hell? What did you say your name was?
Hiro: Hiro Nakamura.
Nathan: And where are you from?
Hiro: Tokyo, Japan.
Nathan: Ah, never been there.
-
Hiro: The bomb, it comes from the street. Destroy everything! Everything turning to dust! Poof!
Nathan: Your English is a lot better.
Hiro: I met a waitress in Texas.
Nathan: Oh, yeah?
Hiro: She teach me many things.
Nathan: Good for you. So, uh, look, I can't believe I'm about to say this. You-you… teleported here…? Back from the future?
Hiro: Yes. My power let me come back here so I can stop it.
Nathan: Right. Because "you're Hiro"?
Hiro: You will help too.
Nathan: Me? What makes you so sure?
Hiro: You flying man! Whooshhhhh!
Nathan: Would you keep it down?
Hiro: [much quieter and softer] Whooshhhhh!
Nathan: What do you think it is that makes this bomb thing go off?
Hiro: Dunno. Probably bad guy?
Nathan: Bad guy?
Hiro: Yes. Like birrain.
Nathan: What's that?
Hiro: Birrain.
Nathan: Villain?
Hiro: Birrain?
Nathan: Villain!
Hiro: Vee?
Nathan: Vee!
Hiro: Vee-llain!
-
Nathan: Hiro?
Hiro: [after he sees Nathan] Mr. Petrelli? Flying man!
Nathan: Shh… Not here.
Hiro: [softly] Flying man.
Nathan: Let me guess, you're still trying to steal that sword from Mr. Linderman? Where's your friend?
Hiro: Ando? I sent him back to Japan. This mission getting too dangerous for him.
Nathan: I think I know what you mean. You can't protect everyone, right? Sometimes it's better to go it alone. The more people you try to help…
Hiro: …The more people get hurt. Please, you must help me. I can't get past casino security giant.
Nathan: When I first met you, I thought you were nuts.
Hiro: Is okay, I thought you were mean. But now I know you pretend that you don't care about anyone, but you care too much.
Trivia
- Hiro is not actually named after the English word "hero", but after Hiroshima, Japan.
- Hiro's AIM screenname is "yattaimhero".
- His favorite video game is the SNES role-playing game, Chrono Trigger.
- Despite his unathletic build, training under Kaito Nakamura and his battles in Feudal Japan have turned Hiro into a surprisingly formidable swordsman. At the end of his adventure in the past, he was able to overcome Adam Monroe in a duel at Whitebeard's camp.
- However, Hiro is still extremely clumsy.
- Hiro does not know how to drive.