Ando Masahashi

Ando Masahashi
Portrayed by	James Kyson Lee
First appearance	Genesis
In-story stats
Known ability	None
Gender
Home	Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Office worker

Ando Masahashi is a co-worker and friend of Hiro Nakamura from Tokyo, Japan. Initially, he is skeptical of Hiro's powers. He also is a subscriber at Niki Sanders's website lasvegasniki.com under the username "Huggerz69", and jokingly dares Hiro to teleport into a women's restroom. Hiro later convinces him of his powers and to travel in the United States fulfilling their "destiny."

Character history

Genesis

Ando quickly types something on his computer as he hears Hiro running up to his cubicle shouting with joy. Hiro tells him about his newly discovered power which Ando doesn't believe. As Hiro is dragged away by his manager Ando continues to tease him playfully. Ando returns to his computer where he's watching the webcam video of Niki Sanders.

After work Hiro continues to try to convince Ando of his powers, but Ando remains skeptical and sarcastic. After listening to Hiro for a while he decides he needs a drink and they both head to a bar.

At the bar Ando suggests that if Hiro can indeed teleport that he should teleport into the women's bathroom. He leaves Hiro to get two more beers. As Ando is returning to the table, he sees two men dragging Hiro out of the women's bathroom and throwing him out into the alley. Joining Hiro in the alley, Ando still doesn't believe Hiro and questions why Hiro's so obsessed with being different than everyone else.

Don't Look Back

Five weeks later, Ando receives a telephone call from Hiro, who excitedly tells him he teleported to New York City. Detective Furakowa takes the phone and Ando tells him that Hiro has been missing for five weeks.

One Giant Leap

Hiro arrives back in Tokyo and approaches Ando at Yamagato Industries. Hiro explains that he traveled five weeks into the future and all the way to New York City, where he witnessed an explosion. Initially skeptical, Ando begins to come around when Hiro shows him the copy of 9th Wonders!, Issue #14 which accurately portrays the conversation he's having with Hiro. He is not fully convinced until Hiro uses the comic to rescue a schoolgirl who is about to be hit by a truck, at which point he agrees to accompany him. They fly to Los Angeles, then rent a car from Hotspur and drive to Las Vegas.

Collision

In Las Vegas, Ando gambles away all of their money save one dollar, which he plays on 26 black on the roulette table. When that pick beats the odds to win, Hiro confesses that he stopped time and cheated. Ando seizes on this first chance to exploit Hiro's powers and talks him into repeating the trick over and over again. They become successful at cheating, and even buy matching suits. Eventually, one of the players whose cards Hiro swapped catches up with them. Ando threatens the man and his entourage with Hiro's "very big power", but one of the henchman takes Hiro out with a single punch.

Hiros

Hiro and Ando are dumped out of a moving van on the outskirts of Las Vegas, where they find the Fly By Night Diner. Ando blames Hiro for what has happened and they argue. Ando decides that Hiro's the one ruining his trip and leaves. Later on, he arrives at Niki Sanders's house, which the police have staked out waiting for D.L. Ando tells Niki he found her address from the WHOIS database and that he thought she could help him because they talk so much online. She tells him that she isn't the person he sees on the webcam, but tells the police to let him go. He returns to the car park, reconciles with Hiro, and they prepare to continue on their journey. First, however, Ando helps Hiro to call and warn Isaac, but instead it's Peter who answers.

Better Halves

Ando translates Peter's message for Hiro. They discuss the mission, and Hiro assures Ando that he's a hero even if he doesn't have powers. As they prepare to leave, they encounter the high roller they cheated, who enlists their aid in cheating other players at a private game.

During the game, when another player, Ernie, insists something is going on, Ando reassures him that Japanese people are just lucky. Hiro slips and as Ando helps him up, he sees that Ernie has a gun hidden under the table. Fearing that the other players plan to kill him, Ando drags Hiro off to the bathroom. While they are discussing the situation, an unknown woman arrives and Hiro and Ando listen as she quickly massacres the other players. They escape out the window.

Back at their car, Hiro begins to doubt his ability to be a hero, but this time it's Ando who does the reassuring.

Nothing to Hide

Leaving Las Vegas, Ando and Hiro notice a car accident, and that another driver goes to help. After Hiro saves both the person who was locked inside the car and the helper, Ando talks to the helper's kid, Micah. Micah recognizes Ando, and asks him if he visited his mom. Moments later, D.L. asks Ando if he can drive to the hospital. Ando says that it is fine, and he has already called the police, and D.L. flees with his son.

Seven Minutes to Midnight

Continuing their journey to meet Peter Petrelli in New York City, Ando and Hiro stop for breakfast at the Burnt Toast Diner in Midland, TX. They meet a waitress, Charlie, who speaks excellent Japanese considering she's learned it from a phrase book and in only a week. Later, Charlie's body is discovered with her head sliced open. Sheriff Davidson questions Hiro and Ando and tells them to stick around so he can get a statement from them. Hiro feels that he should have done something to stop Charlie's murder. Ando tries to persuade him that it's too risky to attempt to go back in time to save her, and that they should just continue their mission, but Hiro disappears into the past anyway, telling Ando he'll be back by the time Ando counts to five. Ando counts, but there's no sign of Hiro.

Homecoming

Ando, who still waits for Hiro to come back from the past, gets a phone call from Peter. Ando tells him he is at the Burnt Toast Diner, and Peter says he is on his way. Still sitting in the diner, Ando sees Hiro's photo with Charlie at her birthday. He asks one of the other waitresses if she knows who the guy in the picture is. She recognizes him, and says his name is Hiro - a guy who showed up about six months ago, and then suddenly disappeared. When Peter finally arrives, Ando tells him about Hiro's journey to the past, and describes how Charlie was killed by Sylar. Peter shows him Isaac's missing painting, and tells him he has to go to that homecoming to save the cheerleader. Ando tries to warn him he is going to die, but Peter does not listen to him.

Six Months Ago

Hiro goes back in time six months and tries to call Ando to help him. Ando is sick and six-month-ago Hiro answers the phone instead.

In the present day, Ando waits at the Burnt Toast Diner for Hiro. Hiro returns and Ando joyously greets him. Hiro tells Ando that he failed in his mission to save Charlie. Ando suggests that Hiro just try again, but Hiro responds by saying that he can't because the power is bigger than he is and that he can't change the past no matter how hard he tries.

Fallout

Hiro and Ando arrive at Union Wells High School the day after Homecoming. Hiro is despondent, claiming that, as they have failed to save the cheerleader, they have no chance to save the world, but Ando argues that maybe the message was a list, and not an "if-then" statement. After deciding to continue on with their mission anyway, they receive a call from Isaac Mendez, who has just escaped from the secret facility within Primatech Paper Co..

After meeting Isaac at the bus terminal, they take him to the Burnt Toast Diner and trade information: Hiro tells Isaac about the future explosion and finding Isaac dead in his apartment, and Isaac tells them about Sylar's capture and the painting he made of an exploding man.

Later on, Hiro encourages Isaac to try painting without heroin again in a motel room. Isaac succeeds, and paints a picture of Hiro, wielding a sword, facing off against an enormous dinosaur. Hiro worries that if he travels back in time to prehistory, he'll step on a bug and change the present, but Ando reasons he has bigger things to worry about, like the fact that he's going to be killed by the dinosaur.

Godsend

At the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, Ando criticizes Hiro for wasting time looking for the sword when there's only three weeks left until the explosion. After Hiro finds the sword, Ando notices the Symbol on the hilt. Looking at a tapestry for reference, he notes that it's a combination of the characters for "great talent" and "godsend". After Hiro says he's going to steal the sword, Ando says that there are museum guards everywhere, and stealing is wrong. After Hiro un-freezes time, Ando hears the alarm go off and notices the sword is gone. He runs out of the museum and finds Hiro on the street. When Hiro finds that the sword is a replica, he tells Ando that he's going to put it back.

Memorable Quotes

"I wish destiny would lose our number."

- Ando (Fallout)

"Maybe you need the sword to find the sword."

- Ando to Hiro (Godsend)

Notes

• Ando speaks English.
• Ando has no moral dilemma with using Hiro's powers for personal gain by gambling.
• Ando's screen name on Niki's website is Huggerz69.
• When Hiro travels back in time six months to save Charlie (possibly changing the timeline), Ando seems to be the only person who remembers the original timeline when Charlie did not know Hiro.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Ando Masahashi for fan-created theories and other speculation.