Kaito Nakamura

Kaito Nakamura
Portrayed by	George Takei Eijiro Ozaki (at age 40)
First appearance	The Fix
In-story stats
Known ability	None
Formal name	中村楓翔, Nakamura Kaito
Gender
Date of birth	April 20, 1937
Date of death	March 11, 2007
Home	Tokyo, Japan; New York, NY
Residence	Penthouse apartment at the top of the Deveaux building
Occupations	CEO of Yamagato Industries, Company founding member & Official
Significant others	Ishi Nakamura (deceased), formerly Angela Petrelli
Children	Hiro Nakamura, Kimiko Nakamura

This article contains international text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of the correct international text characters.

Kaito Nakamura (中村楓翔, Nakamura Kaito) was one of the founding member of The Company who became one of its key officials. Kaito was also a powerful businessman, serving as CEO of Yamagato Industries. He was the father of Hiro and Kimiko.

Character History

Season One

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Kaito Nakamura: Season One History.

After abducting Hiro and Ando, Kaito's assistant opens the door of a sedan and Kaito steps out.

Kaito is adamant that Hiro should return home and work within the family business. He says he will make Hiro executive vice president, and then rips up the painting of Hiro and the dinosaur to show what he thinks of Hiro's own plans. Kaito finally and unwillingly relents after he is convinced that Hiro's sister is much more suited to take over after him.

In 1992, Kaito meets with Thompson, Claude Rains, and Mr. Bennet on the rooftop of the Deveaux Building. Seemingly the superior of the three men in the Company, Kaito, cradling an infant, orders Bennet to raise the child as his own. Despite Bennet's wariness of taking the girl, Kaito insists, saying that when she manifests an ability, they will take her. Kaito then leaves with his son, Hiro, who is too young and too interested in his Game Boy to be aware of the importance of the events that just took place.

When Hiro and Ando visit Mr. Claremont's shop to get the Kensei sword fixed, Kaito appears. He tells Hiro that he did not return to Japan and instead stayed behind to observe Hiro. He reveals knowledge of Hiro's power and quest to save the world, as well as hinting that he too was once part of a group that worked for that same goal. Believing Hiro to be ready, he teaches Hiro swordfighting skills. While instructing Hiro, Kaito recounts to him how he, Kaito, used to tell Hiro the story of Takezo Kensei and the dragon, further strengthening his son's resolve. Later he praises Hiro for learning quickly. When Hiro realizes Ando has left by himself to kill Sylar, Kaito tells him that Ando will die.

As Hiro and Kaito run out of Jittetsu Arms, Kaito urges Hiro to forget his friend and continue his mission. Hiro replies he can't and Kaito tells him that he would have already lost. Hiro tells his father that his whole life he has looked down on him with disappointment, but he proclaims that he will not abandon his friend. Kaito tells Hiro not to forget his legacy and gives him his sword; Hiro bows and teleports away.

Season Two

For an episode-by-episode summary, see Kaito Nakamura: Season Two History.

Kaito and Ando patiently wait in Kirby Plaza for Hiro to return. Kaito expresses guilt for always looking down on his son, never revealing how proud he was when he went on his quest. Suddenly, Kaito is profoundly disturbed when he opens a newspaper and finds a picture of himself with the Symbol drawn in red over his face, as it means that he will be dead in 24 hours.

Kaito and Ando then go to the top of the Deveaux Building, where they are met by Angela Petrelli. Kaito sends Ando away to fetch him a sword to defend himself while he and Angela discuss their death threats. They also discuss the past, the elite group of twelve of which they were a part (which also included Charles Deveaux, Mr. Linderman and Mr. Petrelli), and "all the people they killed". Kaito recommends that Angela try to disappear, and they part ways. While waiting for Ando to return, Kaito remains on the roof later into the night. A figure wearing a hooded sweatshirt appears; Kaito remarks that of the nine remaining, he did not expect this person. Just as Ando returns with the sword, the hooded figure runs at Kaito and the two fall off the building. Ando looks over the side, only to find Kaito lying in a puddle of blood.

Kaito's death is being investigated by NYPD. Sandra shows Noah a newspaper article reporting Kaito's death before Noah shows her a painting by Isaac Mendez, which depicts the exact same picture as in the newspaper.

Angela is brought in for questioning, and she says that at one point, she and Kaito had a relationship many years ago. Mentally, Matt hears Kaito's murder was the result of revenge.

Angela confesses to murdering Kaito, and is subsequently arrested, but Matt and Nathan know the truth; Angela is only confessing to protect Nathan.

Ando informs Hiro of his father's murder.

Hiro attends his father's funeral and Japanese tradition states that the eldest son is the first to give an eulogy. He refuses to give the eulogy because doing so would mean he accepted his father's death. Hiro returns to the rooftop the day of the murder and listens in on the conversation between Kaito and Angela Petrelli. Kaito mentions that the Company had killed many people and the murderer was seeking revenge on them. After Angela leaves, Hiro confronts his father and attempts to convince him that its not worth dying for. Hiro and Kaito travel back 17 years to the day of Ishi Nakamura's funeral to show him how much pain he was feeling for his death, just as his father did for his mother.

Hiro encounters his younger self who is fighting with a sword as Takezo Kensei and gives him some words of advice. Hiro admits that he was childish and returns his father to the future. Hiro seemingly disappears from the roof and the killer appears. Just as the killer pushes Kaito over the edge, time stops and Hiro emerges from the darkness. If he could not save his father, he could still find out who the killer was. And Hiro does as he sees the face of Adam Monroe under the hood.

Kaito poses for a photograph with Victoria and Adam on October, 1977.

On November 2, 1977, Kaito locks Adam up after Adam tries to release a mutated strain of the Shanti virus. He speaks with Victoria and tells her that Strain 138 will be kept safe in a Company facility in Odessa, TX.

The Second Coming

A video message from Kaito is delivered to his office for Hiro. Hiro and Ando watch the video, which features Kaito addressing Hiro regarding a valuable secret stored in Kaito's safe, which Hiro must never open. Hiro opens the safe and finds part of a formula, accompanied by another video of Kaito. He warns his son to keep the formula safe.

It's Coming

Both Arthur and Angela mention Kaito knows who the catalyst is, and he was the only one.

The Eclipse, Part 2

While looking through a 9th Wonders! comic Hiro flips past a depiction of Kaito's murder scene. Later Hiro asks why he should bother being a hero if Kaito is dead. While looking through a different 9th Wonders! comic Frack finds a panel that shows Kaito giving baby Claire to Noah, they realize that Hiro needs to take Claire to that moment to change things. Claire and Hiro travel to the past. They see Kaito giving a baby Claire to Noah, ordering him to take care of her and not to get too close. A young Hiro sits in the background playing, oblivious to what is going on in front of him.

Our Father

Hiro and Claire watch from the greenhouse on the Deveaux rooftop as Kaito entrusts baby Claire to Noah Bennet. He warns Noah not to get too close, then calls the ten-year-old Hiro to follow him to see his mother. Kaito and his wife Ishi have a conversation (in English so the young Hiro cannot understand them). Ishi tells him she thinks she will die that night. She wants to transfer the catalyst to Hiro to keep it in the family, but Kaito dismisses the idea saying Hiro cannot be trusted with such an important burden. Kaito later catches older Hiro in the hallway, and mistaking him for the new chef, sends him to the kitchen to prepare his wife's breakfast.

Dual

Sixteen years in the past, Kaito discovers Hiro opening his safe. Believing that Hiro is a spy and a thief, Kaito demands to know who he really is. Kaito draws a katana and slashes repeatedly at his son. Hiro tries to defend himself with a large breadstick without appreciable success. Hiro tells Kaito he must destroy the formula but Kaito insists he is the guardian. He tries to kill Hiro, who tears the formula in half before he is rescued by Daphne and Ando at the last moment due to Ando supercharging Daphne with his new power, allowing her travel through time. Kaito assembles the two torn pieces of the formula.

A Clear and Present Danger

Hiro mentions that the password to his computer is the name of someone important to him. Later, Ando enters "Kaito" as one of the passwords in an unsuccessful attempt to access his computer.

Memorable Quotes

"My father is a very stern man. He is very traditional. He follows the rules and is very conservative. He's also very bull-headed. Once he sets his mind on something, he'll never give up. I guess I got my stubbornness from my father."

- Hiro (Blog entry)

"For close to thirty years, I have seen my son as a disappointment. A dreamer who excelled at nothing. It was not until Hiro began this quest that I saw his strength, courage and wisdom. There is a legacy that I am meant to hand down to him. No, I will wait for Hiro to return. I am a man of patience."

- Kaito (to Ando) (Four Months Later...)

"So you think one of us sent these?"

"Yes. For the pain we caused. The people we have killed. There is no end to our suffering. I sought redemption by helping Hiro fulfill his destiny to save the world. How did you help your son?"

- Angela, Kaito (Four Months Later...)

"We have the power of gods. That does not mean we can play God."

- Kaito (to Hiro) (Cautionary Tales)

Notes

• In a deleted scene from Four Months Later, Kaito reveals his "special ability" to Ando. Kaito says he can "see the variables of any situation and predict the outcome." He claims he is faster than a computer and attributes his success in the stock market to this ability. This ability is similar to accelerated probability.
• It is unknown whether or not Hiro's grandfather (who survived the attack on Hiroshima) is Kaito's father or father-in-law. (The Crane)
• There is a bit of discrepancy as to Kaito's age when he died. According to his Pinehearst file, he was born April 20, 1937. According to the timeline, Kaito died on March 11, 2007. That would make him 69 years old when he was killed, and about a month and a half shy of his seventieth birthday. However, the US Press headlined his obituary "Yamagato C.E.O. Dead At Age 70".
• According to his family's Pinehearst file, Kaito weighs 145 lbs.

Trivia

• Kaito's limo's license plate is NCC-1701. This is also the registry number of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek. (George Takei was a cast member in the original Star Trek series, where he played the part of Hikaru Sulu, the ship's helmsman.)
• Pinehearst's file on Kaito lists his date of birth as April 20, 1937. This is the same date George Takei, the actor who portrays Kaito, was born.

Gallery

• 
  In 1977, a 40-year-old Kaito orders for Adam Monroe to be locked up.
• 
  In 1992, Mr. Nakamura meets Mr. Bennet on a rooftop location.
• 
  Mr. Nakamura has Hiro abducted and brought to Port Washington Harbor.
• 
  To prevent Hiro from making silly mistakes, Mr. Nakamura destroys a painting.
• 
  Kaito trains Hiro in the way of the sword.
• 
  Kaito overlooks Ando and Kimiko.
• 
  US Press prints Kaito's obituary.

Fan Theories

Please refer to Theory:Kaito Nakamura for fan-created theories and other speculation.