ThomasNATION Classic Reviews - Helping Hiro
October 11, 2025
While travelling with Thomas one day, Hiro gets involved in a nasty crash that leaves him out of action. But Thomas fears he may not be repaired since he comes from so far away, so what does he do? Go back to his old hideout to find a solution.
Right off the bat, this is a great idea for an episode. It serves as a natural continuation of the events of Hero of the Rails that, while not flawless, does come with the same heart the movie did. Just like in Hero of the Rails, Thomas' main motivation is to...well, help Hiro, and their friendship is still pretty sweet, resulting in a nice conclusion. Even going back to Hiro's hideout, it looked good originally, but with Season 19's animation and the fall colors, it looks phenomenal. It even follows up on the steam signal thing from Misty Island Rescue, only this time, it's done in a way that makes sense. There's even a flashback to Hero of the Rails at one point and, I'm just gonna say it, seeing Nitrogen-era animation in an episode animated by Arc is absolutely cursed.
However, what about this episode's spooky elements? Well, to be a little honest...they're a little pointless. It doesn't feel like a way to show how trapped Thomas is, it feels like a gimmick to fill time. And even then, the scenes go by so fast that they end up just going in one ear and out the other, to the point where I have to question why they included them.
Overall, Helping Hiro is a pretty sweet episode. While its spooky moments feel tacked on, the heart of the episode and the way it continues Hero of the Rails elevates it into being a great watch. If you're a fan of Hiro, I highly recommend you check this out. As for me, I'm gonna give this one a 4/5. Is it better or worse than Hero of the Rails? It's too early to say, but I'll let you know at a later date. But you may be wondering: if the spooky portion goes by so quick, why am I counting this as a Halloween episode? Well, I'll answer that in a couple weeks.
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