Apex Legendsrecently kicked off itsseason 1 of content with its first battle passand the addition of a brand new playable Legend named Octane. Octane has quickly become popular in theApex Legendscommunity for his speed and useful jumppad Ultimate ability, but his personality has also earned some praise. One of Octane’s most notable one-liners is when he yells “Plus Ultra!” - a phrase he also has tattooed on his arm, possibly as a reference to the animeMy Hero Academia.
For the uninitiated,My Hero Academiais a popular Shonen anime that has quickly rose to fame as one of the top anime series of the last couple of years. The show’s catchphrase is “Plus Ultra,” and so many have assumed Octane’s saying it in matches and the “PLUS ULTRE” tattoo on his arm are references to it. However,My Hero Academiadidn’t make up the phrase “plus ultra.”
On the contrary, Plus Ultra is the national motto of Spain and translates to “Further Beyond” in English. Considering Octane’s ethnicity and accent, it makes more sense for him to be referencing the original origin of the Plus Ultra instead ofMy Hero Academia. However, it could be a combination of the two, as Respawn Entertainment has clearly been influenced by anime in the past.
Many have noted that theApex LegendscharacterWraith looks similarto theOne Punch Manninja Speed-o-Sound Sonic, and theTitanfallgames borrow heavily from Japanese mecha anime. Considering this, it’s certainly possible that Octane’s tattoo and “Plus Ultra” line are nods to not just Spain’s national motto, butMy Hero Academiaas well.
To our knowledge, Respawn hasn’t clarified one way or another if Octane’s tattoo and Plus Ultra line are meant to beMy Hero Academiareferences or not. In the meantime, all fans can do is speculate, and keep their eyes open for more anime references inApex Legendsand other Respawn games.
Apex Legendsis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
