Hirano, Kouta

平野コータ

A sophomore student who was frequently bullied at school. Kouta is a gun enthusiast who understands the details of firearms and any military-related equipment the group might encounter. At the start of the story, he helped Saya Takagi escape danger, although he did so only by following her orders. His skills as a marksman have proven to be a valuable asset in keeping everyone alive. During a one-month trip to America, he was trained by the US military contractor Blackwater USA, which intensified his obsession with weapons.
His crush on Saya is one-sided, as he occasionally tries to ask her out only to be rejected. Before leaving Saya's family mansion, her father entrusted her safety to him and Takashi. Saya Takagi has once mentioned that he and Takashi are the most likely to snap if things keep going the way they are. He has grown very attached to Alice, with whom he is often around playing.
The character Kouta Hirano from the manga series Highschool of the Dead is based on the famous mangaka with the same name who made "Hellsing", Kouta Hirano.