Kohta Hirano

Kohta Hirano (平野コータ, Hirano Kōta) is one of the main characters in Highschool of the Dead. Kohta is an excellent marksman with many different types of guns, but he usually uses the AR-10 Rifle which has been remodeled in the style of a Knight's SR-25 Sniper Rifle. He also collects various weapons and ammunition for the group during their travels. In the anime, Kohta is voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama.

About

 * Kohta_large.jpg is a 16 year old high school second-year who was often bullied at school, Kohta is a gun otaku (enthusiast) and has extensive knowledge of firearms and any military-related equipment that the group may comes across. His skills as a marksman have proven to be a valuable asset to keeping everyone alive. He usually doesn't play a major role in the group's decisions and doesn't say much during discussions, but, in combat situations, he becomes much more involved with the others and helps everyone stay focused on battle. He is a vital part of the group's fighting abilities, so much so that Takashi Komuro once noted that, if Kohta died, the group would all be dead in a single day.

Appearance
Hirano is a teenage boy, slightly short, and a bit overweight for his age, with a shoulder-length hairstyle that has bangs reaching down from the side of his temples stretching outwards and obscuring the sides of his face. Like Takashi, he is normally seen wearing the standard male student uniform of his school and is generally seen carrying an assortment of gun-based weaponry. His character may have been based on the mangaka of the same name as the two look similar. In addition to his school uniform Kohta wears a tactical vest with multiple pockets along with an additional ammo belt.

(Anime) * After they arrive at Saya Takagi's house Kohta appears in green coveralls, a white t-shirt, white gloves, and brown sandals.

History
Before the start of the series, Kohta went on a month-long trip to America where he was trained by the US military contractor Blackwater USA which furthered his obsession over weapons. When Kohta attended school he was constantly bullied by classmates in Koichi Shido's classes where instead of helping Kohta out, Shido encouraged the bullying. This led to Kohta holding in feelings of frustration and anger towards Shido.

Personality
Before the outbreak, Kohta's demeanor is one that is timid, carefree, and sanguine. Yet at the same time, in constant suppression of his frustations due to the frequent bullying that he suffers from school, all for the sake of having a "normal" life. As a result, when "they" started to emerge, Kohta was one of the few people who readily accepted to the change needed to ensure his and his comrades' survival, finally being able to unleash all the frustations that he has accumulated so far. And while normally capable of maintaining a cool and level-headed demeanor (more so than Saya), Kohta has exhibited a sadistic and almost maniacal side of himself, to the point where he actually displays a slasher-style smile that shows whenever he kills "them" in cold blood. Saya once mentioned that Kohta and Takashi are the most likely to snap if things keep going the way they are. He has grown very attached to Alice Maresato and can often be found playing with her.

Summary
At the beginning of the story, Kohta is first seen just after the announcement of the incident is made. He is peering around a corner into a classroom when Saya Takagi comes up behind him and tells him to come with her. They find an empty classroom which they take refuge in while the other students are running through the halls in a state of panic. In the classroom, they find materials to make weapons with which includes the gas-powered nail gun that becomes Kohta's first weapon to fight "them" with. When the nail gun is in his hands, his demeanor instantly changes. A group of "them" break into the classroom and he easily and quickly takes out each one with a single shot to the head. He instantly takes on the role of Saya's protector, which is a role he retains throughout the series. His attitude changes so much that, to Saya's dismay, he orders her to gather the supplies. He seems to quickly go back to his normal self when the fighting is over. Later, when Saya is conducting her experiment to see what "they" react to, he is back to being awkward and nervous, and he questions Saya about her experiment. She demonstrates and he asks her if they will be walking outside, stating that he doesn't like walking long distances. Saya responds by calling him a fatass.

Kohta is next seen in th hallway where the members of the group meet for the first time. He helps the other fight "them", then introduces himself along with the others. In the break room, he walks in to the bathroom to check on Saya and sees her pulling out her contacts, and he is surprised to see her wearing glasses. When the group leaves the school he helps as they fight their way to the bus. When Takashi is hassled by the guy on the bus, Kohta begins to stand up and raise his gun, but he is held back by Saya. He looks very angry, like the others, when Shido proclaims himself their leader.

On the bus, which is stopped in a long line of cars, Kohta is seen sleeping as Shido is preaching to the students. Saya wakes him up and the two begin to discuss ways to escape the city, and which locations may be safest. They see Shido flirting with one of the girls on the bus, and Kohta, clutching his nail gun, asks if he should "interrupt" them, but Saya says they have more important things to worry about. Saya mentions that she wishes Takashi was there, to which Kohta replies that he knows she likes Takashi. Saya takes offense to this and starts to get angry until she notices Saeko Busujima and Shizuka Marikawa behind her. Later, they are discussing where their families are so that they can find them when they leave the bus, and Kohta reveals that his father is a jewelry merchant and in Amsterdam to buy supplies, and his mother is a fashion designer currently staying in Paris. When Shizuka jokes that his life is like a manga, he further reveals that his grandfather was captain of a foreign cruise ship, and his grandmother was a violinist. They decide to leave and head for Onbetsu Bridge, but Shido won't let Shizuka leave. He approaches them, and Kohta fires a nail that grazes Shido's left cheek, saying that he missed on purpose. He says Shido has always made fun of him, and he has been holding his anger back for a long time to live a normal life, but now that a normal life doesn't matter, he has no problem killing a living person.

(Anime)*
After leaving the bus, they get into a fight with "them" where they meet Takashi and Rei Miyamoto. Takashi throws him the gun and he happily wields it instead of his nail gun. After the fight he is seen obsessing over the gun, saying that it is a Smith and Wesson's M37 Airweight. He uses the gun again in the fight when they arrive at Rika Minami's house. In Rika's bedroom, Kohta and Takashi pry open a cabinet and find a cache of guns and ammunition. He is extremely excited when he sees the guns, pulling them out and describing each one in detail. He is even able to identify a crossbow which is in the cabinet. When Takashi asks if he has held a gun, Kohta tells him about his month-long trip in America where he was trained by a man who used to work for the military company Black Water. After the guns have been loaded, he is using binoculars to view the chaos on the bridge and compares it to a scene in Apocalypse Now. He continues to watch on the news with Takashi, and they realize the seriousness of their situation. Their discussion is broken up with the arrival of Shizuka, who is drunk, and wearing nothing but a bath towel refers to Kohta as Kohta-chan (-chan is primarily used to address children, though in this context it means "cutie") stating he's been a good boy, and kisses him on the cheek. He is very shocked by this and walks alone out to the balcony in a daze. He is next seen on the balcony observing the streets, where a dog, Zeke, is barking and many of "them" are gathering. When he and Takashi notice Alice, he begins taking out "them" which are all around her. He provides cover while Takashi goes to save Alice. He proclaims himself a genius for getting a headshot with a gun he has never used before. He provides further cover from the top of the Humvee while they pick up Takashi and Alice.

The next morning Kohta and Alice, who have quickly developed a close bond, are on top of the Humvee singing different versions of Row, Row, Row Your Boat. He sings a parody version about guns, and Saya reprimands him for talking like that in front of Alice. When they reach the other side of the river, he gives Takashi the shotgun and teaches him how to use it. When Rei comes out holding the M1A1 and says she doesn't know how to use it, Hirano mounts a bayonet on it so she can use it as a spear. Later, the Humvee runs into the ropes and Rei falls off, and Kohta is quick to take up a sniping postion on top. Takashi misses his first few shots with the shotgun, and Kohta helps him correct his aim by telling him to aim a little higher. When they are surrounded by "them" Kohta, who usually stays optimistic in battle, starts to show signs of distress. He brings Alice out, planning to save her by making her jump over the rope fence. He tries to tell her everything is alright, but she refuses to leave the others. Just as Kohta is about to throw her over, Saya's mother and her men show up to save the group and take them to the Takagi house.

Kohta is next seen in the garage at Saya's house working on the guns. Saya comes in to tell him that he should enjoy this while it lasts since they won't be staying forever. When he asks why, she tells him about the difficulties of securing water and electricity. Maddo, the mechanic, comes in to say he has finished fixing the Humvee, and, after seeing Kohta pump the shotgun, says that kids shouldn't be playing around with guns. Saya notes that all the other people in the house are adults and don't take the kids seriously, so she calls a group meeting to discuss this. After the meeting and the demonstration by Saya's father, Kohta talks about how useless swords are in combat and how guns are much better weapons. Saeko corrects him by pointing out reasons why swords can be very effective. As Kohta starts to argue, Takashi tells him to stop and puts his hand on Kohta's shoulder, but this makes him furious and he storms out of the room.

Later, Kohta is seen kneeling on the ground surrounded by a group of men. He is desperately clinging onto the guns, which the men are trying to take away, stating that a kid doesn't need guns and he should share. He is pleading that nobody can use them as well as him. Souichiro Takagi shows up, asking Kohta who he is and why he needs the guns. He then asks Kohta what he can do. Kohta, who is crying at this point, cannot answer, but Takashi shows up and answers for him, telling Soichiro that Kohta is the protector of his daughter. The other members of the group soon show up to give their support as well. Last to come is Saya, who firmly tells her father that Kohta is the one who has been protecting her, not him.

Later, Kohta goes with Saya as she tries to talk to the people who are protesting against her father. She tries to reason with them, but when they find out she is the daughter of Souichiro, they no longer listen to her. After the failed attempt at convincing the people to see the truth, Saya is angrily talking about them while Kohta and Takashi listen. Kohta says he can understand how the people feel, to which Saya responds by getting angrier and yelling at him. Kohta further explains that humans don't see what they don't want to see and even though they know something is happening, they won't do anything. Saya tells him that they have no choice but to admit that something has changed, and Kohta responds that in their kind of situation, the first thing people do is try to return it to normal even when they know it won't work. Saya says that it is because if they don't admit to change, they don't have to admit their own foolishness. Kohta says he realized this when they were at the school, which prompts Saya to say she's changed her opinion on him. When Takashi agrees with them, Saya and Kohta say that's why he's fit to be their leader.

Kohta is next seen in the hallway with the group as Takashi and Rei are preparing to leave. Shido arrives at the Takagi house, and Rei confronts him. Kohta, like the others, is relieved when Rei decides not to kill Shido, and Shido and his followers are banished from the mansion.

After Shido leaves the Takagi house, Kohta is standing in front of the house with the group. Shizuka uses Takashi's phone to call Rika, and when she has trouble dialing Kohta offers to help, to which she declines. When the phone and all other electronic devices stop working Saya explains that it was an E.M.P. blast, which causes the barrier to fail and "they" reach the gate of the mansion. As the men close the gate one of "them" gets through and Kohta easily shoots it through the head with his rifle, prompting one of the men holding the gate to say he was wrong about him. Yuriko prepares for the imminent battle by ripping her dress up to her hip, revealing a holster with a handgun, and she is holding other guns which include a Luger PO8. Seeing this Kohta is in awe and merely says "mama". He is very excited when he sees the Luger and describes it in detail. When Yuriko asks him if he can teach Saya how to use it, he entusiastically says yes.

"They" soon break through the gates, and a battle ensues during which Kohta takes his usual position as the sniper. Alice brings him new magazines whenever he needs them. A fire is started and much of the Takagi estate burns. The group and all other survivors retreat to the mansion. There, Souichiro tells Takashi to take the group and leave. He then entrusts Saya to Kohta's protection. The group go to the garage where they find Maddo working on the Humvee. They have to fight a group of "them" off while Maddo gets the Humvee ready to leave. During the battle, Kohta remarks that it's like the Alamo. When Takashi asks what happened there, he tells him he doesn't want to know. Maddo finishes the preparation and the group escapes in the Humvee.

As they are driving through the streets, Saya is distracted and a little upset about leaving her parents behind, so Kohta tells her to keep an eye out, and she says he is right and is no longer distracted. Takashi then tells the others they are going to search for his and Rei's parents and that the others will come with them. They reach a highway full of "them" and prepare for their journey across.

Later the group is seen walking away from the wrecked Humvee and then standing in front of the Taiei Shopping Town mall.

End of Season 1 Anime Summary for Kohta Hirano

(Manga)*
After they leave the bus, Kohta, Saeko, Saya, and Shizuka walk away from the bridge and soon meet up with Takashi and Rei, who are riding toward the bridge. The group decides to go to Shizuka's friend Rika's house for the night. Upon arriving at the house, Kohta is surprised to learn that Takashi has a gun and shows desire for it, but Takashi says he can see it later. Because of this, when the group fights a group of "them" gathered around Rika's house, Kohta is forced to use his nail gun again.

Later that night, Kohta and Takashi are prying a cabinet open in Rika's bedroom. Kohta becomes very excited when he finds that the cabinet contains three high-grade and illegal guns. His sadistic side shows as he pulls the guns out and describes each one with great detail. He also knows details about a crossbow which is in the cabinet. He seems particularly excited when he sees the Ithica M-37 Riot Shotgun, explaining that it was used by American soldiers in the Vietnam War. When Takashi points the gun at him, Kohta freaks out, saying he should never point a gun at anyone, even if it isn't loaded. He says the only ones he should point it at... Takashi finishes the sentence with 'are "them". Takashi asks where Kohta learned so much about guns, he explains that, when he went to America, he went to a private military academy where he was trained by a Blackwater instructor for a month. The two then wonder what kind of person Shizuka's friend is since she keeps illegal guns at her house. They hear noises coming from outside and Takashi investigates, saying the situation on the bridge has gotten a lot worse. Kohta looks through the binoculars and says it reminds him of a scene in Apocalypse Now. He sees the people protesting and hassling the police on the bridge and wonders if they are conspiracy theorists or left-wing radicals. Takashi mentions that the left-wing radicals are no better than the right-wing radicals, and Kohta happily agrees with him. Their conversation is soon cut short by a gunshot from the news program on the television, which is broadcasting live from the bridge. They see that the situation is quickly escalating out of control, and they see an officer shoot the lead protestor, which causes the news program to quickly cut off. Kohta expresses a desire to leave the house. He is a little frightened when he sees a pair of hands reaching from behind Takashi, but it's only Shizuka. She is obviously drunk, and she refers to Kohta as Kohta-chan (-chan can mean "cutie" in this context) before kissing him on the cheek, which makes him very uncomfortable. His glasses fall down and he starts to have a nosebleed. After that he is somewhat incoherent when Takashi tries to talk to him. A short time later, Takashi goes to the balcony, where Kohta is, to investigate the sound of a dog barking. When Takashi arrive, Kohta tells Takashi with a dark face that "it is bad".

Kohta is next seen on the balcony again with Takashi and Saeko. The three are observing the large number of "them" gathered around the house and the chaos going on in the streets below. Kohta is holding his modified AR-10, looking down the scope, and he is very anxious to shoot. When he asks if they should shoot, Saeko reminds him Takashi that "they" respond to sound, and, furthermore, that other survivors may notice them and make their way to Rika's house. However, when they see a little girl, Alice, being surrounded by "them", Kohta cannot resist and, crying out "Let's Rock 'N Roll", he quickly lands a headshot on each of the ones around Alice. He then commends himself for being able to get a headshot with a new gun without even firing a test shot. He tells Takashi to go save the little girl while he covers from the balcony. When Takashi leaves, Kohta fires many shots, going through a full magazine and keeping Takashi's path free from "them". He is momentarily interrupted when Saya enters the room with Shizuka, who is completely nude, causing him to have another nosebleed. Saya reminds him to do his job and he gets back to shooting. As the group is preparing to leave and pick up Takashi, Kohta emerges wearing two flashlights on his head, a combat vest, and two ammo belts around his chest and holding both the shotgun and rifle. The girls are speechless when they see him. When they leave, Kohta provides cover from the roof of the Humvee until Takashi and Alice are safely inside.

The next morning, the Humvee is crossing the river, and Kohta and Alice are sitting on the roof, joyfully singing different versions of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". He sings a gun parody version, which prompts Saya to scold him for teaching those things to Alice. While the girls are changing, Kohta attempts to teach Takashi to use the shotgun. Despite Takashi showing little interest and saying he would rather use a bat, Kohta goes on to explain how to aim, shoot, and load the gun. When Takashi still shows no interest, Kohta begins to get frustrated, but Alice draws their attention to the girls, who have all changed their clothes. Rei is holding the M1A1, and, when asked if she can use it, she says that Kohta can show her or she can use it as a spear. Kohta excitedly informs her that the army puts bayonets on those guns, and he mounts a bayonet on the barrel. Kohta then goes with Takashi to check the road before the group sets out again.

Later, the Humvee hits a rope fence in the road and gets stuck, and Kohta yells out to Shizuka that the tires are locked. When Rei falls off and Takashi goes to save her, Kohta is quick to get on top of the Humvee and take up a sniping position. Takashi has trouble shooting "them" with the shotgun, so Kohta helps correct hi aim, telling him to aim just above their heads. When Takashi runs out of shells and drops the shells in his pocket, he picks up Rei's M1A1, and Kohta instructs him on how to use it while shooting "them" in front of him and Rei. Even when Saeko joins the fight, the group is soon nearly overcome by "them". Kohta becomes distressed when he runs out of magazines and calls out for more which are brought to him by Alice. His mood lifts and he continues fighting. When Saya picks up the shotgun and joins the fight, he asks if she knows how to shoot, but she replies that she is a genius, implying that she doesn't need help. The group continues fighting, but they are far outnumbered, and they soon begin to lose hope. Kohta pulls Alice out of the Humvee, and, with a smile, tells her to jump over the wires with Zeke. He tells her they will all follow later, but she knows he is lying. Alice says she doesn't want to be alone and wants to stay with them forever. Kohta sadly picks her up and prepares to throw her over, but, just before he does, Saya's mother and her group show up wearing firefighter uniforms and save the group. After they are safe, Kohta is seen happily hugging Alice with tears of joy in his eyes.

Kohta is next seen in the garage of the Takagi house tinkering with the guns. Saya enters and notes that he looks like he's enjoying himself, then tells him it's fine that he is having fun now, but he won't be able to much longer. Kohta wonders why stating that they should be safe in the fortress-mansion. Saya explains that it is difficult to secure water and electricity, and without maintenance the water and power plants will soon shut down. The rest of her explanation is shown in a cutscene depicting a conversation between Yuriko Takagi and Takashi. Yuriko says they are going to leave in a bus with anyone who has the will to survive and take full responsibility of maintaining the water and electricity sources. Back in the garage, Matsudo, the mechanic of the Takagi house, enters and, much to Kohta's dismay, tells him kids shouldn't be playing with guns. After Matsudo leaves, Saya warns Kohta that the adults are in charge and he should take the gun to them. Kohta doesn't seem to like this idea and says they should see what Takashi thinks.

Kohta and Saya make there way up to Rei's room where the others are gathered. There, a group discussion takes place in which Saya and Takashi get into a heated argument on whether or not they should stay with her parents. When the argument is resolved, the group witnesses Souichiro's demonstration in which he beheads his friend who has been infected. Kohta states that katanas aren't effective weapons and they dull after cutting through a few people. Saeko takes offense to this and explains that someone who masters the way of the sword to a high enough level "can behead any number of people without losing any combat strength". Kohta continues to argue and his temper escalates. Takashi reaches out in an attempt to calm him, but Kohta lashes out at him, saying not to touch him and that Takashi "can't even fire a gun properly". He leaves the room angrily and clutching the guns.

A short time later, Kohta is seen kneeling on the ground and surrounded by a group of men from the Takagi house. They are trying to force him to give them the guns. Kohta is desperately clinging to the guns, saying he is borrowing them from someone else and that he can use them better than anyone else. Souichiro Takagi hears the commotion and comes to investigate. He asks Kohta who he is, and, when Kohta gives a very detailed introduction of himself, Souichiro tells him not to speak so boldly. He asks him why he needs the guns, and Kohta responds that without the guns he would go back to the way he was before and he thought he had finally found something he was good at. Souichiro asks what this is, and before he can answer, Takashi arrives and says Kohta is good at protecting his daughter. Takashi explains that Saya has been under Kohta's protection since the beginning of the outbreak. The rest of the group then shows up to defend Kohta. Last to come is Saya, who tells her father that, unlike him, Kohta has been protecting her. As the conversation ends, one of Souichiro's men runs up to inform him that the rescued people staying at the Takagi house are becomming unruly. Souichiro tells Saya that she must go talk to them to prove she is not a fool. She reluctantly goes with Kohta and Takashi to try to reason with them, but the people will not listen to her. They wonder why the people are acting so irrational, and Kohta says that people try not to look at things they don't want to see.

As Takashi and Rei are preparing to leave to find their parents, Kohta is seen admiring the ATV which Souichiro is letting them use. Soon after, a confrontation takes place between Rei and Shido, and Kohta is relieved when she decides no to kill him. A nuclear missile detonates in the sky above the city, sending out an EMP blast that disables all electronic equipement in the area. Because of this, Souichiro's men are not able to put up the barrier, and a large number of "them" start running towards the Takagi house. Souichiro calls for the gates to be closed, but one of "them" makes it through. Kohta easily kills it with a headshot, winning the admiration of the adults who had doubted him before. When They break through the gate, Souichiro gathers all of his men and all of the people who are willing to fight and tells the group to leave. He tells Kohta that he is entrusting Saya to him. Souichiro, Yuriko, and the others then fight "them" while the group escapes on the ATV. The group reaches an area where there are too many of "them" to go on. Takashi and Saeko take the ATV and distract "them", while Kohta and the others go to the meeting place at the shopping mall.

When the group has been reunited in the mall, Kohta is seen holding a steak to see if it is still edible. Shimada, who is a survivor living in the mall, gets angry at Kohta, telling they are going to smoke the meat and he needs to follow the rules. Asami Nakaoka, who is the police officer in charge of the survivors at the mall, steps in to tell him that the group has only been there for a day and they haven't had time to learn the rules yet. Asami explains to Kohta and Saya that she is only in charge until her superior officer, who has gone to get help, returns. She then leaves to go to a meeting, and Takashi enters with Alice. He, Saya, and Kohta have a quiet discussion about the availability of food and water in the mall which is interrupted by Alice. Saya gets angry at Alice sends Kohta and Takashi to gather supplies, telling them no to take too much since the community in the mall has claimed everything. As they search for supplies, they start talking about the guns, and Kohta wonders if they should "put them to use", possibly implying that they should use the guns to scare the people into giving them what they want. The two eventually make their way to the meeting, where the people of the mall are verbally harassing Asami. She tries to calm them down, but they are very unhappy and doubting her leadership. Seeing this, Kohta and Takashi realize that it's not Asami's fault and decide to save her to make things more exciting for themselves. Kohta interrupts the meeting to tell Asami that she dropped something, and then he hands her the Smith and Wesson M.37 Airweight. The disgruntled people quickly quiet down when they see the gun.

As they walk away, Kohta explains to Takashi that high-ranking officers on battlefields only carry weak handguns to show that they are in a position to kill any soldier who doesn't follow orders. He notes that Asami is in a powerful position and that it's better this way, to which Saya objects. The two have an argument which is cut short when they notice that something is wrong with Shizuka. They go to investigate, and find Asami pointing her gun at Shimada, who was trying to rape Shizuka, but she is hesitant to shoot him. Kohta quickly devises a wire with handles on it and uses it to choke Shimada. He pulls the wire tighter until Shimada drops his knife, and then Kohta lets him go. Asami is very grateful to Kohta and says his name dreamily.

The incident with Shizuka nearly being raped prompts a group discussion, during which they discuss when to leave the mall and what to do after they leave. After the discussion, Takashi sends Kohta to the roof to scope out the area, and as he leaves he is followed by Asami. On the roof, Kohta is seen surveying the area around the mall and marking down places on the map that they can't go to. He is surprised when Asami joins him. The two talk politely and Kohta says that she is a great police officer, but Asami disagrees saying she would have been dead if not for him. She then thanks him, then hugs him and cries while thanking him again. When she has stopped crying, Asami brings up her boyfriend, saying that she didn't do well in the police academy so he left her. Kohta starts to look uncomfortable and starts to sweat. She moves closer to him and he starts to look extremely uncomfortable, but they are interrupted by Hiro Tamaru, who says that the old woman is dying and needs a blood tranfusion.

Kohta, Takashi, Asami, and Tamaru are next seen going a short distance down the street to the clinic to pick up the plasma and supplies needed for the old woman's transfusion. They go inside the clinic and find it deserted. They think they are safe, but then a group of "them" breaks through one of the doors. They are careful to fight them without shooting so that they don't attract more, but more of "them" start coming through the front entrance. Takashi says he will hold them there, and Kohta leads Tamaru and Asami to the back to get the plasma. They find everything they need, but Takashi is overwhelmed at the front and runs into the room, saying they can't get out that way. They also find that they can't get out through the back window, but Asami realizes they can go through the ceiling. Takashi blasts a hole in the ceiling, and he, Kohta, and Asami climb up, but Tamaru is grabbed by "them" before he can make it up. He realizes he is dead and tells Takashi to shoot him. Takashi can't so Asami does it. They make their way back to the mall.

Back at the mall, Kohta, Takashi, and Asami are resting after their trip to the clinic. Kohta wants to talk about it, but Takashi and Asami are too exhausted. Kohta doesn't care, so he talks heatedly about how they made mistakes at the clinic and Takashi should not have been left alone. Takashi brings up Tamaru, and Asami gets upset and starts crying, saying nobody wants to talk about that and that she killed him. Kohta tells her that's why they do need to talk about it. After the discussion, Kohta is relaxed and speaks much more kindly with Asami. He makes sure that she is okay, and when she says that she is useless, he tells her that she is incredible. She responds with a smile that prompts Alice to say that it looks like the police lady really likes Kohta. Asami asks if Kohta is leaving, and when he says yes, she asks if he could stay behind. She then takes his hand in hers and tells him she would do anything and everything for him. He sadly release her hands and says he already has friends. Upon hearing this, she cries but says she thought he would say that. They see a police officer outside the window, and Asami realizes that it is her superior, officer Matsushima, and she has become one of "them". Asami is distraught and yells out that nobody is coming to help them. She starts running away, screaming, and when Kohta tries to get her to stop, she is furious and calls him a "four-eyed pig" before running off up the stairs. Kohta is left shocked and very upset.

Later, the group is preparing to leave the mall, and Kohta shows the others that he has hidden the guns in the large bra section of a lingerie store. He notes that they don't have much ammo left and they will soon run out if they don't find more. When they are planning what they will do when they leave, Kohta explains R.O.E. (Rules of Engagement), saying they will be like special forces soldiers going behind enemy lines. He later gives Takashi the Ithaca, upon which he has mounted a skewer. Takashi tells him he should try to talk to Asami, when Kohta is hesitant, Takashi says that everyone snaps at some point and he doesn't want Kohta to have any regrets. Kohta happily agrees and runs off to find her. He finds her on the roof, and he runs to her, telling her to come with him. After a few moments of consideration, she agrees and hugs him. They hear a shout and run back down from the roof.

Soon after, "they" are let into the mall, and the group decides it is time to leave. They tell the other people in the mall to fend for themselves and move out. Saya pulls out her gun and prepares to shoot, but Kohta stops her, saying they are too far away and she has no practice. He also mentions that she didn't receive an order to fire from Takashi. Kohta and Asami are assigned to securing the emergency exit. They make their way there and find that the parking lot is full of them. Kohta notes that they need some way to distract them, and he contemplates sniping, but Asami suddenly realizes something and runs off, saying she will be right back. The group gathers at the emergency exit, thinking of a strategy, then runs down the stairs and into the parking lot. As they cross the lot, they see the kid who let "them" in, who is stranded on top of a car and calling for help. Shimada decides to go save him, and Asami soon follows, depite Kohta pleading for her not to go. He then pleads with Takashi to go back and help her, but Takashi says they must go on. Asami realizes she has lost the fight, and when Kohta tries to go back and save her, she yells out that she hates him to try and get him to run away. Asami then tells him to not let her "turn into one of those monsters". She starts to say"I lo...", but Kohta cuts her off saying, "I know. You don't need to say anything." Then, with tears in his eyes, Kohta fires.

After the group leaves the parking lot, Kohta is seen walking through the street recklessly shooting any of "them" he sees. The others tell him to stop, but he doesn't listen, saying he'll be sure to kill all of them. He does not even hesitate to shoot through the group to hit one just above Alice's head. Saya slaps him repeatedly saying he need to get ahold of himself. He eventually breaks down and begins sobbing, saying Asami told him to shoot her. He drops to the ground and the others are silent, but Alice walks up to him and tells him to stop yelling or "they" will hear him. She also says she knows how he feels since her dad died too. Kohta remains on the ground as Takashi and the others decide what to do and where to go. They decide to go to the police station and move out, with Kohta lagging far behind. As they get closer to the police station, Alice notices that Kohta is missing. Kohta is then heard saying, "I don't want to do this anymore." Then with a smile on his face he tells them he's done and to go on without him. Shizuka rides Alice's bike over to him. She grabs his face and addresses him as an officer to a soldier. She tells him he is a knight now and it is his duty to protect everyone like Asami did. Kohta replies with a salute and a firm, "Ma'am, yes, ma'am" and joins the group again.

Kohta and the rest of the group reach the police station, which is deserted. Rei begins to panic because she is worried about her father. As Takashi is trying to calm her down, Kohta is seen investigating tire marks on the ground. He then whispers something in Saya's ear and she relays the message to the other, saying there are tire tracks in the parking lot and road. The group enters the station and Kohta secures the door behind them. They decide to find weapons, but don't know where to go, so they ask Kohta where the guns may be kept. He enthusiastically replies that will be a place which is easily accessible, so it's likely on the first floor and in a room labeled "armory". They can't find it on the map, so they decide to go to an unlabeled room. On the way, they encounter two of "them" which used to be a couple. They reach the room, but the door is locked. Takashi offers to blast it open, but Kohta stops him, saying it will take too many shots and some bullets may ricochet. While Kohta is thinking of how to get the door open, Saya pulls out a drill and gives it to him. Saya says he should be thankful, and he bows to her. After what appears to be a long and tiresome effort, Kohta gets through the lock. One of "them" approaches from behind and Saeko defeats it, then fights another one while the others enter the room. Kohta is very disappointed when he sees that the guns and ammo have already been taken. Kohta suggest that they look for guns in the evidence room. On the way, Saeko kills one of "them" in a police uniform. Kohta is excited to find that it was holding an SMG and a handgun with two extra magazines. He gives the handgun to Saeko, saying he'll teach her to use it later and she should wear it on her leg. Kohta then says that these new guns are still not enough and opens the evidence room. Inside they find a Benelli M4 Super 90 combat shotgun, as well as a large amount of ammo. Alice holds a flashlight up to her face and scares Kohta, which makes Saya realize that anything running on batteries should still work. As they leave, Kohta packs several extra guns, and when Takashi asks about this, he says, "I want us to be able to control our own fates." Saeko walks up wearing the gun on her leg, and Kohta and Takashi are left speechless. The group sets out again up the stairs to get to the communication tower. As the others fight, Kohta stays in the back to help Shizuka, who is having trouble climbing the stairs.

When the group reaches the communication room, Kohta checks that the room is clear, and they enter. He is then knocked over by Saya as she rushes to get to the working computer. Saya tells the other that the J-alert is working, and, when Takashi asks what it is, Kohta explains that it is Japan's nationwide emergency warning system. He further explains that it is an automated, satelite-based system which alerts and informs citizens during emergencies, and that it is protected against EMPs. Saya finds the information on the evacuation, and the group heads down the stairs. They decide to search for Rei's father and go to the Public Safety Division. When they find the room empty, Takashi asks Kohta and Saya to help search the room. Kohta finds something, but it is only a guide to helping survivors. They soon find the message left by Rei's father and end their search.

While the rest of the group is happy for Rei, Saya looks angry. Kohta addresses her, and she points the Luger at his head. He becomes frightened, thinking she intends to shoot him, and tells her he hasn't been bitten. She tells him she hasn't used the gun once, and she is beginning to feel useless. She lowers the gun and explains to him that she has been watching him and wants to start fighting like he does. Kohta gives her the MP5 and excitedly tells her that it should be easy to aim with at close range. He also tells her not to rely on the silencer as the bullets will still make a sound. Saya tosses the Luger at him and warns him not to lose it, and he agrees by saying "Yes ma'am." The two have a moment where they smile at each other, but, when Takashi asks if they are done, Saya slaps Kohta for looking at her like that. They all make their way out of the station and find that it is about to rain outside. Kohta suggests they go to a convenience store and get ponchos. Rei points them in the direction of a store and they set out towards it.

Quotes

 * "I don't mind killing you if I have to. Even if you're still alive." (to Shido).
 * "Let's Rock'n Roll!"
 * "Without guns, I...I'll go back to what I was! I'm done with the old me! I thought I'd found something I was good at!" (to Souichiro).
 * "I know. You don't need to say anything, Asami-san." (to Asami as she tells him she loves him just before he kills her).
 * "I don't want to do this anymore! I'm done with it all! Go on without me!" (during his mental breakdown after killing Asami).

Trivia

 * Hirano is well-versed at the handling of gun-related arms, and is a very talented marksman, capable of taking down individual members of Them with only one shot each via headshot.


 * He generally serves as the long-range combat specialist of the protagonists.
 * He knows how to sing a gun parody version of "row row row your boat"
 * Hirano Kohta's character is based off the legendary Hellsing manga creator Hirano Kouta.
 * Kohta appears to have nosebleeds when in intimate situations, such as when Shizuka kisses him on the cheek or when he sees girls with revealing outfits.