Kira Yamato

Kira Yamato (,Kira Yamato) is a fictional character in the Gundam universe. He is the main protagonist of the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and an important character in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny.

Kira, along with five other notable mecha and pilots from the various Gundam series, were recognized in the second set of "Anime Heroes and Heroines" stamps, released in Japan in 2005. Kira has done well in Anime Grand Prix popularity polls for favorite male characters. He came in 1st in 2002, 2nd in 2003, 2nd in 2004, 1st in 2005, and 2nd in 2006.

Kira is a first-generation Coordinator. At the beginning of Gundam SEED, Kira lives on the neutral space colony Heliopolis to avoid the Bloody Valentine War. An expert in computer science, he assists with research and development at the Heliopolis technical college he attended. In both Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny, his friendship with Athrun Zala forms one of the main themes of the story.

At the beginning of the Gundam SEED series, Kira lives on the neutral colony of Heliopolis where he attends a college with his friends Sai Argyle, Kuzzey Buskirk, Miriallia Haw, and Tolle Koenig. Kira is also attracted to Sai's fiancée, Flay Allster. Kira owns a robotic pet bird, Birdy, which was given to him three years earlier by his childhood best friend, Athrun Zala, who built it.

Heliopolis is attacked by ZAFT forces. During the evacuation of civilians, Kira is separated from his friends and follows a mysterious female stranger, who he later pushes into an evacuation "shelter".

Kira eventually finds two prototype mobile suits, the GAT-X105 Strike and the GAT-X303 Aegis, and a battle taking place between Earth Alliance soldiers and the ZAFT special forces team in the factory. While Kira helps an Earth Alliance officer, Murrue Ramius, he recognizes one of the ZAFT soldiers as his old friend, Athrun. The two friends are stunned by each other's presence. Murrue attempts to shoot Athrun, but he captures the Aegis and escapes, while Murrue and Kira board the Strike.

Throughout the series, Kira often confronts his friend Athrun Zala. Athrun joined Zaft after his mother was killed in the Bloody Valentine Incident and he tries to persuade Kira to join as well. Kira refuses, choosing to protect his friends who are onboard the Archangel.