Masanobu Hojou is a young man in his early twenties who worked as a model before his death. In the anime adaptation, he had left his modeling agency after his manager made unwanted advances toward him. In the original manga, he is still working as a model at the time of his death. He died when a truck driver who had fallen asleep struck the motorcycle he was riding, which he had borrowed in an attempt to escape a persistent stalker named Sadako, who was riding behind him at the moment of the crash.

Hojou initially comes across as superficial, cocky, and vain, showing a preoccupation with his own appearance. When he first arrives in the room with the black sphere and is told to wear the Gantz suit, his primary concern is what others will think of his appearance in the suit. This self-consciousness and concern for social image define his early behavior. He is not portrayed as particularly brave or altruistic, and his motivations are largely rooted in self-preservation and a desire to return to his normal life.

In the story, Hojou is a member of the Tokyo team and participates in two Gantz missions. He does not survive beyond his second mission. His role is relatively brief, and he serves as one of the many additional participants who are drawn into the deadly game and quickly perish, illustrating the high mortality rate and the indiscriminate nature of the Gantz selection process. His death underscores the series theme that looks, status, or prior success in life offer no protection in the brutal missions.

Hojou does not form deep or lasting relationships with other members of the team. His interactions are limited by his short time in the game and his self-focused personality. The most notable relationship mentioned in his background is with his stalker, Sadako, whose presence at his death emphasizes the mundane yet tragic circumstances that lead people into the Gantz game.

His development is minimal due to his early death. He does not undergo significant character growth or transformation. He enters the game as a shallow young man and leaves it as a cautionary example of how the Gantz system spares no one, regardless of their personal attributes or life circumstances.

Regarding notable abilities, Hojou possesses no extraordinary talents or combat skills. He is an ordinary human who relies on the standard-issue Gantz equipment during missions. His background as a model provides him no advantage in the life-or-death scenarios he faces. His physical strength and fighting capability are unremarkable compared to other participants who have prior combat experience or natural aptitude for violence.