No More Heroes 3's director recently shed light on the backstory behind Travis Touchdown's disheveled appearance at the beginning of the game. Initially launched in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch, No More Heroes 3 follows Travis as he competes in the galactic superhero rankings, confronting super-powered alien and human assassins to claim the top-ranking spot and protect the world from Prince FU.

Despite the game's straightforward plot, it contains a few unresolved details. One such detail is Travis Touchdown's appearance in the game's 2019 reveal trailer and final release, where he sported a beard and neck brace, a departure from his usual look. This transformation, unexplained in the game, puzzled fans, who accepted it amidst other bizarre occurrences.

The Events Preceding No More Heroes 3

In a recent interview with Destructoid, No More Heroes 3 director Suda51 revealed the complete backstory behind Travis' initial appearance. Suda explained that Travis was stalked and attacked by his super fan, Kimmy Howell, before the game began. Kimmy Howell, an optional boss in No More Heroes 2, harbored a disturbing crush on Travis. Despite Travis sparing her life in a previous encounter and advising her to grow stronger before facing him again, Kimmy ambushed Travis between NMH2 and 3. Suda mentioned, 'At some point between those two games, she hit him with a surprise attack, but he got away alive and was healing at the No More Heroes motel.'

Suda also highlighted that this detail had not been previously addressed by the press. His translator, James Mountain, recalled asking Suda about it, to which Suda had initially responded, 'I don't remember.' Though a minor aspect of the game, this insight provides additional context about Travis' condition at the start of No More Heroes 3.

Furthermore, this backstory offers deeper insight into Kimmy Howell's boss fight in No More Heroes 3. Adopting the stage name Kimmy Love, she vows to kill her hero during a live broadcast, leading to an engaging rap battle between Travis and Kimmy before the actual fight. This backstory delineates Kimmy's dramatic descent from a high-school girl with an infatuation to a deranged pop star fixated on eliminating her idol.