Travis Touchdown (Japanese: トラヴィス・タッチダウン, Hepburn: Toravisu Tacchidaun) is a video game character and the main protagonist from the video game series No More Heroes. He is a 27-year-old professional Assassin of American origin and is depicted as an Otaku – a person who has obsessive interests or in simple words, a Nerd. He lives in a cheap motel room with a kitten. Kazuya Nakai in Japanese and Robin Atkin Downes in English voice Travis. Travis Touchdown is based on Jackass star Johnny Knoxville. Goichi Suda (Suda 51), a video game designer, director, and writer, is the creator of the character.
Personality:
Travis Touchdown is a complex and multifaceted character, with a mix of positive and negative traits that make him both relatable and unpredictable.
On the one hand, he’s witty, confident, and irreverent, with a dry sense of humor that’s always ready to puncture any sense of self-importance.
He’s also fiercely independent, with a strong streak of individualism that makes him resistant to authority and convention.
On the other hand, Travis can also be selfish, impulsive, and violent, with a tendency to act before he thinks and lash out when provoked.
He’s also prone to arrogance and narcissism, which can sometimes get him into trouble with others.
Despite these flaws, however, Travis is ultimately a sympathetic character, with a strong sense of loyalty and a desire to do what’s right, even if it means putting himself in danger.
Looks and Dressing:
Travis Touchdown’s looks and dressing style are just as distinctive as his personality and have helped to make him an iconic figure in the gaming world.
He has a lanky, athletic build, with spiky black hair and a perpetual five o’clock shadow. His face is angular and expressive, with a hint of mischief in his eyes.
Travis’s dressing style is equally eye-catching and reflects his individualistic and rebellious streak.
He often wears a black leather jacket, with a red t-shirt or tank top underneath, and a pair of tight-fitting jeans.
He also sports a distinctive red scarf, which he wears to symbolize his membership in the United Assassins Association (UAA).
In addition to his leather jacket and scarf, Travis also accessorizes with a variety of belts, bracelets, and chains, giving him a punk-inspired look that sets him apart from more conventional video game protagonists.
Overall, Travis’s looks and dressing style are an essential part of his character, and help to reinforce his image as a maverick outsider who plays by his own rules.
Allies:
Travis Touchdown has a diverse cast of allies throughout the No More Heroes series, each with its unique personality and backstories. Here is a closer look at some of his key allies:
Sylvia Christel – Travis’s agent and love interest. She is initially introduced as a mysterious woman who hires Travis to become a hitman and climb the ranks of the United Assassins Association (UAA).
Sylvia is cold and calculating, but also possesses a playful and flirtatious side. She provides Travis with information and guidance throughout his journey, but also has her motivations and secrets.
Henry Cooldown – Travis’s estranged twin brother and rival. Henry is first introduced as a boss battle in the original No More Heroes game but later becomes an ally to Travis in the sequel.
He is calm and collected, in contrast to Travis’s hot-headedness, and is also a skilled fighter with a unique fighting style.
Despite their differences, Travis and Henry share a strong bond and a complicated history.
Shinobu Jacobs – A young assassin who idolizes Travis and seeks to become stronger. Shinobu is introduced as a boss battle in the original game but later becomes a playable character in the sequel.
She is serious and disciplined, with a strict moral code, but also has a playful side when interacting with Travis.
She looks up to Travis as a mentor and friend and seeks to prove herself as a skilled assassin.
Bad Girl – A sadistic and unpredictable assassin who enjoys causing chaos and destruction.
Bad Girl is introduced as a boss battle in the original game but later becomes an ally to Travis in the sequel.
She is vulgar and crude but also possesses a childlike innocence and vulnerability.
She has a complicated relationship with Travis, alternating between hostility and affection.
Kimmy Howell – A young woman who is a fan of Travis’s and seeks to become an assassin.
Kimmy is introduced as a boss battle in No More Heroes 2 but later becomes an ally to Travis in the spin-off game Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes.
She is upbeat and energetic, with a bubbly personality, but also has a darker side that is revealed throughout the course of the game.
She looks up to Travis as a hero and role model.
Enemies:
Travis Touchdown has faced a variety of colorful and eccentric enemies throughout the No More Heroes series. Here is a closer look at some of his key enemies:
Helter Skelter – The first boss of the original No More Heroes game, Helter Skelter is a masked assassin who wields a beam katana like Travis.
He serves as a tutorial for the game’s combat mechanics and sets the stage for the rest of the game’s bosses.
Death Metal – The second boss of the original game, Death Metal is the leader of the “Destroyman” superhero group and wields a large hammer.
He is arrogant and self-absorbed and sees himself as a hero despite his villainous actions.
Holly Summers – A wheelchair-bound assassin who wields a sniper rifle and traps Travis Touchdown in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
She is cold and calculating and sees Travis as a mere annoyance to be dealt with.
Letz Shake – A flamboyant and over-the-top assassin who wields a pair of chainsaws.
He is obsessed with dancing and pop culture and sees his assassination attempts as performances to be enjoyed by his fans.
Margaret Moonlight – A mysterious and enigmatic assassin who wields a laser scythe and sings opera.
She has a tragic backstory involving her family and a desire for revenge, which leads her to clash with Travis Touchdown.
Jasper Batt Jr. – The final boss of No More Heroes 2, Jasper is a child genius who has taken over his father’s corporation and uses it to fund his assassination ambitions.
He is manipulative and cunning and seeks to outsmart Travis at every turn.
Badman – A father seeking revenge for the death of his daughter, Badman becomes an enemy of Travis Touchdown in the spin-off game Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes.
He wields a large axe and is driven by his desire for vengeance.
Plot
No More Heroes (2007):
The first game in the series begins with Travis Touchdown winning a beam katana in an online auction. Excited by his new weapon, he decides to become an assassin and enters the United Assassins Association (UAA) ranking battles, hoping to become the top-ranked killer.
Along the way, he meets and defeats a variety of other assassins, including a pair of sadistic twins, a lucha libre wrestler, and a baseball player who wields a bat as his weapon.
As Travis Touchdown progresses through the rankings, he becomes embroiled in a complex conspiracy involving the UAA and its shadowy leaders.
He discovers that his past is connected to the organization and that he must face off against a powerful foe to emerge victorious.
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (2010)
The second game in the series begins with Travis Touchdown retiring from his assassin lifestyle, and living a quiet life in the small town of Santa Destroy.
However, when a group of new assassins threatens to take over the UAA, Travis is forced to pick up his beam katana once again and take on a new set of challenges.
This time, Travis must battle a variety of new foes, including a Scottish swordsman, a female cyborg, and a masked wrestler.
He is also forced to confront his past, as he discovers that his deceased best friend was involved in the plot to take over the UAA.
Throughout the game, Travis Touchdown navigates a variety of challenges and obstacles, including a motorcycle chase through a crowded highway and a battle on a speeding train.
Along the way, he forms new alliances and makes new enemies, ultimately emerging as the top-ranked assassin once again.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes (2019)
The game follows Travis Touchdown, a former assassin who has retired to a life of seclusion. However, he is forced back into action when a rogue video game console called the Death Drive MK-II appears in his trailer.
Travis must fight his way through several different video game worlds to uncover the truth behind the Death Drive MK-II.
The plot of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is told through a series of different levels, each of which takes place within a different video game.
The game features a variety of different gameplay mechanics, including hack-and-slash combat, platforming, and puzzles.
Overall, the plot of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes revolves around Travis’s quest to stop the Death Drive MK-II and the mysterious force behind it.
Along the way, Travis Touchdown meets a variety of different characters and engages in intense battles with numerous foes.
No More Heroes 3 (2021):
The third game begins with Travis Touchdown returning to his hometown of Santa Destroy after a ten-year absence.
He finds that the town has been taken over by an alien army known as the Galactic Superhero Rankings, who have invaded Earth with the intention of conquering it.
Travis, still armed with his trusty beam katana, decides to take on the alien invaders and save the world once again.
He enters the new UAA (United Assassins Association) rankings, which are being run by the aliens, and sets out to defeat a new set of bosses, each with their own unique combat style and personality.
Along the way, Travis Touchdown is aided by a variety of allies, including his former love interest Sylvia Christel, his protege Damon Riccitiello, and his pet cat Jeane.
He also faces off against a variety of enemies, both old and new, including some familiar faces from previous games in the series.
As Travis Touchdown progresses through the rankings, he begins to uncover the truth behind the alien invasion and the motivations of its leaders.
He also faces a variety of challenges and obstacles, including a high-speed motorcycle chase, a giant robot battle, and a fight against a towering alien monster.
Ultimately, Travis Touchdown must defeat the leader of the Galactic Superhero Rankings and save the world from destruction.
The game also features multiple endings, depending on the player’s actions and choices throughout the game.
Top Quotes:
- “Let’s go kill some aliens!” (No More Heroes)
- “Life is just a game. You gotta know how to play it.” (No More Heroes)
- “Do I look like a guy with a degree?” (No More Heroes)
- “I don’t know what ‘greatest’ is, but I’m the baddest.” (No More Heroes 2)
- “I’ll give you one piece of advice. Don’t hesitate.” (No More Heroes)
- “Ranking battles are life and death struggles. They are not simply about defeating your opponent.” (No More Heroes)
- “If I can’t be number one in the real world, I’ll make the virtual world my own.” (No More Heroes 2)
- “If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die my way.” (No More Heroes)
- “What’s your name? What do you want? Why are you here? Who are you?” (No More Heroes)
- “I wanna be a hero. A real hero. That’s the only reason I’m here.” (No More Heroes)
- “I can’t believe I’m doing this again. Wait, no, I can totally believe it.”
- “I don’t know what’s crazier, the fact that I’m fighting aliens or that I’m fighting aliens again.”
- “You picked the wrong planet to mess with.”
- “I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum. And I’m all out of bubblegum.”
- “I may be a killer, but I’m not a monster. I mean, I’m not the kind of monster that eats pizza with a knife and fork.”
- “You can’t spell ‘slaughter’ without ‘laughter’.”
- “I hope you’re ready for a bloodbath because I sure am.”
- “I don’t need a reason to kill you, but it sure does make it more satisfying.”
- “It’s time to turn up the heat. Let’s rock, baby!”
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Trivia
- Travis Touchdown’s appearance and personality draw inspiration from various pop culture icons, including anime and video game characters, such as Spike Spiegel from “Cowboy Bebop” and Johnny Knoxville from “Jackass.”
- Travis owns a beam katana, a weapon that resembles a lightsaber, which he uses to dispatch his enemies.
- His signature wrestling move is called the “Wrestling Power Bomb,” which involves lifting his opponent overhead and slamming them onto the ground.
- Travis has a peculiar fashion sense, often wearing a combination of punk-inspired clothing, including a red leather jacket, jeans, and sneakers.
- The name “
- Travis Touchdown’s appearance and personality draw inspiration from various pop culture icons, including anime and video game characters, such as Spike Spiegel from “Cowboy Bebop” and Johnny Knoxville from “Jackass.”
- Travis owns a beam katana, a weapon that resembles a lightsaber, which he uses to dispatch his enemies.
- His signature wrestling move is called the “Wrestling Power Bomb,” which involves lifting his opponent overhead and slamming them onto the ground.
- Travis has a peculiar fashion sense, often wearing a combination of punk-inspired clothing, including a red leather jacket, jeans, and sneakers.
- The name “Travis Touchdown” was chosen to convey a sense of casualness and accessibility, reflecting the character’s laid-back personality.
- ” was chosen to convey a sense of casualness and accessibility, reflecting the character’s laid-back personality.
FAQs
Q: Who was Travis Touchdown inspired by?
A: Jackass star Johnny Knoxville was the inspiration behind the personality and looks of Travis Touchdown.
Q: Who voiced Travis Touchdown?
A: Travis Touchdown was dubbed by Kazuya Nakai in the Japanese version and Robin Atkin Downes was the voice behind the English version.
Conclusion
Travis Touchdown is a unique and memorable protagonist in the world of video games. His striking appearance, irreverent humor, and over-the-top combat style have earned him a devoted fanbase, and his journey through the United Assassins Association ranks is a thrilling and entertaining ride.
From his distinctive fashion sense to his iconic beam katana, Travis Touchdown stands out as a true original in a medium filled with generic heroes and villains. His personality is a mixture of cockiness, insecurity, and determination, making him a relatable and likable character despite his flaws.
The No More Heroes series is a prime example of the kind of creative and boundary-pushing games that can emerge from the indie gaming scene. With its unique blend of satire, action, and humor, the games have earned a cult following and continue to inspire new fans to this day.
Whether you’re a fan of Travis Touchdown or simply looking for an entertaining and engaging game to play, the No More Heroes series is a must-try. With its unforgettable protagonist and exciting gameplay, it is sure to provide hours of entertainment and excitement.
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