It has been over ten years since the last main entry in the No More Heroes series. The spinoff, Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, was a nice appetizer in 2019 but not the main dish. No More Heroes II left fans on some cliffhangers which were answered in No More Heroes III. The trouble is, the latter also introduced more questions for fans to dwell on. Will it be another ten years before they are answered?
The series’ creator, Suda51, seems unsure how the series will continue from here or even if it will continue at all. Still, this sequel came to fruition, so there is hope that these questions and plot holes may be rectified in the future even if takes another decade. There will be spoilers ahead for the whole No More Heroes series.
8 The Time Machine
One of the game’s best features allows players to fight bosses again. This is done through the time machine in Travis’ lab. But if this is a literal time machine, then why isn’t it used to reverse the course of history to bring the dead back to life?
Birkin, for example, never gets revived despite Travis suffering an even more fatal wound via decapitation. It’s a video game mechanic that shouldn't be questioned, but it doesn’t make sense from a story perspective.
7 No More Heroes Motel In Disrepair
Travis began his assassination journey as a spry 27-year-old. He is now 39, but still manages to kick a lot of butt. In that twelve-year gap it’s hard to imagine that he, or any other tenants at the hotel, haven’t fixed the place up.
The place looks rundown on the outside, but inside it still looks decent. Though it's not a huge plot hole or anything, it's still weird to think about. It also doesn’t make sense how Travis hasn’t improved his beam katana’s battery life in twelve years.
6 Is Deathman Real?
No More Heroes III begins with Travis reminiscing about an old arcade game called Deathman. When Travis dies, players get to play this arcade classic again only to find a pixelated Travis at the end. Deathman welcomes Travis to the dream, but it’s never explained what that really means.
Was Travis dreaming, or is the world of Deathman a version of the afterlife? It doesn’t make a lot of sense if it was a dream — since, after all, his head came off. Yet, he's put back together when he wakes up in his grave for some reason, along with all of his possessions.
5 The Giant Alligators
A mini-game on one of the islands in the city sees Travis fight off a bunch of alligators with a cannon. These lizards are Godzilla-sized, and they mean business.
The mini-game is decent enough, especially compared to others in the game (like mowing the lawn). Yet, the reason these alligators are attacking is never really explained, and the attacks don't seem like a big concern to the NPCs. They could be aliens disguised as alligators. That’s the best explanation around.
4 Sylvia’s Goals
Sylvia’s goals have been ambiguous since the original game. Does she care about Travis, or is her only concern her career? She seems to have powers, so couldn’t she have helped Travis in No More Heroes III?
That might be something fans would like to see if there is ever a sequel: a playable Sylvia. On a related matter, what did Travis want to tell her in the game? That is never resolved fully either. She's a character surrounded by mystery, and for the time being, it looks like she'll stay that way.
3 Jeane’s Voice
The series began with Jeane as a little kitten before it increased in size in the sequel. Now, in No More Heroes III, not only did Jeane get a voice, but is revealed to be a boy.
This confuses Travis, who thought Jeane was a girl. As its owner, shouldn't Travis know? One has to see a pet’s parts eventually. It’s played off as a joke, which is fine. Still, not explaining why Jeane can suddenly talk is a strange choice, to say the least.
2 Why Did Scott Hide His Identity?
Scott is the real name of Native Dancer, the third boss in No More Heroes III. From the start, it's pretty obvious he is related to Travis because he keeps calling him Grandpa — despite Travis only being 39.
It turns out that Scott is the son of Travis’ daughter, Jeane. This means that not only did Jeane and Hunter come from the future, but Scott came from an even further future, which is even more confusing. What's more, Scott doesn’t reveal his identity until the very last scene. Though this does help build suspense for players, it doesn't quite make sense from a story perspective.
1 Will Takashi Miike Make A Live-Action Film?
Takashi Miike is a famous film director that is referenced several times in No More Heroes III. Bishop and Travis gush about him and his movies during their streams. The big laugh of the game arrives when he one that saves Travis from his early grave.
The scene ends with Travis asking if he would direct a movie adaptation, before cutting awkwardly to black. Will he? It wouldn’t be too outlandish if he did, considering Miike has already adapted other Japanese video games into film, including Phoenix Wright and Yakuza. This is probably just a joke for the game, but who knows what the future will hold?