An assortment of beam katanas used by Travis Touchdown. Left to right: Blood Berry, Tsubaki and Tsubaki Mk-II.
The beam katana is a fictional weapon that plays a key role in the No More Heroes video game series. Beam katanas are science fiction versions of their namesake, the katana, which instead of a metal blade holds an energy blade with a length which varies between models. Beam katanas differ in power based upon the specific crystal parts used in construction. They also vary in degree of energy efficiency, which is largely based on whether or not a motherboard has been installed. Though they often behave like regular swords, beam katanas are able to penetrate and cut through most matter with little or no resistance (the receivers of models including the Blood Berry and first two Tsubaki prototypes culminate in a pointed spike, certainly making these inferior models no exception), and can deflect bullets and other non-explosive projectiles, as well as other beam katana blades. Some are also capable of launching energy projectiles.
The common beam katana "blade" is made by a tight loop of highly focused energy which runs from an emitter in the hilt, along an retractable frame and into the receiver. Receiverless katanas have become more common in No More Heroes 2, suggesting that the technology was perfected within the three years following the first. When activated the blade appears as a cylindrical bar, though sometimes it can be made into a specific shape. When deactivated, a beam katana appears as a metallic hilt, with or without an ignition button. They can be carried a number of ways, the most seen example being Touchdown's carrying of his beam katana at the waist. Beam katanas emit a distinctive hum when active. There are a number of other beam katana models that do not handle in the same manner as the common models do, however. One model designed by Orange Computer appears as a retractable cleaver-esque sabre with a beam emitted along the blade, made popular by Death Metal, the tenth ranked assassin in the United Assassins Association. Another beam katana, used by former professional wrestler Thunder Ryu activates the moment it is removed from its scabbard, by which it recharges, bearing no "off switch." This model is extremely difficult to use, however, as it can be a challenge to safely reinsert the blade into its scabbard. Though it seems that a generic type of beam katana is available to the public (see Unnamed Models below), the variety of designs in models between the more major characters suggests that a scientist and/or manufacturer can be called upon to have them custom-made, much like Travis comes to Dr. Naomi.
Colors
In the series, beam katana blades are blue, green, purple, red or yellow. Blue, green, and red are usually associated with Travis Touchdown whereas other colors are usually associated with various ranked assassins and thugs (with the exception of Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii who uses two beam katanas, one of which projects a blue beam). Another exception is Henry, who has no distinct affiliation yet uses a beam katana with a purple blade.
Types
Beam Naginata
A naginata is a Japanese polearm with a thin metal blade atop a long hilt, giving the wielder the advantages of reach and leverage. Ryuji uses a magenta beam naginata with an ornate Japanese-style hilt. Ryuji is also capable of using his nagatina's energy to materialize and summon a large energy dragon.
Blood Berry
A fan's homemade reconstruction of the Blood Berry.
The Blood Berry is a seemingly primitive beam katana model that Travis Touchdown obtains through an online auction. When activated, it emits a blue beam as the frame of the Blood Berry is extracted along with the blade, and the receiver is headed by a blade attachment in the form of a pointed spike. The Blood Berry is one beam katana that cannot function properly without a receiver, and so this blade attachment allows the beam katana to penetrate matter it normally cannot by having a standard, dull receiver. The Blood Berry is also the only recognized beam katana to contain a guide bar in its design.
Over the course of the No More Heroes series, the Blood Berry has seen a variety of technical specifications. While in the first game it was the weakest weapon available, by the time of Desperate Struggle it had been upgraded to have a very effective range and damage output, at the price of its low battery life.
Buster Katana
Skelter Helter uses a large beam katana with three parallel blades. Despite it's size, it is capable of lightning-swift strikes. It is inlaid with patterns similar to his tattoos.
Cross Sword
The Cross Sword is a beam katana model constructed by the Russian technician Wolf Vann and wielded by Henry. When activated, four small beams are emitted from the beam katana's minimal cross-guard. While similar to the Tsubaki series, the Cross Sword does not feature a retractable frame and is one of the only beam katanas in No More Heroes to emit properly without a receiver, another being the Tsubaki Mk-III. The blade color is purple. Its upgraded version is the Vosmir.
D.O.S.
The D.O.S. is a beam katana constructed by an infamous Japanese hitman, and one of the more dangerous models to use. The blade of the D.O.S. activates the instant its hilt is removed from its scabbard, and the beam katana features no off switch in its design. This makes the process of refitting the blade into the scabbard extremely difficult, as well as unsafe. The D.O.S. bears a resemblance to a shirasaya, a plain Japanese blade mount. The blade color is yellow. It is wielded by Thunder Ryu.
Double Flute Katana
Kimmy Howell uses a recorder that doubles as a dual-bladed beam katana; in addition to functioning as both a weapon and an instrument, the katana can blow explosive bubbles. It is conceivably difficult to use, as the wielder must keep track of two blades on one hilt, but Kimmy has mastered it gracefully, making her a challenge to fight.
Horse Saber
The Horse Saber is an abstract beam katana which largely remains a mystery, not only because of its use by Dark Star, an assassin whose identity is completely unknown, but also because of its unique nature as a beam katana like no other. Like the D.O.S., the blade of the Horse Saber is activated when the hilt is removed from its "scabbard," the crown of a bascinet, and using the wire and needled attachment on the grip of the hilt, its enormous, dragon-shaped "blade" is emitted. Unlike standard beam katanas which feature stationary blade projection, the blade of the Horse Saber waves in motions that imply it may contain a certain degree of artificial intelligence. Exactly how it is deactivated, however, is not certain.
Magic Double Saber
The Magic Double Saber is a set of beam katanas which each resemble staffs. When active, the beam entwines the Magic Double Saber, and runs between the hilt and the opposite end. Like many other non-standard beam katanas, neither Magic Double Saber features a cross-guard, and as such there is no prevention of the user's hand from sliding up onto his own blade. Magic Double Sabers are also made to symbolize life and death. The hilt of one resembles an angel, and emits a blue, entwining beam, and the hilt of the other resembles bones, and emits a red, entwining beam. Notable wielders of this weapon include Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii.
Orange II
The Orange II is a retractable, cleaver-esque beam katana model designed by Orange Computer and wielded by Death Metal. The brute design of the beam katana is enough to cause devastating force, let alone the emitted beam which runs along its entire blade. Though its name implies there may be a prototype design (similar to the Tsubaki series), the Orange II is the only recognized model of the Orange series in the game.
Peony
The Peony is Dr. Naomi's latest beam katana invention in the No More Heroes story, becoming available in Desperate Struggle at the price of LB$300,000. Like the Tsubaki Mk-II, it is wielded with two hands; however, it is unique in that its blade expands and contracts based on its user's ki, as explained by Naomi. In practise, its blade extends as the Ecstasy Gauge rises, and contracts as Touchdown's health gauge decreases. Also in contrast to the Tsubaki Mk-II, what the Peony lacks in speed, it compromises for sheer strength and crowd control. The Peony's blade color is red.
Rose Nasty
An early display of the Rose Nasty in No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle.
The Rose Nasty are a pair of beam katanas Bishop Shidux willed for Touchdown to possess (in the first game, Bishop would sometimes say, "By the way, that thing you wanted hasn't come in yet." These katanas could be "that thing") which are delivered to him by a mysterious Japanese man to whom he corresponded through letters. At Shidux's gravesite, this man passes the package on to Shinobu, who sees the beam katanas are given to Touchdown. The Rose Nasty are receiverless weapons with curved, red blades and differing hilts with handguards; furthermore, the off-hand beam katana has a slightly shorter blade than its counterpart making the set similar to traditional daisho. Both blades are swung, allowing versatility and a good damage radius. While the Rose Nasty is slightly faster than the Camellia Mk-III, it lacks its stopping power and its damage output is heavily reliant on the number of combo hits and stances. The blade color of both katanas are red, but a pinker version of that of the Peony.
Tsubaki
The Tsubaki series of beam katanas are designed by Dr. Naomi for Travis Touchdown's exclusive use. The Power Up Parts and Energy Saving Parts stocked by Naomi are also only compatible with models of the Tsubaki series. The first model, the Tsubaki prototype, provides better durability than does the Blood Berry, a beam katana that this prototype is comparable to in several ways including structural design (both models make use of a retractable frame and receiver headed by a pointed blade attachment). One notable difference between these two models is that the Tsubaki prototype does not feature a guide bar. Travis wields this beam katana on the cover of the first game. The Tsubaki and its successors are each marked with a certain number of red rings corresponding to their mark number.
Mk-II
The Tsubaki Mk-II is much more complete than its predecessor, but is still referred to on occasion as "a prototype." Naomi designs the Mk-II based on the US Military Secret plans that Travis obtains after his Ranking Battle against Holly Summers. Debatably the most distinguished model of the Tsubaki line, the retractable frame now contains five emitters and receivers which rotate simultaneously. The Tsubaki Mk-II is also one of the most powerful beam katanas ever produced, superior in strength even to its successor, the Tsubaki Mk-III. The blade color of the first marks of the Tsubaki series are both blue.
Mk-III
The Tsubaki Mk-III is the completed Tsubaki beam katana model. Its design is based on that of the D.O.S., the beam katana used by Touchdown's mentor Thunder Ryu, acquired by Touchdown following the death of Thunder Ryu. Unlike its predecessors, the Mk-III does not feature a retractable frame and is one of the only beam katanas in No More Heroes to emit properly without a receiver, another being the Cross Sword. An elaborate design of the kanji used to represent "Tiger" (tora) is used as the cross-guard of the Mk-III's hilt. While not as powerful as the Tsubaki Mk-II, the finished model is the only standard beam katana that, with the proper motherboard attachment, operates at maximum energy efficiency and does not ever have to be recharged. While slightly weaker than the MK-II, the MK-III is much quicker, capable of causing Deathblows sooner, and has enough range to decapitate a entire large group of enemies in close range of the wielder. The Tsubaki Mk-III also cameos in 2008's Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise as part of the game's final costume for protagonist Sumio Mondo, which makes him resemble Travis, although it is never actually used as a weapon in the game. A similar weapon appears in Desperate Struggle, the Camellia Mk-III, an inferior blade to the Peony, which becomes available to Travis later in the story.
Asura-6
Alice Twilight uses a back-mounted machine known as the Asura-6, equipped with six arms and all ended with beam katanas. She uses the largest arm to stand high, where she can use the blades as projectiles. On foot, she can swing the five lesser arms at Travis as well as the largest arm, which apparently requires temporary deactivation of the others. This weapon has no visible method of control, but appears to synchronize with her arm movements.
Unnamed models
Various enemies in No More Heroes use a model similar to a Star Wars lightsaber with a purple beam. Despite its seemingly unlimited energy supply, this model is rather weak, as it cannot produce a charge attack or cut matter. Enemies also carry various energy weapons such as brass knuckle attachments which resemble tasers.
Trivia
- With the exception of the Vosmir, every beam katana Travis uses (and even Shinobu's steel katana]] is named after a type of flower.