77 Fun Facts About Monster Hunter

The original Monster Hunter launched in 2004 on which console?

Monster Hunter debuted on the PlayStation 2, reaching Japan in March 2004, North America that September and Europe in May 2005.

Which director of Monster Hunter 4 later served as executive director on World?

Kaname Fujioka directed the original 2004 game and Monster Hunter 4, then served as executive director and art director on Monster Hunter: World.

Which Monster Hunter producer since Freedom 2 is the son of Capcom's founder?

Ryozo Tsujimoto, son of Capcom founder Kenzo Tsujimoto, joined the company in 1996 as a planner on arcade games such as Battle Circuit before producing the series.

Alongside Auto Modellista, which survival-horror spin-off joined the first game as a Capcom PS2 online showcase title?

Resident Evil Outbreak, Auto Modellista and Monster Hunter were Capcom's three PS2 online showcase titles; Outbreak launched in Japan in December 2003.

Which weapon type was added for the original game's international release but absent from the Japanese version?

Dual Swords were added for the Western release of the original game and only reached Japanese players through the expanded Monster Hunter G.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite sold how many copies in Japan in its first week on PSP?

Capcom announced 1 million copies of Freedom Unite (Portable 2nd G) shipped in Japan within a week of its March 2008 launch there.

Japanese pre-orders of Freedom Unite came with a black, hairy strap meant to be the fur of which monster?

The strap mimicked Nargacuga fur: the jet-black flagship wyvern introduced in Freedom Unite became one of the series' most popular monsters.

In which city did Capcom run a temporary 'Gathering Hall' for Monster Hunter Freedom Unite players in 2009?

Capcom's temporary Gathering Hall opened in London near Charing Cross from July to September 2009, with demo discs mailed to registered players.

Which entry, never released in the West, became the best-selling PSP game of all time?

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd sold about 4.9 million copies in Japan, a PSP record, and its HD Ver. opened Sony's PSP Remaster line on PS3 in 2011.

Monster Hunter Tri was announced for which console before high costs moved it to the Wii?

Monster Hunter Tri was first announced for the PlayStation 3; Capcom moved it to the Wii, revealing the switch at a Nintendo event in October 2007.

Tri (2009) was the first mainline entry to feature what, a mechanic later games dropped?

Underwater combat debuted in Tri and lasted only through 3 Ultimate; the team said programming it ate too much development time.

Which sea-dwelling monster appears on the cover art of Monster Hunter Tri?

Lagiacrus, Tri's electric sea leviathan and flagship, dominates the box art; it returned in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate alongside an Ivory subspecies.

In Tri, the hunter is sent to protect which small fishing village?

Tri's hunter protects Moga Village; improving Moga unlocks a farm and a fishing fleet that bring back herbs, mushrooms and honey.

Which two weapon types debuted in Monster Hunter 4?

The Insect Glaive and Charge Blade debuted in Monster Hunter 4, both suited to its new emphasis on climbing, jumping and mounting monsters.

Which black-scaled Monster Hunter 4 monster sheds its skin to become a golden Elder Dragon?

Gore Magala sheds its skin to become Shagaru Magala, a golden Elder Dragon, and returned to spread the Frenzy virus in Monster Hunter Wilds.

In Monster Hunter 4's story, which metallic-skinned Elder Dragon threatens the capital city of Dundorma?

Kushala Daora, the steel-skinned wind dragon, lays siege to Dundorma in Monster Hunter 4; hunters repel it from the city walls with the Ace Hunters' help.

Which 3DS release was the first entry to ship 1,000,000 units across Europe and North America?

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, released on 3DS in February 2015, became the first entry to ship 1 million units across Europe and North America.

Generations (2015) was released in Japan under what title?

Generations launched in Japan in 2015 as Monster Hunter X, the X read as 'Cross' for its mix of old and new villages, monsters and weapons.

Which of these is one of the four flagship monsters of Monster Hunter Generations?

The four flagships, four hunting styles and four villages all echo the game's Japanese title.

Generations let players hunt as one of the cat companions in a new option called what?

Prowler mode let players hunt as a Felyne Palico with no weapon sharpness to maintain; it targeted newcomers but gave veterans a fresh way to read monster tells.

Which of Generations' four hunting approaches rewards a well-timed dodge with a powerful counterattack?

Adept Style rewards a last-second dodge or guard with a powerful counter; Guild is the classic style, Striker leans on Hunter Arts and Aerial vaults off monsters.

Which entry became Capcom's best-selling game of all time?

Monster Hunter: World has shipped more than 20 million copies, more than any other Capcom title, and sold most of those outside Japan.

Which large monster is the first one World's hunter fights in the Ancient Forest?

Great Jagras, a fanged wyvern that swallows prey whole, is World's first large-monster quest in the Ancient Forest; Kulu-Ya-Ku and Pukei-Pukei follow soon after.

In World, what is the name of the Research Commission's central base?

Astera is the Research Commission's base in the New World, where hunters buy goods, forge gear and pick up quests; Iceborne later added Seliana.

In World, the player's hunter arrives in the New World as part of which numbered expedition group?

The hunter and the Handler sail with the Fifth Fleet; four earlier fleets had already established the Commission's bases before they arrived.

World's story opens with the arrival of which mountain-sized, volcanic, turtle-like Elder Dragon?

Zorah Magdaros, the mountain-sized Elder Dragon, opens World's story; the Commission herds the dying giant into the ocean so its energy seeds a new ecosystem.

Which spiked Elder Dragon in World preys on other Elder Dragons?

Nergigante, the spiked Elder Dragon, preys on other Elder Dragons; in Iceborne its Ruiner form kills Shara Ishvalda, revealing its place in the food chain.

In World, the great dragons migrate to the New World every ten years in an event called what?

The Elder Crossing, the roughly ten-yearly migration of Elder Dragons to the New World, is the whole reason the Research Commission exists.

In World, what do hunters fire to call other players into their quest?

Firing an SOS Flare calls other players into a quest; World's sessions hold up to 16 players, but only four can share a single hunt.

Which returning monster was World's first free post-launch addition, in March 2018?

Deviljho, the ravenous brute wyvern, arrived as World's first free update on 22 March 2018 alongside a batch of quality-of-life changes.

Through a 2018 crossover, which Final Fantasy XIV monster appeared in World?

Behemoth arrived in World in August 2018 through the Final Fantasy XIV crossover; Rathalos went the other way as a special fight in FFXIV.

A 2019 World event let players hunt as which character from The Witcher 3?

Geralt of Rivia became playable in World's February 2019 Witcher 3 crossover, hunting the Leshen in the Ancient Forest; an earlier event brought Bayek's Assassin's Creed gear.

Who directed both Monster Hunter: World and Wilds?

He co-directed Monster Hunter 4 before taking the lead on the series' push for a global audience.

Iceborne's story is set in which arctic region?

Iceborne unfolds in the Hoarfrost Reach, where hunters need hot drinks or hot springs to keep the cold from draining their stamina.

Which ice Elder Dragon is the central monster of Iceborne's story?

It freezes environments across the New World before the hunter drives it home and finishes it off.

Iceborne's third tier of difficulty was named what, in place of the older 'G' designation?

Iceborne called its top tier Master Rank, replacing the 'G' rank label that the team felt Western players found unfamiliar.

Iceborne added which grappling gadget for latching onto monsters?

The Clutch Claw, fired from the Slinger, lets hunters latch onto monsters; its Flinch Shot can slam a monster into a wall for big damage.

In Iceborne's final update, the hunter battles Fatalis in the ruins of which kingdom?

Fatalis is fought in the ruins of Castle Schrade, the kingdom the black dragon destroyed; the fight arrived in Iceborne's final free update in October 2020.

Monster Hunter Rise (2021) launched first on which console?

Rise launched on the Nintendo Switch in March 2021; a Windows port followed in January 2022 and PlayStation and Xbox versions in January 2023.

Rise introduced which rideable, dog-like companion?

Palamutes are Rise's rideable Canyne companions; hunters ride them across the map without losing stamina, and they fight alongside the Palico.

Which insect-based tool lets Rise hunters swing through the air and ride monsters?

The Wirebug lets Rise hunters zip through the air with Wiredash and Silkbind attacks, and mount and steer monsters in Wyvern Riding.

Rise is set in which Japanese-styled village?

Kamura Village, Rise's feudal-Japanese hub, is led by the Elder Fugen, while the twins Hinoa and Minoto hand out village and hub quests.

Which tiger-like fanged wyvern is the flagship monster of Rise?

It got its own amiibo at launch alongside a cat and a dog companion.

Rise's tower-defense mode, in which players hold the village gates with siege weapons, is called what?

The story blames the recurring event on two mating Elder Dragons, Ibushi and Narwa.

Rise was the first game of its type built on which Capcom technology, made for Resident Evil 7?

Rise was the first Monster Hunter built on the RE Engine, Capcom's in-house technology created for Resident Evil 7; World had used the older MT Framework.

Which vampiric Elder Dragon is the central monster of the Sunbreak expansion?

Malzeno, the vampiric Elder Dragon among the Three Lords, is Sunbreak's flagship and the host of the life-draining Qurio swarm.

Sunbreak sends the hunter to help which kingdom's outpost?

Sunbreak brings the hunter to Elgado Outpost, where the knight Fiorayne enlists help against the Three Lords threatening the Kingdom.

A July 2021 Rise event featured Amaterasu from which Capcom game?

Akuma from Street Fighter followed a month later as another crossover costume.

How many copies did Monster Hunter Wilds sell in its first three days?

Wilds sold 8 million copies in three days, Capcom's fastest-selling launch, and reached 10 million within a month of its February 2025 release.

Wilds takes place in which uncharted region?

Wilds is set in the Forbidden Lands, presumed uninhabited until a boy named Nata turns up claiming to live there.

In Wilds, hunters ride which bird-like mount that can also carry a second weapon?

The Seikret, Wilds' bird-like mount, carries a second weapon and can auto-run toward your objective while you sharpen or heal on its back.

Which monster do the Keepers of Wilds call the 'White Wraith'?

Arkveld, the 'White Wraith', is a pale wyvern long thought extinct; its chain-like wing appendages drain the life energy of other monsters.

In Wilds, who is the hunter's guild handler?

Alma, the guild handler, forms the Avis Unit with the hunter, the Palico and Nata; Gemma is the expedition's smithy.

Roughly how many concurrent Steam players did Wilds hit on release day?

Wilds peaked at about 1.38 million concurrent Steam players on launch day, the most for any Capcom game and briefly the fifth-highest peak for any game on Steam.

In the Stories spin-offs, players take the role of a what, rather than a hunter?

Stories casts players as a Rider who steals eggs, hatches 'Monsties' and fights turn-based battles alongside them.

Which company co-developed Monster Hunter Stories with Capcom?

Marvelous co-developed Monster Hunter Stories with Capcom; the 3DS original reached Japan in 2016, and Nintendo published it in the West the following year.

In Monster Hunter Stories, what is the name of the strange wild cat who insists on joining the protagonist?

Navirou, the odd wild Felyne, insists on joining the Rider and also starred in the Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On anime.

In Stories' rock-paper-scissors combat, which attack type beats Speed?

Power beats Technical, Technical beats Speed, and Speed beats Power.

In Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, the player's black-winged Rathalos is named what?

Razewing Ratha is the black-winged Rathalos the Rider raises in Stories 2; hunters blame its birth for the 'rage-rayed' monsters and try to capture it.

Who directed the 2020 live-action Monster Hunter film?

Paul W. S. Anderson directed the 2020 Monster Hunter film, having already turned Resident Evil into a six-film series starring Milla Jovovich.

Milla Jovovich's character in the 2020 film is a U.S. Army Ranger captain named what?

The director wanted an outsider lead so audiences could discover the world the way he first did in the games.

Which actor plays the Admiral, leader of the hunters' crew, in the 2020 film?

Ron Perlman plays the Admiral who leads the hunters' crew; Tony Jaa is the Hunter and rapper T.I. plays a sniper named Link.

Which cat cook from World also appears in the 2020 film?

The Meowscular Chef, Astera's canteen cook who was once the Admiral's Palico, appears in the film cooking for the crew.

The 2020 film was pulled from theaters in which country days after opening there?

China pulled the film days after its December 2020 opening when a 'Chi-knees' pun in the dialogue was taken as a racist joke; the line was later removed.

The 2021 Netflix animated film Legends of the Guild has its hero Aiden face which Elder Dragon?

Aiden, a self-taught hunter, must defend his village from the Elder Dragon Lunastra; Legends of the Guild is set before the events of World.

Which Pokémon Go developer co-created the augmented-reality mobile game Monster Hunter Now?

Niantic, maker of Pokémon Go, co-developed Monster Hunter Now with Capcom; it launched in September 2023 and caps fights with large monsters at 75 seconds.

Which manga artist wrote and drew Monster Hunter Orage?

Hiro Mashima, creator of Fairy Tail, wrote and drew Monster Hunter Orage, a four-volume series serialized by Kodansha from 2008.

Rathalos and Tigrex made cameo hunting appearances in which Metal Gear game?

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010) let Snake hunt Rathalos and Tigrex on PSP; Monster Hunter Portable 3rd returned the favor with Metal Gear-themed Felyne gear.

Rathalos appeared as a boss and a summonable Assist Trophy in which 2018 crossover fighting game?

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate made Rathalos both a boss and an Assist Trophy; Monster Hunter Mii Fighter costumes followed in March 2021, just ahead of Rise.

Which Monster Hunter 4 town merges with Wakanda in a Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite stage?

Val Habar, the Monster Hunter 4 caravan hub, merges with Wakanda in Infinite's 'Valkanda' stage; the game also added a female Monster Hunter as a DLC fighter.

Monster Hunter has featured in seasonal 'Cool Japan' attractions at which Osaka theme park?

Universal Studios Japan's 'Universal Cool Japan' seasons have featured Monster Hunter alongside Sailor Moon, Evangelion, Attack on Titan and Final Fantasy.

For Monster Hunter's 10th anniversary in 2014, Capcom offered a $30,000 24-karat gold statue of what?

Capcom marked the 10th anniversary with a 24-karat gold Felyne (Airou) statue priced at about 3 million yen, roughly $30,000.

How many weapon types are there in Generations, World and Rise?

Generations, World and Rise each offer 14 weapon types; the count grew from the original's seven, with the newest pair added in Monster Hunter 4.

What is the in-game currency of the Monster Hunter series called?

Zenny is the series' currency, sharing its name with the money in Capcom's Mega Man Legends and Breath of Fire games.

In most entries, after how many faints does a quest fail?

Three faints, or carts, fail a quest in most entries; your character has no levels, so gear and knowing when to dodge are all that stand between you and the third cart.

By May 2024, the series had passed how many units sold?

The Monster Hunter series passed 100 million units in May 2024, twenty years after the PS2 original; World alone accounts for more than 20 million of those.

Which manga, written by Keiichi Hikami, ran for 10 volumes from 2011 to 2015?

Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter, written by Keiichi Hikami and illustrated by Shin Yamamoto, ran ten volumes from 2011 to 2015 and reached English readers in 2016.