Monster Hunter Rise: 7 Cutest Monsters

Monster Hunter: Rise is the newest installment in the series after Monster Hunter: World, and is considered one of the 5/5 games of 2021. What the series is known for are its terrifying monsters, but Rise has many – some new and some old – that hunters may find to be more on the adorable side rather than scary.

These monsters have many physical qualities, as well as mannerisms and habits that bring to mind real-life animals that players may be endeared to, and may give them pause mid-hunt to admire such cute creatures.

Volvidon

Frequently found in the Sandy Plains, Volvidon resembles a combination of an armadillo, a skunk, and an anteater. This creature’s cuteness is in its ability to curl up in a ball and roll around – deadly though it may be to stand in its path when doing so. However, slightly less charming – or perhaps more, depending on the hunter – is that Volvidon will bombard the hunter with stink clouds which make it difficult to stomach any healing items, making the fight more difficult unless the hunter has deodorant to dispel the stench.

Though cute in some ways, this creature’s mouth and extended tongue – which can reach and pull the hunter in close from a distance – do also give it a horrifying edge. 

Pukei-Pukei

The poison-spewing Pukei-Pukei rivals some of the cutest poison-type Pokémon in the adorable stakes. It has elements of a peacock and gecko in its design with colorful feathers and a thick, lizard-like tongue it can use to attack the hunter. Its primary form of attack is spitting globs of poison, creating areas that will cause the hunter to be poisoned.

This ability is powered when Pukei-Pukei stops to consume berries mid-hunt. With its vibrant plumage, long tongue, and large, lizard-like eyes, Pukei-Pukei would make for an adorable plushie to admire and snuggle with.

Kulu-Ya-Ku

An old regular of the series, Kulu Ya Ku returns in Monster Hunter: Rise as a lower-level monster for hunters to sharpen their skills on. Though it’s not a higher-level threat, this large raptor-chicken has a goofy charm to it.

Kulu-Ya-Ku is described as a ‘bandit’ creature with a penchant for stealing other creatures’ eggs, and it will in fact do so during a hunt in order to recover. Its defense mechanism of digging up rocks or finding eggs and using either to defend itself against the hunter’s myriad weapons makes it all the more endearing.

Bishaten

Bishaten is the combination of a baboon and a bat, with its wings and its tail which is able to grab things and help it maintain balance. The way it perches on its prehensile, hand-like tail is fascinating, but a big part of Bishaten’s charm is in its primate-like ability to gather and throw fruit at the hunter. If interrupted, the hunter can cause Bishaten to drop all of its gathered fruit, and then pick up what was dropped and toss them back or eat them to heal.

All of these elements together make Bishaten feel like an adorable mischievous scamp, despite its large size and deadliness.

Arzuros

This large monster is a mix between a badger and a bear with its ability to stand on its hind legs, and its long, deadly claws. One of its moves is a big bear hug that almost makes a hunter want to take the hit and embrace the cuddle.

Another bear-like quality is that it even has a penchant for stealing honey from the hunter if it’s able to get its paws on them. If it does so it will immediately start chowing down mid-battle, leaving it vulnerable in a Winnie the Pooh-esque sitting position. if the hunter so chooses to interrupt their snack, though its cuteness in this state may make it hard to do so.

Lagombi

This fanged beast hails from the icy biome of the Frost Islands. Lagombi is what could be described as a combination of a polar bear and a snow bunny. The way it slips and slides across the map also brings to mind penguins of the antarctic. Lagombi has the fun and cute gimmick of attacking the hunter with snowballs, either tossing them or rolling large ones towards them.

Its heightened hearing with its big fluffy ears also serves as a weakness. If the hunter uses a sonic bomb it will cause Lagombi to flinch, making it a useful tool to interrupt any attacks or stop Lagombi sliding around. Its sensitivity and ability to play around in the snow adds a cute, disarming quality to this large deadly beast, and, like some Pokémon, it could make a cute pet.

Tetranadon

Tetranadon is one of many new monsters that make Rise worth the purchase. It presents as a fusion of a crocodile, toad, platypus, and turtle. Its shell, large bill, and generally round, toad-like shape make it prime material for a plushie or pillow. Part of its charm outside of its appearance is its habit of eating mid-battle, which causes Tetranadon to swell up its belly to resemble a toad’s vocal sac-esque appendage. This increases its size and weight to massive proportions, making it slower.

However, while in this state the creature also hits much harder, slamming down its paws and dishing out sumo-esque style wrestling moves. Tetranadon’s belly can be deflated in this state if the hunters focus on damaging its stomach, though it may pain them to deprive the creature of its meal in order to do so.