User blog comment:BannedLagiacrus/Monster Appreciation Week: Yian Kut-Ku(4th Gen)/@comment-5020152-20150323204356

YIAN KUT-KU

Concept: Kut Ku is the perfect example of "appearances deceive", one that lures you in close with his goofy face and then steamrolls you. Yian Kut-Ku is intended to be "baby's first wyvern", a sort of introduction to the tougher monsters awaiting you later in the game. His intimidating-yet-funny appearance makes him the perfect monster for that job. All in all, a pretty good concept. 7/10

Design: Take a barnyard chicken, pluck it bare, and then feed it a diet of hot peppers and nuclear waste. That's Yian Kut-Ku. This monster is one of the most bird-like of the Bird Wyverns, possessing a thick beak and powerful wings that he makes great use of in battle. His oddest features are the fan-shaped ears that stick out over his head. Kut-Ku has a very nice color scheme as well - predominantly pink with touches of blue and white on his wings and belly. As of MH4U, his shell has a pearly sheen to it that only makes him look prettier. He's definitely a funny-looking customer with that monstrous beak and ridiculous ears, but in this case, all his weird traits fit together nicely. 8/10

Sound: Kut-Ku communicates with loud squawks and screeches. His most distinctive noise is the high-pitched squeal he makes on numerous occasions, such as when he's horking up fireballs or about to run you over. In my opinion, though, there's nothing really impressive about his vocals. 5/10

Gameplay: Right off the bat, you can tell that fighting Yian Kut-Ku is not the same as fighting Velocidrome or Seltas. Adjusting to such a drastic change in battle style is a challenge, but learning Kut-Ku's moveset is essential, as it sets you up for future hunts against the Rathian and Garuga, among other wyverns. In comparison to other monsters, Kut-Ku has a rather basic set of attacks. Watch out for his fireballs and his charge, which can come out of nowhere when he becomes enraged. A raging Kut-Ku is extremely fast and hits much harder than any other early-game monster, giving beginners another reason to fear him. If you're having trouble with Kut-Ku, not to worry, you can toss a Sonic Bomb at him to take advantage of his sensitive ears. Kut-Ku is fun to hunt, and learning his moves has a huge payoff. 7/10

New Stuff: Like Velocidrome, Yian Kut-Ku now makes use of the mechanics introduced in MH3. For instance, when he becomes tired, he will start digging for Konchu and often gets his beak stuck in the ground, allowing you to get some easy hits in on him. As well, he has lost the ability to instantly go into a charge - you can actually see the attack coming, when he crouches and prepares to spring on you. His fireballs will inflict Fireblight, which will drain your health. A huge improvement over the old Kut-Ku. 9/10

Equipment: Uh... it's okay? I've never used Kut-Ku equipment, honestly. I know the armor will increase the amount of raw and Fire-element damage you can do, and that's about it. All of his weapons either upgrade into better ones or quickly become obsolete. 3/10

Cutscene: The hunter walks into the area and comes across a group of Konchu, which are ambushed and eaten by a Yian Kut-Ku. This cutscene shows off a predator-prey relationship between monsters, while also showing you how goofy Kut-Ku is. It's probably one of my favorites. 8/10

Summary: In the past, Yian Kut-Ku was probably the third-biggest annoyance on the planet (behind the Khezu, Cephalos, and Troll-fangos). Now, he's not just manageable, he's also fun! He's the perfect test of a beginner's mettle, and makes you laugh all the way through with his funny appearance and clumsy movements. This Konchu-eating chicken isn't just an old favorite of Monster Hunter fans, but he's a series staple that's gotten a big improvement in MH4U. Overall 6.5/10