User blog comment:BannedLagiacrus/Monster Appreciation Week: Great Maccao/@comment-5020152-20160716141809

Because the monsters of MH Gen don't really have cutscenes, I'm instead going to attempt to personify them based on how they appear in the game.

GREAT MACCAO (aka MATAU)

 Concept : The first feathered raptor in Monster Hunter. Great Maccao serves as a replacement for Great Jaggi in MH Generations (because let’s face it, the only reason Great Jaggi was in 4 Ultimate was to be a punching bag). If you think Matau here is going to be as easy to take out as his scalier cousin, then he’s about to give you a very rude wake-up call! 8/10

 Design : This guy reminds me of a Dilophosaurus for some reason. Maybe it’s the little ridges above his eyes that look like crests? Either way, Great Maccao is yet another fantastic monster that MH Generations introduces. His variety of tropical colors make him so much more different than the other raptorial bird wyverns, with the green feathers, yellow frill, and bright red muzzle. His tail is very wide and sports claw-like spikes on them, hinting to you that it’s used for something other than just slapping you. It’s also heavily scaled instead of feathered, and same goes for his arms and legs. I really love Matau’s design, it’s a breath of fresh air after dealing with the ‘dromes of 4 Ultimate and the Jaggis, Baggis, and Wroggis of 3 Ultimate, and I can’t help but think he’s a goofy-looking monster. Even the slightly demented expression on his face is pretty funny. 9/10

 Sounds : Great Maccao has a very high-pitched call, sounding sort of like a Great Jaggi but a lot shriller. It sounds unintimidating at first, but when he gets enraged, he starts shrieking up a storm. It’s actually kind of scary – Matau’s screams and yowls make him sound REALLY pissed off. I think the scariest is that noise he makes when he performs a Kangaroo Kick - "HROOOOHSSS-WRAOEEEEK!" His music is kind of silly, but it fits him, and it has a weird intensity to it that sounds a bit… I don’t know, dangerous. It’s like the music is a reflection of the monster himself. You can underestimate him if you want, but something’s telling you that you’re going to regret it dearly. 9/10

 Gameplay : Bite, tail whip, hip check, call for minions. While that’s all Great Jaggi can do, Great Maccao thankfully has a moveset with a little more spice to it. The animations for those attacks are slightly different than Great Jaggi’s, and that’s not all! Matau also has a few attacks all his own. These include a forwards hop where he punches you with his scaly forelimbs for minor damage, some minor kicking moves, and an attack in which he repeatedly jumps up and down with some piercing shrieks added to complete the image of an angry temper tantrum. The deadliest, though, is his Kangaroo Kick – those scary-looking claws on his tail are to allow Great Maccao to actually sit back on his tail for a few seconds, before letting out that hissing shriek of his and catapulting himself forward for massive damage. I haven't been playing MH Gen for long, but I love fighting Great Maccao because he provides such a different experience from fighting the other raptors. 8/10

 New Stuff : Other than being the first feathered dinosaur in Monster Hunter, Great Maccao doesn’t bring anything new to the table. N/A

 Equipment : … I literally have no information about Great Maccao equipment. I’ll update this review when I do have something to go on. N/A

 Personality : Well, here goes – an attempt to personify a monster that’s been overshadowed by the Elite Four’s publicity. Great Maccao’s movements are rather speedy, and his attack patterns are spastic. That, plus the fact that he looks kind of silly and moves primarily by jumping around, gives the impression of a monster with his own unique take on life. He’s always excited and expresses it by generally never sitting still. Matau indeed has the goofy attitude to match his looks (unlike Yian Kut-Ku and Congalala, who are generally more clumsy than truly goofy). When he gets mad, though, he gets pretty dang mad, evidenced by his increasingly chaotic attack patterns. With all this in mind, my interpretation of Great Maccao is a friendly, fun person that is slow to anger but has a terrifying dark side nevertheless. If the monsters of Monster Hunter had some kind of community structure, Great Maccao would be… well, I don’t think he’s quite well-characterized enough to make a good judgement about that. 8/10

 Summary : Great Maccao was created to replace Great Jaggi, so instead of a boring punching bag, MH Generations’ first boss monster is a quirky character that brings a few new things to the table. With some unique moves, an interesting design, and cool music, this raptor is a welcome addition to the Monster Hunter series despite not being as popular as the game’s flagships. Overall 8/10