As I have said before, the monsters in the Monster Hunter series are one of the primary aspects that makes the franchise so great. But since no collection of games is perfect, there are a few creatures that are not exactly what comes to mind when you hear the word "Monster." With that said, I present my personal list of "The Best and Worst" MH monsters.

Best

5. Lagiacrus- Gamers usually cringe at the thought of ever having to experience game-play involving "water levels". Despite this, the Lagiacrus was able to calmly introduce us to this new mechanic in Monster Hunter Tri. As well as being a cool monster, I cannot help but get a feeling of nostalgia every time its electric spines light up. Its almost as if I am reminded of another famous Japanese monster that lives in the ocean. Hmmm... I think its name begins with a G.

3. Rathalos- Ever since its face graced the cover of Monster Hunter, the Rathalos has served as the series's main mascot and has remained the fans' personal favorite. To not put the Rathalos on this list would be a crime. As much as we adore "Old Wrath" however, its like as Jared always says, nothing is more gratifying or pleasing than slaying "The King of the Skies".

2. Deviljho- If you ever wondered what a Tyrannosaurus-Rex would look like if it were pumped with enough steroids to sterilize fifty Arnold Schwarzeneggers (seriously, don't do steroids.), it would probably look something like a Deviljho. Along with being one the most difficult monsters to take down in Monster Hunter Tri, fans love it so much that they have expressed their strange tendency to "ENJOY GETTING RAPED BY A DEVILJHO!- A YouTuber."

1. Akantor- One of the most difficult parts about fighting this monster was just trying to beat it while you pissed your pants at the sheer sight of him. Its Japanese name literally means "Supreme Monster" and with a moniker like that, can it really be any more bad-ass? It has been said that the only times Chuck Norris ever wet his bed was when he had nightmares about this beast.

Worst

5. Great Jaggi and "Dromes"- Even though the alpha leaders of the "Preys" (velociprey and the other variations) and Jaggis serve as a hunter's first big-game hunt, you can't deny that you don't need any real strategy in order to defeat them. You learn how to kill them so quickly, that fighting them again is the equivalent to swatting a mosquito only after killing your first one.

4. Qurupeco- Since killing Great Jaggis was so easy even in your first encounter in Monster Hunter Tri, fighting the pterodactyl-like Qurupeco for the first time feels like running into a brick wall. Its ability to call on bigger monsters and even its uexplained use of calls to cure itself made it a frustrating adversary. I swear, in the seemingly limitless times that it took me to kill it, I felt a little piece of my soul die every time I failed to keep it from using its healing call.

3. Kirin- Is it my little pony or a monster? An important question that is left unanswered. Even if hundreds of bronies praised the look of this misplaced creature, it is hard to deny that it is just a pain to slay. And given its small size and nonthreatening demeanor, it didn't seem exactly fulfilling when you finally killed it.

2. Urcusis- The Urcusis is an example of what happens when Capcom tries to replicate good old humor from Monty Python and The Holy Grail. The end result is a really unimpressive monster. At best, the Urcusis is a polar bear with the head of a koala bear and ears of a rabbit. I think I would be more afraid of Bugs Bunny than this joke of a beast. With the exceptional cast of  monsters in the Monster Hunter franchise, this one truly represents a downgrade in design. 

  1. Congalala- Its hard to determine what is the worst thing about this monster. The fact that it is pink, has the word "la-la" in its name, and its primary form of attack is its farts and bad breath has made all the gamers that fought it say a disgusted "WTF". And yes, a super fart that hinders the player's ability to consume items is its special move. Even its "roar" is a fart. And what does it do when it's tail is severed? It flings pieces of its own crap at you.

So there's my list. Please comment on this and tell me your personal "Best and Worst" choices. To all Monster Hunter fans, thank you, and happy hunting!