Monster Hunter x Sanrio Collaboration Arrives In April, But Good Luck Getting Your Hands On It

An unexpected collaboration between Capcom’s Monster Hunter and Sanrio’s Hello Kitty is coming in April, but it will only be available in select locations. Both franchises are incredibly successful and instantly recognizable, but thematically the characters couldn’t be further from each other. Hello Kitty features adorable and cutesy characters, while Monster Hunter tends to favor giant and formidable terrors (discounting the cute Palicos, of course).

Despite their differences, Bandai is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Monster Hunter franchise with the release of special gachapon keychain figurines. Gachapon are extremely popular Japanese blind-bag machines that reward you with a random special design for a small fee, in this case, 300円 or about $2 USD.

A new line of Monster Hunter x Hello Kitty keychain designs was announced on the official Gashapon Bandai X page, combining the two franchises in an unexpected collaboration. The keychains will arrive in Bandai gachapon sometime in April.

Adorable Gachapon Hello Kitty x Monster Hunter Keychains Are Coming Soon

The Designs Combine Characters From both Franchises

The adorable rubber keychains measure about two inches in height and feature well-known Sanrio characters wearing Monster Hunter-themed outfits. These outfits are adorned with the recognizable parts of the monsters, like the head, wings, and tail. There are 10 potential designs to win, all of which are listed below:

Hello Kitty x Palico
My Melody x Mizutsune
Pompompurin x Furious Rajang
Cinnamoroll x Velkhana
Kuromi x Fatalis
Pochacco x Zinogre
Hangyodon x Lagiacrus
Tuxedo Sam x Valstrax
Little Twin Stars x Rathalos/Rathian
Badtz-Maru x Nargacuga

Among the monsters making an appearance in the collection are several new faces in the MH franchise, introduced in Monster Hunter Wilds. Notable, My Melody is wearing an outfit based on the Mizutsune, which is slated to be added to the game in an upcoming update. Several franchise staples also make an appearance in the form of cute outfits, like the beloved Palico and Rathalos/Rathian combo.

Hello Kitty x Monster Hunter Gacha Keychains May Be Japan Exclusives

But There’s A Chance They’ll Appear In Select Bandai Locations In The West

Unfortunately for Western fans of both Hello Kitty and Monster Hunter, there’s no word on whether this collaboration will make it to the rest of the world or if it’ll be a Japan exclusive. Gachapon is traditionally very Japanese in nature, but the phenomenon of these little blind-bag capsule machines is beginning to catch on in the West. Bandai now has gachapon stores in a few locations in the US, which can be located on the Bandai website, so they may appear there at some point, as well.

You Might Be Ignoring Monster Hunter Wilds’ Most Useful Feature

Monster Hunter Wilds has an under looked feature that completely reinvents the endgame grind; an extremely useful tool for any endgame player.

Even if it seems unexpected, this is the perfect time for a collaboration, as Monster Hunter WIlds is currently taking the world by storm. The latest entry in the Monster Hunter series is breaking records for Capcom and in gaming in general, making the title one of the most successful launches in recent gaming history.

Source: Gashapon Bandai/X, Bandai