Dracula Influences Pointed Out in Monster Hunter Malzeno Concept Art

Capcom often shares insight into Monster Hunter designs online, and the latest looks at the Dracula reference present in Malzeno from Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. Artist Aehwa Shin offered some comments discussing this Elder Dragon, which appeared as the expansion’s flagship monster, alongside two pieces of art.

Here’s the full treet from Aehwa Shin looking at Malzeno’s design. Shin showed the cape-like elements to the wings, which appeared in all stages of the concept art. It also showed how additional fins and accents kept up the motif.

We’ve seen members of the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak team share concept art of Malzeno before. Director Yoshitake Suzuki did so back in 2021. That piece showed the Elder Dragon in front of the moon, as it appeared in its reveal. It also showed the sort of shadow it can cast.

So far, Malzeno has only appeared in one game in the series. It debuted to late to appear in any spin-offs like Monster Hunter Stories 2. That game did end up featuring more recent characters like Fatalis as a Co-op Quest monster, however. It is uncertain if we could end up seeing it in Monster Hunter Wilds when it launches in 2025.

Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak is available on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.