Say hello to Amaterasu, the “El Pollo Loco of Wild Hearts.
Yeah, so Amaterasu is part of Wild Hearts’ tradition of serving up crazy, annoying birds for players to deal with. Let’s just say this piece of poultry is unsafe even at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Or 75 degrees celsius for you folks on the metric system.
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Now Amaterasu might seem impossible at first but it’s actually not that bad once you learn its patterns. It just tracks like a guided missile and hits super hard so it’s easy to get two-shot when you make a mistake — or even one-shot depending on your armor.
This makes it super important to make sure that you’re properly geared for this hunt unless you like getting your goose cooked by a burning bird. On that note, let’s go over your prep.
Getting ready for Wild Hearts’ Amaterasu hunt
A little preparation goes a long way in turning the Amaterasu hunt from a near-impossible chicken dance to a more manageable turkey fry. Here are some key tips:
Update your armor: Ideally, you want to be wearing Mighty-class armor, which is Wild Hearts’ equivalent for high-rank armor in Monster Hunter. Prior to the Amaterasu hunt, you will unlock hunts against various Mighty monsters, whose armor provide higher defense than those made from their regular versions.
If you want something that works well and is relatively easy to farm, my recommendation would be the high-rank Basara Set from Mighty Kingtusk. It provides added wood element protection, which is Amaterasu’s main element and the big pig uses most of the same patterns of its regular counterpart with the exception of a few moves, like its head sway getting an extra attack via a ground pound that summons giant vines. Just be careful since it hits much harder than a normal Kingtusk. You can also check out my guide on how to beat a regular Kingtusk in case you need a refresher course against this particular kemono.
You can also get away with using lower rank armor if it’s from one of the stronger monsters in the game. I personally used the lower rank version of the ice wolf Deathstalker’s armor, for example, with most pieces upgraded toward the kemono path. The armor’s defense is still pretty close to the early Mighty-class armor and also has some wood element protection though not as high as the Basara.
Don’t forget to equip talismans: It’s easy to forget to equip these or change your talisman loadout, which is a big mistake. Talismans can provide extra buffs or skills that can help you in any hunt. Also note that you can equip more than one. I actually played the game all the way to Deathstalker with only one talisman equipped instead of multiple, which, needless to say, was a wasted opportunity. The lesson as always is … I’m an idiot.
Craft the strongest weapon you can: Now is also a good time to upgrade your weapon of choice to the strongest one you can get from the weapon tree. You’ll want a weapon that either has the wind element, which is Amaterasu’s weakness, or high raw attack. I ended up going for higher raw since the wind element upgrade on the path I chose for my weapons required a part from a Venomglider, which does not officially unlock until Chapter 4 and I wasn’t in the mood to search for it early in Haragasumi way.
By the way, my recommended weapon for this fight if you’re having a hard time with it is the bow. It can hit the monster more easily, especially when it’s doing its build up moves in the air. If you’re having difficulty aiming with the LV2 bolstered haya shot by the way, pushing the right stick forward actually flattens the arc of the shot so this might help with targeting. Otherwise, standing right next to a groggy or downed monster and clipping it with your body will make all your haya shots hit 100%, which always puts an evil smile on my face.
Eat, eat and eat some more: Every little bit helps against Amaterasu, whether it be extra damage or extra HP. Even the extra HP buff you get from something as simple as eating five Millet before the hunt can spell the difference between getting one-shot or surviving and being able to heal yourself.
Bring karakuri that can cancel Amaterasu: You’re kind of locked to bringing the spring and the stake as part of the story so you can unlock the harpoon during this fight. The harpoon is one of the best Dragon Karakuri for interrupting Amaterasu’s big moves and bringing the bird down.
Until you get the flash of inspiration to unlock the harpoon, though, Dragon Karakuri such as the Repeater Crossbow, Pounder and, if the kemono is on the ground, the Chain Trap can help cancel Amaterasu when it’s charging while providing a window for counter-attacking with a big hit.
Bring Tsukumo: If you’re playing solo, your helpful karakuri assistant Tsukumo can literally be a lifesaver, providing heals, celestial thread and also distracting Amaterasu if you get hit hard and need to heal. One time when I was playing solo, Tsukumo even knocked out an enraged Amaterasu after hitting it with a karakuri block for 6 points of damage (LOL).
Amaterasu hunt breakdown in Wild Hearts
OK, now let’s get to the hunt itself.
Before we break down Amaterasu’s patterns and attacks in-depth, let’s go over some basics about the flow of battle.
Think in terms of openings: It’s important to think of the Amaterasu fight not just in terms of individual patterns but also the kind of openings that Amaterasu provides.
Small or quick openings provide opportunities for quick hits or, in the case of bow, level 1 bolstered haya shots.
Big openings provide opportunities for big hits, including longer combos, charged attacks or, in the case of bow again, Level 2 bolstered haya shots and maxed out Otoya charged shots.
And then there’s Amaterasu’s charging build-up moves, and by charging, I mean Amaterasu charges or gathers energy for a long time while staying in the same spot. These typically need to be countered with Dragon Karakuri like the harpoon then followed up with big attacks from your weapon.
This is the basic flow of combat against Amaterasu and you want to respond appropriately to not just maximize your damage but also make sure you don’t overextend during a small opening and get stuck mid-combo, then wombo-comboed by Amaterasu and take giant enemy crab, or, in this case, enemy bird damage.
Use Minato to your advantage: Another important thing to note is that you can use nearby houses and structures to block Amaterasu. This includes your hunter house, which you can actually get into so you can catch a breather and heal in peace.
Note that while these block almost all of Amaterasu’s attacks, the move where Amaterasu sends red feather darts can still go through gaps in the structures and damage you.
Going into one of these structures also resets Amaterasu’s positioning if you’re looking to cheese it. If you go inside your hunter house, Amaterasu will usually go north and stand there. If you go inside the opposite house, Amaterasu will usually go south and stand there. If you want to be extra crafty, you can go inside the house and hit Amaterasu with haya shots from a bow, rinse and repeat, and then use an otoya bow shot to trigger an oh-so satisfying explosion.
Also keep in mind that it’s easy to get stuck in crevices and other sections of these buildings due to Wild Hearts’ wonky collision settings, so it might take a bit of effort to get unstuck if this happens to you.
Always have stamina and celestial thread: Mobility is important in this fight so you’ll want to make sure you have enough stamina to do two slides in a row or set down karakuri like the spring so you can dash in a flash.
Also make sure to have enough celestial thread available and not just spam them willy-nilly so you can counter its dangerous moves with a harpoon or bulwark when you need to. Climbing Amaterasu’s body when it has an exposed weak point and using your Hunter Arm on it is a great way to build up your celestial thread stocks as well.
Get by with a little help from your friends: Playing with others can make this hunt much easier unless you get an undergeared hunter who gets one-shot all the time. Otherwise, the extra bodies can give you breathing space and allow you to inflict damage when Amaterasu is targeting others. The ability to revive allies also means mistakes don’t necessarily doom your fights. You can set up a harpoon or bulwark next to you for extra security to make sure you can safely finish reviving a fellow hunter.
Speaking of friends, during the hunt, Minato’s citizens will help you by hitting Amaterasu with fire shots. This will stun the monster and leave you a big opening to counterattack.
Also, don’t forget to pick up Amaterasu’s broken parts mid-hunt so you at least keep them even if you fail.
And pay attention to Amaterasu’s cries. A lot of times, I’ll turn off lock-on so I can move better but also occasionally lose track of Amaterasu in the process. I can still dodge some of its attacks even without seeing it, though, because I listen to its cries and then dodge based on that.
Amaterasu full moveset breakdown
Now let’s go over Amaterasu’s patterns and moves.
Beak Pound and Flip: A close range move. Amaterasu rears its head then sways it counter-clockwise and slams its beak down into the ground, then does a Guile flash kick. It doesn’t have a lot of range so it’s pretty easy to dodge.
One-Two Swipe: A close-range move. While standing on the ground, Amaterasu uses both wings like a one-two punch. This is easy to avoid with just a bit of distance. When using the bow, I sometimes try to bait this by standing in front or around Amaterasu since it has a nice opening.
Front Feather Darts: Amaterasu uses both wings to send out feather darts in a V-shaped pattern in front of it. Easily avoided by dodging to the side.
Double Feather Darts: A medium-range move. While airborne, Amaterasu raises its right wing and sends feathers raining down then repeats it with its left wing. If you’re in range while facing Amaterasu, just dodge right then left. Otherwise, it can be avoided by backing up if you’re far enough.
Homing Feather Darts: A long-range move. While airborne, Amaterasu spins and sends a single wave of feathers that are charged with red aura in a fan-shaped pattern. The best way to avoid this is to dodge at the last second. If you time it perfectly, even a normal dodge with your weapon out will avoid it. You can dodge this sideways or backwards as long as you time it right. Otherwise, dodging too early will cause the attack to hit you. This can be one of Amaterasu’s more stressful moves to deal with and can set you up to get wombo-comboed so make sure to watch out for it. You’ll know this is coming when Amaterasu turns its back in the air.
Talon swipe: From the air, flies downward and scrapes the ground with its talons. One version has Amaterasu land right away while another version has it going up again and then landing. Just dodge away from it.
Air Dash: From the air, Amaterasu rushes forward toward you. There are several versions of this. One is a normal dash that can hit you once or multiple times if Amaterasu is powered-up. The multi-hit version will KO you if you’re not at max health or using substandard armor. If you get hit, be careful when timing when you stand up as you can get hit by the next dash while doing so. The other version is a grab where the monster leads with its claws and if it connects, Amaterasu will pick you up with its talons and then throw you into the ground. This one is fairly easy to avoid but hits hard for big damage if it connects so you’ll want to be on the lookout for it. You’ll know it’s coming when Amaterasu raises both wings and lets out a cry while airborne. You can avoid it by dodging sideways. Don’t dodge backwards as it will still hit you. Make sure you don’t dodge too early, though, as Amaterasu will be able to grab you just as your dodge ends. You can also use a Bulwark to block this if you're quick enough and a chain trap can stop it in its tracks well if Amaterasu hits it at the perfect angle.
Air-Drop Slam: While standing on the ground, Amaterasu kicks up and flies straight up high into the air while letting out a cry and then drops down and slams the ground with force. This is easy to avoid with just about any kind of dodge, but can track and hit its target from anywhere as long as you’re out in the open so you’ll need to be paying attention to it. Fortunately, it’s easy to anticipate, too, as Amaterasu basically disappears from the screen. This also leaves a big opening that you can use to hit Amaterasu hard. If Amaterasu is enraged, it will start doing this twice in a row and do way more damage. By the way, standing near a bulwark will actually stagger Amaterasu if it tries to use this move on you. You can also bait Amaterasu into a chain trap during this move.
Green Aura Build-Up: Amaterasu starts building up green aura in order to store energy in its wings. You’ll want to cancel this as it can power up Amaterasu. At the same time, this is one of your opportunities to inflict big damage so make sure to take advantage of it. Once you’ve unlocked the harpoon, you can use that to cancel the move and hold Amaterasu in place for a long time or even drop it to the ground sometimes. Otherwise, a repeater crossbow can also cancel it and a pounder or Nodachi charged hit to the head will sometimes stagger Amaterasu or knock down the monster to the ground. Even breaking a glowing weak spot with your hunter arm will cancel it. A pounder is also a good option for extra damage if you’re playing multiplayer and see someone already setting up a harpoon. If you do try to build karakuri while standing on the green pool underneath Amaterasu, watch out for the small green pillars that it creates as they can knock you down and cancel your crafting.
Enraged Amaterasu: Once you’ve inflicted enough damage, Amaterasu builds up golden energy while in mid-air. Trees start to grow and the screen turns black and white before Amaterasu finally discharges the energy for big damage. This is Amaterasu’s powered-up state. You’ll know when it’s enraged because it has a dark aura bubbling from its body. This powers up the bird’s moves so be especially careful when it’s mad.
Ring Dash: Amaterasu generates a halo then charges forward while leaving a trail of golden rings. Amaterasu will do this twice and then slam down on the ground. My advice is to dodge from the side to avoid the first one and then dodge again toward the same direction for the second one. It’s better to dodge in the same direction for both — so if you dodge to the right the first time, also dodge right for the second time. Don’t go right then left or left then right as this often leads to the second dash hitting you from my experience. This also leads to a nice opening if you successfully dodge so get ready to counterattack.
Ground Bird Blast: Amaterasu looks down while its mouth glows then rears its head upward while a halo forms on its back. This will be followed by a shotgun blast of golden energy in front of it that forms a big shining ball. You’ll need to create enough separation away from Amaterasu to avoid this one. Amaterasu always likes to link to this move as part of a combo so be on the lookout for it.
Aerial Bird Blast: This is like the previous bird blast, except Amaterasu does it from the air. This covers a lot of ground so make sure to create enough separation or you could also i-frame dodge it if you can’t get far enough.
Sideways Bird Laser: This one starts out like the Bird Blast but instead of a shotgun blast, Amaterasu tilts its head to the side and does a sweeping laser beam. This creates a trail of golden circles on the ground that explode into pillars of energy. Naturally, make sure you’re not stepping on them. Amaterasu also likes to combo this with a Bird Blast so avoid the front area of the monster when dodging this. By the way, this provides a big opening if Amaterasu is targeting Tsukumo or an ally since it holds the kemono in place for a bit.
Forward Bird Laser: While airborne, Amaterasu’s beak glows while a halo forms on its back and the monster fires a sweeping laser while moving forward. Just dodge this to the side.
Fire Pillars: Amaterasu slowly hovers in the air and generates a halo of fire while summoning multiple fire pillars on the ground. Just look out for the pillars and stay away from them. This move holds Amaterasu in place for a while and is especially great for hitting it with a big attack.
Supernova: Amaterasu charges golden light and forms three halos above the monster. It will then release a supernova shot down to the ground. Use a harpoon to counter it. This can one-shot, by the way, so make sure to avoid it if you can’t cancel it.
By the way, to unlock the Amaterasu hunt permanently after beating the monster, go to the poet lady at the very top of Minato by taking the elevator from the Crimson Treasury shop. She should have a side quest involving Amaterasu for you. Finish that and you will unlock the 5-star quest “Hunting Encore: Auspice of Minato” at the Chapter 4 map.
Anyway, there you go. How to hunt the big piece of chicken, er, Amaterasu in Wild Hearts. Good luck and happy hunting!
