I know this game is similar to Phantasy Star Online, which also had paid online play, but that business model seems so outdated by now.  These games aren't really persistent, nor are they massively multiplayer -- you're in groups of four, like a very basic FPS.  Maybe the Japanese have different standards, but if Monster Hunter 3 Tri is ever released in the West, I think Capcom will have to make the online features free just to maintain parity with everything else in the market.

Yeah the only online enabled Monster Hunter that ever came out in the US was Monster Hunter 1 and that didn't have any online fees. The only explanation why they are doing this is because Capcom built their own dedicated servers for Monster Hunter on Wii. All the PSP Monster Hunter games are ad-hoc so the only way to play online with those is "tunneling".

Truthfully, pay for online is not worth it, but you know if you are going to do it...you need to do it right. 

The game should be free to pick up a copy or at high discount $20.00-$30.00 for the initial purchase.  Then at most it should only cost $5.00 a month to play. 

I was disappointed at first, but then I remembered that G was just the remake, and he didn't say anything at all about Tri.

Hah, same here. Oh man, it would be lovely if Tri gets officially announced and a Phantasy Star Online installment comes to the Wii. Monster Hunter can be frustrating and unforgiving at times so it would be nice to have PSO offer something a bit easier to chew.