User blog comment:Mckrongs/Monster Hunter 4 for the Nintendo 3DS/@comment-2062313-20121012102833/@comment-4212769-20121013175434

It's not really "flexing muscles". It's the sign that your health increased, that you are (more) healthy again. This isn't about "manliness", at all.

This is part of the challenge hunting a monster in Monster Hunter. You need to time your potion consumption right. It could also be just taking longer to drink it, but that animation would be a little "unhandy" and kinda boring. The moves the hunter does are very noticeable and fluent (I wanted to use another word but it just doesn't come to my mind... >.<). And like the first anon said it's kinda a signature of Monster Hunter.

Also that gives us another skill called Quick Eating.

It just wouldn't be the same if it is gone. And it wouldn't feel like Monster Hunter.