Review: Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear (Fall 2020)
Yuna, the protector of smiles, shines bright in this comedic adventure isekai. There are mild spoilers ahead, so please skip to the last paragraph for a short summary of my thoughts!
After fanatically playing the VRMMO World Fantasy Online for almost a year, the shut-in yet relatively affluent fifteen-year-old Yuna receives a bear costume from the game's administrators. The outfit, while somewhat embarrassing to wear, turns out to have overpowered stats and effects that make her character significantly more powerful. After accepting the bear equipment, she finds herself transported to another in-game world that prevents her from returning to reality. Confused and unable to log out, Yuna sets out to explore this new environment. She rescues a girl named Fina from wild wolves, who then guides her to the city of Crimonia. With her eccentric bear attire, however, Yuna stands out wherever she goes, and alongside her boosted fighting prowess, her reputation quickly rises - to the point that people give her the nickname "Bloody Bear." Undeterred by this change in her life, Yuna decides to take on the role of an adventurer and fully enjoy herself in her new world.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
If you read far enough into my winter 2023 preview post, you’ll know that one of the concerns I had after watching episode 1 of Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear was how Yuna would conduct herself. Let me tell you right now that the first episode is very misleading. As a matter of fact, this is no longer a VRMMO similar to BOFURI; Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear is a full-blown isekai. It’s somewhere between BOFURI (in that it’s a fun adventure) and Sword Art Online (in that Yuna is trapped inside a video game). Being trapped in VR isn’t really touched upon in the grand scheme of things, so if that bothers you already perhaps this show isn’t for you. That being said, Yuna is far from a braggart - the polar opposite in fact. She’s humble to the point where she’d rather have others take the credit for the things she’s accomplished rather than drawing attention to herself. From saving an orphanage from shutting down, to saving a kingdom from an army of monsters, to opening a new restaurant that serves Japanese cuisine, to saving a town from its conniving guild master and a terrifying sea monster, Yuna does it all to protect the smiles of the ones she cares about (but sometimes for her own benefit). All while wearing a comfortable bear onesie.
Not a lot of action takes place in Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear. In the episodes where there is action, Yuna usually has no problem defeating her enemies. Strangely enough, a lot of emphasis is placed on food. In a world where Japan doesn’t exist, Yuna makes it her mission to be able to taste the foods of her home country once again using the ingredients available in-game. This makes for some very wholesome moments when Yuna introduces her friends and acquaintances to the wonders of Japanese delicacies.
The rest of the cast is just as wonderful as Yuna: Fina, the girl Yuna saves from wolves in the forest and eventually becomes Yuna’s harvester; Gentz, Fina’s uncle and eventual stepfather; Tirumina, Fina’s mother; Shuri, Fina’s younger sister; Cliff, the feudal lord of Crimonia; Noire/Noa, Cliff’s daughter; Ellelaura, Cliff’s wife and Noire’s mother; and Kumayuru and Kumakyuu, Yuna’s bear summons. They each receive varying degrees of character development, but in a show that’s as laid back as this, I don’t mind most of the focus being on Yuna.
What I liked the most about this anime was its use of deadpan/dry humor. The way Yuna reacts to things in such a nonchalant manner isn’t necessarily laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s enough to make you say, “Ha!” It’s the kind of wit that makes you appreciate the show’s writing (or in this case the subtitles).
Conclusion
All in all, I came out of this show liking it more than I thought I would! It’s not as good as BOFURI, but Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear definitely has its own charms going for it. Don’t let the first episode deceive you; I’d even argue that you could skip it and begin with episode 2. Revisit the first episode once the show mentions a creature called the “black viper," and it’ll make a lot more sense. Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear is captivating in that Yuna is affable, generous, and a kind-hearted older sister figure to Fina (among others); its supporting cast, while not as fleshed out as Yuna, makes great use of their screen time - regardless of how mundane their daily lives might be; and it’s easygoing. I watched most of the episodes on a plane, and I can confirm that this anime was my saving grace during those hours up in the sky. Will I be watching season 2 coming this spring? Why, of course!
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear gets 8 kumas out of 10 (very good).
Seasonal Updates
This section is mainly for any updates regarding seasonal anime that are too short to warrant a blog post. Usually I’ll tweet these updates, but for anyone who’s not following me on Twitter, I’ve decided to put Ayakashi Triangle on hold. The amount of censorship in this anime is absurd, and I was surprised to find out that AT-X (the Japanese television network which typically airs ecchi anime uncensored) wasn’t provided a version of the show without Shirogane’s face obscuring Matsuri’s female body. I fully expect any momentum this anime has to come to a screeching halt as fans of the source material or ecchi in general are disappointed by this turn of events. I plan to revisit Ayakashi Triangle once the Blu-rays are released, and hopefully someone will subtitle it (or copy over Crunchyroll’s subtitles) shortly thereafter.
If you’ve come this far, thank you for reading! Please share this blog post if you think someone would enjoy Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear! If you’re interested in more reviews like this, consider subscribing to Anime Everywhere All at Once! It’s free! You’ll receive an email every time I post a new review or seasonal overview. I’ll likely finish Fruits Basket: The Final Season before the end of the month (finally!) after which I’ll be watching seasonals exclusively for at least the next month as I’ll soon be moving and transitioning into a new job. Wish me luck!