Yuna's not your typical 15-year-old. First, she's crazy rich from playing the stock market. Second,
she's a recluse obsessed with a VRMMO game, and she's really good at that too. Her life is pretty much
perfect—until she wakes up one day inside the game she loves and back at level one. She has to start
over, but this time, she has a powerful bear suit that's guaranteed to take her places!
(Source: Funimation)
Note: The first episode was streamed on Abema TV on September 19, 2020. The regular TV broadcast
started on October 7, 2020.
Before I get to do a proper review, I would like to discuss episode 1 regardless. Episode 1.... Well, It's both confusing and questions why is it even existing. Even my friend comment "I pretending it doesn't even exist in the first place". I want to talk about it, It looks normal and fine for a first-timer or doesn't read manga/light novel, but when you get to episode 2, it becomes a mess. I am not even sure what the studio was thinking, maybe they mixed up a frame/scene? We will never know. Not to mention, the first episode (an only scene that was isekai) was before the 4th episode in terms of storyline, yet somehow they add new materials that didn't even exist in the manga of her life before being' isekai (unsure about Light Novel) and combine those two into the first episode. What I think they are trying to achieve is showing that this ISEKAI (that a keyword for this show) is based on the VRMMO game that the main character played. However, if that was the case, the studio is clearly making a mistake of using the wrong design since VRMMO character and isekai character design are totally different and ep 4 is directly related to it in terms of story flow. What they could do is remove any scene outside of isekai, and clean it a bit then put it in episode 3 (before 4th) while any before 4 push down by 1 (3rd become 2th, 2th become 1th while originally first episode could be the third episode.) To keep a short summary of the first episode. "Everything about it was weird and doesn't even make sense" So for those who want to watch this anime smoothly, you can choose to skip the first episode, watch 2nd to 3rd, then 1st(ignoring the part where we see her outside of isekai world), then finally onward 4th to end. I am hoping that in the BluRay version, it will be fixed. Hopefully. Now, on to the proper review. I haven't read Light Novel, but I did read the manga of it (up to 7-8 episodes in an Anime), One thing I can say for sure that it is normal, few contents were skipped over. If my friend is right about this, this show, 12 episodes have contained 6 volumes, which is really unusual as most average LN adaption typically do 12 ep per 3-4 volume) Which can say it is certainly rushed. However, that doesn't matter for this as this show is entirely focused on wholesome/kindness. This reminds me of another good anime of this seasonal that I enjoy, [Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko ](https://anilist.co/anime/115740/Kamitachi-ni-Hirowareta-Otoko/). Unlike most typically isekai, this show only focuses on a wholesome, kind, slice of life, about the main character named Yuna who doesn't have anything to do in real life other than eating, selling/buying stock, sleep and games, It was a life of being alone. Somehow, she was transferred to the new world with a mirror of herself looks and in a bear suit that she can only use to survive in an unknown world that is filled with adventure, monster, magic, etc (her bear suit equipment help her to be strong). Yuna eventually meets many people, and help them out while building a relationship and friend. There was a time where she doesn't need to help and let things go naturally, but she refused and went out to help. It not like she is some of a hero so to speak, it was more of "If I happen to be there, I will do what I can do to help others" This show has shown that showing kindness to others will return kindness back to you, and you can build up any connections without any conflicts. Given an example is when Yuna wants to do something, she tries to think of the best solution that works for both sides, so that both can have profit gain, and able to do something to improve their life. As I mention early, Yuna was used to living alone, with no friends, etc to the point where she thinks it is normal. However, as soon as she was transferred to another world, she was filled with a busy life, having friends, people that she can rely on. Eventually, as time goes on, she starts to understand and want to be with her certain friends as she enjoys companionship with. I enjoy this show, as it is very rare to see wholesome isekai when they are usually filled with dark, action, power fighting, etc (Unless I haven't watched a lot...). Bonus: There is a lot of cute girls, so this is a bonus point. It's not something perfect or worst, it not exactly the isekai you would be expecting off, but it's a nice show that you can enjoy having a positive aspect.
"Kuma kuma kuma bear" is the second isekai, that I completed. I first thought, that it would be really boring since many anime already used the concept of a leveling system. After I watched it, I really like it. It has such a cute concept and isn't that long either. Let's go in more detail: # 1. Story The anime "Kuma kuma kuma bear" is about a girl Yuna, who loves to play a VRMMO game. In the first sequences of the anime we see her "real" life. She lives alone and her room is really cold, it has nothing that actually could feel like home. img220(https://yuriempire.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/yuna-and-her-first-avatar.jpg) She is actually more often in the game than in her real life. In the first episode, we only see her in the game world and not in the reality. It is the time, when she already got used into being in the game world and lost the connection to the real world. That is why it is a bit weird for beginners to watch. The second episode finally starts, how Yuna got into the game world in episode 1 (this isn't considered as spoiling since we all know, that Yuna will get into the game in the describtion). In this sequence she gets her Bear outfit. img220(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/He4559948ac2741fbb5ea4d08b52c7ea53/Anime-Kuma-Kuma-Kuma-Bear-Yuna-Cosplay-Costume-Kigurumi-Adult-Unisex-Pajamas-Flannel-Jumpsuit-Sleepwear-Onesies.jpg) The bear outfit has two sides, one black and one white. She discovers her power with this clothes and help the village, in which she got, out. I think it is most accurate to say, that idea got used pretty much often. The main character gets -for whatever reason- into another world, levels up, get the best. I'm actually a bit tired to watch those anime which is why I wanted to drop "Kuma kuma kuma bear" too. But while watching this anime, I personally got a warm feeling. The concept of the whole anime is so cute and adorable. The main character Yuna gets to know more and more people and actually help them. It was fascinating to watch how she tried to help people with the bottom of her heart. img220(https://64.media.tumblr.com/8ee2e115d08f994673fdd384b13bee6b/d96281b2dbb18e56-8c/s640x960/84b92feedd3351fb82c1108dd7cdf1ab526dabb2.gifv) # 2. Character Yunas character was actually a little bit distanced from everything as you can expect of someone who lived a life on her own. Through each episode Yuna gets more openminded and much more cheerful. It was nice watching the progress. I personally was a bit disappointed that we didn't get much information why Yuna want to leave the reality and go to the game world. It would have been more interesting to know more about her past. img220(https://img.anime2you.de/2020/08/kuma-bear.jpg) The side characters were helping Yuna to change her character and especially the character Fina -also in the picture above- changed Yunas point of view in life. They both were pretty cute together. # 3. Art / Animation / Soundtrack I really liked the art and animation. Since it is a new released anime, the animation is much better than those from the year 2002 for example. img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/c4/ff/f6c4ff33e891335a6612ace756e4a2ea.gif) It was really nice to watch for me, since I liked the animation. The soundtracks aren't bad either, eventhough I wouldn't hear them in my daily life as a soundtrack. It is really catchy and happy. youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVsZRUQ8YH4) # 4. Conclusion Personally I think, that the anime is not bad. But the anime is more like a "snack" for me than a real "meal". When you got some freetime and don't know what to do, I can say it is a good thing to waste your time on lol -watching anime is kinda waisting time. Proof me wrong-. The consept of the anime is not rare that is why I wouldn't give that high grades on the story. All in all, it deserved a 7/10.
___A bit of a sum up here:___ A cute and sweet show with a slow pace. If you are after a serious story with a strong plot... Run away ! (Even tho considering the anime's poster it would be quite the surprise) But, if you're after an anime with a "moe" esthetic, an overpowered main character in an "isekai" like world this is maybe a good show to fill in your lost hours. Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear holds to its premises, no more no less, which sometimes could be quite rare. No ecchi, no harem, just a cute slice of life to take a peaceful breath, quite refreshing isn't it ? The animation is clean and sometimes "really good", the music does the job, the sounds effect too... And the characters, damn, they are so endearing, and even though the relationship between each other remains quite simple (following the premises of the show), damn it is sweet ! To conclude this little explanation, this anime isn't the main dish more of a side one. img220(https://www.animenachrichten.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Kuma-Kuma-Kuma-Bear-Newsbild-Ende-2020-696x392.jpg.webp) If "Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!" was appealing to you, this anime is a good follow-up and another take. Cute girls, check, slice of life, check, overpowered mc, check !! ___Concerning the different episodes:___ Well, so far I enjoyed every bit of the show, from my own point of view (maybe because of my past experiences) I didn't find the time to get bored all along the way, and what a path! All along the show, we follow Yuna, Miss Bear, a 15 years-old teenage building relationship all over the place with different kinds of girls, all uniques with their different personalities and their common love for bears. The culminating point of this precise topic in my opinion, is episode 12 where we can really see the evolution of all the cast. Yuna being pretty much detached from everything at the beginning of the anime, growing around all her new encounters in the heartwarming world depictured by the studio. Yeah, the strong point of the whole anime is mainly and maybe even solely the colorful characters. ___The characters:___ img220(https://www.animeunited.com.br/oomtumtu/2020/09/Nova-imagem-promocional-de-Kuma-Kuma-Kuma-Bear-2.jpg) How not to mention the characters in this heartwarming experience ? From the daughter of a Duke to an honest baker, this show is filled with pleasing encounters, each one sweeter than the previous one. In order not tp spoil anything, I'll leave it at that. ___Overhall:___ Do not expect too much of this anime... However, if what you want is a calm experience with a rather strong moe esthetic and an unpretentious scenario. Give it a try past the first episode. It gets only better.
What a train wreck. Here's my take at a somewhat comprehensive review of this anime from an unofficial member of the Bear fan club. Coming from a high of reading both the ln(light novel) and the manga I decided to check the anime out and... I didn't have too high expectations and it still managed to disappoint me, some of it was because it wasn't very good and some of it was because it didn't live up to what I would have liked to see as a fan. I think Sergei(the manga artist) hyping the anime up in the manga didn't help, taking him at face value the anime is based on the ln and not the manga, which I find pretty much impossible to believe, according to him he was also consulted for character designs which can probably be found in the trash of EMT Squared Studios... I should clarify that the manga and the ln are almost carbon copies of each other when it comes to the story, except the manga is a little bit more streamlined. The anime is quite different. I'll get the problem with the first episode out of the way first. I'll also put it under a spoiler since it's a big tangent, but anyone can read it safely ~!The first episode which timeline wise is the forth is a complete mess, it makes you think Yuna(mc) is playing the game with the bear onesie already on when in fact she's not, she's being introduced both in the real world and in the Isekai world at the same time but these two have nothing to do with each other, not only that the events of this episode will be later referenced and skipped over when they would be relevant, all for the sake of... What? A flashy first episode? Neither the manga or ln do this so I don't get it, this is a blunder that falls squarely in production and editing teams, in fact it would be trivial to edit it so it all makes sense so even the start is disheartening but this is only the beginning.!~ Story We follow Yuna as she gets isekai'd with OP bear themed equipment courtesy of God as she, in a slice of life way, wrecks havoc in this world by helping people. That's the story in a nutshell, it's supposed to be extremely laid back with quite a bit of character development, but this is not the case in the anime, the anime for some reason wants to tell as much of the story as fast as possible so we adopt a breakneck pace from the word go shoving a lot of good scenes from the source, important plot points, characters and character development aside... Except it wants to sell it's cake and eat it too by having not one but two chapters of meandering filler... I wouldn't complain about filler in a laid back slice of life, but why are you going through the main story so fast if you're going to subject me to filler??? Could we not allot that time to the real story? I want to enjoy Kumanano's work not unnamed script guy's. How much of the story do they make 10 anime chapters cover: 4 light novel volumes or 80 manga chapters. Brutal Characters Yuna: The star of the show, my favorite character, and the number one reason I disliked the anime, Anime Yuna is quite different from Manga Yuna and she's a far cry from LN Yuna, not even close, like I said the pacing hinders character development and this affects Yuna the most, however I believe the showrunners wanted Anime Yuna to be different because she has some extra scenes that make her out to be more mature than she should be, Kumanano has a remarkable dedication to embarrassing her because she's always wearing a bear onesie all the time, she has a complex because she's 15 years old but is still underdeveloped so she doesn't think she's attractive in any way, she's also supposed to be very childish but also a very good and intelligent person that lacks a bit of common sense, I like her and it works. Anime Yuna on the other hand is a cardboard cut out of the levelheaded reliable MC, this sometimes causes dissonance because the childish lines from the source material leak through, it's terrible. #notmyYuna Fina: the second most important character she's the first friend Yuna makes in this new world, a little girl she decides to take under her wing and it's the insider pov for said world. Obviously the anime just steamrolls over her character development and in a twist of fate they actually have her and Yuna act in the exact opposite way they will eventually act in the future(in the ln), it's difficult to explain without spoilers but I found it funny. Noa: the only character who got better in the anime? She's a (bear) friend Yuna and Fina make, the president of the Bear fan club, she's the daughter of the local noble and her scenes are unintentionally funny, in the anime she's part of the slice of life experience not much else. Tiermina and Shuri: Fina's mom and sister, I feel compelled to mention them because in the source Tiermina is very important while Shuri is a non entity(for a very long time) while in the anime is the reverse, mostly thanks to filler. The other characters are fine, they overhauled Gentz to take the spotlight from Yuna in a handful of scenes which I think was a mistake, the Crimonia and Royal Capital characters are serviceable while the Mileela (port town) characters aside from Atla are even below that. Art The artwork, landscaping and the look of the overworld are all generic, the towns are way too colorful and while they are supposed to have a medieval fantasy look they instead look like modern towns... Part of the charm of the story is the sheer ridiculousness of a girl in a bear onesie doing her thing in a medieval looking world like the one from the manga, when everything looks clean and modern like the anime it loses appeal. Like I mentioned a while ago they probably threw Sergei's designs in the trash because a lot of (named)characters look bland, ideally we would use 029(the ln artist) designs when available, then Sergei, then generic mob generator, but the studio skipped the first two steps, the animation itself has a ton of very noticeable flaws, Sanya's hawk flies without flapping it's wings, every horse is cg animated, Yuna action sequences are sometimes low poly when she's moderately far and that one worm that's a huge plot point looks like it belongs in a fan made animation, no offense. The animation does have highlights though, I think they blew most of their budget in Yuna which if I was in charge would have done so as well, but sometimes it's inexplicably pointless stuff such as Yuna eating pudding that looks higher quality than the rest of the episode, another highlight is the treatment Noa gets by the animators... I don't know what's with her but she does a lot of funny movements, maybe an unintentional highlight but I take what I can get. Sound I suppose it's a subjective thing but I disagree with the VA choice for Yuna, she did a fine job but I expected/wanted someone with a younger sounding voice, other than that no complaints, the VAs did a good job and the songs are good. Closing thoughts I wished a different studio picked up this project, I'm fearful for what season two is gonna bring, yet at the same time I'm grateful there's a second season at all, the anime does a few things that I liked like having Yuna finally accept Yuura's invitation to her home and having Yuna tease Rulina at the goblin cave, that stuff was gold, but for every win it racks up like 50 loses so like I said at the beginning it's a train wreck... A loveable one getting carried by the source material but in the end it's not as good as I realistically hope it would and could be.
_Note: I watched this anime for Anicord Contracts Spring 2023 Event._ _This review contains light spoilers for some later episodes._ # __I. Premise__ _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ is a slice-of-life/isekai/fantasy anime about Yuna, a 15-year-old girl who lives alone and frequently plays the popular VMMORPG _New Fantasy Online_. She lives comfortably but has no friends and barely leaves her apartment. One day, Yuna receives a special gift from the administrators of _New Fantasy Online_: a cute bear-themed onesie that she finds too embarrassing to wear. She doesn't get much of a choice though, as after accepting the equipment, she is suddenly transported to the world of _New Fantasy Online_ while wearing the bear costume. Despite the stares she receives wherever she goes, Yuna soon discovers her gear is overwhelmingly powerful. Not incredibly concerned about the possibility of returning home, she decides to explore her new world and enjoy this second chance at life. #__II. Story__ The story of _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ follows a simple formula: Yuna is presented with a problem (either someone else asks for her help or she discovers the problem herself and decides to intervene) and then she uses her overpowered abilities to solve the problem. This might sound repetitive, but the variety in the issues Yuna has to resolve, as well as the fun cast of characters she meets throughout her adventures, keeps the story from becoming stale. The world of _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ is medieval fantasy-inspired. There are adventurer's and merchant guilds, as well as limited advancements in technology and cuisine. Elfanica Kingdom is ruled by a royal family, with individual towns governed by lords. We don't learn much about the world outside Elfanica, nor do we see any towns other than Crimonia, Millela, and the royal capital. The most memorable part was learning about the fishing port town of Millela, which was separated from Crimonia by mountains, and how that affected trade and communication routes. Overall, the worldbuilding is basic, but I didn't mind because it is sufficient for the stories _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ wants to tell. #__III. Characters__ 1. Yuna At first glance, Yuna is your basic, overpowered protagonist. She's kind, friendly, and always willing to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate. What sets Yuna apart, however, is that she didn't start out that way. At the beginning of the season, Yuna is aloof and perfectly content being on her own, just as she was in her previous life on Earth. She also quickly earns the moniker "Bloody Bear". However, there is more to her than meets the eye. Regardless of her impressive powers, Yuna is a 15-year-old girl who gets homesick sometimes and isn't entirely sure what she wants to do in this new world. As she meets and assists other people, Yuna gradually becomes more sociable, to the point where she ultimately cannot imagine living without Fina anymore. I will admit that I found Yuna unlikable in the first few episodes, but I was pleasantly surprised by her character development as the show progressed. 2. Fina Fina is an equally compelling character and an excellent foil to Yuna. As the oldest daughter of a bedridden mother, Fina was forced to place her family's needs above her own. She worked part-time fulfilling various gathering and harvesting requests from the adventurer's guild to support her mother and younger sister. While Yuna lived a solitary life by choice, Fina lived a solitary life by necessity, since she needed to keep earning money to put food on the table and afford her mother's medicine. Until she meets Yuna, Fina has never ventured past the forests surrounding her small town. Throughout their adventures, Fina witnesses many of Yuna's good deeds firsthand and learns it's okay to rely on others for help. She also comes to care for Yuna deeply, to the point where she can't imagine living without Yuna anymore. Additionally, the juxtaposition of a seemingly innocent girl and her skill in carving up monsters into sellable materials never gets old. 3. Everyone Else Even though _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ features a wide cast of reoccurring characters, I didn't have any trouble differentiating them. Everyone was entertaining, and I even found some storylines very interesting. For example, Kai's plight to save his town from a Black Viper was heart-wrenching. I also liked how even though Gentz wasn't subtle about his attraction to Fina's mother, he first asked Fina and Shuri permission to become their (step)father. Yuna's bear familiars are super adorable too! #__IV. Art/Animation__ The art style is what you would expect from a typical slice-of-life/fantasy cute-girls-do-cute-things show. The colors are soft, the environments are idyllic, and the fight scenes are fluid and choreographed well. Others might feel that the art direction is generic, but I didn't have an issue with it. I also really liked ~!the sunset palette the show used !~in the final scene of the season. The pixel font used in the opening sequence was a nice touch as well. #__V. Sound/Music__ The soundtrack is nothing revolutionary but it works. I didn't notice any mismatched tracks, and the sound effects are all appropriate. The opening and ending songs are generic but I warmed up to both after a few episodes. I grew to appreciate the chill vibes of the ending song as a nice way to close out each episode, and ~!the Fina/Yuna duet version at the end of the last episode!~ (final episode spoiler) was an unexpected surprise. #__VI. My Thoughts__ I've been meaning to watch _Kuma Kuma Kuma_ Bear for some time now, and I'm pleased to say it was worth the wait. I have a soft spot for stories with video game elements, and this anime delivers on that front. Since the new world is based on an in-universe video game, the show occasionally references Yuna's stats and skills as she continously gains experience points, levels up, and unlocks new abilities. It's unclear if every adventurer has their own stats to grow and skills to unlock (I would assume so), or if Yuna is the exception. However, the show is less concerned about the video game aspects and is more focused on Yuna's adventures and her interactions with others, which I didn't mind at all. At first glance, _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ reminded me of one of my favorite video game/fantasy/slice-of-life anime: _BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense._ Both shows feature cute female protagonists exploring a different video game world while wielding overpowered abilities, however _BOFURI_ leans more heavily on video game elements (i.e. stats, skills, equipments, guilds, in-game events, etc.) to carry its story. On the other hand, _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ only uses its video game elements to frame its story and explain its protagonist's overpowered abilities. Nevertheless, if you are a _BOFURI_ fan, I would highly recommend this show. Another part of _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ I like is that despite being a simple cute-girls-do-cute-things isekai on the surface, it isn't afraid to explore darker topics. For example, in the first episode, Yuna agrees to help Kai, whose village is being attacked by a Black Viper. The show clearly states that a significant number of villagers have already been eaten, and even after Yuna defeats the snake, the episode ends bittersweetly with a celebration of life and remembrance of those lost. Another good example is during a later episode, when Gentz and Fina's mother get into an intense argument. Fina and Shuri are worried this will break apart their newly formed stepfamily, so they set out with Yuna to try to fix it. Of course, Yuna's various adventures always end on a positive, feel-good note, but I liked watching Yuna come up with unique solutions for seemingly tough problems. The only significant criticism I have for _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ is that its first episode feels disjointed from the rest of the series. That episode features Yuna defeating the Black Viper attacking Kai's village with her bear equipment. In other words, Yuna has already been transported to the world of _New Fantasy Online_. However, the show splices this plotline with scenes of Yuna in the real world logging in and out of the game, indicating she has not yet been isekai'd. To make things even more confusing, at the beginning of Episode 2, Yuna logs into _New Fantasy Online_ with her actual in-game character, receives the special bear equipment, gets transported to the new world, and meets Fina. In Episode 2, Yuna is still learning how to use her abilities, but in Episode 1, she has already mastered them and joined the Adventurer's Guild. The other adventurers are also already familiar with her immense power, as they already call her the "Bloody Bear". This means the events post-isekai must take place after Episode 2, but it's not entirely clear when, given the absence of Fina in Episode 1. I don't understand why the show chose to go this route, especially when there's a simple fix: move all the scenes of Yuna in the real world from Episode 1 to the start of Episode 2. In short, _Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear_ is a fun video game/slice-of-life/fantasy cute-girls-do-cute-things anime with entertaining character interactions. Nothing here is revolutionary, but the anime knows what it is and executes the concept well. If you're interested in these types of shows or just looking for something comfy and wholesome, I highly recommend this anime. I suggest watching at least the first two episodes to understand what kind of show it is. __Score: 9.9/10__ Ok, time to go watch Season 2!!