Kuma

Story

Kuma is actually Kuma II and the child of the original Kuma. Kuma, his father, was Heihachi’s pet and bodyguard, but died between Tekken 2 and 3 due to old age. His son, also named Kuma, is now Heihachi’s pet and bodyguard. He is smarter than his father and is a suitable partner for Heihachi. 

Kuma is introduced into the world of the King of Iron Fist tournament after watching TV and suddenly becoming incensed by the sight of Paul Phoenix. From that point, Kuma became Paul’s enemy and rival. 

Unfortunately, on his first foray into the tournament, Kuma loses to Paul and is sent back in disgrace. Undeterred, Kuma trains with the aim to defeat Paul in the next tournament. Kuma learned a valuable lesson from his defeat which was that he had lost touch with his animal roots which had made him significantly weaker as a result. Determined to get it back, he went into training in the mountains of Hokkaido until he was satisfied. He even developed some of his own original attacks which he was ready to unleash on the world. 

Kuma got his victory over Paul, but his joy was short-lived as his beloved master, Heihachi, apparently died. Distraught over this great loss, Kuma’s thoughts quickly turn towards Heihachi’s pride and joy, the Mishima Zaibatsu, which is in turmoil over the death of its leader. Kuma tries to lead the Mishima Zaibatsu, but is unable to even enter the building as there is now a new leader. 

Things go from bad to worse as Kuma loses to Paul again in the King of Iron Fist Tournament and when he tries to gain access to the Mishima Zaibatsu, he is confronted by the new leader, Jin, who throws Kuma from the sky into the forest to his death. 

Kuma survives and continues his training until he is eventually found by Tekken Force and reunited with Heihachi. 

After Heihachi’s apparent death again, Kuma seeks to return to Mishima Zaibatsu to ensure that there is a place for his master to return to. He vows to keep fighting even if he is the last one standing. 

Personality

Kuma is a playful character that contrasts from his late father in many ways. This includes his cleanliness, his work ethic and his kindness. Many people are usually afraid at the sight of Kuma, but he usually calms them down when they see how kind he actually is. This helps him win many friends and is one of the few that Heihachi has shown even the remotest sign of affection to. That said, he can be ruthless when necessary and will follow whatever orders Heihachi gives him. He loves television and will always look for a way to watch it even during training. 

Playstyle

Kuma is a fighter with an interesting range. His arms are longer than most meaning he can reach farther with his punches and jabs while his smaller legs means his kick ranges are poor. Kuma’s body type allows him to be particularly proficient in whiff punishes which he can take advantage of when an opponent messes up. 

Appearance

Kuma is a brown bear with fur all over its skin. He wears the belt and grey jacket that used to belong to his master, Heihachi. He has bandages on all his appendages.