Kuma is the bear character who fights alongside his owner, Heihachi Mishima, in the Tekken series.
The first Kuma was an abandoned bear cub found by Heihachi on the grounds of the Mishima estate. Heihachi adopted him as a pet, trained him, and eventually made him a bodyguard. Kuma’s fighting style is based on bear movements, later mixed with Mishima-style martial arts.
The original Kuma was defeated by Paul Phoenix in the first two King of Iron Fist Tournaments and later died of old age. Heihachi then trained a second bear, also named Kuma, who inherited the role and became a recurring playable fighter. The second Kuma is especially determined to defeat Paul and is also infatuated with the panda fighter Panda.
Kuma is often confused with Panda because both are bear-like fighters, but Panda is Ling Xiaoyu’s companion and a separate character. Kuma’s defining relationship is with Heihachi, making the stored answer the canonical choice.