Now what about Pokémon that combine undeniable strength with a calm and fuzzy demeanor? Perhaps even a scent of a cute clumsiness. Bear-like Pokémon easily fall into this category and there are plenty to go around. So in this article I want to share my picks for the absolute best Pokémon that share an obvious resemblance to bears. From big and scary to teddy bear sized and cuddly, they’re all here with plenty of classic names we all know & love.
10. Munchlax
Munchlax is a normal-type baby Pokémon that was introduced in Generation IV and had its first major appearance in the 117th episode of the Advanced Generation series – Berry, Berry Interesting! It is a dark blue and green baby bear… thing, with a creamy belly and big round eyes. It’s the baby form of the monstrosity we all know as Snorlax. And just like its final evolution, Munchlax eats almost everything it finds on its way including rotten food. Talk about classic bear behaviour. On the contrary to sleepy Snorlax, Munchlax is super active and always on the run in the search for food. It’s likely that Munchlax was based on a bear cub not only because of its physical features but also because of its fondness to honey. This little tyke is known best from the Sinnoh region but has appeared in many generations afterwards, and can be easily lured by lubricating certain kind of trees with honey. You can also get one of your own by breeding a Snorlax and hatching that cute little Munchlax egg.
9. Snorlax
One of the Pokémon that shares an obvious resemblance to bears is Snorlax who comes straight from gen 1. This tubby normal-type Pokémon first appeared in the 41st episode of the anime Wake Up Snorlax! It’s a big, bipedal, dark blue and green creature with a heck of a belly. It’s also got some big feet with brown spots, narrow eyes, and three pointy claws. There is a chance that its general characteristics and fondness to sleep may be based on the mixture of hibernating bears, pandas, sloths. Snorlax seems like a weird combination of all three but gosh darnit, I love him no matter how lazy he is. Snorlax is known to sleep almost all the time which is why it is one of the mildest Pokémon in the Poké universe. It is said to wake up only to eat about 900 pounds of food (approximately 400 kg) and then return to its deep slumber. Having one on your team is for sure a benefit since most of the Snorlax’s you’ll catch in any generation have very high base stats. Yet the only way to wake up Snorlax is by playing a song on the Poké Flute.
8. Teddiursa
This normal-type baby bear Pokémon that hails from the gen II games first appeared in the animated series not in an episode, but in Pokémon 3: The Movie – Spells of the Unown: Entei. It’s a bipedal ursine fellow with orange-brown fur, round ears, black eyes and an adorable button nose. It also has characteristic markings in the shape of a crescent moon. This glows whenever Teddiursa finds honey on its path, a useful feature(I suppose?). This little guy also tends to produce its own honey with the use of Beedrill pollen and fruit and then absorbs it into its paws. Surprisingly Teddiursa is actually not a baby Pokémon, but rather just a regular monster that looks like an adorable baby. You can catch one of these guys in the mountainous regions of Johto and Mountain Kalos. Due to its looks and name, and because of its fondness to honey, Teddiursa is quite obviously based on a plush teddy bear as well as real life bear cubs. The moon marking on its forehead, however, may have been derived from Norse mythology and the Ursa Minor constellation which is nicknamed “Little Bear”.
7. Ursaring
The evolution of Teddiursa, Ursaring, is a big crazy bear that you definitely want on your side of the battle field. It had its major debut in the 6th episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, even though it was first introduced in gen 2 alongside Teddiursa. It’s a huge grizzly bear-like Pokémon and that’s pretty much the gist of this dude. Ursaring has narrow eyes, a black nose, a wide mouth and sharp visible fangs sticking out from the upper jaw. Similar to its previous form, Ursaring has a characteristic symbol in the shape of a ring located on its chest. Ursaring can be found throughout Johto and Mountain Kalos regions where it sleeps on the treetops and searches for fruits and berries. It is known to mark the most bountiful trees with its long and sharp claws so it can return in the future. This Pokémon also features a particularly heightened sense of smell which helps it find food deep in the ground and in the streams. Ursaring also tends to act fiercely when protecting its cubs from danger so it’s fair to say catching one is gonna be a challenge.
6. Cubchoo
Just look at this picture and tell me you don’t love this little guy. Cubchoo is an ice-type baby bear Pokémon that was introduced in gen V and had its anime debut in The Beartic Mountain Feud! episode in the Best Wishes series. Cubchoo is presented as a small cub with a light blue head, round ears, and for some reason a constantly running nose which is its characteristic feature. I’m pretty sure it’s the nasal mucus which is the source of Cubchoo’s strength. How else do you explain this guy being so cute yet so powerful? Cubchoo can be found in Unova and Kalos, mostly in the frosty areas. By the look of is physical appearance it’s pretty clear this little guy is based on a polar bear cub. Interestingly, the name Cubchoo refers to a mixture of a “cub” and the sound of sneeze – ah-choo! Also this is yet another creature that is not an official baby Pokémon, but boy it sure looks like one.
5. Beartic
The final evolution of Cubchoo is Beartic, yet another ice bear-like Pokémon which is basically a way more powerful version of the snot-nosed baby. Beartic first appeared in the Iris and Excadrill Against the Dragon Buster! episode of the Best Wishes series. He has white fur, a long spear-like head, huge front & rear paws along with three icy spikes sticking out of its lower jaw. These almost look like a beard of some sort. This Pokémon lives mostly in icy ridges of the Kalos Mountains and in Unova frosty areas where it preys on food to maintain its cub family. Although you can find Beartic in many later generations too, but it’s certainly harder to track down. Beartic’s forte is its massive attack and HP stats which make it a great damage-dealing Pokémon that can take quite a few hits.
4. Pancham
Pancham is one of the most evident fluffy pandas in the Pokémon series. This baby Pokémon was first introduced in Generation VI and had its debut in the 47th episode of the XY series. This first form of Pangoro looks like a panda cub. The head and tail are white, top parts of its chest are charcoal black and the lower areas of its body are greyish. Typical panda color scheme. And just like its later form, this little guy carries a small leaf in its mouth which for Pancham has little or no purpose at all. It is thought that whenever Pancham makes a mistake, an older and stronger Pangoro takes the leaf away from it. Copying the behavior of its older brothers and sisters, Pancham tries its best to look intimidating but usually just appears as super adorable. I want one of these little guys in my house!
3. Pangoro
When Pancham reaches level 32 it evolves into a bigger and stronger form known as Pangoro. This is a fighting/dark-type Pokémon with physical features similar to those of a giant panda. Pretty obvious but uh, this guy is strong and definitely worth having on your team as a fighting type. Pangoro had its major anime debut in the 11th episode of the XY series under the episode The Bamboozling Forest! where it protected two troublesome Pancham in danger. This final evolution is best described as a huge panda bear with large paws that are often clenched into fists. Despite its imposing physical appearance, Pangoro doesn’t approve of those who torment the weak. In times of dire need, especially if younglings are endangered, Pangoro rushes to fight without hesitation. Remember that small leaf that Pancham has? Well once it’s evolved it uses that to detect the movements of its enemies nearby. And with powerful skills such as Iron Fist and Mold Breaker, Pangoro is a strong formidable bear Pokémon with some overall high stat values.
2. Stufful
Compared with other bear Pokémon in the series, Stufful doesn’t quite resemble a typical bear cub. It first appeared in Generation VII and had its anime appearance in the 44th episode of the Sun & Moon series where it was featured in a video advert. This little dude is also a fighting-type quadruped mix of a bear and panda cub with a small pink body, brown legs, and a tiny puffy tail. It has distinctive pointy ears set on both sides of its head and a white marking on the forehead resembling a headband. Stufful also has a special organ under its tail that allows it to communicate with other members of its tribe. Regardless of its rather… odd look, Stufful is a strong Pokémon capable of defeating plenty of enemies on its own. Not to mention it can evolve into a force to be reckoned with. Due to its high attack and speed, Stufful makes a great hit-and-run Pokémon that can compete with the best of ‘em. Also a great choice for teaching Thief. Like many other puns in the Pokémon series, the meaning behind the name Stufful is twofold. It may simply come from “stuffed animal” but also from the word “scuffle” which fits perfectly its fierce attitude and eagerness to jump into a fight.
1. Bewear
Upon reaching level 27 Stufful turns into Bewear, another big ursine normal/fighting Pokémon that is also an addition to the Pokédex started in the Sun & Moon era. This guy also has distinctive headband-like ears set on both sides of its head. Also its head, tail, and back retain that classic pink color from Stufful, whereas the rest of its body is pitch black color. This is the tougher form, after all. Despite its cute looks, Bewear lives up to its name and everyone willing to give it a hug should “beware” of its undeniable strength. According to info from its Pokédex entry, it may be the most powerful Pokémon in the entire Alola region aside from legendaries.
