What’s the quintessential cute-but-not-too-cute animal? A bear, of course! Everyone loves at least one variety of bear, be they grizzly bears, panda bears or, uh, Build-A-Bears. And Pokémon has you covered for all of those. But which ones are the cutest and most huggable? Well trainers, BEAR with us while we find out (I’m already sorry).
12. Bewear
Wait, what’s Bewear doing at the bottom ranking? It’s adorable! Yeah, about that. Bewear looks very cute but its name says it all: you need to Bewear/beware of it. Bewear loves to hug, but a hug from one can shatter a person’s bones! Yikes. In fact, if you believe the Pokédex entries, some trainers have even died this way. What a way to go out, though.
11. Beartic
Beartic is the evolved form of Cubchoo—more on that weird little bear in a minute—and it is not remotely huggable, I’m sorry. Pokémon Scarlet declares of Beartic, “It is a ferocious, carnivorous Pokémon. Once it captures its prey, it will breathe cold air onto the prey to freeze and preserve it.” Some folks call it “the Snow White Demon”, such is its fearsome reputation. Oh, and those spikes of ice around its mouth look like frozen drool. It’s a nope from me!
10. Ursaring
Oh look, another bear buddy who isn’t cute! Ursaring is very aggressive when its offspring are threatened, just like a real grizzly bear. One of its Pokédex entries notes that it can “snap stout trees with its forelegs”, and I’m not about to hug something that can do that. Ursaring is also ready to fight at the drop of a hat and according to Pokémon Violet, “if it comes across a Primeape while searching for berries in the treetops, trouble will surely ensue.”
9. Urshifu
Urshifu isn’t very huggable, but is super cool! You get different secondary types depending on how you train Kubfu in Pokémon Sword & Shield. Train one in the Tower of Waters and it’ll become a Fighting/Water-type Rapid Strike Style Urshifu, and train one in the Tower of Darkness to get a Fighting/Dark-type Single Strike Style instead. Got all that? Good!
Urshifu also has some chilling lore attached to it. Its Pokédex entry in Pokemon Shield reads, “All it takes is a glare from this Pokémon to take the lives of those with evil in their hearts—or so they say.” Eeeep.
8. Ursaluna
Ursaluna is an evolved form of Ursaring, thanks to a helpful peat block and the full moon. You can ride Ursaluna in Pokémon Legends: Arceus and it will find hidden items for you. So helpful! Ursaluna is both tough and kind of cute, which I appreciate very much. They haven’t been in a lot of Pokémon properties so far, but I look forward to the day when that changes.
Ursaluna is in Pokémon Go, but is hard to get hold of! First you have to have an Ursaring, which you can get by evolving Teddiursa with 50 Candies. Then collect 100 more Teddiursa Candies—this may take a while—and evolve Ursaring on the night of a full moon! You might want to consult a lunar calendar for this. After that, Ursaluna is all yours.
7. Pangoro
The panda Pokémon Pangoro looks a little scary and is labelled “daunting” by the Pokédex, but it’s actually a Pokémon who fights for justice! No Pangoro will ever put up with bullying, and they use their considerable strength to attack anything that hurts something weaker than itself. Pangoro will also go out of its way to protect its pre-evolved form, Pancham. Give it a hug, and thank it for using its powers for good.
6. Cubchoo
Cubchoo would be adorable, if not for the little bubble of snot that constantly protrudes from its nose. I did think it’s sort of cute in its own way, before reading its Pokémon Sword Pokédex entry. The entry reads, “When this Pokémon is in good health, its snot becomes thicker and stickier. It will smear its snot on anyone it doesn’t like.” Hard pass. Pokémon Violet also notes that the snot can give humans frostbite. Why, Cubchoo why.
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5. Stufful
Stufful’s design is like that of a stuffed toy, hence the name. It has fluffy pink fur and even sports an organ that looks like the label you’d find on a plushy. But Pokémon trainers can only hug Stuffuls once they’re friends, as they hate being touched by strangers. In fact, a stranger’s touch can send Stuffuls into a frenzy, where they snap nearby trees into little twigs. Relatable!
4. Pancham
Pancham are cute, teddy bear-like Fighting-type pandas and Pangoro’s little buddy! They follow the Pangoro around and learns all their moves from them, taking advantage of the protection they offer. Alas, it’s not nearly as intimidating as its evolved form, but boy is it adorable. The Pokédex recommends that if a Pancham makes a less-than-scary face at you, you should just pretend to be scared so as to not hurt its feelings. I will do that for you any day, Pancham.
3. Snorlax
Wait … is Snorlax a bear? Is it an interloper on this list? As far as I’m concerned, it’s definitely bear-like enough to be on here, both in looks and temperament. This lazy superstar of the Pokémon world likes nothing better than sleep, and can be found sleeping in all sorts of inconvenient locations throughout the games. It also likes to eat, and has been known to raid the food supplies of humans. Snorlax will also eat poisonous or moldy food, so yay sustainability? But can you hug a Snorlax? Sure! It doesn’t even care if children bounce on its belly while it sleeps.
Oh, and its pre-evolved form Munchlax? Adorable, but probably not a bear.
2. Kubfu
Kubfu is another Fighting-type bear, and a legendary one to boot! It’s not as well-known as some of the other bear Pokémon though, because you can only get a Kubfu in the Pokémon Sword & Shield Isle of Armor expansion pack. Once acquired, most folks are quick to evolve it into Urshifu. But Kubfu deserves to be so much more famous than it is! Look at that cute little angry face!
But even though Kubfu isn’t a famous Pokémon, you can still get a plush of it! One to hug whenever you feel the need!
1. Teddiursa
Number one has to be the extremely huggable teddy bear Pokémon! It’s made many appearances in the Pokémon anime, and has been in almost every game since Generation II. It’s also available as a Build-A-Bear, one of only a handful of Pokémon to get that honor!
Teddiursa is so sweet it even tastes of honey! Its Pokédex entry in Pokémon Emerald reads, “It licks its palms that are sweetened by being soaked in honey. A Teddiursa makes its own honey by blending fruits and pollen collected by Beedrill.” As if that wasn’t cute enough, its little crescent mark glows when it finds that particular food. D’awww.
(featured image: The Pokémon Company)
