Q: Why "Kuma" and not "Teddie"?

Question:
Reviewer zero-damage asked why I used the name Kuma and not Teddie, which is the name that Kuma was given in the North American version/translation of the game.

Answer:
While I did play the North American version of the game (because my Japanese is just not that good yet - those kids talk fast!), I prefer the Japanese version. Perhaps because I'm a snob when it comes to my own culture...but also because I enjoyed the Japanese portrayal of Kuma/Teddie quite a bit.

In writing the story from a Japanese woman's (Chie's) perspective, I thought that it would add a little more diversity to my story if I used more Japanese-centric language and references. As much as I liked Teddie in the North American version (and I very much did), there was something much more childlike and charming about the Japanese version's Kuma.

Kuma the character in the game is very innocent, even (or especially) in speech patterns, which can admittedly be a little cloying after a while. Plus, I just liked referring to the character in such a straightforward way with the name "Bear" ("kuma" meaning "bear" in Japanese).

Other than that, there's no real significance for me using "Kuma" over "Teddie." The Teddie naming convention is actually a very clever way in the game of making the translation effective. He does look a lot like a big teddy bear, after all.