Caressing My Hibernating Bear (Japanese: 森のくまさん、冬眠中。, Hepburn: Mori no Kuma-san, Tōminchū, lit.'The Bear in the Forest is Hibernating'), titled Caressing the Nipples of My Hibernating Bear (森のくまさん、冬眠中に乳首を愛でられました｡, Mori no Kuma-san, Tōminchū ni Chikubi o Mederaremashita, lit.'While the Bear in the Forest is Hibernating, His Nipples were Cherished') during serialization, is a Japanese manga series by Haruchika. It is serialized digitally on the website ComicFesta since June 8, 2020. An anime adaptation was broadcast from July 4, 2022, to September 12, 2022, with a premium version for online streaming and a standard version for television broadcast.
Plot
Nowa, a bear living in a rural forest town, takes in Airi, a puppy, and raises him on his own. Nowa and Airi grow to have a close relationship, but when time comes for Nowa to hibernate, he promises to meet with Airi once he wakes up. After Nowa wakes up, Airi has grown up into an adult. Airi professes his love for Nowa, and while Nowa faces confusion over the change in Airi and their relationship, he comes to return his feelings as well.[2][4]
Airi is an Irish Wolfhound who was orphaned as a puppy after his parents' death. He was taken in by Nowa and grows to love him romantically. Haruchika describes him as "lively" and "straightforward."[7]
Nowa is an Asian black bear.[7] Haruchika describes him as a "gentle and plump older bear" who eats a lot and is timid, but he is also a kind person who "warmly embraces" Airi.[7] Haruchika stated that they tried to make Nowa's chest look "soft and fluffy."[7] They also stated that Asian black bears naturally have long tongues and had wanted to draw Nowa as such, but they decided not to at the moment due to how they felt the audience would perceive it.[7]
Kou (コウ)
Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi (audio drama & standard version),[1] Tomoya Tsuyu (premium version)[5] (Japanese); Jerron Bacat[6] (English)
Kou is a civet cat.[5][8] He is viewed as a reliable older brother figure in his town, but he has a difficult time with being honest to his own feelings.[8] Haruchika described Kou as the shortest of the main characters and pivotal in helping Airi and Nowa's relationship progress.[7]
Watari is a raven[5] who is quiet and works at his own pace.[8] He has a bad sense of direction and tends to get lost.[8] He is in love with Kou[8] and supports him in his own way.[7] Haruchika describes him as a "crossdressing seme."[9]
Media
Manga
Caressing My Hibernating Bear is written and illustrated by Haruchika. It is serialized on the website ComicFesta under the Screamo label since June 8, 2020, under the title Caressing the Nipples of My Hibernating Bear.[10] The chapters were later released in seven bound volumes by Suiseisha under the Glanz BL Comics imprint. The manga is distributed in English by Manga Planet and Coolmic under its serialized title.[1][11]
In 2021, Haruchika stated through an interview with Chil Chil [ja] that they had wanted to draw a fantasy story with non-human characters and came up with the story's concept after discussing with their editor.[7] They stated they tried to make it like a "fairytale" with the setting taking place in a rural town where animals live.[7] Because the characters are animals, Haruchika stated that they were "honest" about their instincts and tried to portray their emotions through their tails and ears in erotic scenes.[7] For volume 2, where the characters move from the forest to the city, Haruchika stated that they tried to include a variety of backgrounds despite "not being good at drawing backgrounds."[12] One memory they had about working on volume 2 was that a real bear had appeared in their neighborhood.[12] In 2022, for the third volume, Haruchika stated that they included a scene where the characters go fishing for salmon and was told by their editor that this was the first time they had seen salmon fishing in a boys' love story.[9] In addition, Haruchika stated they had always wanted to draw a story focusing on Kou and Watari's relationship and was "happy" to get a chance in volume 3, though they had to cut out some parts due to page limitations.[9]
On July 18, 2021, the release date for the first manga volume, ComicFesta announced they were producing an anime adaptation, which they were releasing under the international title Caressing My Hibernating Bear.[1][20] The anime adaptation is animated by Studio Hōkiboshi.[21] Two versions of the anime were produced: a standard version for television broadcast and a premium version including sexual content for streaming on AnimeFesta's website under the Toridori label.[4][5] Prior to the series' broadcast, a special titled New Program: MoriKuma Special Feature: First Footage After Waking Up From Hibernation?! Special Release (新番組『森くま』特番～冬眠明けから初出し映像!?解禁SP～) was broadcast on Tokyo MX and BS11 on June 27, 2022.[a][21]
The standard version was broadcast from July 4, 2022[b] to September 12, 2022, on Tokyo MX.[5][21] Additional broadcasts include BS 11.[5][21] The premium version was released on AnimeFesta's website on the same dates at midnight.[4][5] Two side stories for the standard version were broadcast on television as episodes 3.5 and 6.5; those episodes were not uploaded to AnimeFesta and would be included as the extras for the home release of the standard version.[23]
The cast from the audio drama adaptation, which had been bundled as an extra of the limited edition of the manga's first volume, reprised their roles for the standard version.[1] Haruchika, the author of Caressing My Hibernating Bear, also contributed by providing voice acting.[9] The anime adaptation is directed by Kazuomi Koga [ja] and written by Shinobi Katō.[21] Kinshi Onisawa is in charge of character design.[21] Asuka Hayashi and Izumi Yamanaka is in charge of animation direction.[21] Satoko Endō is in charge of music direction, with Black Flag producing the soundtrack.[21] The theme song is "Tsunaida Te to Nukumori to" by Amasaki and Okitsu as their characters.[24][3]
On February 1, 2023, Ascendent Animation had licensed the anime adaptation.[25] They also announced that they were producing an English-language dub.[3][6][25] The English dub was released on Blu-ray and for streaming on Amazon Prime Video on October 6, 2023.[26]
^ abcde"ケモミミBLアニメ「森のくまさん、冬眠中。」コウ＆ワタリのキャラビジュ公開" [Character visuals for Kou and Watari from the animal-ear boys' love anime Caressing My Hibernating Bear revealed]. Natalie (in Japanese). May 24, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
^"【7月18日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(July 18) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). July 18, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^"【12月18日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(December 18) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). December 18, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^"【7月15日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(July 15) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). July 15, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^"2月18日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(February 18) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). February 18, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^"【11月17日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(November 17) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). November 17, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^"【7月18日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(July 18) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). July 18, 2024. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^"【2月18日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(February 18) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). February 18, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
^ abc"クマと子犬のBLがTVアニメ化、キャストに天崎滉平・興津和幸・河西健吾" [Boys' love between a bear and a puppy to get a TV anime series, cast stars Kōhei Amasaki, Kazuyuki Okitsu, and Kengo Kawanishi]. Natalie (in Japanese). July 18, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
^ abcdefghi"ケモミミBLアニメ「森のくまさん、冬眠中。」7月放送開始、キービジュアルも" [Animal-ear boys' love anime Caressing My Hibernating Bear to begin broadcast in July, key visual revealed]. Natalie (in Japanese). May 11, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
^"本日7月3日放送開始の2022年夏アニメ" [Summer 2022 anime starting broadcast on July 3]. Natalie (in Japanese). July 3, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
^"【放送】番外編の放送が決定！" [(Broadcast) Broadcast of the side stories decided!]. AnimeFesta (in Japanese). July 22, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
^"BLアニメ「森のくまさん、冬眠中。」天崎滉平＆興津和幸が歌う主題歌入りPV" [Kōhei Amasaki and Kazuyuki Okitsu sing theme song in preview video for boys' love anime Caressing My Hibernating Bear]. Natalie. June 2, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
^"ランキング決定!! 商業BLの祭典BLアワード2022" [Rankings have been decided!! A festival of commercially released boys' love, the BL Awards]. Chil Chil [ja]. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
