Orlando, FL — HamiKuma, the gut-spilling bear who started as a Universal Studios Japan scare zone character in 2021, will appear at every Universal Studios theme park for Halloween Horror Nights this fall, plus Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas. New merchandise built around him arrives August 24, and Las Vegas gets an all-new live stage show, per Universal’s press materials.
Universal calls it an expansion of the character’s presence after what it describes as a successful debut stateside last year. Universal says he was created for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Japan in 2021, debuting in the Gothic Killer Cuties scare zone.
Where HamiKuma Will Be, Park by Park
- Universal Studios Florida — meet and greet debut, inside the Five & Dime store, during Halloween Horror Nights 35 event hours
- Universal Studios Hollywood — meet the character at select afternoon and early evening times on event nights, at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood
- Universal Horror Unleashed, Las Vegas — an all-new live stage show, running throughout September and October at the year-round Vegas venue
- Universal Studios Singapore — his debut at that park, joining Halloween Horror Nights 14
- Universal Studios Japan — returning, leading the Psycho Circus faction in the Street Zombies experience
- Universal Beijing Resort — returning to Scares at Universal
Las Vegas is the one to watch. A stage show running two full months at a year-round venue is a bigger commitment than a photo op, and Universal Horror Unleashed has been building its calendar around returning IP.
The New Merchandise Lands August 24
Universal names three new items in the expanded lineup: a plaid shirt, a plush backpack, and a plaid fanny pack with plush accents.
The press photography shows more on the table than the three named pieces. There is a bear-head hat with tartan-lined ears, a bear-face zip pouch, a small plush bear clip, and a box of HamiKuma Candy Coated Gummy Bears at three ounces. The tartan runs through the whole range, on the belt bag, the ear linings and the bow at the character’s neck.
On the apparel side the photos show a red tartan pinafore with a bear patch and a matching neck scarf, and a brown and cream raglan tee carrying the bear graphic, worn with the belt bag and a plush clipped to its strap.
Universal has not released prices, and has not said which items go to which parks. Our Halloween Horror Nights merchandise guide tracks the rest of the 2026 collections with prices.
Who HamiKuma Is
The name translates literally to “protruding bear,” per Universal, and the design follows the Japanese “kowa-kawa” style, which Universal describes as scary cute.
HamiKuma was a sideshow act in a traveling circus, per Universal, who drew big crowds until the other performers grew jealous and decided he could not possibly be a real bear. They trapped him in the big top and slashed his belly open to find out what was inside. Nobody was. To cover it up they burned the tent down, and HamiKuma died in it.
In the afterlife a demon called Death Bringer worked its way into the open belly, giving him eternal life and the ability to keep performing. He came back with his guts hanging out, which is the look he has carried ever since.
He debuted in the Gothic Killer Cuties scare zone at Universal Studios Japan in 2021 and received his own show, HamiKuma Psycho Circus, the following year, per Universal. Three variants have followed, per WDW News Today:
- HamiKuma Soul — his soul, left behind in the afterlife
- HamiKuma Punk — his anger and resentment
- HamiKuma Candy — his greed
His origin is a circus sideshow act, and he reaches Orlando the season Universal Studios Florida turns into the Infernal Carnival of Nightmares, with Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow running the event as ringmasters.
What He Is Like in Japan
We met HamiKuma at Universal Studios Japan, where the meet and greet ran against a red curtain and brick wall set. The costume is a full walkaround build: a stitched seam across the crown of the head, one wide blue eye, the other eye hanging loose against the muzzle, long white claws, a tartan bow, and a spill of candy, cake and beaded strands pouring out of the open belly.
Japan builds food around him too. The Hami-Kuma Churritos Death was a chocolate churro loaded with candy and raspberry sauce, served in a branded sleeve, priced at 700 yen on the cart menu when we photographed it in 2023.
Orlando Only Got the Merchandise Last Year
The Orlando meet and greet is a debut because the park missed out in 2025. Universal’s Discover Universal blog post from September 2025 carried both coasts in its title and announced the character’s international debut at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, then described the meet and greet in the same post as “exclusive to the West Coast.” Orlando’s paragraph pointed guests to Five & Dime for merchandise instead. WDW News Today reports the same outcome.
So Five & Dime, the store that got the merchandise in 2025, is where the character now appears in person.
Event Dates and Ticketing
Halloween Horror Nights 35 runs 48 select nights from August 28 through November 1 at Universal Orlando. No specific times or ticket requirements have been given for the HamiKuma meet and greet at either American park. Tickets and event information are at universalorlando.com/hhn.
Our Halloween Horror Nights hub tracks dates and lineups for the Universal parks, and our tickets guide covers every tier. Park lineup, stage show and merchandise details per Universal’s press materials. Character background per Universal. Photography by Philip Hernandez / Haunted Attraction Network and Universal Destinations & Experiences.
