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The biggest difference between a teddy bear and a stuffed toy like a Pokémon is probably the price. I bet a teddy bear is much more expensive. And the second difference is in sales: Pokemon plush toys probably outsell teddy bears by a thousand to one or more (maybe a lot more).

Adults are much more interested in teddy bears than children. And they are usually women more interested in them as collectibles and decoration than in cuddling them at night.

Clearly, the teddy bear was wildly popular in years past, but as a doll filled with love and care, it is now largely forgotten. I know that as a child I never had a teddy bear or knew anyone who did, and I am not a spring chicken! Sure, there was Barbie, but who could snuggle up to a Barbie doll?

Pokemon plush toys (known as plush toys) come in a variety of sizes and, like a quality teddy bear, aren’t as soft when new, though I imagine they do get softer when abused over time. My son has his in bed with him, though I’ve never seen him hug him. Much older children, in fact teenagers, also like to collect Pokemon plush dolls (particularly popular now is something from Pokemon Black and White). And why is that?

Pokémon dolls are collectibles as well as toys. While the classic bear has a history and a legacy behind them, in other words they are filtered into the culture but they don’t have a history behind them and while teddy bears enjoy much more diversity than you might imagine at principle, Pokémon are all about diversity-mutation in fact. There is a whole world behind Pokémon that makes collecting them almost like collecting artifacts; a pseudoscience is growing behind Pokémon. That is something very different. You’ll never see a black and white teddy bear card game, but you can buy Legendary Pokémon cards.

I’m not sure what stuffed animals used to be. In relative terms, toys used to be much more expensive than they are now. I imagine that a teddy bear probably went through several generations. Monetary value now reflects heritage and craftsmanship; Pokémon dolls represent popular and growing merchandising phenomena. The two are very different things, although I’m not sure that the children’s feelings are so different.

However, in a way, the two remain the same. In real life, bears are strong and dangerous animals. They may be soft, but they would never let you hug them (most wouldn’t anyway). In fantasy, Pokémon are also dangerous creatures. But both, in doll form, look cute and harmless. Generally, people are afraid of things that are scary in the dark. Cute beast cuddly toys ease that fear.