Kuma Bartholomew
バーソロミュー・くま
A formerly brutal pirate with a former bounty of 296 million beri, he appears to be a much calmer, more reserved member of the Shichibukai who merely moves and does what he needs to. Like Mihawk and Donquixote Doflamingo, he was present at the government summit of Mariejoa following Sir Crocodile’s defeat in Alabasta. Comparing his height to Perona’s in Chapter 473, he is well over twenty feet tall and is only matched in size by Moria’s true body. According to Gecko Moria, Kuma is the only obedient Shichibukai of the World Government.
Kuma seems to have the ability to teleport, which enables him to appear in the blink of an eye. Although the nature of Kuma’s ability is unknown at this moment, he also shows the ability to make anyone he touches disappear to an unknown place, demonstrated when he makes Perona of the Thriller Bark crew disappear by touching her with his bare hand (she most likely went to the destination she said she wished to be). Also, Kuma asks Gecko Moria where he would like to travel to, further suggesting this ability. According to Perona, Kuma was known for his brutality as a pirate. However, his asking of where to “teleport” people reflects his change in personality. During a conformation of him and Gecko Moria, it was shown that the two are approximately equal in height, both being inhumanly tall. He also tends to use target metaphors (eg. “We now have the same target” and “You’re right on Target, I am Bartholomew Kuma”).
Due to his apparently reserved disposition and the fact that he is invariably seen with a large bible, Kuma is likely modeled after Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts, a gentleman pirate known for his religious obstinacy. Currently, Bartholomew has met with fellow member Gecko Moria about the appointment of Marshall D. Teach as a new Shichibukai member as well as to offer his assistance on the defeat of the Straw Hat crew. Though he has not met with them, he does have knowledge regarding Luffy’s brother, Portgas D. Ace.
Recently, after reporting Moria’s defeat, he was ordered to eliminate everyone on Thriller Bark and chooses Roronoa Zoro as his first target.
Kuma had consumed the ‘Nikyu Nikyu no Mi’ (Paw Paw Fruit) which gives him paw-like prints on his palms and enables him to ‘push’ tangible materials like people and intangible objects like the air at the speed of light.
Following the events in Sabody Archepelago, he appeared in Pacifista form, having been fully turned into a robot by the World Government scientist Vegapunk. After encountering the Straw Hats, who were struggling after defeating one of the Pacifistas immediately after an encounter with Kizaru, he defeats them and transports each one to a different island.
He is once again present at the battle of Marineford, in Pacifista form, along with several mass-production models.
It was revealed that Kuma only teleported the Straw hats in order to save them from being killed by Admiral Kizaru. It was also revealed that Kuma works for the Revolutionary Army and told Rayleigh that they have a connection with the Straw hats.
