Bobby is a young bear and one of the main child characters living in Maple Town. His full name is Bobby Kumanoff in the original Japanese version, and he is also known as Bobby J. Bear in the North American adaptation. He is ten years old and is the eldest child in his family, which runs the Maple Town General Store. His mother, Natasha, primarily manages the store, and his father is named Nicolai. Bobby has three younger brothers, who are triplets, and a younger sister named Lily.

Bobby has a cheerful, caring, and adventurous personality, though he can also be quite stubborn. He is an active boy who loves exploring the outdoors and often skips school to spend his time in the woods. He enjoys catching insects, fishing, and discovering secret or mysterious places in the forest, and he delights in sharing these discoveries with his friends. Because of his free-spirited nature, he is not particularly fond of studying or mathematics.

His primary motivation comes from his love for nature and adventure, as well as his strong sense of loyalty to his friends. He is best friends with Patty Rabbit, and their friendship is a central element of the story. They first met when Bobby had recovered a mailbag stolen by the town's mischievous wolf, Wilde Wolf, and Patty initially mistook him for the thief's accomplice. After clearing up the misunderstanding and working together to outwit the wolf, the two formed a deep and lasting bond. Throughout the series, he and Patty often find themselves in various crises together, working as a team to help the citizens of Maple Town and foil the selfish plans of Wilde Wolf.

Bobby plays a key role as a capable and resourceful friend. He is physically strong and possesses practical skills that are useful on his adventures, such as the ability to build sleds and craft fishing rods. However, he is not skilled at activities like knitting. While he is a main character in the first series, his role is primarily tied to the events in Maple Town itself. He does not follow Patty to Palm Town in the sequel series, New Maple Town Stories, making only occasional cameo appearances.