Bunta, also known as Bunta of the Water Drinking Creek, is a tanuki from the Tama Hills who plays a significant role in the community's efforts to protect their home from urban development. He has light brown fur with a distinguishing dark brown patch covering the left side of his face. His build is sturdy and robust, though not as heavyset as some of his companions like Gonta. When taking human form, he appears as a stocky young man with thick, wavy black hair, a button nose, and a facial mole that mirrors the fur patch he has in his natural tanuki appearance, typically dressed in a white t-shirt and pale blue jeans.

Bunta is a serious and thoughtful individual who is deeply attached to the Tama Hills he calls home. He possesses a complex perspective on the conflict with humanity, viewing humans as cultivated and superior beings, even referring to them as the crown of creation while describing tanuki as simple creatures who eat mice. This respect for human sophistication exists alongside his profound frustration over the destruction of his natural habitat. His demeanor is generally earnest and straightforward, yet he also has moments where he can be mellow and sensitive, described as having a balance between being husky and robust while still showing a softer side. He is also known to be an ascetic, following the elder Oroku's advice to avoid having children in order to focus completely on the struggle against the humans, and he meditates under a small waterfall to resist temptation.

His role in the story is defined by a significant journey he undertakes for the sake of his people. He is selected, by means of a rock-paper-scissors contest, to travel to Sado Island on a three-year mission. The purpose of this trip is to find one of the legendary transformation masters, Danzaburō of Sado, and seek his aid in the tanuki's battle against the expanding human metropolis. Upon arriving on Sado Island, however, he learns that the master he was sent to find had been shot dead by a hunter years earlier. When Bunta finally returns to the Tama Hills, he is shocked to discover how dramatically the landscape has changed in his absence, feeling like the mythical figure Urashima Taro who returned to a world he no longer recognized.

In terms of abilities, Bunta is considered to be among the most talented tanuki in the art of transformation, possessing a high level of skill in metamorphosis. He puts his abilities to practical use, participating with other tanuki in a transformation test that requires them to assume human form and work on a construction site to earn one thousand yen. He also takes turns with others to maintain the illusion of being a human laborer on a job site. As part of his commitment to the cause, he follows the elders' guidance and practices ascetic discipline. His key relationships include being part of the main tribe of tanuki, with a connection to another young tanuki named Tamasaburo, who was chosen in the same contest to travel to Shikoku. His journey to Sado and his subsequent return shape his perspective and contribution to the community's fight for survival.