For decades, Calvin and Hobbes fans have debated whether Hobbes is “real” or not, but in an interview from the late 1980s, creator Bill Watterson stated that the “ultimate reality” of the tiger’s true nature was not important and, in fact, Watterson suggested that the ambiguity of Hobbes’ existence was actually one of the cartoon’s core strengths.
https://screenrant.com/calvin-hobbes-bill-watterson-fantasy-reality-hobbes-imaginary/