The Karate Kid
Quick Summary
The 1984 film The Karate Kid, directed by John G. Avildsen, tells the story of Daniel LaRusso, a New Jersey teenager who moves to California and is bullied by a group of karate students known as Cobra Kai. Daniel is mentored by his neighbor, Mr. Miyagi, a karate master who teaches him martial arts and life philosophy. Miyagi trains Daniel to compete in the All Valley Karate Tournament, where Daniel ultimately triumphs over his bullies with an iconic "crane kick". The film was a box office success and led to several sequels.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
Ralph Macchio…for playing Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid (1984) and its sequel films The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989) as well as the follow-up television series Cobra Kai (2018–23). He also played prominent roles in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders (1983), as well…
Read More…for playing Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid (1984) and its sequel films The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989) as well as the follow-up television series Cobra Kai (2018–23). He also played prominent roles in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders (1983), as well…
Read More
Pat MoritaStand-up comedy and acting…starred in his career-defining film, The Karate Kid. He was cast as Mr. Miyagi, an experienced karate master who teaches Daniel, a bullied teenager (played by Ralph Macchio), how to stand up for himself. As part of Daniel’s training, Miyagi has him perform everyday chores, and in one of the…
Read More…starred in his career-defining film, The Karate Kid. He was cast as Mr. Miyagi, an experienced karate master who teaches Daniel, a bullied teenager (played by Ralph Macchio), how to stand up for himself. As part of Daniel’s training, Miyagi has him perform everyday chores, and in one of the…
Read More
