![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I began writing this primer/manifesto Some Time Ago and then abandoned it because I got overwhelmed, so thank you to the ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
snowflake_challenge for the nudge to get it out of mothballs and finish it! It is not perfect: my biases are definitely present as much as I have tried not to put them to the forefront. There are parts of the fandom that I don't have much connection to and can't offer much insight on (see: the Instagram side of fandom). I also do not cover the musical or the upcoming remake. But, I think that it's certainly better than nothing! I may revisit and revise this post in the future.
So what is The Karate Kid? And what about its spin off Cobra Kai? How can you learn more about it? I’m so glad you asked.
First and foremost: the wiki is garbage. The factual and the completely fabricated lie cheek by jowl with no means of distinguishing between them. I can’t replace what the wiki should be as a resource, but I can certainly get you started.
The Karate Kid is a martial arts drama written by Robert Mark Kanen and directed by John G Avildsen that opened on June 22 1984 to critical and popular acclaim. It is the story of Daniel LaRusso, a spunky New Jersey transplant to California, who is bullied by the popular kid and karate black belt Johnny Lawrence. To defend himself, Daniel learns traditional Okinawan karate from Mr Miyagi, his building’s handyman. There are two further instalments starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita as Daniel and Mr Miyagi and a fourth movie starring Hilary Swank as Julie Pierce, the titular next karate kid that Mr Miyagi mentors.
Cobra Kai, which debuted on the now defunct YouTube Red in 2018, is the story of Johnny Lawrence 34 years after the events of The Karate Kid. It takes more of a shades of grey approach to characterisation and all the characters can be sympathetic or unsympathetic by turns. The show faced an uncertain future after season two, before being acquired by Netflix and renewed in June 2020, releasing season three on January 1 2021. At present, there are five seasons of the show and, while a sixth season has not yet been confirmed, it is likely that the show will be renewed. [EDIT Jan 20 2023: Cobra Kai has been renewed for a sixth and final season]
You can watch Cobra Kai season 1-5 on Netflix and seasons 1-3 are available on DVD and BluRay (season 4 is only available on DVD). The Karate Kid I-III is also available on DVD and BluRay and can be streamed on Netflix Ireland (the fourth movie and the 2010 remake with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are also on Irish Netflix as of January 2023).
What’s that? You want to know more?
Here are some summaries! Spoilers ahead.
( plot summaries, fandom events and communities, mini-ship manifestos and a rec list under the cut )
snowflake_challenge for the nudge to get it out of mothballs and finish it! It is not perfect: my biases are definitely present as much as I have tried not to put them to the forefront. There are parts of the fandom that I don't have much connection to and can't offer much insight on (see: the Instagram side of fandom). I also do not cover the musical or the upcoming remake. But, I think that it's certainly better than nothing! I may revisit and revise this post in the future. So what is The Karate Kid? And what about its spin off Cobra Kai? How can you learn more about it? I’m so glad you asked.
First and foremost: the wiki is garbage. The factual and the completely fabricated lie cheek by jowl with no means of distinguishing between them. I can’t replace what the wiki should be as a resource, but I can certainly get you started.
The Karate Kid is a martial arts drama written by Robert Mark Kanen and directed by John G Avildsen that opened on June 22 1984 to critical and popular acclaim. It is the story of Daniel LaRusso, a spunky New Jersey transplant to California, who is bullied by the popular kid and karate black belt Johnny Lawrence. To defend himself, Daniel learns traditional Okinawan karate from Mr Miyagi, his building’s handyman. There are two further instalments starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita as Daniel and Mr Miyagi and a fourth movie starring Hilary Swank as Julie Pierce, the titular next karate kid that Mr Miyagi mentors.
Cobra Kai, which debuted on the now defunct YouTube Red in 2018, is the story of Johnny Lawrence 34 years after the events of The Karate Kid. It takes more of a shades of grey approach to characterisation and all the characters can be sympathetic or unsympathetic by turns. The show faced an uncertain future after season two, before being acquired by Netflix and renewed in June 2020, releasing season three on January 1 2021. At present, there are five seasons of the show and, while a sixth season has not yet been confirmed, it is likely that the show will be renewed. [EDIT Jan 20 2023: Cobra Kai has been renewed for a sixth and final season]
You can watch Cobra Kai season 1-5 on Netflix and seasons 1-3 are available on DVD and BluRay (season 4 is only available on DVD). The Karate Kid I-III is also available on DVD and BluRay and can be streamed on Netflix Ireland (the fourth movie and the 2010 remake with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are also on Irish Netflix as of January 2023).
What’s that? You want to know more?
Here are some summaries! Spoilers ahead.
( plot summaries, fandom events and communities, mini-ship manifestos and a rec list under the cut )
