History Film / TheKarateKid

First is the Larusso trilogy, which focused on a student-master relationship between Daniel Larusso (played by Creator/RalphMacchio) and Mr Miyagi (played by Creator/PatMorita). The name "Miyagi" came [[PersonAsVerb to be slang]] for a type of RetiredBadass.

Following the 2010 movie, the franchise went with an {{Unreboot}} [[SequelInAnotherMedium series]] called ''Series/CobraKai'' following ''Karate Kid'' antagonist Johnny Lawrence and Daniel [[SequelGap 34 years after the first movie]]. Both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their roles, and the series debuted on [=YouTube=] Premium before undergoing a ChannelHop to Creator/{{Netflix}} starting with the third season.

Following the 2010 movie, the franchise went with an {{Unreboot}} called ''Series/CobraKai'' following ''Karate Kid'' antagonist Johnny Lawrence and Daniel [[SequelGap 34 years after the first movie]]. Both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their roles, and the series debuted on [=YouTube=] Premium before undergoing a ChannelHop to Netflix starting with the third season.

* ''Film/{{The Karate Kid|1984}}'' (1984)

* ''Film/{{The Karate Kid|2010}}'' (2010)
* ''Series/CobraKai'' (2018-)

* BreakoutVillain: John Kreese appeared in only three scenes in the original film but was so memorably over-the-top that he was present in the next two sequels [[spoiler:and returns at the end of season one of ''Cobra Kai'']]. Granted, his scene in ''Part II'' was initially filmed for the first movie.

* TookALevelInBadass: Daniel goes from a complete scrub to winning a tournament handicapped in the first movie.

First is the Larusso trilogy, which focused on a student-master relationship between Daniel Larusso (played by Creator/RalphMacchio) and Mr Miyagi (played by Creator/PatMorita). The name "Miyagi" came [[PersonAsVerb to be slang]] for a type of RetiredBadass. A sequel web series, set [[DistantFinale 34 years after the end]] of the first movie, called ''Series/CobraKai'' with both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their roles, is currently streaming on [=YouTube=] Premium.

* ''The Karate Kid Part II: The Computer Game'' (1986)
* ''VideoGame/TheKarateKid'' video game (1987)

* ''WesternAnimation/TheKarateKid'' cartoon (1989)

* ''Series/CobraKai'' (2018--present)

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/karate_kid_movie_ralph_macchio_3883.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:This makes so much more sense compared to waxing cars.]]

->''[[WaxOnWaxOff "Wax on, wax off!"]]''
-->-- '''Mr. Miyagi'''

A series of five films and a television series beginning in 1984. Following a similar pattern to the first ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' movie (and featuring the same director) it focused on a student-master relationship between Daniel Larusso and Mr. Miyagi, whose name came [[PersonAsVerb to be slang]] for a type of RetiredBadass. The first three films starred Ralph Macchio as Daniel and Creator/PatMorita as Miyagi. Creator/HilarySwank played a new "Karate Kid" in the fourth movie, and Jaden Smith (son of Creator/WillSmith) and Creator/JackieChan starred in a [[Film/TheKarateKid2010 2010 reboot]].

A sequel web series, set [[DistantFinale 34 years after the end]] of the first movie, called ''Series/CobraKai'' with both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their roles, is currently streaming on [=YouTube=] Premium.

The movies also inspired a somewhat forgettable AnimatedAdaptation, ''WesternAnimation/TheKarateKid'', involving Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling the world in pursuit of a stolen magical healing shrine. There is also a [[VideoGame/TheKarateKid video game]] based on Parts I and II.

!!The original film series has examples of:

** In RealLife, there is no move for which there is no defense when it is performed well (or rather, you could say actually all fighting techniques work that way - if done sufficiently well, any of them can bypass the opponent's defense). This is apparently acknowledged in ''Karate Kid 2'', where the crane kick is defended by stepping slightly to the side.
* ArtisticLicenseSports:
** Barnes's fouls on Danny in the final showdown were so blatant and close together that even the most lenient ref would've disqualified him halfway through the match.

* BreakoutVillain: John Kreese appeared in only three scenes in the original film but was so memorably over-the-top that he was present in the next two sequels [[spoiler: and returns at the end of season one of ''Cobra Kai'']]. Granted, his scene in ''Part II'' was initially filmed for the first movie.

!!Installments in the franchise:

The movies also inspired a somewhat forgettable AnimatedAdaptation, ''WesternAnimation/TheKarateKid'', involving Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling the world in pursuit of a stolen magical healing shrine. There is also a [[VideoGame/TheKarateKid video game]] based on Parts I and II.

Many people have noticed that Creator/DCComics is credited in the films, but contrary to popular belief, the films are not directly based on any comic book. Creator/ColumbiaPictures obtained permission from DC (as a professional courtesy) to use the title "The Karate Kid" because the name was already in use for the ComicBook/KarateKid in DC's ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' comic, but the films draw no inspiration from the character.

* ''VideoGame/TheKarateKid'' (1987)

* ''WesternAnimation/TheKarateKid'' (1989)

The movies also inspired a somewhat forgettable AnimatedAdaptation, ''WesternAnimation/TheKarateKid'', involving Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling the world in pursuit of a stolen magical healing shrine.

The movies also inspired a somewhat forgettable AnimatedAdaptation involving Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling the world in pursuit of a stolen magical healing shrine.

** The "crane kick" would be illegal in the type of martial arts sparring competition seen in the first film, due to being an uncontrolled strike to the face. This is brought up in ''Series/CobraKai''.

** Mr. Miyagi, who'd earned medals in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, including the ''Medal of Honor''. (Some TruthInTelevision and FridgeBrilliance there, given Miyagi is apparently a Japanese national. Those Japanese who signed up to fight with the US armed forces during World War II were put together in one unit. That unit earned more medals and Medals of Honor per head than any other in any branch of service.

* ''Series/CobraKai'' (2018)

Many people have noticed that Creator/DCComics is credited in the films, but contrary to popular belief, the films are not directly based on any comic book. Creator/ColumbiaPictures obtained permission from DC (as a professional courtesy) to use the title "The Karate Kid" because the name was already in use for a character in DC's ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' comic, but the films draw no inspiration from the character.

* FiveBadBand: Johnny and his Cobra Kai cronies. Johnny is the BigBad, Bobby is TheDragon, Tommy is a smartass version of the EvilGenius, Dutch is TheBrute, and Jimmy, the only brown belt in the group, is the DarkChick.

Many people have noticed that Creator/DCComics is credited in the films, but contrary to popular belief, the films are not directly based on any comic book. Creator/ColumbiaPictures obtained permission from DC (as a professional courtesy) to use the title "The Karate Kid" because the name was already in use for a character in DC's ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuper-Heroes'' comic, but the films draw no inspiration from the character.