Line #28 Main/KungFuKid


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheKarateKid2010 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/424131-bigthumbnail_3931.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Typical Kung-Fu Kid in -- [[ArtifactTitle oddly enough]] -- ''Film/TheKarateKid''.]]
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4	The Kung-Fu Kid is a child or teenager with a very high level of skill in martial arts, whose skills are particularly noteworthy in the context of the story. Sometimes the skills are first acquired during the course of the story, and sometimes the character begins the story already having a significant level of martial arts talent. If it is a SportsStory, the Kung-Fu Kid will likely be working toward a [[BigGame major tournament]]. In a FightingSeries, this guy will regularly battle against enemies, often in [[TournamentArc tournaments]], but sometimes in deadly serious combat. In SpyFiction, the TeenSuperspy is often one of these. In {{Fantasy}} or {{Superhero}} stories, a character's martial arts skills might be sufficient to qualify them as a BadassNormal that can stand toe to toe against more supernatural enemies. Some characters may have martial arts skills that could be classified as SupernaturalMartialArts, or even as a CharlesAtlasSuperpower. Sometimes the kid combines spell casting with martial arts to be a KungFuWizard.
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6	No RealLife examples unless this kid is considered particularly exceptional and famous in the martial arts world. This should not turn into a listing of everyone with a black belt. Nor should it list every young character that takes a karate class but only has the fact mentioned in one or two episodes and gets into perhaps one fight against an untrained person using a minor example of martial arts skills. Mark Taylor of ''Series/HomeImprovement'' would not qualify, for example.
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8	This is the martial arts equivalent to the ChildMage or the KidDetective. Compare to KidSamurai, NinjaBrat, CuteBruiser, and WaifFu. This character might also be a KidSidekick or a KidHero. If female, she may be a LittleMissBadass.
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10	Not to be confused with ''Film/TheKarateKid'', though the movie series does provide several perfect examples.
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12	----
13	!!Examples:
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15	[[foldercontrol]]
16
17	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
18	* ''Manga/ClampSchoolDetectives'' has Suoh Takamura, an elementary school-age martial arts expert with a 3rd dan black belt in Karate, Judo, Aikido, and Kendo. He is also the descendant of a Japanese [[NinjaBrat ninja clan]].
19	* ''Manga/DragonBall'' - Goku, Krillin and Chichi
20	* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' - Gohan in the first few seasons, later Goten
21	* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' - [[PrettyPrincessPowerhouse May Chang]], despite her young age, can handle herself well enough in fights (including with [[PersonOfMassDestruction state alchemists]] and [[HumanoidAbomination homunculi]]) through [[KungFuWizard a combination of martial arts and]] [[AlchemyIsMagic alkahestry]]. Justified, as she HadToBeSharp to avoid assassination attempts back in Xing.
22	* ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' - A number of characters, most notably the titular Kenichi Shirahama. Elementary-school aged Chikage Kushinada is easily the youngest fighting character.
23	* ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid'' - As this is essentially a FightingSeries with {{Magical Girl}}s, several characters fall under this, including the main character Vivio and her main rival Einhart.
24	* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' - Many of the major characters would qualify, particularly Ku Fei. Negi Springfield combines ChildMage with this trope to become a Child KungFuWizard.
25	* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' - Many of the major characters qualify, particularly Ku Fei. Negi Springfield combines ChildMage with this trope to become a Child KungFuWizard.
26	* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' - Mitsukuni "Hani (Honey)" Haninozuka. In a subversion, he's already ''17/18'' years old, though he's OlderThanTheyLook as well.
27	* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' - Almost the entire teenage cast, except the older two Tendo sisters.
28	* ''Manga/RamenFighterMiki'' - Deconstructed with protagonist Miki and TheRival Megumi, they were Kung-Fu Kids in their childhood, and at their 20s, they are [[OneOfTheKids One of the Kung Fu Kids]].
29	* ''Manga/TekkenChinmi'' - The titular young boy Chinmi trains to be a world class kung fu master.
30	* ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' - Pao-Lin Huang aka Dragon Kid uses kung fu against criminals at least as much as she uses her [[ShockAndAwe lightning powers]].
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Comic Books]]
34	* ''ComicBook/Batgirl2000'': Cassandra Cain is a teenager trained to be an assassin, but whose empathy for human beings prevents her from ever actually going lethal.
35	%%* ''ComicBook/IronFist'' - Pei, Danny Rand's potential successor as Iron Fist, and Wah Sing-Rand, the Iron Fist of 3099.
36	%%* ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate_Kid_(comics) Karate Kid (Val Armorr)]] is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century
37	%%* ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' - Robin is a BadassNormal whose skill in martial arts allows him to keep up with his superpowered teammates.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
41	* ''Super Kung Fu Kid'' - Man Lung
42	* ''Film/TheKarateKid'' - Daniel Larusso, from the original 80s films, is the TropeCodifier. Notably, the first film also provides a justification for Daniel's ability to [[TookALevelInBadass improve as fast as he does]] - he practices basically all day, every day, under [[OldMaster Mr. Miyagi]], putting himself through borderline TrainingFromHell. By the climactic tournament, [[LookWhatICanDoNow the results show]].
43	** [[Film/TheKarateKid2010 The reboot]] has Andre "Dre" Parker, who's even [[NonIndicativeName actually a practicioner of kung fu]].
44	* ''Film/ThreeNinjas'' - Samuel Douglas Jr., Michael Douglas, Jeffrey Douglas, Miyo
45	* ''Film/{{Sidekicks}}'' - Barry Gabrewski
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Literature]]
49	%%* ''Literature/AlexRider'' - Alex has a black belt in karate, which alone is not enough to qualify for this trope, however he regularly uses his martial arts skills during his spy missions.
50	* ''[[http://www.theblackbeltclub.com The Black Belt Club]]'' - A children's book series about four young martial artists who go on secret missions.
51	%%* ''[[Literature/CherubSeries CHERUB]]'' - All CHERUB agents train in advanced martial arts, however Bruce Norris is particularly noted for his martial arts talent.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Live Action TV]]
55	* ''Series/CobraKai'', being a SequelSeries to the aforementioned ''Film/TheKarateKid'', unsurprisingly features a number of youngsters skilled in martial arts. However, five of them in particular - [[TheAce Miguel]], [[ActionGirl Sam]], [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Hawk]], [[AxCrazy Tory]], and [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Robby]] - stand out even by the show's standards.
56	%%* ''Series/KungFu1972''- Young Caine in the OnceAnEpisode {{Flashback}}s
57	* ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Kids Kung Fu Kids]]'': A Philippine TV series tells the story of seven kids of different personalities united by a prophecy. The Kung Fu Kids train under the village idiot who turns out to be a Kung Fu master from China.
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	%%[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
61	%%* ''TabletopGame/FengShui'' - Scrappy Kids are based on this character type in Hong Kong cinema.
62	%%* You can also play a Kung-Fu Kid in ''TabletopGame/HongKongActionTheatre'', though you will need "To Live and Die in HK" to do so.
63	%%[[/folder]]
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65	[[folder:Video Games]]
66	* ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Kid Kung Fu Kid]]'': A 1987 Sega Master System video game about a kid that uses his knowledge of kung fu to fight enemies.
67	* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Kubfu (introduced in the 'Isle of Armor' DLC of ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'') takes this trope and applies it to a bear cub. It can master one of two fighting styles upon evolution, determined by which tower it was trained through; [[ForceAndFinesse the Dark-type Single Strike style, or the Water-type Rapid-Strike style]].
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Webcomics]]
71	* ''Webcomic/HowIKilledYourMaster'' - The stories with the younger versions of the main character are something of a deconstruction since he still has to spend a great deal running away or being rescued. Then again [[{{Tsundere}} some of the rescuers]] count as this trope as well.
72	%%* ''Webcomic/TheBullysBully'' - The unnamed heroine appears to be an example although this is not yet canon.
73	[[/folder]]
74
75	[[folder:Western Animation]]
76	%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee''
77	%%* ''WesternAnimation/ShurikenSchool'' - Eizan Kaburagi, Jimmy B. and Okuni Dohan
78	* ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' - Though [[VagueAge the protagonist ages are never given]], they don't seem to be older than 14
79	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Both the young heroes and villains qualify, though proficiency in kung fu is pretty common in that world regardless of age.
80	** Toph Beifong was born blind and learned her own (vastly superior) earthbending without her parents ever finding out. Not only that, but she invented- ''invented'' - a brand new form of bending thought to be impossible (metalbending)... at twelve years old.
81	** A straighter example of this trope is present in the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''. Korra, the new Avatar, first started earthbending when she was ''five years old'', something completely unheard of in the history of the Avatar. Even Aang, the youngest Avatar to ever master all four elements, didn't start learning his second element until he was twelve; and most Avatars don't even find out their identity until after they turn [[Dangerous16thBirthday sixteen.]]
82	* Referenced by name in the ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness'' episode "The Kung Fu Kid", starring [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Peng the young snow leopard]]... who although he claims to have had no formal kung fu training and is just a potter, is able to go toe-to-toe with Po, Temutai, and even Shifu and the Furious Five while under MoreThanMindControl. Justified by it being InTheBlood[[note]]Peng claims to Po at the end of his debut episode that Tai Lung (the main villain of the first movie) is his [[EvilUncle uncle]].[[/note]]
83	[[/folder]]

Context Main / KungFuKid