History Film / TheKarateKid1984

->'''Daniel:''' So, you're supposed to teach and I'm supposed to learn! For 4 days I've been bustin' my ass, and haven't learned a goddamn thing!\\

*** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in [[DifficultButAwesome certain]] [[DefensiveFeintTrap circumstances]] while in others it's an [[AllOrNothing all-or-nothing]] [[ArtisticLicenseMartialArts telegraphed attack]]. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, as a CounterAttack, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming[[note]]as seen with Johnny Lawrence not knowing what to do when he first saw it used against him and with Terry Silver in ''Series/CobraKai'' when Daniel used it as a follow-up FinishingMove after knocking the wind out of Terry[[/note]].

** The crane stance is somewhat ''justified'' as practical in [[DifficultButAwesome certain]] [[DefensiveFeintTrap circumstances]] while in others it's an [[AllOrNothing all-or-nothing]] [[ArtisticLicenseMartialArts telegraphed attack]]. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, as a CounterAttack, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming[[note]]as seen with Johnny Lawrence not knowing what to do when he first saw it used against him and with Terry Silver in ''Series/CobraKai'' when Daniel used it as a follow-up FinishingMove after knocking the wind out of Terry[[/note]].

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in [[DifficultButAwesome certain]] [[DefensiveFeintTrap circumstances]] while in others it's an [[AllOrNothing all-or-nothing]] [[ArtisticLicenseMartialArts telegraphed attack]]. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, as a CounterAttack, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming[[note]]as seen with Johnny Lawrence not knowing what to do when he first saw it used against him and with Terry Silver in ''Series/CobraKai'' when Daniel used it as a follow-up FinishingMove after knocking the wind out of Terry[[/note]].

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in [[DifficultButAwesome certain]] [[DefensiveFeintTrap circumstances]] while in others it's an [[AllOrNothing all-or-nothing]] [[ArtisticLicenseMartialArts telegraphed attack]]. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, as a CounterAttack, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

*** Apparently, it can be applied in RealLife... as a jumping front kick with your arms extended as "crane wings" to balance yourself as you stand on one leg... by using it like Lyoto Machida did against Randy Couture. Lyoto [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTiJ7A1DLV0 blindsided]] Randy by feinting a kick with his left leg then "doing the crane" with his attacking right leg.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in [[DifficultButAwesome certain]] [[DefensiveFeintTrap circumstances]] while in others it's an [[ArtisticLicenseMartialArts all-or-nothing telegraphed attack]]. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, as a CounterAttack, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in [[DifficultButAwesome certain]] [[DefensiveFeintTrap circumstances]] while in others it's an all-or-nothing telegraphed attack. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, as a CounterAttack, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

*** Apparently, it can be applied in RealLife... as a front kick with your arms extended as "crane wings" to balance yourself as you stand on one leg... by using it like Lyoto Machida did against Randy Couture. Lyoto [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTiJ7A1DLV0 blindsided]] Randy by feinting a kick with his left leg then "doing the crane" with his attacking right leg.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in certain circumstances while in others it's an all-or-nothing telegraphed attack. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, when done quickly and timed precisely, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

*** Apparently, it can be applied in RealLife... a front kick with your arms extended as "crane wings" to balance yourself as you stand on one leg... by using it like Lyoto Machida did against Randy Couture. Lyoto [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTiJ7A1DLV0 blindsided]] Randy by feinting a kick with his left leg then "doing the crane" with his attacking right leg.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in certain circumstances while in others it's an all-or-nothing telegraphed attack. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, when done in quick succession, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in certain circumstances. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". The technique works best with a feint, when done in quick succession, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical in certain circumstances. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". Apparently, it can be applied in RealLife... a front kick with your arms extended as "crane wings" to balance yourself as you stand on one leg... by using it like Lyoto Machida did against Randy Couture. Lyoto [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTiJ7A1DLV0 blindsided]] Randy by feinting a kick with his left leg then "doing the crane" with his attacking right leg. The technique works best with a feint, when done in quick succession, or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

The first film in the ''Film/TheKarateKid'' series, released in 1984.

Daniel [=LaRusso=] (Creator/RalphMacchio) has just moved with his mother Lucille from New Jersey to Reseda, UsefulNotes/{{California}}. Daniel is overall a good kid, but his life takes a turn for the worse when he meets a girl that he likes, Ali Mills (Creator/ElisabethShue), only to incur the wrath of her ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence (Creator/WilliamZabka). Johnny happens to be the prize student of the Cobra Kai UsefulNotes/{{Karate}} dojo, whose sensei John Kreese (Creator/MartinKove) encourages ruthless aggression. After their first meeting, which ends with Daniel [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown being beaten badly]], Johnny leads his gang into tormenting Daniel whenever possible.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". Apparently, it can be applied in RealLife... a front kick with his arms extended as "crane wings" to balance himself... by using it like Lyoto Machida did against Randy Couture. Lyoto [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTiJ7A1DLV0 blindsided]] Randy by feinting a kick to his other leg then "doing the crane" with his attacking leg. The technique works best with a feint or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

** Somewhat ''justified'' as practical. According to Miyagi, if the crane stance/kick/technique is "done right", then "no can [[AsianSpeekeeEngrish defense]]". Apparently, it can be applied in RealLife... a front kick with his arms extended as "crane wings" to balance himself... by using it like Lyoto Machida did against Randy Couture. Lyoto blindsided Randy by feinting a kick to his other leg then "doing the crane" with the actual leg. The technique works best with a feint or if the opponent doesn't know what's coming.

** Bobby and Johnny balk when ordered to unethically injure Daniel, though Kreese ultimately intimidates them into it.

** A member of the audience calls Johnny a "creampuff" when for all anyone knew he just possibly had his nose broken.

* ThugDojo: Cobra Kai, as enforced by Kreese (and much to the chagrin of his charges).

** Darryl Vidal easily defeats a number of opponents on his way to the semifinals, but his style has a lot of flash and not enough substance. This is exposed when he uses several tornado kicks against Johnny; he leaves himself wide open as his back is necessarily turned for part of the move, and multiple spinning kicks in rapid succession let Johnny get a fix on the timing, taking Darryl down with a well-placed kick.

*
** AwesomeButImpractical: The crane stance, which in RealLife could be defeated with a good shove to the chest. Heck, if you pause the movie right before the Crane Kick, you can see that Johnny has a ''clear'' shot to the chin lined up. This becomes a plot point in the sequel where Chozen effortlessly counters it.

* AwesomeButImpractical: The crane stance, which in RealLife could be defeated with a good shove to the chest. Heck, if you pause the movie right before the Crane Kick, you can see that Johnny has a ''clear'' shot to the chin lined up. This becomes a plot point in the sequel where Chozen effortlessly counters it.
** Crane is presented as more of a technique than a single move; Miyagi practices from the top of a pole, not because it confers an advantage, but because it presents a ''disadvantage'', forcing him to hone his sense of balance to razor sharpness

* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Seemingly in play, but ultimately averted. To get to the level of competition that the Cobra Kai students are at requires years of training and physical conditioning. While it's true that Daniel manages to catch up in only two months, the set up before the TrainingMontage makes it clear that Daniel is being pushed through extreme training, spending entire days from dawn to dusk working to build up his core muscles, then to follow up with balance, skill, and technique. Such intense training, with a proper teacher (working exclusively, rather than with a whole class), makes such a quick increase in skill believable. Plus, Daniel wasn't a complete novice as he did have some basic training at the YMCA. Notably, Daniel barely wins and is clearly outmatched physically. He wins, instead, on technique. [[note]]Kreese's philosophy is the antithesis of budo principles and Miyagi's outlook on balance, his instructions to the Cobra Kai focus almost entirely on offense, which neglects their defense considerably. Meaning Daniel actually has a good chance of victory by ironically "learning how to take a beating."[[/note]]
** It's also further explored in both the novelization of the film and later in ''Series/CobraKai'' that Kreese actually isn't a very good karate instructor and teaches his students poor technique. They're only able to do as well as they do because of their physical prowess and natural ability.

* ImprovFu: How Miyagi defeats Kreese in the parking lot (in a cut scene used in the opening of the sequel). He simply dodged and made him slash up his own fists after accidentally punching out nearby car windows bare-handed.
* IncrediblyLamePun: Miyagi makes Daniel fall off the rowboat he was balancing on, and when he crawls out of the water Miyagi laughingly tells Daniel he's still wet behind the ears.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Having a philosophy of "Belts only good to hold up pants" is great for your personal life, less so when entering an organized tournament that is restricted to those ranked brown belt or higher. Belt rankings serve a legitimate purpose of ensuring a equal footing for all competitors. [[note]]Though as Miyagi put it, he fought for his life, not for points, so is perhaps ''[[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass overqualified.]]''[[/note]]

* YouHaveFailedMe: A variation. Kreese ''strangles'' Johnny for failing to win and for telling him off for acting crazy. Who knows how far he would have gone had Miyagi not been there.

** Mr. Miyagi himself might be an obscure reference to Teinosuke Yagi, a Japanese bonesetter and former jujutsu master who introduced the young Jigoro Kano (the founder of UsefulNotes/{{Judo}}) to his art when the latter was being bullied. His last name is also a reference to Chōjun Miyagi, the founder of Gōjū-ryū Karate (which the writer Robert Mark Kamen had practiced before and whose sensei had a similar philosophy to movie-Myiagi). His full name, back when it was canonically Keisuke Miyagi, is an even more clear reference to T''ei''no''suke'' ''Yagi''.

** Mr. Miyagi himself might be an obscure reference to Teinosuke Yagi, a Japanese bonesetter and former jujutsu master who introduced the young Jigoro Kano (the founder of UsefulNotes/{{Judo}}) to his art when the latter was being bullied. His full name, back when it was canonically Keisuke Miyagi, is an even more clear reference to T''ei''no''suke'' ''Yagi''.