113-585: Nariyoshi Miyagi , better known as Mr. Miyagi , is a fictional character portrayed by Pat Morita who appeared in The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and The Next Karate Kid (1994). A wise, Okinawan-born karate master, he mentors Daniel LaRusso in the first three films (1984–1989) and Julie Pierce in the fourth one (1994). The sequel series Cobra Kai (2018–present) frequently references Miyagi (through dialogue and archival images), and
226-642: A stand-up comedian at small clubs in Sacramento as well as San Francisco , taking the stage name "Pat Morita," in part due to the presence of comedians including Pat Henry and Pat Cooper , in addition due to memories of the priest he had befriended as a boy. Morita struggled for many years in comedy, until fellow performer— ventriloquist Hank Garcia—told him to try his luck in Los Angeles . Sally Marr , Lenny Bruce 's mother, acted as his agent and manager after he moved to Los Angeles, and booked him in
339-411: A typhoon strikes the village, leaving Sato trapped under the ruins of a dojo toppled by the storm. Miyagi rescues Sato and they hide in a nearby pillbox with Chozen and other village folks. Daniel rushes into the storm after seeing Yuna stuck on top of a bell tower; Sato demands that his nephew help Daniel, but Chozen refuses. Sato assists Daniel himself, after which he disowns Chozen, who runs out into
452-446: A Chinese restaurant in a black neighborhood with a clientele of blacks, Filipinos and everybody else who didn't fit in any of the other neighborhoods". Morita would entertain customers with jokes and serve as master of ceremonies for group dinners. After Morita's father was killed in 1956 in a hit-and-run while walking home from an all-night movie, Morita and his mother kept the restaurant going for another three or four years. Needing
565-436: A Halloween party, after Daniel sprays water on Johnny with a hose as payback, Johnny and his gang chase Daniel and brutally beat him until Miyagi suddenly intervenes and easily defeats them. Amazed, Daniel asks Miyagi to teach him karate. Although Miyagi declines, he agrees to accompany him to Cobra Kai to resolve the conflict. They meet the sensei , John Kreese , an ex- Special Forces Vietnam veteran who callously dismisses
678-483: A beard and patterned his accent after his uncle. After he was cast and although he had been using the name Pat for years, Weintraub suggested that he be billed with his given name to sound "more ethnic". In the first film, in The Karate Kid (1984), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a corresponding Golden Globe Award , for his role as the wise karate teacher Mr. Miyagi who taught bullied teenager Daniel LaRusso ( Ralph Macchio )
791-463: A comedic actor. Morita eventually tested five times before Weintraub himself offered him the role, ultimately winning it because he grew a beard and patterned his accent after his uncle. After he was cast and although he had been using the name Pat for years, Weintraub suggested that he be billed with his given name to sound "more ethnic." In the first film, in The Karate Kid (1984), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and
904-751: A corresponding Golden Globe Award , for his role as the wise karate teacher Mr. Miyagi who taught bullied teenager Daniel LaRusso ( Ralph Macchio ) the art of Goju-ryu karate. He was recognized as Noriyuki "Pat" Morita at the 57th Academy Awards ceremony. He reprised the role two more times with Macchio in The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). In 1994, he starred in The Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank (as bullied teenager Julie Pierce ) instead of Macchio. Although Morita died in 2005, Macchio wrote in an imaginary 2022 letter to him that (due to
1017-521: A final — but ultimately unsuccessful — request that they put aside their differences. Sato, out of respect for his teacher, gives Miyagi three days to mourn before their fight. Daniel supports Miyagi through his grief and Miyagi shows Daniel the secret to his family's karate: a handheld drum that twists back and forth, illustrating a block-and-defense karate move called the "drum technique". After Chozen and his crew vandalize Miyagi's family property and attack Daniel, Miyagi decides to return to California before
1130-441: A headband. He walked up to and grabbed John Avildsen, and said "Watch your mouth asshole!" He then exited the room and came back in, took his headband off and said that it was Johnny, not Billy. Avildsen then asked him about his age, and his height when compared to karate kid. Zabka responded, " Bruce Lee was smaller than Kareem Abdul Jabbar , but he beat him" in reference to Game of Death , to which Avildsen confirmed it. Avildsen
1243-464: A hug to celebrate their victory over Chozen while the villagers cheer for them and Miyagi looks upon Daniel proudly. This film begins in 1985 at the moment when the previous one ended. In 1985, Miyagi and Daniel return to California and discover that the South Seas apartment complex has been sold and is being slated for development, leaving Daniel homeless and Miyagi unemployed. Miyagi offers Daniel
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#17327910776731356-414: A job working for his best friend Sato 's father, who was the richest man in the village. In addition, he learned karate and fishing from his father Miyagi Chōjun , a fisherman. Breaking family tradition, his father also taught karate to Sato (as karate was traditionally only passed down from father to son). Their friendship soured when they were teenagers, however, because Miyagi fell in love with Yukie ,
1469-617: A long time between visits. Pat Morita gained particular fame during the 1980s for his work as Mr. Miyagi. In 2015, Mr. Miyagi was inducted into the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame in the Contributor Category. The Karate Kid screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen stated that Mr. Miyagi was named after Chōjun Miyagi , the founder of the Goju-ryu karate style, and that Fumio Demura was the inspiration for
1582-580: A recurring character for season ten and as a main character in the final eleventh season. He also portrayed the character of Arnold on Blansky's Beauties in 1977. Morita gained particular fame during the 1980s for his work as Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid films. The original preferred choice was Toshiro Mifune , who had appeared in the Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Hidden Fortress (1958), but
1695-604: A recurring role on the sitcom The Hughleys (2000). He also made a guest appearance on a 1996 episode of Married... with Children . He went on to star in the short film Talk To Taka as a sushi chef who doles out advice to anyone who will hear him. He voiced the Emperor of China in Disney's 36th animated feature Mulan (1998) and reprised the role in Mulan II (2004), a direct-to-video sequel and Kingdom Hearts II . He
1808-645: A regular job to support his wife and a newly born child, Morita became a data processor in the early 1960s with the Department of Motor Vehicles and other state agencies, graduating to a graveyard shift job at Aerojet General . In due time, he was a department head at another aerospace firm, Lockheed , handling the liaison between the engineers and the programmers who were mapping out lunar eclipses for Polaris and Titan missile projects. However, Morita suffered from occupational burnout and decided to quit his job and try show business . He began working as
1921-566: A sanatorium near Sacramento, Morita befriended a visiting priest who would often joke that, if Morita ever converted to Catholicism, the priest would rename him to "Patrick Aloysius Ignatius Xavier Noriyuki Morita." Released from the hospital at age 11 after undergoing extensive spinal surgery and learning how to walk, Morita was transported from the hospital directly to the Gila River camp in Arizona to join his interned family. After about
2034-630: A school security fraternity called the Alpha Elite. Miyagi invites Louisa to stay in his house in Los Angeles to relax, and he himself stays in Boston to act as Julie's caretaker. Julie's issues cause friction at school and with Miyagi; he watches as she attempts to leave and narrowly misses being struck by a car by managing to jump into a tiger crouch onto the hood. Julie explains that she learned rudimentary karate from her father, Jack's son; Jack had taught his son what he learned from Miyagi. After Julie
2147-443: A script written by Rob Lieber, where the plot will involve a teen from China moving to the east coast and beginning to study martial arts. Karen Rosenfelt will produce the film, with principal photography scheduled to commence in spring 2024. Originally scheduled to be released on June 7, 2024, the film was delayed to December 13, 2024, in part as a result of the 2023 writers and actors strikes. In 2022, Ralph Macchio published
2260-750: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion picture industry. In 2015, he was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame . Morita was born on June 28, 1932, in Isleton, California , to Japanese immigrant parents. Morita's father, Tamaru, born in 1897, immigrated to California from Kumamoto Prefecture on the Japanese island of Kyushu in 1915. Tamaru's wife, Momoe, born in 1903, immigrated to California in 1913. Noriyuki, as Pat
2373-415: A tool for violence and revenge. So he moved on to study Okinawan Gōjū-ryū karate under a Japanese teacher who did not speak English but had been a student of Chōjun Miyagi . As a Hollywood screenwriter, Kamen was mentored by Frank Price who told him that producer Jerry Weintraub had optioned a news article about the young child of a single mother who had earned a black belt to defend himself against
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#17327910776732486-584: A traditional Japanese garden in the back of his home (which is shown in the opening sequence of Cobra Kai (season 2) , Episode 6) where he lived alone. He also restored classic cars. Daniel would learn in The Karate Kid that Miyagi never fully recovered from the loss of his wife and child during the war. In 1984, Miyagi (who is now 59 years old) is working as a maintenance man at the South Seas apartment complex Daniel LaRusso and his mother have just moved into. When Daniel throws away his bike after it
2599-604: A version of Lawrence and a version of Miyagi were part of the line. The toys were spotted at retailers Target and Amazon.com . The series has been credited for popularizing karate in the United States . The American experimental rock band Sweep the Leg Johnny derives their name from a line from the film. The 2007 music video for the song " Sweep the Leg " by No More Kings stars William Zabka (who also directed
2712-496: A vicious karate expert. Daniel chooses not to defend his title in the next competition, though he continues his training under Miyagi. Silver approaches them and claims that Kreese has died and requests forgiveness for Kreese's behavior. Barnes attempts to goad Daniel into entering the tournament by picking a fight with him that goes badly for Daniel until Miyagi intervenes and fends Barnes off. The two later find that their bonsai trees have been stolen and replaced with an application for
2825-475: A video game . A novelization was made by B.B. Hiller and published in 1984. The novel had a scene that was in the rehearsal when Daniel encounters Johnny during school at lunch. Also at the end, there was a battle between Miyagi and Kreese in the parking lot after the tournament which was the original ending for the film and used as the beginning of The Karate Kid Part II . In 2015, toy company Funko revived The Karate Kid action figures. Two versions of LaRusso,
2938-411: A way of saying "thank you," Miyagi taught him karate (and Pierce taught him ballroom dancing). While still fighting overseas, he received a telegram informing him that on November 2, 1944, his wife and newborn child (who were still interned at Manzanar) died due to "complications arising from childbirth". Forty years later, when telling the story to Daniel in The Karate Kid , he says that despite being
3051-511: A wealth of small character details and a leisurely middle section that explores the boy's developing respect for his teacher." American Film Institute In the United Kingdom, it was watched by 3.7 million viewers on television in 2017, making it the year's tenth most-watched film on UK multichannel television . The film spawned a franchise of related items and memorabilia such as action figures, headbands, posters, T-shirts, and
3164-572: A worker for Miyagi. When he becomes frustrated about it, Miyagi demonstrates that repetition of these chores has helped Daniel to learn defensive blocks through muscle memory . Their bond develops, and Miyagi opens up to Daniel about his life, including the tragic loss of both his wife and son in childbirth at the Manzanar internment camp . Meanwhile he was serving with the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II in Europe, where Miyagi received
3277-659: A year and a half, he was transferred to the Tule Lake War Relocation Center . After World War II ended, Morita moved back to the Bay Area and he graduated from Armijo High School in Fairfield, California , in 1949. For a time after the war, the family operated Ariake Chop Suey, a restaurant in Sacramento, California , jokingly described by Morita years later as "a Japanese family running
3390-407: A young woman from one of the poorest families in the village. However, her marriage had already been arranged to Sato. Miyagi rebelled against convention and declared his love for Yukie in a public speech. Dishonored by their love, Sato challenged Miyagi to a fight to the death. Rather than fight his friend, Miyagi secretly left Okinawa, and emigrated to Hawaii where he worked as a farm laborer in
3503-413: Is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). LaRusso is taught karate by a handyman and war veteran named Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies. Kamen was approached by Columbia Pictures to compose a film similar to Avildsen's previous success Rocky (1976), after Columbia signed
Mr. Miyagi - Misplaced Pages Continue
3616-483: Is about physical techniques. Miyagi accompanies Daniel to the All-Valley tournament, where Daniel goes on to win in the finals with a proud Miyagi looking on. This film begins at the moment where the previous one ended. After the end of the All-Valley tournament, Daniel and Miyagi discuss Daniel's future. While walking into the parking lot, Daniel meets his first fans and signs autographs, as Mr. Miyagi tells him it
3729-416: Is about to be declared the winner by default. The match is a seesaw battle, with neither able to break through the other's defense. The match is halted when Daniel uses a scissor-leg technique to trip Johnny, delivering a blow to the back of his head and giving Johnny a nosebleed. Kreese directs Johnny to sweep Daniel's injured leg – an unethical move. He looks horrified at the order but reluctantly agrees. As
3842-522: Is an eccentric but kind and humble Okinawan immigrant named Mr. Miyagi . At a beach party the following day, Daniel meets and befriends Ali Mills , a high school cheerleader, drawing the attention of her arrogant ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence , a black belt and the top student from the Cobra Kai dojo, where an aggressive form of karate is taught. Johnny and his Cobra Kai gang ( Bobby Brown , Tommy , Jimmy , and Dutch ) continually bully Daniel. At
3955-400: Is arrested during a two-week suspension from school, Miyagi uses the remainder of the time to take Julie to a Buddhist monastery. There, he teaches Julie the true ways of karate – balance, coordination, awareness, and respect for all life – and helps her overcome her anger issues. As Julie is preparing for her high school prom, Miyagi teaches her to dance and buys her a dress. While Julie attends
4068-492: Is challenged by an old adversary. Although a commercial success, it received mixed reviews. The Karate Kid Part III followed in 1989, which saw Kreese seek revenge on Daniel and Miyagi with the help of new allies. It was criticized for rehashing elements of the first two films. Another sequel, The Next Karate Kid (1994), was the first in the series not to include Macchio, although Morita returned as Miyagi. It follows Hilary Swank as one of his new students. A remake of
4181-411: Is damaged in an ambush by Johnny Lawrence (who is jealous that Daniel is dating Ali ) and other members of Cobra Kai, Miyagi repairs and returns it. He later rescues Daniel after he is beaten up by the same bullies during a Halloween party, fending off all the attackers easily. When Daniel realizes that Miyagi saved him, he asks to be taught karate. Miyagi initially declines, wanting instead to prevent
4294-400: Is either frequently referenced, or appears via archival footage throughout the series. Among other details, his gravestone lists him as a member of the famed Japanese-American 442nd Regiment along with a Combat Service Identification Badge and a Medal of Honor. Alongside the marker is a bonsai tree. Daniel regularly comes to visit the grave and trim the bonsai; he considers "a few months" to be
4407-501: Is frequently referenced via archive footage from the original films. Morita's contributions to cinema and his legacy have been the subject of two documentaries including Pat Morita: Long Story Short and More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story in which he appeared in archival footage . Season 2, Episode 19, "The Chosen People". The Karate Kid The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen . It
4520-513: Is referred to as "Keisuke Miyagi" during the ceremony. While there he also meets Louisa Pierce, the widow of his commanding officer Jack Pierce, and they both listen to the opening speech given by Senator Daniel Inouye . When Louisa brings Miyagi to her home in Boston , he meets her granddaughter Julie Pierce. Julie has behavioral and anger problems stemming from both the loss of her parents in an automobile accident and frequent bullying at school by
4633-458: Is the first installment in the Karate Kid franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio , Pat Morita , Elisabeth Shue , and William Zabka . The Karate Kid follows the story of Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles . There, LaRusso encounters harassment from his new bullies, one of whom
Mr. Miyagi - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-537: Is thematically structured via The Miyagi-Verse , in reference to characters who knew Mr. Miyagi. Miyagi's in-canon birth and death dates are June 9, 1925 and November 15, 2011, respectively. Mr. Miyagi's ancestor was Shimpo Miyagi, who accidentally landed in China in 1625. He returned to Okinawa many years later with a wife, children, and the art of Karate. Once back in Okinawa, he developed the style of Karate specific to
4859-565: Is time to meet his mother and Ali for dinner. However, they are distracted by an argument between Kreese and his students. As Kreese begins to physically attack Johnny Lawrence, Miyagi walks over to him and asks him to end the fight. When Kreese refuses, Miyagi intervenes and pulls Johnny out from Kreese's grip. Kreese then turns his anger towards Miyagi, who dodges his fists, leading Kreese to accidentally break multiple car windows instead. Miyagi eventually subdues Kreese, behaving as if he will kill him. Instead, Miyagi "honks" his nose and throws him to
4972-437: The Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Hidden Fortress (1958), but the actor did not speak English. Pat Morita later auditioned for the role but was rejected for the part due to his close association with stand-up comedy and with his character Arnold on the sitcom Happy Days . Afterwards, Morita grew a beard and patterned his accent after his uncle, which led to him being cast in
5085-664: The Hawaiian cane fields . While working in the cane fields, he met a young woman who would become his wife. Miyagi and his wife were later interned in the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp at the onset of World War II . During this time, he joined the U.S. Army , fought in the European theater of WWII and received the Medal of Honor . He was a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team , historically
5198-461: The Legion of Super-Heroes . The filmmakers received permission from DC Comics in 1984 to use the title for the film and its sequels. A number of actors were considered for the part of Daniel, including Sean Penn , Robert Downey Jr. , Charlie Sheen , Jon Cryer , Emilio Estevez , Nicolas Cage , Anthony Edwards , C. Thomas Howell , Tom Cruise , Eric Stoltz and D.B. Sweeney . Ralph Macchio
5311-405: The Medal of Honor . Through Miyagi's teaching, Daniel learns both karate and essential life lessons, such as the importance of personal balance, reflected in the principle that martial arts training is as much about training the spirit as the body. He applies the life lessons Miyagi has taught him to strengthen his relationship with Ali. On Daniel's 18th birthday, Miyagi gives him a Karate gi for
5424-894: The San Fernando Valley and at the Horn nightclub in Santa Monica . Morita sometimes worked as the opening act for singers Vic Damone and Connie Stevens and for his mentor, the comedian Redd Foxx . Morita used the nickname "The Hip Nip". Morita's first movie roles were as a henchman in Thoroughly Modern Millie ( 1967 ) and a similar role in The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968), starring Don Knotts . Rowan and Martin's Laugh In (1968 Season 1 Episode 8) Morita had appearances in different skits on
5537-604: The highest-grossing films of 1984 and Hollywood's biggest sleeper hit of the year. The film revitalized the acting career of Morita, who was previously known mostly for comedic roles, and it earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . The film subsequently launched a media franchise and is credited for popularizing karate in the United States . 17-year-old Daniel LaRusso and his mother Lucille move from Newark, New Jersey , to Reseda, Los Angeles, California . Their apartment's handyman
5650-575: The score , while Keone and Mari Madrid choreographed the play. Kumiko Yoshii and Michael Wolk will serve as producers, with The Kinoshita Group. The cast will include Jovanni Sy as Mr. Miyagi, John Cardoza as Daniel LaRusso, Kate Baldwin as Lucille LaRusso, Alan H. Green as John Kreese, Jake Bentley Young as Johnny Lawrence, Jetta Juriansz as Ali Mills, and Luis-Pablo Garcia as Freddie Fernandez. The adaption debuted in St. Louis in June 2022. In August 2023, it
5763-457: The " Miyagi-Verse " narrative from Johnny's point of view, his decision to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo, and the rekindling of his old rivalry with Daniel. The series draws upon all of the sequels, as well as the original film. The series also pays tribute to Morita, who died in 2005. After a guest appearance in the show's first season , Kove reprised his role as John Kreese starting in the second season , while Shue reprised her role as Ali Mills in
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#17327910776735876-552: The "Land of the Free" and "Home of the Brave" , they died because there were no doctors there to help her. Listed below are the medals and service awards displayed on Miyagi's Staff Sergeant's uniform in the first film. In Part 1, Cobra Kai season 6 , Daniel, Chozen, and Amanda learn that Mr. Miyagi had a secret past when they find a hidden box in his house. The objects in the box indicated that he spent time in China, and at one point
5989-401: The 2010 remake, Dana Stevens wrote: "The 1984 original ... may have seemed like a standard-issue inspirational sports picture at the time, but (as with another box-office hit of the same year, The Terminator ), a generation of remove reveals what a well-crafted movie it actually was. Rewatched today, the original Kid , directed by Rocky ' s John G. Avildsen, feels smart and fresh, with
6102-494: The 2018–present show Cobra Kai ) the "legacy of your work and contribution to the world in your portrayal of Mr. Miyagi shines brighter than ever." Cobra Kai itself is structured through the concept of the Miyagi-verse, a phrase which refers to the fact that "anyone who knew Mr. Miyagi" is potentially capable of appearing in the series. Pat Morita Noriyuki " Pat " Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005)
6215-497: The 50 Best High School Movies. The Karate Kid launched the career of Macchio, who would turn into a teen idol featured on the covers of magazines such as Tiger Beat . It revitalized the acting career of Morita, previously known mostly for his comedic role as Arnold on Happy Days , who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Miyagi. Morita reprised his role in three subsequent sequels, while Macchio returned for two. Upon release of
6328-579: The Brave (2006), about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team , where he plays the father of lead actor (and director) Lane Nishikawa (the film included two other Karate Kid stars, Yuji Okumoto and Tamlyn Tomita ). He also had roles in Act Your Age (2011) , Royal Kill (2009), and Remove All Obstacles (2010). The fifth episode of the Netflix series Cobra Kai was dedicated in his memory. In-universe, Mr. Miyagi died on November 15, 2011, but
6441-473: The Miyagi family. Mr. Miyagi's given name is inconsistent in the series. In The Karate Kid , the name Hideo Miyagi, which translates to "hero" Miyagi, is stamped in reverse on his World War II dog tags (which he used as a keychain for the car he gives Daniel as a birthday present). In The Karate Kid Part II , his name is written 宮城成義 ( Miyagi Nariyoshi ) on a pickup name board held by Chozen Toguchi at
6554-411: The United States, Canada, Spain, France, Germany and Seoul. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an approval rating of 90% based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 6.83/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Utterly predictable and wholly of its time, but warm, sincere, and difficult to resist, due in large part to Morita and Macchio's relaxed chemistry." On Metacritic ,
6667-433: The actor did not speak English. Morita later auditioned for the role, but was initially rejected for the part due to his close association with stand-up comedy, and with the character Arnold from Happy Days . Producer Jerry Weintraub in particular did not want Morita, as he saw him as a comedic actor. Morita eventually tested five times before Weintraub himself offered him the role, ultimately winning it because he grew
6780-537: The age of 73. Throughout his life, Morita had battled alcoholism . He was cremated at Palm Green Valley Mortuary and Cemetery in Las Vegas , Nevada . Roles created prior to his death were included in a few posthumous works. He voiced Master Udon in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Karate Island" (the episode was dedicated to his memory). He had a role in the independent feature film Only
6893-597: The airport in Okinawa , which translates as Nariyoshi Miyagi. This name is also on his gravestone in the Cobra Kai season 1 episode "Counterbalance". At the start of The Next Karate Kid , he is referred to as "Keisuke Miyagi," which the season 6 episode of Cobra Kai "Sleeper" suggests was a fake identity that he created. Mr. Miyagi was born on June 9, 1925, in Tomi Village Okinawa , Japan . He had
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#17327910776737006-495: The art of Goju-ryu karate. He was recognized as Noriyuki "Pat" Morita at the 57th Academy Awards ceremony. He reprised the role two more times with Macchio in The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). In 1994, he starred in The Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank (as bullied teenager Julie Pierce ) instead of Macchio. Morita was the star of two television series. In 1976, he starred as inventor Taro Takahashi in his own show, Mr. T and Tina ,
7119-483: The beating and assault of Jim Watkins, who was from Lodi . In the article, Watkins accused Keisuke Miyagi of attacking him and stealing a valuable necklace. Finally, Daniel discovered a bloodied headband from the Sekai Taikai. In Part 2 of Cobra Kai season 6 , Daniel uncovers a Sekai Taikai record which reveals Miyagi's fight in the competition against "Claramunt" ended in death. The results are authenticated by
7232-792: The broken bonsai tree to Miyagi; he performs triage on the bonsai while confessing that he sold his truck in order to obtain a new stock of trees and that he cannot train Daniel for the tournament. Daniel accepts training under Silver's brutal conditions and ends up attacking a man at a nightclub by punching him and breaking his nose, after Silver bribed the man into instigating a fight with Daniel. Horrified at seeing what he has become, Daniel apologizes to Miyagi and Jessica soon afterwards. When Daniel decides not to compete after all, Silver unveils his true agenda: Barnes and Kreese appear and attack Daniel. Miyagi intervenes and defends Daniel, agreeing to train him once more. The two repair their friendship and replant
7345-541: The bullying entirely. However, a meeting with the arrogant and merciless John Kreese – a former Special Forces veteran running the Cobra Kai dojo and the bullies' sensei – proves largely futile. Kreese finally consents to a cessation of hostilities until the time of The All-Valley Karate tournament, where Daniel and the bullying Cobra Kai students will compete. For his part, Miyagi agrees to teach Daniel. Miyagi starts Daniel's training with several seemingly non-karate-related house chores, albeit with specific rhythmic patterns:
7458-505: The character. The original preferred choice for the role was Toshiro Mifune , who had appeared in the Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Hidden Fortress (1958), but the actor did not speak English. Morita later auditioned for the role, but was initially rejected for the part due to his close association with stand-up comedy, and with the character Arnold from Happy Days . Producer Jerry Weintraub in particular did not want Morita, as he saw him as
7571-406: The choice to stay at his house for a time. Daniel uses his college funding to help Miyagi open up a nursery shop for bonsai trees . Miyagi thanks Daniel by making him a partner in the new business. Meanwhile, John Kreese is attempting to resurrect Cobra Kai and get revenge on Daniel and Miyagi with the help of his longtime friend, and co-founder of Cobra Kai, Terry Silver , who hires Mike Barnes ,
7684-411: The current Sekai Taikai officials. In The Next Karate Kid , when Miyagi travels to Arlington National Cemetery in the early 1990s for a commendation for Japanese-Americans who fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II , he is referred to as "Keisuke Miyagi." At some point prior to 1984, Miyagi became an apartment complex maintenance man in Reseda, California , and built
7797-516: The director. Kamen drew inspiration from the real-life events of an eight-year-old Tum Pai student's story in Hawaii when writing the film. As a result, he maintained strong opinions regarding cast, and petitioned heavily for Morita's inclusion. Preparations for the film began immediately after the final edit of the script was complete, and casting took place between April and June 1983. Principal photography began on October 31, 1983, in Los Angeles and
7910-636: The film grossed a further $ 400,529 in the United States and Canada, and $ 42,257 in the United Kingdom bringing its worldwide total to $ 130,442,786 (equivalent to $ 383,000,000 in 2023). The film sold an estimated 27,072,000 tickets in the United States and Canada. The film also sold 1.9 million tickets in Spain, 1,888,845 tickets in France and Germany, and 137,217 tickets in the South Korean capital of Seoul , adding up to 30,998,062 tickets sold in
8023-478: The film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". On its release, Roger Ebert called the film one of the year's best, gave it four stars out of four, and described it as an exciting, sweet-tempered, heart-warming story with interesting friendships in the film. Janet Maslin of The New York Times also gave a positive review. The Karate Kid ranked #40 on Entertainment Weekly ' s list of
8136-581: The first Asian-American sitcom on network TV. The sitcom was placed on Saturday nights by ABC and was quickly canceled after a month in the fall of 1976. He also starred in the ABC detective show Ohara (1987–1988); it was cancelled after two seasons due to poor ratings. Morita went on to play Tommy Tanaka in the Kirk Douglas -starring television movie Amos , receiving his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination and second Golden Globe Award nomination for
8249-500: The first day of training sees Daniel waxing Miyagi's various cars; on the second, he sands the wooden floors of Miyagi's house; on the third, he paints a fence with vertical strokes; on the fourth, he paints Miyagi's house with horizontal strokes. Not understanding his mentor's methods, a frustrated Daniel gets upset and threatens to leave, but Miyagi shows him that the chores were in fact training Daniel to block attacks through muscle memory. Miyagi then begins training Daniel in earnest, and
8362-615: The first of a media franchise in which Morita was the central player. Morita was the series lead actor in the television program Mr. T and Tina and in Ohara , a police-themed drama. The two shows made history for being among the few TV shows with an Asian-American series lead . He also played recurring or featured roles as Captain Sam Pak on M*A*S*H , Ah Chew in Sanford and Son , and Mike Woo on The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo . He
8475-644: The ground. He and Daniel then leave for dinner. In 1985, after Daniel's senior prom ends in disaster (he and Ali break up and Mr. Miyagi's car is damaged), Miyagi invites Daniel to stay with him rather than relocating with his mother. However, as they are building his room, a letter comes in the mail informing Miyagi that his father (who lives in Okinawa) is dying. Mr. Miyagi then makes plans to go to Okinawa, and Daniel decides to use his college funds to join him. While traveling to Okinawa, Miyagi recounts to Daniel his unfortunate history with Sato and Yukie. Upon arriving,
8588-399: The knee. He reluctantly does so, momentarily crippling Daniel and getting himself disqualified. Daniel is taken to the locker room, where the physician determines that he cannot continue. However, Daniel believes that if he quits, his tormentors will have gotten the best of him, so he convinces Miyagi to use a pain suppression technique to help him continue. Daniel returns to fight as Johnny
8701-456: The match resumes and the score is tied 2–2, Johnny seizes Daniel's leg and deals a vicious elbow, doing further damage. Daniel, standing with difficulty, assumes the "Crane" stance, a technique he learned observing Miyagi performing it on the beach. Johnny lunges toward Daniel, who jumps and executes a front kick to Johnny's face, scoring the winning point and becoming the new champion. Having gained newfound respect for his nemesis, Johnny presents
8814-735: The most highly decorated regiment, for its size, of the United States Armed Forces , including 21 Medal of Honor recipients (at the time of the Karate Kid film series, there was only one regiment member awarded the Medal of Honor— Sadao S. Munemori , who received it posthumously in 1946; 20 other regiment members were upgraded from the Distinguished Service Cross in 2000). During this time, his commanding officer Lieutenant Jack Pierce saved his life. As
8927-453: The neighborhood bullies. Kamen then combined his own life story with the news article and used both to create the screenplay for The Karate Kid . Additionally, given John G. Avildsen 's involvement with both films, Sylvester Stallone often joked with Kamen that the writer had "ripped off" the Rocky films with The Karate Kid . DC Comics owns a character called Karate Kid , a member of
9040-402: The now-healed bonsai tree. At the tournament, Daniel defeats Barnes and shares a hug with Miyagi to celebrate his second tournament victory, while Silver and Kreese speculate that Cobra Kai is finished for good. Years later in 1994, Miyagi travels to Arlington National Cemetery for a commendation for Japanese-Americans who fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II . He
9153-844: The original film, also titled The Karate Kid , was released in 2010. Set in Beijing , it starred Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith and received generally favorable reviews. Aside from the film series, an animated series based on the film, also called The Karate Kid , aired on NBC in the fall of 1989. Consisting of thirteen episodes, the series abandoned the karate tournament motif and followed Daniel and Miyagi, voiced by Joey Dedio and Robert Ito , respectively, in an adventure/quest setting. A sequel live-action television series, Cobra Kai , debuted in 2018. Created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg , it stars Macchio and Zabka, who reprise their roles as LaRusso and Lawrence, respectively. Set 34 years later, Cobra Kai re-examines
9266-466: The peace offering. Miyagi then proposes that Daniel enter the upcoming Under 18 All-Valley Karate Championship tournament to compete against Kreese's students on equal terms and requests that the bullying ceases while Daniel trains. Kreese agrees to the terms but warns that if Daniel does not show up for the tournament, the harassment will continue for both of them. Daniel's training starts with days of menial chores that seemingly only serve to make him just
9379-941: The prom, Miyagi goes bowling with the Buddhist monks. Things go awry when Julie and her date, Eric McGowen, come under siege by Colonel Dugan and the Alpha Elite. Eric's car is set on fire and Eric is saved by Julie and Miyagi. The fiasco ends when Miyagi challenges Colonel Dugan to a fight and easily defeats him. Prior to his death, Mr Miyagi becomes close with Daniel's wife Amanda and his daughter Samantha. In Cobra Kai season 3 , Daniel visits Okinawa and meets Kumiko by accident. She shares love letters that Mr. Miyagi sent to Yukie, indicating that they kept in touch up to his death. Throughout Cobra Kai , Daniel visits Mr. Miyagi's grave. His gravestone reads Nariyoshi Miyagi/June 9, 1925 – November 15, 2011, and he left his house, and all of his belongings, to Daniel. Although he died in 2011 (prior to Cobra Kai which takes place 2017–2019), Mr. Miyagi
9492-414: The referee in The Karate Kid . Pat Morita's stunt double for Mr. Miyagi, Fumio Demura , is also a karate black belt who had previously worked with Bruce Lee, who learnt some nunchaku techniques from Demura. The musical score for The Karate Kid was composed by Bill Conti , a frequent collaborator of director John G. Avildsen since their initial pairing on Rocky (1976). The instrumental score
9605-458: The role. Crispin Glover was considered for the role of Johnny, but the studio later opted for William Zabka . After his audition, Zabka saw Macchio, who noted that Zabka scared him during his audition to the studio. When he was cast, Zabka was a wrestler with no previous training in karate. Zabka later recalled his audition, saying he was told to act out a scene from the script, while wearing
9718-533: The role. Filming began on October 31, 1983, and wrapped on December 16. The film's fight choreographer for the combat scenes was Pat E. Johnson , a Tang Soo Do karate black belt who had previously been featured in Bruce Lee 's American– Hong Kong martial arts film Enter the Dragon (1973) and worked with Chuck Norris at American Tang Soo Do martial arts schools. Johnson also makes an appearance as
9831-593: The role. He wrote and starred in the World War II romance film Captive Hearts ( 1987 ). He hosted the educational home video series Britannica's Tales Around the World (1990–1991). He made an appearance on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1994 Season 5 episode “Love Hurts”. Later in his career he starred on the Nickelodeon television series The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo (1996–1998), and had
9944-427: The series' third season , and Thomas Ian Griffith as Terry Silver (from Part III ) in the fourth and fifth seasons . In January 2020, a Broadway musical adaptation of The Karate Kid was revealed to be in development. Amon Miyamoto served as the director, with an accompanying novel being written by the original film's screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen. Drew Gasparini is the lyricist and composer of
10057-514: The show. Morita had other notable recurring television roles on Sanford and Son (1974–1976) as Ah Chew, a good-natured friend of Lamont Sanford, and as South Korean Army Captain Sam Pak on the sitcom M*A*S*H (1973, 1974). He was also cast as Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka in the war film Midway (1976). Morita had a recurring role in the mid-1970's on Happy Days as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi (the new Japanese owner of Arnold's Drive-In) commencing in season three (1975–76). The story line
10170-409: The situation worsens. Sato then shows up with bulldozers, threatening to destroy the village if Miyagi flees again. Now forced to comply, Miyagi gives in on the condition that Sato signs the land title over to the villagers regardless of the fight's outcome. Sato initially balks at the suggestion but agrees after Miyagi describes it as a "small price to pay" for his honor. On the day before their fight,
10283-486: The storm. The next morning, the bulldozers return — to help rebuild the village — while Sato hands over the village's land title and asks forgiveness from Miyagi, who accepts. They later attend an Obon festival at the castle near the village. A vengeful Chozen takes Kumiko hostage and challenges Daniel to a fight to the death. Miyagi and others in the festival begin using handheld drums to motivate Daniel, inspiring him to subdue Chozen and rescue Kumiko. Daniel and Kumiko share
10396-567: The tournament montage near the end of the first film. Originally written for Rocky III (1982), "You're the Best" was rejected by Sylvester Stallone in favor of Survivor's hit song " Eye of the Tiger ". Coincidentally, Survivor also performed the main theme ("The Moment of Truth" Music & Lyrics: Bill Conti, Dennis Lambert, Peter Beckett) for the movie. Bananarama 's 1984 hit song " Cruel Summer " also made its U.S. debut in The Karate Kid but
10509-402: The tournament and one of his vintage cars. Daniel surprises the audience and competitors at the tournament by reaching the semi-finals. Johnny advances to the finals, scoring three unanswered points against Darryl Vidal . Kreese instructs his second-best student Bobby, one of his more compassionate students and the least vicious of Daniel's tormentors, to disable Daniel with an illegal attack to
10622-414: The tournament. To save the store, Daniel and his newly befriended neighbor, Jessica Andrews , decide to collect and sell a valuable bonsai tree that Miyagi had brought back from Okinawa and planted halfway down an ocean basin. However, Barnes returns while Daniel and Jessica ascend uphill, holding them hostage until Daniel agrees to compete in the tournament. Barnes then snaps the tree in half. Daniel takes
10735-438: The trophy to Daniel himself, as an enthusiastic crowd carries Daniel while Miyagi looks on proudly. The Karate Kid is a semi-autobiographical story based on the life of its screenwriter, Robert Mark Kamen . At age 17, after the 1964 New York World's Fair , Kamen was beaten up by a gang of bullies. He thus began to study martial arts in order to defend himself. Kamen was unhappy with his first teacher who taught martial arts as
10848-616: The two are greeted by Sato's nephew Chozen , who drives Miyagi and Daniel to a warehouse where Sato is waiting. Sato tells Miyagi that after Miyagi visits his father, they will fight to the death to restore Sato's honor. Once at the village, Miyagi and Daniel are welcomed by Yukie and her niece, Kumiko . They explain that Sato owns the village's land title and the villagers are forced to rent their property from him. Yukie also reveals that she never married because of her love for Miyagi. Miyagi's father requests an audience with both Sato and Miyagi and, just before dying, grips their hands together as
10961-400: The two develop a deep friendship. One night, Daniel comes upon Miyagi drunkenly lamenting the death of both his wife and newborn son during childbirth at Manzanar while he was serving in Europe during World War II. Miyagi's karate teachings also include important life lessons such as personal balance, reflected in the principle that martial arts training is as much about training the spirit as it
11074-559: The video spoofed his role in The Karate Kid . In 2002, he made a guest appearance on an episode of Spy TV . In 2003, he had a cameo on an episode of the sitcom Yes, Dear , as an unnamed karate teacher, potentially being Miyagi. He would also reprise his role (to an extent) in the stop-motion animated series Robot Chicken in 2005. Pat Morita died of kidney failure, following a urinary tract and gallbladder bacterial infection, on November 24, 2005, at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, at
11187-460: The video) as a caricature of himself and features references to The Karate Kid , including cameo appearances by Zabka's former Karate Kid co-stars. Macchio and Zabka made a guest appearance as themselves in the How I Met Your Mother episode " The Bro Mitzvah ". In the episode, Macchio is invited to Barney Stinson 's bachelor party , leading to Barney shouting that he hates Macchio and that Johnny
11300-439: The year. Following the release of Cobra Kai , The Karate Kid re-releases in 2018 and 2019 grossed a further $ 400,529 in the United States and Canada, bringing its domestic total to $ 100,400,529 (equivalent to $ 294,000,000 in 2023). In the United Kingdom, the film topped the box office for two weeks and grossed £2,960,939 ( $ 3,947,919 ). By 1989, the film had grossed $ 130 million worldwide. Between 2018 and 2020,
11413-424: Was a boxer (they later learned that he was a silent partner in a boxing gym). They found his passport which contained an accurate photo of him. However, Daniel was perplexed that his name was listed as "Keisuke Miyagi," and that his birthdate was given as 1918 (rather than 1925). Daniel also later learned that the boxing gym was given as his home address. Amanda discovered a news clipping dated May 3, 1947, that details
11526-417: Was an American actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian , before becoming known to television audiences for his recurring role as diner owner Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on the sitcom series Happy Days (1975-83). He was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of martial arts mentor Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid (1984), which would be
11639-434: Was completed by December 16. The film was Macchio's second major film role following The Outsiders (1983). The Karate Kid was theatrically released in the United States on June 22, 1984. The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, many of whom praised the action sequences, writing, themes, performances, and music. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $ 130 million worldwide, making it one of
11752-487: Was excluded from the film's soundtrack album. Other songs featured in the film but left off the album include "Please Answer Me" performed by Broken Edge and "The Ride" performed by The Matches. Track listing for 1984 soundtrack The film was a commercial success, grossing $ 100 million in the United States and Canada to become one of the highest-grossing films of 1984 and Hollywood's biggest sleeper hit of
11865-532: Was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. He spoofed his role as "Mr. Miyagi" in a series of commercials for Colgate toothpaste ; he portrayed the white-clad Wisdom Tooth , hailing Colgate as "The Wise Choice." He also co-starred with Ichiro Suzuki in a 1996 Nissan commercial aired in Japan . He had a cameo appearance in the 2001 Alien Ant Farm music video " Movies ". His appearance in
11978-663: Was named, had a brother named Hideo (Harry) who was twelve years older. Morita developed spinal tuberculosis ( Pott disease ) at the age of two and spent the bulk of the next nine years in the Weimar Institute in Weimar, California , and later at the Shriners Hospital in San Francisco . For long periods, he was wrapped in a full-body cast, and he was told that he would never walk. During his time at
12091-420: Was orchestrated by Jack Eskew and featured pan flute solos by Gheorge Zamfir . On March 12, 2007, Varèse Sarabande released all four Karate Kid scores in a 4-CD box set limited to 2,500 copies worldwide. A soundtrack album was released in 1984 by Casablanca Records containing many of the contemporary songs featured in the film. Of particular note is Joe Esposito 's " You're the Best ", featured during
12204-423: Was reported that Jackie Chan would be reprising his role from the 2010 film in a new "Karate Kid" film. By November of the same year, Chan officially joined the cast alongside Ralph Macchio in their respective roles as Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. The studio announced a world-wide open casting call for an actor to star as the movie's iteration of the titular character. Jonathan Entwistle will serve as director from
12317-516: Was that Takahashi had purchased the Milwaukee eatery from the original Arnold but adopted the former's first name, explaining that it was too expensive for him to purchase the additional neon sign letters required to rename it "Takahashi's". As the new owner, he moonlighted as a martial arts instructor, teaching self-defense classes at the drive-in after hours. Morita also portrayed "Arnold" as a guest star during seasons four and six before returning as
12430-429: Was the real hero of The Karate Kid . Towards the end of the episode, a clown in the party wipes off his makeup and reveals himself as Zabka. The success of The Karate Kid spawned three more films, including two direct sequels, starting with The Karate Kid Part II in 1986. Picking up where the first film left off, the film sees Daniel accompany Miyagi on a trip to Okinawa , where he is reunited with loved ones and
12543-480: Was the voice of The Emperor of China in the Disney animated film Mulan (1998), and its sequel Mulan II (2004). Aside from his 1985 Oscar nod, Pat Morita was twice nominated for Golden Globe Awards ( Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for The Karate Kid and Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for the made-for-television film Amos ), and an Emmy Award . In 1994, he received
12656-424: Was then convinced to cast Zabka for the role. Helen Hunt and Demi Moore were also considered for the role of Ali, but Elisabeth Shue was cast based partly on a Burger King commercial that became widely popular in the early 1980s. The film marks the debut roles of both Zabka and Shue. Late in production, Valerie Harper was considered for the role of Lucille, but the studio later instated Randee Heller for
12769-500: Was ultimately cast on the strength of his performance as Johnny Cade in The Outsiders (1983). Macchio has stated that his performance as Johnny influenced the development of Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid . Macchio later commented that the character was originally named Danny Weber, but was later changed to LaRusso. The studio originally wanted the role of Mr. Miyagi to be played by Toshiro Mifune , who had appeared in
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