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We all have our favorite childhood movies — the ones that create an air of nostalgia no matter how many times we see them. It doesn’t matter how old we get, watching certain movies can make us feel like a kid all over again. We’ll always remember the excitement and thrill of seeing it for the first time. 

For many of us, The Karate Kid is one of those movies. A classic story of a poor kid who rises up against the bullies who torment him relentlessly. Everyone loves a good-versus-evil story with an uplifting happy ending. The story of Daniel LaRusso and his beloved mentor, Mr. Miyagi, is exactly that kind of film. Now Karate Kid fans can watch a new series that will bring back all the excitement of the original film. 

Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio in a scene from 'The Karate Kid'
Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio in a scene from The Karate Kid | Columbia Pictures/Getty Images

‘Cobra Kai’: Johnny and Daniel are at it again

It’s been nearly 40 years since Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso faced each other in the All-Valley Karate Tournament, but fans of The Karate Kid remember that moment like it was yesterday. Those fans were probably very excited to learn about the Netflix series, Cobra Kai. 

Originally airing on YouTube Red, Cobra Kai shows us what happened to Johnny and Daniel after their high school years and karate tournaments were behind them. Now well into middle age, both men are dealing with their own problems.

Johnny is down-on-his-luck, working as a part-time handyman before losing that job as well. He walked out on his ex-girlfriend shortly after their son was born, and lives alone.

Daniel, on the other hand, is quite successful. He owns a car dealership and still uses his fame from karate tournaments in marketing campaigns for his business. Despite his success and beautiful family, he struggles to connect with his children. Mr. Miyagi’s passing affected him deeply, and he hasn’t quite recovered from that loss. 

Johnny reopens the Cobra Kai dojo after helping defend his teenage neighbor, Miguel, from a group of bullies. Although the Cobra Kai motto remains the same, Johnny attempts to create a more honest, respectable image than the dojo had in the past.

Johnny’s relationship with Miguel is very much like the one Mr. Miyagi and Daniel shared. Unfortunately, his old mentor John Kreese comes back and disagrees with the way Johnny is running the dojo. 

The show used unseen footage from ‘The Karate Kid’

The first episode of Cobra Kai features a flashback to that infamous scene where Johnny and Daniel face off at the tournament. According to Mental Floss, it’s the same footage of the crane kick that we all loved so much, but the focus is more on Johnny this time rather than Daniel. We see a close-up of the impact of Daniel’s foot with Johnny’s face, and Johnny lying on the mat after his defeat. 

The change in perspective is meant to humanize Johnny’s character a bit more, showing the audience that there is more to him than just a snot-nosed bully. The footage also emphasizes the impact that his defeat had on his life, beginning a downward spiral that he’s still experiencing almost 40 years later. 

A ‘Cobra Kai’ video game

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While you’re waiting for season three of Cobra Kai, you can fill the void by playing the video game. Yes, you heard that right–there is a game. Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues was released this fall for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka voice their characters. 

IGN says the side-scrolling game is reminiscent of Double Dragon, and two players can fight their way through a variety of tough-guy villains. Players can select from eight characters and work their way through 28 story missions.

There are classic boss fights and loads of upgrades, along with skill trees. In order to reveal the ultimate ending, players have to complete both the Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai dojo arcs. 

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