The Karate Kid movies of the ‘80s track the journey of Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and his introduction to martial arts. Of course, LaRusso’s wise and jovial mentor, Mr. Miyagi, receives his fair share of the limelight as well. That’s especially true with the second installment of that original trilogy. While the 1986 film, subtitled Part II, isn’t held in high regard like its iconic 1984 predecessor, I really enjoy it, which is why I relish rewatching it. However, there’s one aspect of that sequel I wish were tackled in a different way.
One Miyagi-Related Aspect Of The Karate Kid: Part II Could’ve Been Improved
In The Karate Kid: Part II, Daniel and Mr. Miyagi travel to the latter’s homeland of Okinawa after receiving word that his father is gravely ill. While there, the duo cross paths with Miyagi's former friend, Sato Toguchi, who still holds a grudge against the handyman. Meanwhile, Daniel comes to blows with Sato’s nephew, Chozen (who evolves by the events of Cobra Kai). The story offers action, romance and more, but it’s the handling of Miyagi’s father that serves as a missed opportunity.
Miyagi Chōjun only appears in two scenes within the film – the moment at which Miyagi and Daniel arrive in town and when he later summons Miyagi and Sato shortly before his death. The patriarch has a few lines of dialogue upon seeing his son for the first time in decades, but he doesn’t speak again ahead of his passing. It’s because of this that Chōjun comes off as more of a plot device as opposed to an actual character.
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Yes, this film is more so meant to highlight the surrogate father/son relationship between Miyagi and Daniel, but it could’ve been interesting for the former to spend a bit more time with his dad. Even an additional scene in which the two characters have a heart to heart - while speaking in their native tongue – could’ve been incredibly compelling. Such an exchange may have also provided some additional information about the relationship they had before Miyagi left Okinawa.
It’s a shame fans didn’t have the opportunity to see Mr. Miyagi interact with a living relative. However, there's still an opportunity to (somewhat) make up for the lackluster execution of Chōjun’s introduction.
How Can The Karate Kid Franchise Do Right By The Patriarch Of The Miyagi Family?
There’s been a lot of hope from fans of Cobra Kai (which is available to stream with a Netflix subscription) that the show might spark other projects set within the fictional universe. While the creators haven’t dropped any specific details, they have indicated that they are indeed talking out ideas. An obvious one would be to produce a prequel series focused on the adventures of a young Mr. Miyagi. Such a show would indeed allow the creative team the opportunity to flesh out the relationship between the lead character and his dad.
The EPs of the hit streaming show – Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg – do indeed want to tell Miyagi stories, yet there’s one thing they won’t do. As they shared with CinemaBlend, they’re not keen on tracking the character’s exploits around the time he met Daniel. The trio would prefer to explore the sensei’s earlier life and possibly have different actors play him in different eras. That would be a solid way to approach that kind of show.
Of course, I’d just hope that if that happens, fans will receive a layered representation of Mr. Miyagi’s relationship with his father. That just feels like an aspect of this fictional universe that’s ripe for exploration and, for me, it would certainly make up for what is easily one of Part II’s weakest elements.
Stream The Karate Kid: Part II using a Hulu subscription now. Also, check out the 2025 movie release, Karate Kid: Legends, in theaters now.
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