Miyagi-Do

Nariyoshi Keisuke Miyagi, better known as Mr. Miyagi, is a fictional character of Robert Mark Kamen's ''The Karate Kid'' franchise, appearing in ''The Karate Kid'' (1984), ''The Karate Kid Part II'' (1986), ''The Karate Kid Part III'' (1989), and ''The Next Karate Kid'' (1994). He was portrayed by Japanese-American actor Pat Morita. A wise, Okinawan-born karate master, he mentors Daniel LaRusso in the first three films (1984–1989) and Julie Pierce in the fourth film (1994).

The sequel series ''Cobra Kai'' (2018–2025), produced after Morita's death in 2005, frequently references Miyagi through dialogue, archival images, archival footage, and briefly with a CG altered body double, and follows Daniel as he reopens Miyagi-Do as its sensei to continue his mentor's teachings. The series also uncovers secrets in Mr. Miyagi's past.

In addition to ''The Karate Kid'' films, the character has made appearances in ''The Karate Kid'' animated television series and a Broadway musical. ''Cobra Kai'' is thematically structured around the concept of the ''Miyagi-Verse''.

Morita was recognized for his role as Mr. Miyagi with nominations for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 57th Academy Awards ceremony and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Concept and creation

Writing

The character originated in a screenplay written for ''The Karate Kid'' by American screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen. In his youth, Kamen had experienced bullying at the 1964 World's Fair in New York and subsequently turned to karate. He was trained in Okinawan Gōjū-ryū, a defensive style of karate by a sensei who spoke poor English. Kamen stated that Mr. Miyagi was named after Chōjun Miyagi, the founder of the Gōjū-ryū karate style, and that Fumio Demura was the inspiration for the character.

Casting

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. Pat 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 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".

Characterization

In ''The Karate Kid'' films, Mr. Miyagi is portrayed as a strange old man who teaches Daniel LaRusso karate underlined by honor and discipline. Being a spiritual and non-violent man, he instills wisdom in his teachings. This makes him an outsider in comparison with the no mercy philosophy of Cobra Kai. Miyagi is eccentric, making his first appearance trying to catch flies with chopsticks, but has an impressive knowledge of karate. Over the course of his training, Mr. Miyagi becomes a father figure to Daniel. Macchio described Mr. Miyagi as "that special human Yoda character that we all wish we had as we navigated our childhood".

Initially referred to only as Mr. Miyagi in ''The Karate Kid'', the character's backstory was explored in the sequel ''The Karate Kid Part II'', particularly his upbringing in Okinawa. His name was given as Nariyoshi Miyagi, which later appeared on his tombstone in ''Cobra Kai''. In ''The Next Karate Kid'', his first name was inexplicably changed to Keisuke. When considering this continuity error, Jon Hurwitz explained that the ''Cobra Kai'' creators considered the second film to be more meaningful in relation to the character's backstory but felt that his name could be Nariyoshi Keisuke Miyagi.

''The Karate Kid'' provides insight into the character's difficult past during a scene where he drunkenly shows Daniel a photograph of his wife, who died in childbirth along with their son. Born on June 9, 1925, Mr. Miyagi left Okinawa at the age of 18 and emigrated to the United States after defying convention and unsuccessfully declaring his love for Yukie, a girl intended to marry his best friend Sato. He meets his future wife while working in the cane fields in Hawaii. At the onset of World War II, Miyagi and his wife are forcibly relocated to Manzanar, a Japanese-American internment camp in California. During this time, he serves overseas in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in the United States army, for which he receives the highest military award, the Medal of Honor, but loses his wife and son in childbirth. Weintraub wanted to cut the drunken scene, believing that it slowed down the film, but Avildsen and Kamen insisted on retaining it as they considered it to be the film's emotional core. Kamen wanted the scene to remind American viewers about the Japanese-Americans who were moved to American internment camps during World War II and those that fought in the 442nd regiment who were awarded more Medals of Honor than any other regiment. Morita particularly related to this aspect of his character's backstory, having himself been placed in an internment camp in his youth.

Appearances

''The Karate Kid'' (1984)

In the Fall of 1984, Miyagi is working as a maintenance man at the South Seas apartment complex when Daniel LaRusso and his mother moved in. When Daniel throws away his bike after it is damaged in an ambush by Johnny Lawrence and other members of Cobra Kai, Miyagi repairs and returns it. He later rescues Daniel after he is beaten up by the same bullies. When Daniel realizes that Miyagi saved him, he asks to be taught karate. Miyagi initially declines, wanting instead to prevent the bullying entirely. A meeting with John Kreese – a former Special Forces veteran running the Cobra Kai dojo and the bullies' sensei – proves largely futile. Kreese consents to a cessation of hostilities until the time of The All-Valley Karate tournament, where Daniel and the Cobra Kai students will compete. Miyagi starts Daniel's training with several seemingly non-karate-related house chores, albeit with specific rhythmic patterns: 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, Daniel gets upset and threatens to leave, but Miyagi shows him that the chores were training Daniel to block attacks through muscle memory. One night, Daniel finds Miyagi drunkenly lamenting the death of his wife and newborn son during childbirth at Manzanar while he was serving in Europe during World War II. Miyagi accompanies Daniel to the All-Valley tournament in December, where Daniel goes on to win in the finals.

''The Karate Kid Part II'' (1986)

After the All-Valley tournament, Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel it is time to meet his mother and Ali for dinner. They are distracted by Kreese attacking Johnny Lawrence and Miyagi asks him to end the fight. Kreese refuses and turns his anger towards Miyagi, who "honks" his nose and subdues him. Daniel's senior prom ends in disaster, and in the beginning of summer 1985, Miyagi invites him to stay with him. A letter arrives informing Miyagi that his father, who lives in Okinawa, is dying. Mr. Miyagi makes plans to visit, and Daniel decides to join him. Miyagi recounts his unfortunate history with Sato and Yukie. Upon arriving, they are greeted by Sato's nephew Chozen

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