In the film he played Mr Miyagi, the janitor who tutors Ralph Macchio in martial arts. It became Morita's signature role and afforded him the catchphrase "Wax on . . . wax off".

What job did Mr. Miyagi have?

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.

Why did Mr. Miyagi have Daniel do chores?

Miyagi was more interested in his 'slave labor' than he was teaching him karate! What Daniel didn't realize was that he was developing muscles and training his mind by the repetition of the motions that were needed for successful karate moves.

What kind of person is Mr. Miyagi?

Nariyoshi Kesuke Miyagi (June 9, 1925 - November 15, 2011), better known as Mr. Miyagi, was a wise karate expert, sensei, and sweet individual. He mentored, taught, and served as the sensei to both Daniel LaRusso and Julie Pierce.

Was Mr. Miyagi a real sensei?

While you might not know Fumio Demura's name, you've undoubtedly seen a version of him in film. He's known as the real-life Mr. Miyagi, as The Karate Kid star Pat Morita based the iconic character on him. The movie's famous "wax on, wax off" technique was something Demura taught his own students.

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of The Actor Who Played Mr. Miyagi

Was Mr. Miyagi in WWII?

Miyagi fought against the Japanese Empire in the Second World War and while he was doing that his wife Mrs. Miyagi, gave birth to a son inside an internment camp and got sick and they didn't send any doctor to her so she and the son both died. Mr. Miyagi still won a medal of honour for being a war hero.

Who is the real Karate Kid?

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.

How old is Mr. Miyagi?

Miyagi was 86 years old, when he died in 2011. In 1984, the year the first Karate Kid was filmed, his character would have been around 59 years old. The actor, Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi was 52 years old in 1984.

Is Miyagi Chinese?

In the movie, Miyagi was from Okinawa, where he was born and raised and learned karate. Karate originated on Okinawa. Leaving Okinawa and immigrating to the US, Mr. Miyagi was interned in a Japanese Internment Camp in World War 2, joining the US Army's 442 Division, the most highly decorated unit in Army history.

Is Mr. Miyagi jackie chan?

Although the original characters were used to inspire the new cast, they are not the same. For instance, Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi became Jackie Chan's Mr. Han.

Did Daniel love Mr. Miyagi?

Luckily for Daniel, after being jumped by Johnny and his friends, he met Mr. Miyagi, the maintenance man at his apartment, who becomes his karate mentor and also a perfect friend of his, as well as a father figure.

How is Mr. Miyagi so good?

Miyagi's karate training has also allowed him to achieve practically superhuman feats of strength, such as splitting a giant wooden beam in half and catching an incoming arrow with his bare hand. Due to his age and small size Miyagi's opponents constantly underestimate him, and he uses this to his advantage.

What does Miyagi mean in English?

Miyagi (written: 宮城 lit. "shrine fortress") is a Japanese surname. It can be read as Miyashiro, or Naagusuku in the Ryukyu Islands. Notable people with the surname include: Atsushi Miyagi (宮城 淳, born 1931), Japanese tennis player.

Could Mr. Miyagi do karate?

No he did not. All the Martial Arts done by Miyagis character were performed by a Japanese Sensei who taught Karate in the LA area. The Sensei was incredible especially since he was roughly the same age as Morita.

How old is Daniel in Cobra Kai?

What's even more surprising is that Macchio is actually five months older than actor Thomas Ian Griffith, who played Terry Silver in the third Karate Kid movie, and reprises his role in Cobra Kai. That said, Daniel LaRusso is 53 years old in the show, and Macchio is 61.

Did Mr. Miyagi marry Yukie?

The Karate Kid Part II

Miyagi reconciles with Yukie in 1985, saying he's sorry for leaving her. She tells him that she'd never married because of Mr. Miyagi's conflict with Sato. Daniel and Kumiko later see Mr.

Is Karate Kid based on a true story?

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.

What did Mr. Miyagi call Daniel?

Why does Mr Miyagi call Daniel "Daniel-san"? In the Japanese language, -san is a polite title that is used after a person's name, the equivalent of Mr., Mrs., or Miss. Daniel could just as easily refer to Mr Miyagi as "Miyagi-san".

Was Mr. Miyagi not Japanese?

In The Karate Kid (1984) Mr Miyagi says his country is Okinawa, not Japan. Although the island of Okinawa is part of Japan, most Okinawans separate themselves from the rest of Japan. Plus Mr Miyagi was an interned Japanese that fought for the US during WWII meaning he forswore allegiance to Japan. Archived post.

Is Mr. Miyagi still living?

Mr. Miyagi died November 15, 2011, as depicted by his gravestone in Cobra Kai, meaning that he was 86 years old at the time of his passing. Cobra Kai began in 2018, where the continuation of the "Miyagi-verse" splits the focus between Daniel and Johnny.

Is LaRusso the bad guy?

Both Macchio and Zabka agreed it is up to the fans to decide who is the bad guy in this franchise and stated both Johnny and Daniel have their evil moments in both Karate Kid and Cobra Kai.

Is Cobra Kai karate real?

Popular with both fans of the beloved 1984 The Karate Kid and a new generation who want to follow the karate drama, Cobra Kai is now a well-known name of a fictional type of karate practiced in The Karate Kid movie franchise and Cobra Kai series.

Is Johnny Lawrence a bad guy?

Johnny is the leader of the Cobra Kai and the second meanest of them (only second to Dutch). Throughout the film, he bullies and harasses Daniel due to the latter becoming friendly with Ali Mills, his ex-girlfriend. Johnny does not show the enemy any mercy, which is what Kreese has taught him to do.