By: Miguel Ernesto Yusty

The series Cobra Kai is a sequel to the film The Karate Kid, released in 1984 and a pop culture icon since its initial release. The film has been so enduring that it now serves as the dramatic basis for the YouTube Red series, which garnered 5.4 million views on its premiere day. Following this success, Netflix added it to its lineup, and a third season is expected to premiere in 2022.

The Karate Kid arrived on screen during the golden age of boxing films. It was preceded by Raging Bull (1980), directed by Martin Scorsese, and Rocky (1976), directed by John G. Avildsen. The latter won the Oscar for Best Director, and Avildsen himself would go on to direct The Karate Kid. This is a family film that doesn't tell the story of a boxer, but rather that of a teenage fighter who must learn martial arts to defend himself against the bullying of his schoolmates. Just as important as the young protagonist is his teacher, Mr. Miyagi, who instills in his student a philosophy expressed in phrases like these:

“"It doesn't matter who is stronger, but who is smarter."”
“It is okay to lose against the enemy, but not against fear.”
“Winning, losing, it doesn't matter; if you fight well, you earn respect and then, nobody will bother you.”

Three decades have passed before the true essence of the original film has been recaptured. The credit goes to the series COBRA KAI, in which the same characters, portrayed by the same actors, pick up where the story left off, carrying the weight of time but with the narrative drive necessary for the show to be a success—a success only measurable by today's standards, in the context of television viewed via digital networks. Just a few episodes are enough to appreciate the narrative skill of its writers, who have managed to bring to the series all the emotional and intellectual weight contained in the first installment of 1984.