Cobra Kai

I binged watched this series already, and talking about it, yes most likely I will have spoilers... so don't read on if you plan to watch it! The thing is, the original movies are formulaic and I have to see this series, in terms of plot,  really has the others beat. Even though you are watching within the Karate kid formula and with many of the same themes... you really don't know what to expect exactly... or even who to cheer for!

The only flaw is that there is no Mr. Miyagi type character, because nobody can replace Pat Morita. Some people thought that the Mr. Miyagi asian master character was racist, some embraced it. All I will say it is a shame that there is no Asian hero... but I like how they played with the Asian stereotypes.

Again spoiler alert..l but the Asian guy (who is a minor villain) is an Alpha male jock who is a love interest. In other words... he is the new Johnny.

Daniel's character is split in two... and basically we learn that life is not as simple as good and bad. This plot is more complicated.

There is also that feeling of 80's verses the modern generation, and how i some ways you can bond more with your enemy than your own family at times, because you are more similar.


It made me rewatch Karate Kid 2 and 3 (you should just read the recap for 3, some good ideas but not worth the time) with Noah. I guess we should rewatch one but Noah was adamant that he remembered everything.



And so...although there will be much written and has been much written about these movies, I will talk about it from my Martial Arts perspective.


Even though Johnny is depicted as a "loser" for having a strip mall Karate Dojo... that is my freakin dream. And yes, Cobra Kai is a bad ass form of martial art. Although they make the following lines seem sort of evil, I am going to compare it to White Crane.... two styles of White Crane.


Here is what Johnny posts on the wall of his Dojo.


1. Strike first
2.Strike Hard
3. No Mercy



This is considered the unsportsmanlike dark side in Karate kid one. Larusso (Being in NJ, we actuall know some Larusso's now lol) any way, Larusso tells Johnny, "Why would you bring this back to the valley."

Johnny, "Because the lessons worked."

Larusso sarcastically, "Strike hard strike first no mercy? Yeah that's really the lessons that kids need."


In truth. Johnny seems to be learning more from his students than the other way around. And I have to say, I really empathize with him. And Danny Larrusso can't really say shit because he hasn't been teaching Karate! He basically left a void this whole time which Johnny does his best to fill. He steps in as a leader to these youth who are outsiders like Larusso and whom Danny's daughter even left for more popular kids. And by reawakening a rival for Danny, in a way, Johnny is showing Danny (inadvertantly) that he has gone astray. Danny needs Johnny in order to be Danny. And this time around. Danny pulls some inexcusable asshole shit and shows that he has some character flaws he needs to work on as well.


Anyway, here are four words of philosophy from Tibetan White Crane. (My style of Kung Fu is not fully this form... but my basics are essentially this. I don't teach kids the philosophy (no time) but I do teach them the moves, which in and of themselves aren't savage, or even useful if they are only practiced once a week, something I have to remedy...


I might not even have the order right but.

1. Jeet
2.Chuen
3.Seem
4. Chan


Bruce Lee took Jeet and created Jeet kuen do. It is an intercepting fist that is able to start second but finish first. In other words, dun du dun!!!! Strike First!


Yes, Tibetan White Crane is an OFFENSIVE Martial Art. The Crane.. .is an Offensive animal. It is a predator. And there are Snake and Crane forms. But the Tibetan White Crane has it's origin story in Ape and Crane. Where a wild Ape attacks the crane with cups and the crane "defends" itself by attacking. It avoids the moves and strikes the eye. Tibetan white crane incorporates both animals, the the systems outside of my school that I have seen are heavier on the ape than the crane in my opinion. But maybe that's like a level thing and the Crane moves are more hidden.


Chuen gum paw saec... or penetrating gold and destroying rock... an exagerated and mythical allegory that says... Strike Hard!  Yes if you are going to strike than strike hard. A crane is a peaceful animal, but it strikes the fish (not an enemy but prey) to kill it and then eat it.

Fai yuet Seem deen.... just like the song...  "And they were fast as lighnin".....Obviously, in any sport or skill, after you are smooth and good.... being fast is helpful and cool looking, and when fighting... important.


Chan Fai... handicap.... in other words, cripple the opponent. ie. NO MERCY!


Ok, so is this evil or too much?

I would argue not. And Even when Johnny teaches Xolo or I think the character's name is Miguel... Danny 2.0... the throat strike... or the bite of the Cobra, he explains that the throat strike is only for extreme situations. In other words, even Johnny in all his aggression does hold back.


And the thing is.... if you are going to fight, then yes no mercy. Because you will show mercy, the other person doesn't, and your dead. As much as I would like to believe that I would have the skill to put someone into a BJJ choke hold and simply put them to sleep as seen on many a youtube video...I don't believe I am that good to hold back. What if you do that, because you are trying to be nice and then they stab you?


As some of my Si Hings in China said, who were unfortunately separated from our Sifu when he came to the states, they said, there are two options. 1. don't fight. 2.You fight (because there is no choice, or you feel you have no choice, or in many cases you can choose not to but for whatever reason you are decding to fight) Lau sei kui. Basically kill or maim or at least knock them out.

Why?

If you take this approach to martial arts instead of treating fighting like a game, you will probably get into less fights. That is a problem  sometimes because you get many Martial Artists, probably myself included, who don't fight much, for better or worse. In terms of developing your art? Probably worse.  But then if you fight all the time and get injured or whatever or beat the crap out of people who don't make you better.... well that doesn't help you get better either. Maybe it makes you worse.

If you fight and you are merciless in the fight and that gets around. As long as you don't force the situation up, people are less willing to fight you... even if you kind of suck at Kung Fu.

It wasn't until I rewatched Karate Kid 3 that I realized that Miyagi Do Karate is about the Kata and the roots and improving yourself inside and from there you will always know what to do. In fact, there is a lot in the movies that portray it as an internal art, more like Tai Chi. And it is defensive. Wax on Wax off is like Fujianese White Crane... but there is still the secret Drum counter punch of Karate Kid 2, much like the been ngow... actually exactly like Been ngow, which is an attack.

The Crane kick is an attack two when you think of it, and although Wikepedia says its not a real move Teen Gong Kuen has many a version of it, and it is done in a charging aggressive manner, with follow up punches.
   

Cobra Kai, is more about changing your outside, flipping the switch, like Lip transforming into Hawk, and then later you discover yourself (or maybe not) It isn't exactly evil... the truth is, you need both. Which makes me excited for future seasons... will the two forms of Karate be reconciled and become one in future generations?


The Cobra.


The Cobra is portrayed as something badass but evil.

But lets take a look at one of the jokes in Cobra Kai.


Johnny has to sublet to a Yoga class, which covers up the three lessons of Cobra Kai.... but then they get into... Cobra pose!

In fact, the idea of unleashing the serpent is all over Yoga.. watch Wild Wild Country....

Also there is a Buddhist story where Buddha as a child i meditating and the Cobra fans out it's body to provide shade for him....

Also the Tibetan White Crane body is like Bruce Lee's with the back like an iron fan... is like the Cobra's back.


Mein Lei jum and many of the forms are full of snake strikes, and BJJs chokes are like that of a boa constrictor....a gentle form of attack that is slow... but deadly.


There really isn't a lot of snake techniques in Cobra Kai in Karate Kid one... but you see more about the origins in Cobra Kai the youtube sereis, and from Karate Kid 3 and training methods in Cobra Kai the series, you get the sense that it has origins and history in the military. John Kreese's Sensei was South Korean and Kreese and Terry Silver served in Vietnam together. Kreese is racist against Asians calling Miyagi "slope" *this does not happen in the Youtube series, and Kreese's racsim  is bizarre since his sensei is Asian though we never meet him or learn about his personality. But I suppose he is supposed to be like that from the war. There is also a seen in Cobra Kai, where Johnny trains Miguel... which looks similar to a Navy Seal drill.


In other words, it would be really cool to learn in Season 2 of Cobra Kai, what we learned in Karate Kid part 2.... the origins of Cobra Kai. Is it part of US military training? Did Kreese take the wrong path or was his Sensei also an asshole?

There is a legendary fight which supposedly took place between Tae Kwon Do Master  who was the Drunken Master Villain. A Knife martial artist from Vietnam challenged him in South Korea and the Tae Kwon Do Master refused. Then when attacked, he killed him with a heel kick. or so says Wikipedia somewhere. In any case.... that would be cool to tie into this story... perhaps show a peaceful version of "Strike First, Strike Hard, No mercy" 


Yeah if you can't tell, I freaking love the series and the approach they took and it got me into practicing my basics again. I'm going to try to do Basics and Mein lei jum everyday on my own, and then also teach my kids on the schedule I have them, which involves more play... but I really want them to do the basics and mein lei jum endurance training too eventually.

I want to have a group that practices several times a week and is into the Martial Arts part of Kung Fu.


The series draws you in and you totally cheer for Cobra Kai and you also realize that there are flaws to being too pacifist. Even though the movies pretty much toy with that, and then show that ultimately you should be pacifist except when defending life, or a village. But not for honor or a plastic trophy.


But even still Miyagi said in p[art three, "it's ok to lose to your opponent, but not to fear." Not fighting out of fear is different than not fighting out of principle.


Ultimately, at the end though, and even throughout, you get the sense that Johnny is very close to something...a higher way of Karate, but always something is thrown in to throw him off that path, and more and more it seems like, if Miyagi could step in at that moment.... that Johnny would be able to achieve that mental enlightenment or be set right. Can he learn from Daniel or his students? The truth is that Daniel is also not really quite Miyagi and has a lot to learn as well. It almost seems like they can learn from each other... but then the plot throws a wrench in reconciliation... which shows true mastery of story telling.


And in the end.... Pandora's box is opened in terms of possibilities for Season two.


This is the best stuff I've seen in a long time... would be nice to see some more Asian characters though for season two.