# Johnny was the "real" Karate Kid **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 27, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012 "2015-08-27T02:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/21 "2015-08-27T16:24:25Z")
> [@Hermione](#): > > On a somewhat related topic, here’s what I’ve always wondered… > > Miyagi live over forty years in America. Miyagi serve in American army. Miyagi naturalized American citizen. Miyagi live and work among people speaking perfect English all this time. > > So why Miyagi still use Hulk-speak after all these years? Miyagi take very many kicks to head while learning karate. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/22 "2015-08-27T16:25:54Z")
> [@Hermione](#): > > On a somewhat related topic, here’s what I’ve always wondered… > > Miyagi live over forty years in America. Miyagi serve in American army. Miyagi naturalized American citizen. Miyagi live and work among people speaking perfect English all this time. > > So why Miyagi still use Hulk-speak after all these years? Miyagi don’t know. Miyagi only pawn in game of Life. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/23 "2015-08-27T16:35:03Z")
Even when I saw the movie 30+ years ago, I thought Daniel was ASKING to get his butt kicked. It’s NOT that Johnny and his friends were good guys. They weren’t. They were bullies and jerks, no two ways about it.\* But Daniel was a little too Jersey-macho for his own good. He knew a LITTLE karate, imagined he knew a lot more than he did, and thought he was tougher than he really was. Hence, he got into fights when it wasn’t smart or even necessary to do so. Daniel needed self-control and discipline at least as much as he needed better martial arts skills. \*Although Johnny wasn’t ALL bad either- he clearly regretted hurting Daniel seriously in the finals. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/24 "2015-08-27T16:36:39Z")
> [@Hermione](#): > > On a somewhat related topic, here’s what I’ve always wondered… > > Miyagi live over forty years in America. Miyagi serve in American army. Miyagi naturalized American citizen. Miyagi live and work among people speaking perfect English all this time. > > So why Miyagi still use Hulk-speak after all these years? Henry Kissinger still has a thick accent after decades in America. So does Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some immigrants lose their accents, some don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/25 "2015-08-27T17:13:37Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Henry Kissinger still has a thick accent after decades in America. So does Arnold Schwarzenegger. > > Some immigrants lose their accents, some don’t. They’ve got _accents_, sure, but their _grammar_ is fine. Mr. Miyagi’s been living in America long enough to figure out what a pronoun is, however he might pronounce them. [Truman Capote makes the point much better.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znS3gXjGCiU) ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/26 "2015-08-27T18:12:05Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > As for _The Karate kid_, there is some pretty damning evidence that “Mr. Miyagi” was not the simple son of a farmer he pretended to be, Well, according to both Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi, he did have ‘some father’. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/27 "2015-08-28T16:54:59Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > The ref started things off by stating that kicks to the face were forbidden … but nope. Not Danny’s style. If it was an illegal kick and the referees still allowed it, then the referees (and judges) were also under the umbrella of Miyagi’s control?! This is making the series of movies a LOT more interesting… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/28 "2015-08-28T17:16:53Z")
The Cobra coach didn’t say, “Sweep the leg!” That was Miyagi throwing is voice, just to fuck with all their heads. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/29 "2015-08-28T18:31:29Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > The ref started things off by stating that kicks to the face were forbidden, which is a pretty good idea if they’re not wearing headgear or mouthguards. We never actually hear the rules from a tournament official. Daniel gets them second-hand from Ali: > [@Ali](#): > > “Dan, look. Everything above your waist is a point. You can hit the head, sternum, kidneys, ribs. Got it?” Of course, by a strict interpretation of those (possibly unofficial]) rules, Johnny connects on a punch to Daniel’s face that should have won him the match, but he is not awarded a point. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/30 "2015-08-28T21:16:50Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Wait, aren’t these the guys who watch _Star Wars_ and root for Darth Vader? Don’t listen to them. I expect you’re speaking to the “Alderaan genocide” propaganda that’s been floating around the web. Good job for being a conspiracy theorist and carrying water for Al’Rebellia. The facts are well examined by now. Lord Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin, based on reliable actionable intelligence obtained through enhanced interrogation of prominent insurgents (including Khalid Sheik Leia, #2 in the Rebellion), determined that despite ostensibly being a pacifist civilian planet Alderaan was being hijacked by fanatical militant elements into a military purpose. Those unlawful combattants were hiding among the civilian population and turning them into human shields. The collateral damage at Alderaan was regrettable, and no one felt that blow more than Lord Vader (who can feel pain across the universe due to his connection with The Force, remember). It was nevertheless necessary for your and my safety and that of the Galaxy at large. Don’t blame Moff Tarkin, blame the cowardly terrorists who resort to such tactics. Ultimately, Lord Vador did it to save more lives, as well as our freedom. You weren’t there, you don’t have access to all the information, and who are you to criticize our troops anyway ? (man, satire gets _dark_) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/31 "2015-08-28T21:19:31Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > They’ve got _accents_, sure, but their _grammar_ is fine. Mr. Miyagi’s been living in America long enough to figure out what a pronoun is, however he might pronounce them. > > [Truman Capote makes the point much better.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znS3gXjGCiU) Pronoun not important, only life important. Retort. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/32 "2015-08-28T21:24:24Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Pronoun not important, only life important. > > Retort. Boot to the head. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/33 "2015-08-28T21:40:57Z")
Danny? Johnny? You guys both have it wrong. The Karate Kid is about Kesuke Miyagi, an immigrant who fought against his own people in World War II, while his wife lost a child in an internment camp. Noriyuki Morita was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. Ralph Macchio? William Zabka? They showed up. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/34 "2015-08-28T22:37:48Z")
“His own people”? He was Okinawan-American. Does that make fighting against Japanese imperialism fighting his own people? Really? **Stranger On A Train:** Fail. At that level of revisionism, you’ve not only had to add in new, less believable claims, you’ve also basically lost the source material. **Kobal2:** Better, but I’m not sure the Sith Empire really even cared enough to put such a face on it. But of course that’s not really what you’re talking about, so, point. **Miller:** Snob appeals to snob. Got it. **silenus:** You missed. Boot to the head. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/35 "2015-08-28T23:45:04Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Boot to the head. I am grateful and enlightened. Few novices experience so much of Tae Quan Leap so soon. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/36 "2015-08-28T23:46:39Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > **Miller:** Snob appeals to snob. Got it. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/37 "2015-08-28T23:55:46Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > **Kobal2:** Better, but I’m not sure the Sith Empire really even cared enough to put such a face on it. But of course that’s not really what you’re talking about, so, point. On the contrary. I mean, obviously my main drive was cheap unclever current events satire ; but I figure the galactic empire, much like every other totalitarian bullshit governmental structure out there, would a) say anything to anyone as long as it keeps them in line, varying their discourse based on who’s listening (which would naturally include a paternalistic albeit threat-filled condescending diatribe when addressing your average middle-class, middle-Coruscanian crowd) and b) go all in on the foreign enemy stuff. Consider that the very reason the Empire got started in the first place was foreign enemy stuff, backed by “I’m nuking the Republic and every last one of its ideas the better to safeguard the Republic”. Also a heap of cheap unclever current events satire on Lucas’ part :p. Why change tacks ? This one obviously works well enough. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/38 "2015-08-29T00:07:37Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Wait, aren’t these the guys who watch _Star Wars_ and root for Darth Vader? Don’t listen to them. I find your lack of faith disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/39 "2015-08-29T01:28:14Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Truman Capote makes the point much better.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znS3gXjGCiU) > [@foolsguinea](#): > > **Miller:** Snob appeals to snob. Got it. > [@Miller](#): > > Huh? Somehow I missed that that was a link to a Peter Sellers movie the first time. I thought it was Capote being a snob in real life, rather than being a pedant for laughs. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012/40 "2015-08-29T01:48:36Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Pronoun not important, only life important. Brilliant! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-was-the-real-karate-kid/729012.md?page=3)