Netflix may have adapted beloved anime series like “Cowboy Bebop” and “One Piece” into live-action shows, but it really didn’t have to go that far considering it’s had a live-action anime going for some time now. While it might be based on the beloved ’80s franchise “The Karate Kid,” “Cobra Kai” is, without a doubt, the closest thing to a real-life anime you can get, and even Netflix agrees. Just step off the mat and look at it for a second. The show is about two opposing teams of fighters that eat, leg sweep, breathe, and repeat the process in order to become the best karate school in the San Fernando Valley. Ending up in a brawl any chance they get, no school, arcade, home, or mechanic’s garage is safe from the furious fists of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) or their students.
In fact, Netflix was so in tune with just what kind of wild, far-fetched fighting show “Cobra Kai” is that in 2021, the streamer even made its own anime-style trailer, shining a spotlight on just how close it really is to its animated counterparts. Rivalries fueled by intense, steely glares are intercut with flashbacks of previous installments and feuds that could be quashed if someone stated how out of hand this was all getting. Of course, where’s the fun in that when you can throw in a catchy song and lightning-bolt special effects? Well, it’s not like the fans hadn’t already noticed it, either.
The anime links in Cobra Kai make fans love it even more
From the broad story strokes to the minor character details, fans of “Cobra Kai” have made plenty of comparisons to the show being a living, breathing anime and admired it even more for daring to do so. Posting the comparison on r/CobraKai, u/_Xochiyaoyotl_ says, “This show is basically live-action anime.” They then went on to note further comparisons, noting, “Martial arts being way more important to everything than they should be, competing dojos, interpersonal ‘my power level is above yours’ karate fights, etc. It’s all so extra and so anime, and I love it.”
Other fans chimed in with their own views on the matter. U/AnilDG said, “Totally agree. When Sam and Tory fought, and it showed flashbacks from their previous fights, it felt so much like ‘Dragonball Z,’ and I loved it!” One fan even pointed out that through battles, some of the characters got perks and upgrades to turn the tide on their opponent. u/psoliakos17 said, “My dude Hawk got a Main Character power-up when he got kissed by Moon.” All we have to do now is wait for the streaming service to follow through and give us an actual “Cobra Kai” anime series. Ready, Netflix? FIGHT!
