Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi served as the old and wise mentor figure in Daniel’s life, but exactly how old was he in the Karate Kid movies?
In The Karate Kid films, Pat Morita portrayed the iconic character of Mr. Miyagi, a wise and dry-witted mentor to both Daniel LaRusso and Julie Pierce. Mr. Miyagi was born on June 9, 1925, in Tomi Village Okinawa, Japan, where he learned the trade of fisherman and the art of karate from his father. Miyagi eventually immigrated to Hawaii, working as a farm laborer in the Hawiaiin cane fields, where he met his wife. During the onset of World War II, Miyagi and his wife were placed in an internment camp, where he eventually chose to serve in the U.S. Army, ultimately receiving a Medal of Honor.
While overseas, his wife passed away along with his newborn child due to “complications arising during childbirth”, while they were still interned. This devastating loss deeply affected him, and upon his return from war, he struggled to fully recover. Miyagi transitioned into becoming a maintenance worker for an apartment complex and built the Japanese garden in the back of his home, which is shown in Cobra Kai. This is where viewers were first introduced to Mr. Miyagi, marking the beginning of his unforgettable journey in The Karate Kid franchise.
Mr. Miyagi Was 59-Years-Old In Karate Kid
At the start of The Karate Kid, it is 1984 when Daniel LaRusso and his mother moved into the apartment complex where Mr. Miyagi worked, making him 59 at the time. Mr. Miyagi decided to mentor Daniel, who was a bullied teenager, on how to defend himself using the art of karate. Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel, “First learn stand, then learn fly,” along with many other lessons, which instilled patience in the young and impulsive Daniel prior to the character winning the All-Valley Karate Tournament.
Since the first three movies covered a very short time period, Mr. Miyagi aged very little in the original Karate Kid trilogy. The events of The Karate Kid II take place right where the first movie ends, and The Karate Kid III comes a year later in 1985, making Mr. Miyagi 60 years old at this point. The last time Pat Morita played Mr. Miyagi was in The Next Karate Kid set in 1994, which means the character was 69 years old when he trained Julie Pierce.
Mr. Miyagi Was 86-Years-Old When He Died
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. Johnny makes the decision to reopen Cobra Kai, 34 years after being defeated by Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament. The show puts Johnny and Daniel in the shoes of Mr. Miyagi, as both characters are now training teenage pupils of their own. Interestingly, both are in their 50s, which means that they’re close to the same age Mr. Miyagi was when the karate teacher began mentoring Daniel in 1984.
The show Cobra Kai effectively carries forward Mr.Miyagi’s wisdom into a new generation. His wisdom served as a unifying force, enabling Daniel and Johnny to finally mend their strained relationship. Throughout the show, there are numerous references to Mr. Miyagi, and archival footage from past films showcases the impact of his character. As the heart of The Karate Kid franchise, Mr. Miyagi’s teachings endure, continuing to guide and inspire the next generation within the world of Cobra Kai.
