I like all the Karate Child motion pictures (And may even love the current one probably the most), as I really feel like they signify my childhood. I grew up watching Daniel-san practice with Mr. Miyagi, and it all the time takes me again to that particular time in my life after I thought that anyone may be taught karate if they simply had the suitable trainer.
Properly, as an grownup, I’ve rewatched all of them and reassessed them (the 2010 one, by the way in which, is significantly better than folks give it credit score for), and I nonetheless love them. Nevertheless, as any individual with blended youngsters who’s all the time searching for tales with range, I observed that the Karate Child franchise is definitely tremendous numerous.
And, effortlessly so. This can be a sequence that has featured range from the very begin and has solely gotten extra numerous all through its historical past. Right here’s what I imply.
First Of All, We’ve Gotten Very Various Protagonists All through The Sequence
You recognize what’s attention-grabbing? Much more folks than you may suspect have questioned if Ralph Macchio is Hispanic. He’s not, as he’s Italian, however it’s attention-grabbing to assume that folks have speculated such a factor, as I can solely think about that many individuals grew up considering (and telling their associates) that the actor who performed the Italian-American Daniel LaRusso was really Hispanic.
I deliver this up, although, as a result of ethnicity really looks like a key element to this sequence, even from the very starting. As talked about, Daniel is an Italian from New Jersey who travels to balmy Los Angeles. He’s white, however he doesn’t appear to slot in with the Californians, which may very well be a regional factor, positive, however I really feel like Daniel being Italian is essential to his character. I imply, it’s not banged over your head, however you know he’s Italian, identical to Rocky (The Italian Stallion).
Following the primary three movies, we acquired a feminine protagonist in The Subsequent Karate Child. Hillary Swank performs Julie Pierce, and although it doesn’t seem to be an enormous deal immediately, it type of did again in 1994. It could be as a result of The Karate Child sequence appeared like a “boy franchise” again then because it was about martial arts, however the fourth movie made it clear that karate is aware of no gender, which is cool.
The 2010 remake really stars a Black protagonist (Jaden Smith), and Karate Child: Legends contains a Chinese language protagonist (Ben Wang). So, I like how range is woven all through all the sequence with its protagonists. That’s actually cool. However it doesn’t simply cease with the principle characters…
The Sequence Has Various Mentor Characters As Properly
Just like Star Wars, although the principle character is kind of in style, it looks as if a aspect character has really turn out to be the face of the franchise. For Star Wars, it is Darth Vader, and for The Karate Child sequence, it’s Mr. Miyagi. Regardless that the character’s actor, Pat Morita, handed away in 2005, by the magic of A.I., they nonetheless included him in the newest Karate Child: Legends, as how may they not? He’s GOATED (Actually, it’s unlucky that his thought for a fifth Karate Child film by no means got here into fruition).
However, it’s attention-grabbing (and apropos) that this Japanese character is the face of a film about karate. Actually, the second film is just about Mr. Miyagi’s story, with Daniel alongside for the journey, and I believe that’s actually cool. Mentor characters are all the time important, particularly to this sequence, and I like that the face that everyone acknowledges for The Karate Child is that of a Japanese-American man.
It doesn’t cease there, although, as Hong Kong martial artist Jackie Chan is yet one more face of the sequence. He turned the mentor character in 2010’s The Karate Child, and reappeared once more in the newest Karate Child: Legends, as he seems alongside Ralph Macchio, whom I already commented on being distinctly Italian.
And, the good factor is that with this sequence, assistance is assist, so it doesn’t matter the place it comes from. Whomever’s the skilled will get their time to show, and I actually admire that. It goes to the message that everyone has one thing to supply, which is the entire good thing about range within the first place.
I Additionally Like How The Sequence Doesn’t Shy Away From Interracial Relationships
As a person in an interracial marriage, I additionally actually admire when motion pictures function storylines with interracial relationships. And, the great thing about The Karate Child franchise is that it’s not prefer it’s pressured in your face as this massive deal. It’s simply folks of various races who’ve emotions for one another, and it’s seen as simply being regular.
In The Karate Child Half II, Daniel turns into drawn to a Japanese teenager named Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), and so they kind a romance. No massive deal. Within the 2010 The Karate Child, Dre Parker is a Black child in China, who turns into drawn to a Chinese language violist named Meiying (Wenwen Han). And, whereas her dad and mom disapprove of Dre at first, it doesn’t appear as a consequence of his race, however moderately, because of the affect her dad and mom assume he’s having on her, which I believe is an satisfactory storytelling compromise.
In the newest movie, a Chinese language teen named Li Fong turns into romantically concerned with an Italian lady named Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley). And, take into accout, I’m the one pointing this out. The flicks deal with these relationships as commonplace, and so they by no means make race a problem. I actually admire that.
As a result of love is love, and I’ve all the time felt that approach. So, if characters from totally different races and ethnicities are attracted to 1 one other, they need to observe by on that, and I’m comfortable that The Karate Child franchise has made {that a} staple of the sequence.
It’s Additionally Cool That Racism Hasn’t Been What Creates Battle In These Tales
I do know what a few of you could be considering whereas studying this: “YOU’RE the one making this about race. The flicks don’t.” And, I’m really glad about that truth. As a result of after I watched these motion pictures the primary time, I by no means actually thought of race with any of them. It’s solely upon a rewatch the place I’m like, “Hey, wait a minute…”
Perhaps it’s as a result of I’ve watched so many motion pictures about race and social justice that I’m simply extra attuned to it, however I actually love that these motion pictures, that are directed extra towards a youthful viewers, don’t function race as what causes the disputes. As a substitute, it’s normally a problem that “the dangerous man” has simply been damaged up with, and this new man is encroaching on their lady, i.e., the traditional jealous ex-boyfriend trope, and I like that angle.
Sadly, I can’t say the identical in relation to sexism, as Julie Pierce (Hillary Swank) has to endure it in The Subsequent Karate Child towards a punk named Ned Randall (Michael Cavalieri). That mentioned, at the very least she will get to beat him up in the long run, in order that’s at the very least one thing. Even so, I might have most popular if Julie’s being a lady wasn’t made a problem on this movie in the identical approach that Dre being a Black individual in China wasn’t actually a problem in that film.
However, all the identical, I nonetheless applaud these movies for not making race a problem. That’s at the very least welcome. However what do you assume? Have you ever ever observed the extensive range introduced in these movies? I’d love to listen to your ideas. Particularly if you happen to’ve by no means watched The Karate Child motion pictures earlier than. Have I persuaded you to test them out?
