On our latest episode, we discuss Karate Kid 2 with the prolific and ever-insightful Gene Ching: layman disciple of the original Shaolin Temple, former publisher of Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine, sword/weapons guru, and resident Cobra Kai expert on Den of Geek. Alongside Gene, we tackle everything that works and doesn't work in the second installment of the Karate Kid canon -- reflecting on the film's genre shift from sports tropes to kung fu tropes, deriding its moments of egregious cultural appropriation / misrepresentation, and celebrating the charms and silver lining within this much-maligned sequel.
Sure, Karate Kid 2 may not be the greatest entry in the franchise but it still offers a fun journey back to the homeland of Mr. Miyagi -- giving Daniel San and its 80's audience a rare glance into Japanese life and culture. From its So-Cal beginning to its rousingly ridiculous Okinawa death-match finale, Karate Kid 2 covers a ton of territory, touching upon the ethics of legacy, regret, pacifism, romance, loyalty, eco-harmony, and owning up to one’s past. We do our best sorting it all out.
