Cobra Kai: 10 Insane Details You Definitely Missed
3. The Real Mr Miyagi
In Season 2, Daniel reopens his dojo to teach students the ways of Miyagi-do. As he sets up the dojo, there is one shot displaying a string of pictures on the wall, which represent Miyagi's ancestors. At first, this seems like a very straightforward callback to The Karate Kid Part II, when Daniel sees the very same pictures in Miyagi's family dojo in Okinawa.
But that's not the only reference in this shot. The last picture on the wall is of Chojun Miyagi; the direct inspiration for the character of Mr Miyagi. Chojun was the founder of Goju Ryu; the style of karate used in the original trilogy. This is also the most popular form of karate in Okinawa, where Mr Miyagi is from and where most of The Karate Kid Part II is set. Instead of focusing on brutal attacks, Goju Ryu emphasised defence, controlled breathing, and calmness of mind, which made it stand out over other martial arts.
The photograph of Chojun is a great touch but it only clearly appears for a second so most viewers miss it.