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ARCHIVES: PERSONAL THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS 09/12/22: What a Finale. I'll probably need a few more posts to gather my thoughts altogether. But it's worth a few more viewings for sure. The highlight of course, Chozen vs. Silver fight to the death (seemingly). I think Chozen had it won (at least worn him down for Daniel haha), but got distracted. And the final Daniel vs. Silver (using the Quick Silver method, and the crane - a fitting end to Silver - for mocking the crane in Part III if anything). Barnes got knocked out too quick however - perhaps too rusty from making all them furnitures haha. But that's the lethal power of Master Kim's men. Surprises - Kreese's "death" (or what we believed) and apparent deception. I thought he was going to be redeemed and fight Silver. The finale ends with Kreese escaping from the hospital / prison. Has he regained his villainy? How can the Big 3 top Season 5? I don't see how it's possible. All the "The Karate Kid" villains have been redeemed / found peace (for now), and the trilogy has seemingly come full circle with Season 5. This was like a separate movie or sequel on its own. With Kreese escaping, I can see more stories to tell. New characters are most likely going to be introduced (with everything resolved). Season 5 was filled with hilarious or funny moments. They never fail to make us laugh, or bust out laughin' at any given moment. More thoughts, favorite moments later. 09/11/22: I plan to finish it today - Season 5 is certainly unfolding like an Epic Movie / Film. Sort of like, if there ever was a sequel after Part III - "The Karate Kid, Part IV" (in terms of what happens when the Karate Kid characters are adults / grownups and their lives). It is the season of reconciliation, rivalries ending, and rooting for the OG characters that fan grew to enjoy or fan of. 09/10/22: PM: E5-E7: "You Broke My Playstation" - Stingray, "The Chosen One" hahaha. Was I right, or was I right or was I right? That aside, things are gettin' intense and juicy. The new sensei lady is quite scary - she could be a legitimate Sith Lord haha. Silver has showed how evil / villainous he is. And how about that "What I Did To Daniel" banter between Chozen and Johnny. AM: With spoilers out there anyway, why the hell not. I was pleasantly surprised that we got a glimpse of a young Sato / Chozen in the second episode. From where I left off (and a few more today), it seems that a reformed Barnes with Chozen / Daniel are on a collision course with Silver. If I had to guess or predict, will we get the ultimate showdown between Kreese and Silver in the Finale? If or when he gets out of prison, it would be payback time I guess haha. Only time will tell - don't spoil it. So Mike Barnes became the Furniture Guy, not the guy who fired Johnny? haha. Chozen had some pretty funny one-liners: "Too small" (after Daniel offered him a suit jacket or something - it would be too small indeed for a ripped / sculpted Chozen even at his old age. It brings to light the scene in Part II, where he takes off his shirt with his famous "You can keep for your collection"). Also - "Make sure you don't get blood on couch". Johnny always has one-liners: "I don't need it anymore (used condom package). I just need my money back". To add to this: Johnny: I used to be the school bully and made Daniel LaRusso's life a living hell because he stole my ex. Oh - and I pranked a blueberry pie on his seat Chozen: He stole my honor, so I nearly choked him to death with a spear and beat the crap outta him. Until he distracted me and nearly killed me with the drum technique. But I blocked his crane kick at least haha. Mike Barnes: I used to be the tournament terror, but got distracted by Kata and lost. He stole my dignity haha. 09/09/22: PM: A few episodes in - I'm not going to leak anything as well, but let's just say that "The Karate Kid" universe is certainly colliding and all coming together. How that'll all explode in the Finale (most talked about episode) has yet to be seen. AM: First Day! Don't spoil it for anyone - at least the first week. I probably can only watch a few episodes at a time. If anyone (I think all) saw the 9 minute sneak peek, I think that can be spoiled. Unexpected humor right off the bat is sometimes the funniest - the timing, atmosphere have to be there for any decent jump, or unexpected surprises. Who would have thought Chozen might become the new Naked Guy haha (move over Bobby Lee). I thought it was somebody else - perhaps a pool cleaner taking a leisurely swim. One thing is certain - the show has been littered with humor of all characters in every season. But kidding aside, Chozen is going to be kick-ass (hopefully). 09/08/22: The wait is almost over - S5 begins in less than a day. First off - I have to find time to watch the episodes. It'll be a few at a time, and thoughts about them as usual. How bad-ass is Chozen is going to get in this one. Also - I'm curious whether Sato from Part II is ever going to be mentioned or discussed within the show. I think Sato was a quite the presence in the film. Holy, Hype Train Batman! CKN, CKKid and CKKompanion hyping up S5 big time. It certainly ratcheted my anticipation another level, although anticipation level for every season is up there. 08/16/22: S5 appears to be the season of the OG characters (from the "Karate Kid" trilogy). With the official S5 trailer releasing, fans were treated to a Johnny and Chozen collaboration. Talk about the ultimate odd couple haha. I wonder if he's gonna introduce Chozen to hamburgers (no thanks to raw fish I guess haha)? Well - they do share a common bond - both former rivals / enemies of Daniel. Both kicked his ass for awhile, before losing at the end. They have new enemies - Terry Silver and the new Sensei's. I can just imagine this conversation between them: Johnny: I used to be the school bully and made Daniel LaRusso's life a living hell because he stole my ex. Oh - and I pranked a blueberry pie on his seat Chozen: He stole my honor, so I nearly choked him to death with a spear and beat the crap outta him. Until he distracted me and nearly killed me with the drum technique. But I blocked his crane kick at least haha. Is it Kenny-Time this season? He appears to be the new face of Cobra Kai. However - I'm betting my bottom dollar that Stingray is going to be the new sensei's secret weapon haha. S5 in just a few weeks - leggo! Mike Barnes' reveal image - fans are guessing whether he's reacting as a bad guy (or 'bad boy'), good guy, or just a comedic cameo haha. 05/06/22: Sept. 09 2022 - Season 5 is coming, and so is Chozen. Is "and I am gasoline" going to become a new meme? It's definitely something he would say. Some consolation - at least we don't have to wait until the end of the year. Still - some of us were hoping for a Fourth Of July surprise or around there haha. I personally believe Chozen can beat Silver, but who knows. I think it'll end up in a draw, or Silver is going to cheat again / play dirty to win. Otherwise - how are you going to keep the series going? Let's just hope Silver's fighting is more polished than his rendition of "La Campanella" hahaha. 04/30/22: I enjoyed listening to Joe Seo on "Kickin' It With The Koves". He always keeps it real, and honest. Always informative as well. Which is why I look for any or all interviews from him. I wish there were some information about S5, but as usual - it's been completely silent or nothing. I don't expect Joe to join the main roster anytime soon, but at least expand the character a bit more. Unfortunately, it's probably not going to happen so stop giving a shit. At least look out for cool or interesting moments from the character next season (if at all). It's been several months - my mind has been completely elsewhere, since I knew there would be no worthwhile news. But next month - there might be rumblings of a teaser, so might return to this soon. 01/08/22: It's cool to see behind-the-scenes videos and images. There is quite the rapport or camaraderie when the cameras are not rolling, and even outtakes / funny moments. The editing or montage of the tournament throughout E9 and E10 was thrilling / spectular. While Mitch might have flubbed up his time on the mat haha, Kyler made it up for him during his stint in the skills competition - I did not see that coming as well. He is either genuinely crazy, or just has a hard head haha. 01/04/22: Some characters (from the films or previous seasons) that would be nice to see return: Freddie Fernandez (most fans blame him for instigating the Daniel / Johnny feud via that beach party invite in the first film haha), Mike Barnes, Dutch (although it's been confirmed that the actor has no interest), Principal Lopez (he needs to answer on why he did not re-hire Stingray as security haha). At the beginning of E8, did anyone guess it was Stingray the first-time when the camera was focused on the fat hands at first? haha. Stingray's character might become darker and less of a baffoon (if he sides with Silver). 01/02/22: I'm looking forward to Chozen's possible influence for S5. It is also possible that Kreese might be redeemed next season (if that is ever possible). Or more twists. "Match Point" - that is one of my favorites. And the last episode. Most fans think Kyler is just a "generic bully". That was probably the original intention from the get-go from S1. So I think it is highly unlikely that we'll see a brief back story or background for Kyler unfortunately - but you never know. Here's the deal - the character was originally created for any ethnicity or there wasn't any ethnicity / race in mind. Which gives me a bit of comfort. However - he is one not to be messed with. He just needs more tournament experience haha. 01/01/22: PM: To heck with spoilers. Just finished S4, and it was a rollercoaster of humor, emotions and twists. I'll most likely have more specific thoughts later.. But the gist of it - it's got most of us already anticipating for S5. This is the season of Terry Silver - apparently, we find out that he had no interest in returning back to his former life. Sort of reformed. Until Kreese slowly manipulates him into becoming loyal again - the "you owe me" type deal. And by the end, Terry Silver appears more dangerous than ever. Enter Barnes? Enter Chozen for sure. That was the surprise. The two-episode tournament at the end was quite thrilling. I'm glad they changed things up a bit by adding a women's division / skills competition. Times change, things change. The results appeared obvious from the get-go, since we all know what rivalries the show is centered on. Kyler's background was not explored this season. It's understandable, as the show is a large ensemble and there is only so much story to go around. Plus - the focus on new characters and other characters that were not given much attention - this time, Anthony. And the new kid Kenny - a bullied kid who eventually turns into a bully or a bona fide threat for Cobra Kai. New characters are pretty much a given for every new season, as that gives the show more flavor. The return of Stingray and a cameo from Aisha (she gained back that weight) - enough said haha. AM: I'm up to E6 - should finish the rest today. The hype is indeed real. Won't go into a review until a week or two later - when most have already seen it. But here's a minor E1 first scene spoiler - the introduction to Terry Silver's return is in a stylish fashion. What better way than to having him play "La Campanella" - as if he became a pianist instead of a toxic waste dumper in his previous life haha. Other than becoming a vegan / stock market guru or something like that. 12/31/21: It begins today - as usual, few episodes at a time for me. Don't spoil it for everyone else. 12/13/21: This must have been my first-time watching the deleted scenes from the first "The Karate Kid" ('84) in full. These scenes just make Johnny Lawrence look like a bona fide bully or villain for sure haha. The '80s blond bully / villain type. Times have changed. Bullies can be anyone. 12/12/21: While official trailers usually show what the overall season is going to be about for the most part, let's not forget what hasn't been shown. That can be fun to speculate as well - guest appearances, new character scenes, etc. But for sure - you can expect that what is shown in the trailer is how the season is going to unfold - mainly focused on the Silver / Kreese vs. Lawrence / LaRusso (and their influences on their students, increasing the rivalry of the Diaz / Keene and LaRusso / Tori to unheard of levels). I remember seeing leaks of the actor who plays Hawk (Jacob B., as well as a few other main cast characters) training with the stunt team (or was it Simon Rhee?) over the summer or at some point. This usually indicates that the actor is going to be heavily involved in fights - usually winning them. I'm unsure if we're going to see Kyler with some Cobra Kai skills - he might be used just as a Cobra Kai bully or enforcer (doing the dirty work for the team). I no longer give that much of a rat's ass at this point - as long as there is a possibility of a background story or a developmental story (albeit an episode or some scenes). 12/10/21: Here's a rundown of my favorite seasons (leading up to S4): S1: The best one in my opinion, and I'm sure for other fans too. It started it all - and paid homage to Pat Morita's character (which was great). S3: Nostalgia up the wazoo. The appearances of Chozen, Kumiko and Ali for several episodes - enough said. S2: One word - Stingray. And maybe Principal Lopez hahaha. Oh yeah - the OG Cobra Kai reunion. And the kick ass school fight. More thoughts on what appears to be Kyler fighting Rob (Bobby) Keene. Either it's a power struggle fight (no doubt Keene was hand-picked to be the star pupil), a demonstration fight, or completely something else. When S3 ended, there did not appear to be any bad blood between Kyler and Keene - which makes this mind-boggling. But then again, there can be a twist. I mean really - did fans really think it was Kyler that Hawk was punching the lights out of in the S3 trailer? It turned out false. But who knows. I also noticed there wasn't much Hawk in the trailer either - I have no doubt we'll see plenty of him in S4. 12/09/21: Official Trailer Release: "Now The Real Countdown Begins" The trailer is definitely awesome - it revealed a lot, and just took it up a notch for fan anticipation for S4. Thoughts on the trailer: The re-emergence of Terry "Quick" Silver has sort of made this season a Kreese / Silver vs. Johnny / Daniel rivalry focused. Keane appears to be the star pupil - and fan prediction is that he'll win the tournament. It looks like a prom brawl is about to break out - which some fans have predicted. I mean c'mon - all the seasons up til now has been about the Diaz / Keane and LaRusso / Tori rivalry. Weapons in the tournament? Times change, things change. Nothing stays the same, otherwise it beomes dull. It'll be exciting and interesting. Everything has to change or evolve. This isn't 1981 - it's 2021. Not much Kyler - there is a brief scene of him fighting Keane I think. They appear to still be on the same team at the end, so I think it's just a demonstration fight or something. And if you're a series regular or one of the main credit characters, you can't possibly lose. Some might hate the character, I found a bit of sympathy after his absence in S2. If a background story doesn't happen, there is still two seasons left. 12/03/21: The Countdown Begins It's December - S4 is releasing the last day of the year. Fans are already beginning their own countdowns. There's a snazzy, new poster for S4 - too sweet and bad-ass. It's all a marketing ploy I suspect. December is when the All-Valley tournament took place I believe. Naturally, so S4 as well. Netflix is going to market the hell out of "Cobra Kai" this month. "Cowboy Bebop" was fun, and now it's "Cobra Kai" about to open up a can of whoopass come 12/31/21. Happy holidays haha. 09/28/21: So the new "trailer" might only be a new "teaser", since it's only about a minute long. But they showed quite a few things. One scene (when you re-play it in slo-mo) is a spiky-haired student picking on a new character at school - could that be Hawk back to his old ways (after all, he has become a bully as well)? Perhaps turning back was a ruse. Only time will tell. I think fans are anticipating hilarious conflicts or rapport between Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang. Joe Seo's natural acting is a reason why Kyler is so despicable, threatening / scary - almost as if you'd think the actor himself is like that. I'm mainly hoping for a brief backstory on why he is the way he is, even if it's just a scene or two. I also get the feeling that he might get DQ'd sometime in the tournament. 09/27/21: Dec. 31 - in addition to having to wait until the end of the year, we'll have to wait until the very last day of the year. Fortunately, some of us have other shows / films to look forward to before that ("Cowboy Bebop" for one). The new trailer looks bad-ass, although I'm not sure if it's the official trailer. Perhaps there might be another one. 08/05/21: A December release? A bit disappointed - we have to wait until the end of the year. I thought "honeycrisp season" might have referred to the release date, but most likely the official trailer. December is Winter season isn't it. I wish October was in the realm of possibility. Teasers are teasers - they don't show much but just advertise. Although I was a bit underwhelmed by it, it did its job as far as hype is concerned. Hopefully they can show a bit more with more teasers, since fans have to wait until the end of the year. 06/21/21:
05/27/21: Here Comes The Pain A teaser for Terry Silver's return was just released - what a treat for fans. Hope there is more. "The Karate Kid Part III" is considered an awful entry - cartoonish villains, sketchy script, etc. For some reason, Silver and Barnes were fan favorites. They were devilishly evil. Mike Barnes' return is inevitable at some point. 04/30/21: S4 has wrapped today - it's going to take awhile in terms of post-production work. We just hope we'll be surprised with bits of spoilers or even a teaser by summer. Also - I wish they would consider releasing a few episodes every other week or two episodes at a time kind of deal. Or at least trying that out for one season. That way, they might be able to release it earlier and it'll get fans excited even more. 04/11/21: Sorry, Joe and Xolo - Five Guys burgers are the burgers to beat. I used to go on burger runs, pizza runs, etc. Not at 2 AM though. They might hang out off camera, but all bets are off when the cameras are rolling. I heard filming is going to wrap up this week. I hope S4 isn't as secretive as S3 - considering how long fans had to wait. 02/04/21: The "More Than Miyagi" film - this is definitely a must-see if available on other platforms or VOD at some point. It looks at Pat Morita's career (other than his most famous role of "Mr. Miyagi"), and highlights them. Most newbies would not know that Pat was a comedian/comic before becoming known for the iconic character. I'm certain he has played a few dramatic roles here and there as well. For new and old "Karate Kid" fans, this is a must-see. 01/22/21: Production has begun for S4 - and I'm sure fans are already asking about it. The hype or the anticipation has begun again - it'll be a year they say (it takes a month or two for filming, a few months for post-production /editing, etc). A few of my questions / inquiries: Kyler appears to be returning (they set him up as he joined Cobar Kai in after S6 - he does not appear until then). Is he going to take it up a notch with some added Cobra Kai skills, and finally win a fight for once? The All-Valley tournament is expected - what is going to happen in terms of leading up to it? Who else is going to appear in terms of past KK characters? Silver / Barnes has everyone talking for now Is Stingray going to appear - perhaps back to his Lowes day job after serving time haha Let the speculations begin. 01/10/21: If S2's nostalgic moment of the season is "Take a Right", then S3's "Feeling the Night" is this season's (well, S10 as well with the trio reuniting). Since "Cobra Kai" is mostly about Johnny's story or perspective, I'm sure fans would want to see Johnny and Ali getting back together. From what others having been saying, the reunion was just meant to bring closure or resolution to the rivalry. But who knows what future seasons are going to hold. My favorites: E4, E5, E9 and E10. 01/05/21: With spoilers already out, why not begin now: Some S3 Notables (perhaps more to come): Johnny interrupts Bobby's sermon with a hearty "bullshit" haha The letter-reading in Okinawa of Miyagi's final letter Chozen honking Daniel, and then laughing about it Okinawa story-arc in E4 and E5 - scenery and everything Johnny / Ali reunion in E9 Demetri / Yasmine smooching The "binary brothers" are back (to my disappointment and for some as well - the rivalry was just getting juicy). The final fight reminiscent of the school fight in E10 (Kyler got his beatdown in, but then gets surprised - I would like to think that Kyler underestimated the recovering Miguel). What I hope to see in S4 or future seasons: Chozen returning Some kind of back story for Kyler - why is he such a bully (I mean, an ultra-bully with no redeeming qualities it appears) The return of KK3 villains - Terry Silver, Mike Barnes or both are possible. Most are already assuming that it is Silver who Kreese called at the end of S10. 01/03/21: Finished - E9 and E10. Just watch them, and re-watch them. I'll provide more complete thoughts sometime next week - I think most if not all might have seen the entire season by then. I'll also give or provide what I hope to see for Season 4 or the seasons beyond as well. The show is infused with comedy / humor, action and drama / nostalgia from the "Karate Kid" films. By now, I am familiar with or use to the type of "no-holds-barred", irreverant humor from the Big Three (the "Harold and Kumar" films show that type of humor to begin with). 01/02/21: I got up to E7 and counting. All I could say is - it is worth the hype (especially, E4 - E6). Funny as usual - I can only surmise that it'll get more intense from here. I'll wait at least a few more days to reveal more specific thoughts as well. Here are some minor tidbits for now: At least we know the whereabouts of Stingray haha Double-dip - that plump landlord likez-eh it (something that he likes) haha 12/31/20: S3 begins tomorrow - get yer crane kick on! 12/24/20: What a Christmas Eve surprise - it has been confirmed that the new release for Season 3 is New Year's Day. Cobra Kai / Karate Kid fans rejoice! I checked out the "Reunited Apart" (BTTF and The Goonies also recommended). It's nostalgia galore, and re-enacting certain scenes in character are always the highlights of it. The only issue with this - not everyone is given the chance to say much (if anything at all). That's what happens when you try to cram as many actors in an episode as possible. 12/19/20: Yuji Okumoto interview: httpss://ew.com/tv/cobra-kai-yuji-okumoto-season-3 Oh - and stop by Kona Kitchen. I know I liked it haha. 12/16/20: Apparently, Netflix is keeping S3 release secretive at this point. All hell is going to break loose if the release is delayed or pushed back. Netflix - don't you dare. Haha. 12/13/20: I decided to create this web fan page, since I found myself blogging about the new Cobra Kai S3 trailer often (and with a lot more thoughts / questions). Ok, let's let it out. Here are a few for me: The aftermath of the school fight at the end of S2. I don't expect full realism, but at the same time - I do hope that all the participants of the school fight are punished in some way. The instigators of the fight jailed or expelled / suspended for sure. In reality - the fight would not have lasted that long for sure (or lasted at all). It would have been stopped either by students, or security / police that come over right after somebody calls. I have a sinking feeling however, that the instigators will get away somehow. The controversial scene of Hawk literally beating the crap out of someone or something. From the trailer however, the consensus says that it is Kyler that is being beaten. Kyler returns in S3, but how for how long? We know that he was an ultra-bully in the first season, but he already got his ass kicked by Diaz after he was taught the ways / mastered it. It might be true - if it is, we hope there is a story arc for him at least as compensation. We all know that bullies get the come-around eventually. Well, he was brought back at least. |
