Best Quotes from the Original "The Karate Kid" (1984)

The original "The Karate Kid" features Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) moving from Newark, New Jersey to Reseda, in Los Angeles, California with his mother, Lucille (Randee Heller). The handyman of their rundown apartment building, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) befriends Daniel. Mr. Miyagi learned karate from his father in Okinawa and agrees to teach karate to Daniel who is being harassed by a group of dirt bike riding bullies. The bullies attend the karate school, Cobra Kai, where their sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove) teaches them to show no mercy.

Here are 20 unforgettable quotes from "The Karate Kid".

[Daniel enters the Cobra Kai do jo, not knowing the bullies train there]
Sensei Kreese: "Fear does not exist in this do jo, does it?"
Class: "No Sensei."
Sensei Kreese: "Pain does not exist in this do jo, does it?"
Class: "No, Sensei."
Sensei Kreese: "Defeat does not exist in this do jo, does it?"
Class: "No, Sense."

[Daniel continues to listen to Cobra Kai, Sensei John Kreese train his students to be merciless warriors]
Sensei Kreese: "What do we study here?"
Class: "The way of the fist, sir."
Sensei Kreese: "And what is that way?"
Class: "Strike first, strike hard, strike fast, no mercy, sir."

Bullies: "Lookin' for a shortcut back to Newark? I hear he wants to learn karate. Here's your first lesson, how to take a fall. Don't think about the pain." (They ride away laughing as Daniel is pushed into the ditch.)

[Mr. Myagi teaches Daniel about trimming a Bonsai tree, telling him to picture the tree in his mind]
Mr. Myagi: "Trust the picture."
Daniel: "How do I know if my picture is the right one?"
Mr. Myagi: "If it comes from inside you, always right one."

[The bullies corner Daniel, giving him a beating until he cannot stand. Bobby (Ron Thomas), one of the bullies, tries to stop the fight]
Bobby: "What is wrong with you, Johnny?"
Johnny (William Zabka): "The enemy deserves no mercy."
Bobby: "You're crazy, man!"

[Mr. Miyagi tries to explain to Daniel the real reasons for learning karate]
Mr. Miyagi: "Fighting always last answer to problem."
Daniel: "I'm getting my ass kicked every other day. That's the problem."
Mr. Miyagi: "That because boys have bad attitude. Karate for defense only.

[Mr. Miyagi comments on the influence of teachers on their students]
Mr. Miyagi: "No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do."

Daniel: "Hey, what kind of belt do you have?"
Mr. Miyagi: "Canvas, you like? J.C. Penney, $3.98!"

[Mr. Miyagi once again explains to Daniel the true meaning of the art of karate]
Mr. Miyagi: "Daniel san, karate here (he points to his forehead). Karate here (he points to his heart). Karate not here (he points to his gut). You understand?"

[Mr. Miyagi agrees to go to the Cobra Kai do jo to speak to Sensei Kreese about his students bullying Daniel. This is what they hear]
Sensei Kreese: "We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, on the street, in competition, a man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy."

[Mr. Miyagi and Sensei Kreese agree that the karate students and Daniel will compete in the All Valley Karate Championships. Until then, Johnny and his friends are told to leave Daniel alone.]
Mr. Miyagi: "Win, lose, no matter. You make good fight and respect. Then nobody bother."
Daniel: "Ya, they'll bury me where I fall.'
Mr. Miyagi: "Either way, problem solved."

[Mr. Miyagi prepares Daniel for his karate training, laying down a few rules.]
Mr. Miyagi: "I promise teach karate. That's my pact. You promise learn. I say, you do. No question. That your pact."

[Daniel walks into Mr. Miyagi's apartment and sees him trying to catch a fly with chopsticks]
Daniel: "Wouldn't a flyswatter be easier?"
Mr. Miyagi: "Man who catch fly with chopstick, accomplish anything."

[Daniel is fed up with Mr. Miyagi's training methods and lashes out in frustration]
Mr. Miyagi: "You in karate training."
Daniel: "I'm what? I'm being your goddam slave is what I'm being, man. Now, we made a deal here."
Mr. Miyagi: "So."
Daniel: "So, so, you're supposed to teach and I'm supposed to learn, remember? For four days I've been bustin' my ass and haven't learned a goddam thing!"
Mr. Miyagi: "You learn plenty."
Daniel: "I learn plenty! I learned how to sand your decks maybe. I learned how to wash a car, paint your house, and paint your fence. I've learned plenty. Right."
Mr. Miyagi: "Not everything is as it seems."

[Mr. Miyagi and Daniel go to the beach to train. Daniel notices Mr. Miyagi balancing himself on a post imbedded in the sand.]
Daniel: "What was it you were doing on those stumps over there?"
Mr. Miyagi: "Called Crane Technique. If done right, no can defense."

[Daniel asks Mr. Miyagi when he will learn how to throw a punch and Mr. Miyagi explains the importance of learning balance first.]
Daniel: "When am I gonna learn how to punch?"
Mr. Miyagi: "Got to learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good."

[On Daniel's birthday, Mr. Miyagi shows just how much Daniel means to him by giving him one of his antique cars.]
Mr. Miyagi: "Just remember; license never replace eye, ear, and brain."

[Daniel makes it to the finals and Sensei Kreese has an underhanded plan up his sleeve.]
Sensei Kreese: "Bobby, I want him out of commission."
Bobby: "But Sensei, I can beat this guy."
Sensei Kreese: "I don't want him beaten."
Bobby: "But I'll be disqualified."
Sensei Kreese: "Out of commission."

[Bobby kicks Daniel in the knee and Daniel is carried out of the ring. Daniel confides in Mr. Miyagi as he lies on the bed in obvious pain.]
Daniel: "Everytime I see those guys, they'll know they got the best of me. I'll never have balance that way; not with them, not with Ali, not with me."

[Mr. Miyagi rubs his hands on Daniel's knee with a technique that his father taught him. Daniel is able to get back into the ring to fight against Johnny.]
Johnny: "You're alright, Larusso. Good match." (Johnny hands Daniel the trophy)
Daniel: "We did it, Mr. Miyagi. We did it. Alright."

Source: "The Karate Kid" (1984)