- "Put good out in the world and good will come back to you."
- ―Kumiko to Daniel LaRusso[src]
Kumiko (くみこ) is a major character in The Karate Kid Part II and Daniel LaRusso's second girlfriend in the trilogy.
Film series[]
The Karate Kid Part II[]
Kumiko is the niece of Yukie, Mr. Miyagi's childhood girlfriend. She dreams of becoming a dancer and falls in love with Daniel. She was first seen teaching little girls how to perform the O-bon dance, which was a Japanese way of honoring the dead. She later shows Daniel how to perform that dance, but this is seen by Chozen and his underlings, who mock Daniel for being girly.
Later, when Daniel is in the city of Naha, Kumiko is also there to buy a refrigerator motor for her Aunt Yukie. As they are walking by an electronics store, Yukie shows Daniel what she wants to be. Daniel first asks if she wants to be a TV saleslady, to which Kumiko says no, as the TVs were showing a ballet; she meant she wanted to be a ballerina.
She shows Daniel that she cares for him by performing a traditional tea ceremony with him and accepting his offer to come with him to the United States, likely thinking there would be great opportunity for her in America. At the film's climax, the O-bon festival is being celebrated in Sato's seaside castle. Kumiko is performing a dance for all the partygoers are on a small islet when she is captured by a crazed Chozen who threatens to kill her with a balisong knife if Daniel does not fight him to the death in an honor match. Daniel accepts the challenge, despite calls from Sato for Chozen to stop his behavior and a warning from Mr. Miyagi that this is not the All-Valley Karate Tournament, but Daniel says he must accept the challenge as Kumiko is in danger.
Chozen has the upper hand earlier in the fight and badly beats Daniel, causing Kumiko to attempt to stop the carnage by not being afraid to stand up to Chozen herself, only to be knocked unconscious by Chozen. When Sato and the partygoers play their drums in rhythm, Daniel, despite on the verge of losing, manages to defeat Chozen with Mr. Miyagi's "Drum Technique". Chozen instructs Daniel to kill him so his honor can remain, but Daniel refuses to do such a thing and spares his life before honking his nose. This humiliates Chozen, who leaves in exile. Kumiko and Daniel embrace as Mr. Miyagi smiles at Daniel.
The Karate Kid Part III[]
Daniel's mother Lucille enquires about Kumiko and Daniel explained that she was offered her dream job at a ballet company in Tokyo. As Daniel wanted her to follow her dreams and be happy more than he wanted her to be with him, he reluctantly convinced Kumiko to stay in Japan and pursue her dancing career.
Interim Years[]
After graduation, Kumiko joined the Hijikata Tatsumi Dance Company, and traveled around the world, performing in Sydney, Paris, and Singapore. London was her favorite place as she got to see the Cranberries open for Radiohead in 1995. She returned Okinawa to take care of her Aunt Yukie, and became a dance teacher. After Aunt Yukie passed away, Kumiko inherited her home. Although Yukie wanted her to get married, Kumiko preferred to be a “free agent”, explicitly referencing Daniel's use of the term to her when they first met. While many tried to proposition her, she turned them down as none of them fought to the death for her like Daniel did for her.
According to Chozen, following his disgrace, Kumiko found him despite Chozen's attempts to hide away, much as she had done when they were childhood friends. Kumiko's kindness towards Chozen despite the terrible things that he had done to her helped to bring him back from the darkness that he had found himself in. Chozen fell in love with Kumiko, but he never admitted it as Chozen felt that his actions towards Kumiko were unforgiveable.
Cobra Kai[]
Season 3[]
Daniel LaRusso returns to Tomi Village in Okinawa which has since been turned into a shopping mall. After witnessing a performance put on by a group of dancers, their leader is revealed to be Kumiko. When she completes her dance, she is surprised to see Daniel, whom she recognizes immediately.
Over tea, she tells Daniel that after graduation, she joined the Hijikata Tatsumi Dance Company, and traveled around the world. She said that London was her favorite place, because she got to see The Cranberries open for Radiohead in 1995. After returning to Okinawa to take care of Aunt Yukie, she started teaching. After Aunt Yukie passed away, Kumiko inherited her home (and does not want to sell it). She also said that Aunt Yukie wanted her to get married, but she preferred to be a “free agent”, explicitly referencing Daniel's use of the term to her when they first met. When Daniel said that he was surprised that she didn't receive proposals, she said that “many tried, but none of them fought to the death for me.” They both feel like time hasn't passed, when they realize it has been over 30 years. Kumiko notes that “maybe if we had Facebook and Instagram back then we would’ve never lost touch.”
They then talk about why Daniel came back to Okinawa. He says he has a wonderful family and career, but many things have been going wrong, and he used to always go to Mr. Miyagi for help. He wishes Mr. Miyagi were still here to guide him. Kumiko then states that she might be able to “make that happen.” She takes him to Yukie's home and shows him a box of love letters from Mr. Miyagi to Yukie (which he began writing after they left Okinawa 30 plus years ago). Daniel almost breaks down when he finds a letter written the week Mr. Miyagi died. In the letter, Mr. Miyagi says that he was lost until he met Daniel, who is a “guiding light” for him. He says he is proud of Daniel (who has welcomed him into his family), and that Daniel is passing on Miyagi-do training to Samantha (and that he feels like Samantha's grandfather). Daniel finds great solace in the letter and thanks Kumiko.
The next day Kumiko meets Daniel in a restaurant, and says that the letters she read to him the night before brought Mr. Miyagi back to life. She tells him that her aunt Yukie used to tell her that if you “put good out in the world,” “good will come back to you.” She then says that while she knows he is facing a difficult moment with his business, things will work out. At that moment, his former rival, Chozen Toguchi, appears in the doorway.
Chozen approaches Daniel and Kumiko and bows. The three then sit together in awkward silence, as Chozen says that he never married and has no children. When he leaves to get a drink for Daniel, Kumiko confesses that she invited him to meet Daniel. When he reminds Kumiko that Chozen once fought him to the death while also threatening her life, she tells him that it was a long time ago and Chozen has changed. As Daniel is skeptical that people can change, Kumiko says that it looks like they have a lot to talk about and she leaves them to spend the day together. Daniel comes to learn that Kumiko is right, Chozen has changed and is following a more productive path, serving as a karate instructor for Miyagi-Do Karate in Okinawa. The two reconcile, and he teaches Daniel the pressure points technique. Meanwhile, Kumiko contacts and successfully encourages the Senior Vice President of Sales at Doyona International to help save the declining LaRusso Auto Group in California.
As Daniel is leaving, Kumiko tells him that she hopes they both he and Chozen learned something from each other (which he realizes was her plan). She then introduces the woman standing next to her as “a friend of ours.” When Daniel doesn't recognize her, she tells him not to worry, it's been a long time and says “I was a child then, and it was during a typhoon.” Daniel realizes that she is Yuna, the girl he saved in Okinawa during the storm. While getting to know each other again, he finds out that she is Senior Vice President of Sales for Doyona International, the motor company he was trying to make a deal with. He turns to Kumiko and looks at her with appreciation as she reminds him of Aunt Yukie's saying: “Put good out into the world, and good will come back to you.” Daniel then asks Yuna if he can buy her a drink, to which she responds: “I should hope so,” because “I’m about to save your business.”
Season 5[]
During a night out with Daniel and Johnny Lawrence, Chozen reveals to Johnny that he's in love with Kumiko. Johnny later tells Daniel that "the way Chozen talks about her, he's got it bad." Chozen tells Daniel that when he and Kumiko were children, they would play together and Kumiko would always find him. After his disgrace, Chozen tried to hide from everything, but Kumiko found him again and her kindness brought him back. Both men agree that Kumiko is something special, but Chozen has never told Kumiko how he feels as Chozen believes that his actions towards her are unforgiveable. Daniel reassures Chozen that he's redeemed himself for the things that he did and that Kumiko knows it too. Daniel encourages Chozen to pursue a relationship with Kumiko and he later calls her, leaving a message asking to get together when he returns home. Chozen tells Kumiko that his one mistake when coming to America was not taking her with him before getting nervous and hanging up.[1]
Season 6[]
Chozen is dismayed that Kumiko has yet to return his phone call. He admits that he had been drunk when he called her and poured his heart out, which was a mistake. Later, when Amanda comments that it's important to make the most of the time that they have, Chozen researches flights to Okinawa on his phone.
Personality[]
In The Karate Kid Part II Kumiko is an aspiring dancer. She is a very sweet, caring person who teaches the village children to dance. She is graceful, patient, respectful, and cultured. Despite being Okinawan she is something of a yamato nadeshiko, an "ideal" Japanese woman. She does have her feisty side, however; at one point she angrily throws a tomato at a departing Chozen, and later, after Chozen releases her at the O-bon dance, she attempts to strangle him from behind.
In Cobra Kai Kumiko has changed very little. She is as kind, sweet, caring, empathetic and wise as ever. Although she has never married, claiming that no man after Daniel ever fought to the death for her, she only seems happy about his marriage and family. She arranges for Daniel and Chozen to meet again, knowing they will both benefit from their time together, having apparently reconciled with Chozen in the years since his attempt on her life and Chozen's subsequent change for the better. While Daniel is training with Chozen, she arranges for Yuna to save the LaRusso Auto Group. Chozen later reveals to Daniel that Kumiko's kindness towards him after his disgrace was what helped to bring him back.
Relationships[]
Chozen Toguchi[]
Chozen is Kumiko's childhood friend. Kumiko and Chozen grew up together in Okinawa. They were very close as children, as they would often play together. One of Chozen's fondest memories was playing hide and seek in the ruins of King Shō Hashi Castle, as no matter where he hid, she would always find him. Chozen has been in love with Kumiko, but never had the courage to confess his feelings to her. After Chozen's father died, and Chozen was placed under the care of his cold and aggressive uncle, Sato Toguchi, their friendship greatly deteriorated, as the trauma of losing his father and the strict upbringing of his uncle shaped Chozen into a self-entitled, abrasive, and heartless bully. While he still maintained his feelings for Kumiko, his new foul personality pushed her away, as she could not bear to see her once kind friend become a monster. Things did not fair better for them as Kumiko developed feelings for the student of Chozen's uncle's rival, Daniel LaRusso, whom unlike Chozen, treated her with kindness and respect whereas he continued to act forceful towards her. Chozen was consumed with jealousy and vitriol, to the point where he would go out of his way to harass and threaten the two of them whenever they were together.
The culmination of Chozen's jealousy and hatred for Daniel resulted in Chozen going as far as to take Kumiko hostage with a knife to her neck, forcing Daniel to a fight to the death. Kumiko tried to intervene which resulted in him striking her. After Chozen's defeat at Daniel's hands, Chozen felt great shame for his actions, and fled to the ruins of King Shō Hashi Castle. Despite his self-isolation, Kumiko found him there and comforted him despite everything he did to her, indicating she still held on to hope that there was still good in Chozen and still cared for her best friend. It was because of Kumiko's kindness and his uncle's guidance that Chozen was able to better himself and restore his friendship with Kumiko who long since forgave Chozen. For the next thirty years, Kumiko and Chozen remained close friends. Chozen later admitted that even after decades of friendship, he was still in love with Kumiko, but never pursued a relationship with her as he believed he had no right to after how he treated her, as well as out of respect for her past with Daniel LaRusso.
While assisting Daniel in the United States, he confided in him his dilemma over his feelings for Kumiko, as well as his inability to forgive himself. Daniel encourages Chozen to finally tell Kumiko how he feels, as he was no longer the man he used to be, and that Kumiko knows that. Chozen later left her a voicemail expressing his regret over not taking her with him to the United States, subtly confessing his feelings for her.
Gallery[]
The Karate Kid Part II[]
Cobra Kai[]
Season 3[]
Trivia[]
- Kumiko is the only love interest in the films who helps Daniel defeat the main antagonist.
- Kumiko is the only love interest in the films whose life is threatened.
- Kumiko and Daniel would have remained a couple if it weren't for the fact that he wanted her to follow her dreams back in Japan.
- Kumiko and Daniel were the only relationship that parted on good terms. While they eventually made up in Season 3 of Cobra Kai, Ali and Daniel's break up was on bad terms. Whilst Daniel and Jessica were barely in a relationship, due to her on again off again relationship with a boyfriend she's mentioned to him.