Cobra Kai (2018)
Cobra Kai is a 2018 action & adventure series created by Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg. It stars William Zabka, Ralph Macchio and Courtney Henggeler.
Thirty-four years after he lost the All Valley tournament, Johnny Lawrence is a broke handyman nursing his bruises with cheap beer. On impulse he reopens the Cobra Kai dojo, teaching no-mercy karate to a bullied teenager, and the old grudge with squeaky-clean Daniel LaRusso roars back to life. The series treats the 1984 Karate Kid as gospel, then flips it, letting the former villain narrate his own comeback. Across six seasons it grows from nostalgic joke into a sincere soap about masculinity, mentorship, and the ways rivalry gets handed down to the next generation.
Quick answers
What is Cobra Kai about?
Thirty-four years after he lost the All Valley tournament, Johnny Lawrence is a broke handyman nursing his bruises with cheap beer. On impulse he reopens the Cobra Kai dojo, teaching no-mercy karate to a bullied teenager, and the old grudge with squeaky-clean Daniel LaRusso roars back to life. The series treats the 1984 Karate Kid as gospel, then flips it, letting the former villain narrate his own comeback. Across six seasons it grows from nostalgic joke into a sincere soap about masculinity, mentorship, and the ways rivalry gets handed down to the next generation.
When was Cobra Kai released?
Cobra Kai was released on 2 May 2018.
How many episodes does Cobra Kai have?
Cobra Kai has 65 episodes across 6 seasons.
Who made Cobra Kai?
Cobra Kai was created by Josh Heald, Hayden Schlossberg and Jon Hurwitz.
Where can I watch Cobra Kai?
Cobra Kai is available on Netflix, Youtube Premium and Google Play.
Where to watch Cobra Kai
Stream: Netflix, Youtube Premium
Watch free: Youtube Premium
Rent: Google Play
Buy: Google Play
Cast
- William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence
- Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso
- Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso
- Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz
- Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene
- Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso
- Jacob Bertrand as Eli 'Hawk' Moskowitz
- Gianni DeCenzo as Demetri Alexopoulos
- Martin Kove as John Kreese
- Vanessa Rubio as Carmen Diaz
- Peyton List as Tory Nichols
- Owen Morgan as Bert
Similar series
Explore Cobra Kai guides
Cobra Kai in our writing
- Companion guide: Martial Arts
- Companion guide: Martial Arts Tournaments: The Complete Guide to the Fighting Tournament
- Companion guide: Sports & Underdogs
A few thoughts on Cobra Kai
The mentor-and-student throughline runs deep in manga: Rurouni Kenshin trades the strip-mall dojo for Meiji-era swordplay and hard-won atonement, and My Hero Academia bottles the same underdog-trains-to-fight energy for a new generation. For a bloodier take on tournament stakes, the film Mortal Kombat II leans into pure martial-arts spectacle.
Martial arts and the mentors who shape fighters
Cobra Kai is really about what a teacher passes down, for better and worse, inside a dojo. These picks share that martial-arts spine, following masters and students through kung fu schools, samurai roads, and street brawls where every technique carries the fingerprints of whoever taught it.
Action comedies where the fights turn personal
Half of Cobra Kai's fun is a decades-old grudge played with a straight face and a wink. These picks match that tone, mixing real punches with sharp comedy as feuding families, fed-up rivals, and mismatched partners let old resentments spill into the present.
Coming-of-age stories about training and belonging
Underneath the karate, Cobra Kai follows bullied kids learning to stand up and find a crew. These stories share that growing-into-yourself heart, sending young students through academies and trials where discipline, friendship, and a mentor's push turn timid beginners into people who can hold their ground.
Action heroes with a rougher edge
When Cobra Kai lets the gloves come off, it leans into pulpy, hard-hitting action. These picks live there full time, following soldiers, vigilantes, and trained killers through gritty missions where the violence is quick, personal, and rarely clean.