Six months after his student Daniel has triumphed in the karate championship, Mr. Miyagi receives a troubling letter from Japan. His father is gravely ill, and he must return to his ancestral home in Okinawa, a place he left 45 years ago. In a gesture that demonstrates the deep bond between them, Miyagi allows Daniel to accompany him.
Shortly after they arrive, Miyagi's father dies and Daniel — whose own father is dead — comforts his teacher in a very moving scene. The past weighs heavily on Miyagi. His old friend Sato, now a successful businessman, has not forgiven him for stealing the love of Yukie, the woman he was designated to marry. Honor, according to Japanese tradition, is at stake here. Sato challenges Miyagi to a karate match from which only one man will walk away alive. If Miyagi refuses to fight, Sato will destroy the village, which is built on property he owns.
The screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen focuses on this challenge to Miyagi's pacifist values. Are the karate master's principles more important than the survival of his ancestral village?
While Miyagi wrestles with his conscience, Daniel falls in love with Yukie's young niece, Kumiko, who is a dancer. He learns some new moves from her that help him out as he suffers various humiliations at the hands of Sato's vicious nephew Chozen.
The Karate Kid Part II, directed by John G. Avildsen, is bound to please fans of the first film. Noriyuki "Pat" Morita's karate master is better than ever as one who knows the value of a pure heart and a clear mind. Ralph Macchio's Daniel demonstrates new sensitivity as he has a valuable cross-cultural experience.