Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: cobra kai, Jon Hurwitz, netflix, Ralph Macchio, Tamlyn Tomita

Cobra Kai EP Shares Why Season 3 Daniel/Kumiko Dance Scene Was Cut

Cobra Kai EP Jon Hurwitz revealed why a Season 3 dance scene between Ralph Macchio's Daniel and Tamlyn Tomita's Kumiko was eventually cut.

As part of the post-series Q&A, Jon Hurwitz fielded questions about Cobra Kai on social media, a fan asked about Peter Cetera's Glory of Love, which was featured in The Karate Kid Part II (1986) but wasn't in the Netflix series, but another like Baxter Robertson's Feel the Night was. The EP revealed that Glory of Love was referenced as part of season three when Tamlyn Tomita reprised her role as Kumiko in a recurring capacity when Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) visited Okinawa to find out more about the hidden secrets of Miyagi-Do Karate.

Cobra Kai EP Jon Hurwitz Reveals Deleted Scene That Created Potential Narrative Problems

"We actually filmed a goodbye scene between Daniel and Kumiko in Season 3 that had them slow dancing to 'Glory of Love.' It was really sweet and one of my favorite scenes that didn't make a final cut," Hurwitz wrote. "At the end of the day, it felt a little too intimate, considering Daniel is a happily married man. It also didn't help that the song was expensive, and the episode was running long. Felt like an unnecessary beat for the storyline that could cause unintentional story complications. #cobrakai"

In Cobra Kai, Daniel is married to Amanda (Courtney Henggeler). With the first three films, Macchio has had a different female lead in each one with Elizabeth Shue's Ali, Tomita's Kumiko, and Robin Lively's Jessica. Only the first two characters were formulated as romantic leads in the plot of Daniel's rivalries with Johnny (William Zabka) and Chozen. It's revealed that Jessica set up Daniel with her cousin, Amanda, in the Netflix series. Season three saw Daniel not only reunited with Kumiko but also with his former enemy Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto), who's revealed to also be a master of Miyagi-Do karate. While the theme of the series is often paranoia, Daniel finds out Chozen has turned over a new leaf and found peace within himself. He even offers to help teach him the advanced Miyagi-Do technique of striking pressure points to disable an opponent.

Okumoto would be part of the regular cast for the remainder of the series as he acclimates himself to life in America, helps Daniel with his dojo, and discovers an obsession with reality TV. As Daniel and Chozen initially met under contentious circumstances in the 1986 film, it's revealed he still harbors feelings for Kumiko, and while teased throughout the final seasons, we never see Tomita again as Chozen finds out she doesn't return his amorous feelings but still embraces his friendship. He does find love with Cobra Kai's Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim).

Hurwitz told Bleeding Cool, "There was a debate on Tamlyn, and the bigger question was, 'Where does Chozen's heart lie?' by the end of the series. That was discussed over a long period, even while we were in production in the earlier parts of the season, because first, we love Tamlyn, and we love Kumiko. We love the scene where Chozen left the voicemail at the end of season five… When it all was said and done, and talking it through with ourselves, the actors, and the group, it felt like we landed in the right direction, so Tamlyn did not end up returning."

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