What do you think?
Rate this book
The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai: An Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion
Calling all badasses - tie on your headbands and tighten your cores! The only official guide to the kickin' world of the Emmy-nominated and globally beloved show Cobra Kai is here.
The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai is a celebration of the superfans -- an essential companion to the show and a master sensei ready to guide readers through the karate-crazed San Fernando Valley. Journey through the deceptively humble strip-mall that houses Cobra Kai, the magical backyard retreat of Miyagi-Do, the dangerous abandoned factory used in aggressive Eagle Fang training, and the wilderness proving ground of Coyote Creek -- not to mention Johnny and Miguel's apartment complex, the LaRusso residence, and Terry Silver's beachside mansion. The legacy of the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai continues with never-before-seen photographs and illustrations, secret moves from behind the scenes, exclusive interviews with Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso), William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), Martin Kove (John Kreese), Xolo Maridue�a (Miguel Diaz), Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso), and MUCH MORE!
You'll hear directly from your favorite characters: Johnny Lawrence shares his top 10 songs for impressing hot babes. Sensei Kreese presents his favorite strategists of military history and how to apply their teachings to your own life. Daniel LaRusso dishes on some of his secrets to finding the best meditation spots in the city. Samantha LaRusso gives a Prospective Student tour of West Valley High (watch out for those railings!). Eli Moskowitz, er... "Hawk" points out the Valley's best tattoo studios and hair salons. But if that doesn't kick enough ass for you...
You'll also find a glossary of unique Cobra Kai terms, visual guides to important karate moves, historical and philosophical cheat-sheets on the Cobra Kai, Miyagi-Do, and Eagle Fang dojos, and fight stats on your favorite students to really help you decide if you're team Miguel or team Robby. And the show's creators will give an unprecedented look inside the making of Cobra Kai: the writing, directing, and production of this beloved franchise that has grown from scrappy underdog to global phenomenon.
If you think you have what it takes to dive into the most essential companion book ever produced, then it's time to swoop down like an eagle and sink your fangs into this baby.
Ready? Let's begin!
The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai is a celebration of the superfans -- an essential companion to the show and a master sensei ready to guide readers through the karate-crazed San Fernando Valley. Journey through the deceptively humble strip-mall that houses Cobra Kai, the magical backyard retreat of Miyagi-Do, the dangerous abandoned factory used in aggressive Eagle Fang training, and the wilderness proving ground of Coyote Creek -- not to mention Johnny and Miguel's apartment complex, the LaRusso residence, and Terry Silver's beachside mansion. The legacy of the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai continues with never-before-seen photographs and illustrations, secret moves from behind the scenes, exclusive interviews with Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso), William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), Martin Kove (John Kreese), Xolo Maridue�a (Miguel Diaz), Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso), and MUCH MORE!
You'll hear directly from your favorite characters: Johnny Lawrence shares his top 10 songs for impressing hot babes. Sensei Kreese presents his favorite strategists of military history and how to apply their teachings to your own life. Daniel LaRusso dishes on some of his secrets to finding the best meditation spots in the city. Samantha LaRusso gives a Prospective Student tour of West Valley High (watch out for those railings!). Eli Moskowitz, er... "Hawk" points out the Valley's best tattoo studios and hair salons. But if that doesn't kick enough ass for you...
You'll also find a glossary of unique Cobra Kai terms, visual guides to important karate moves, historical and philosophical cheat-sheets on the Cobra Kai, Miyagi-Do, and Eagle Fang dojos, and fight stats on your favorite students to really help you decide if you're team Miguel or team Robby. And the show's creators will give an unprecedented look inside the making of Cobra Kai: the writing, directing, and production of this beloved franchise that has grown from scrappy underdog to global phenomenon.
If you think you have what it takes to dive into the most essential companion book ever produced, then it's time to swoop down like an eagle and sink your fangs into this baby.
Ready? Let's begin!
224 pages, Hardcover
Published November 15, 2022
About the author
Rachel Bertsche
5 books225 followersRachel Bertsche is the author of The Kids Are in Bed: Finding Time for Yourself in the Chaos of Parenting, MWF Seeking BFF, and Jennifer, Gwyneth & Me. A former editor at O, The Oprah Magazine, her work has appeared in Marie Claire, More, Teen Vogue, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Fitness, Women’s Health, New York, CNN.com, and more. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 31, 2022
The first official guide to the making of the hit series Cobra Kai.
Rachel Bertsche goes behind the scenes of one of my favourite TV series, but I felt that she only really scratched the surface. There are some good interviews with the lead actors, writers, stuntmen etc that are well worth a read. However, I felt that the book was perhaps aimed at a younger audience than myself. A lot of time is wasted discussing the characters & how they fit into the series & if you watch Cobra Kai than you know the answers already.
On the plus side there are plenty of good photographs from Cobra Kai & The Karate Kid films & it's good to finally have a book published about this great show. Next time I'll have to check out actor Ralph Macchio's book Waxing On, which shows his view on the iconic film that made him famous.
Rachel Bertsche goes behind the scenes of one of my favourite TV series, but I felt that she only really scratched the surface. There are some good interviews with the lead actors, writers, stuntmen etc that are well worth a read. However, I felt that the book was perhaps aimed at a younger audience than myself. A lot of time is wasted discussing the characters & how they fit into the series & if you watch Cobra Kai than you know the answers already.
On the plus side there are plenty of good photographs from Cobra Kai & The Karate Kid films & it's good to finally have a book published about this great show. Next time I'll have to check out actor Ralph Macchio's book Waxing On, which shows his view on the iconic film that made him famous.
January 15, 2023
Just finished my first book of 2023, “The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai: An Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion Book” by Rachel Bertsche (2022). This is a really fun behind-the-scenes book on the Netflix series with lots of cool photos and interviews with all involved (the showrunners, actors, writers, directors, stunt coordinators, production designers, etc. Traces the genesis of the project from the early love of the original 1980s “Karate Kid” movies by the three men who who go on to create and produce “Cobra Kai”, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, through their convincing Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso) and William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence) to step back into their famous roles.
The selling of the series concept to YouTube (who carried the series on their YouTube Red the first two seasons), the casting of the other roles, the shooting the series, the series popularity especially after it moved to Netflix, the biggest fan moments like the returns of various other characters from the original “Karate Kid” movies and how many of the themes of the series transcend the generations, the young teenage characters going through many of the same experiences that Daniel and Johnny’s generation did back in the 80s.
And perhaps the most fun element of “Cobra Kai”, the unexpected development and redemption of quintessential 80s bad boy, Johnny Lawrence (while at the same time keeping him a man firmly stuck in the 80s thinking wise, to often humorous effect).
Daniel LaRusso’s journey from where we last saw him in “The Karate Kid: Part III” to being a family man with a wife, two children, and a successful businessman, seemingly the opposite of the perennially down on his luck Johnny, is also explored, and how the sudden return of Johnny and Cobra Kai dojo (re-opened by Johnny) brings Daniel to the realization that he has become out of touch with his kids and with his own life’s focus (his beloved mentor, Mr. Miyagi, having passed away seven years prior to the start of the series. It makes Daniel decide to resume his karate and to train his daughter and other teens in the Miyagi style of karate.
As I said, a very fun, well written book for fans of “The Karate Kid” films and “Cobra Kai” series (and a great companion to Ralph Macchio’s recently released “Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me” memoir book). I gave “The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai: An Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion Book” four out of five stars on GoodReads.
The selling of the series concept to YouTube (who carried the series on their YouTube Red the first two seasons), the casting of the other roles, the shooting the series, the series popularity especially after it moved to Netflix, the biggest fan moments like the returns of various other characters from the original “Karate Kid” movies and how many of the themes of the series transcend the generations, the young teenage characters going through many of the same experiences that Daniel and Johnny’s generation did back in the 80s.
And perhaps the most fun element of “Cobra Kai”, the unexpected development and redemption of quintessential 80s bad boy, Johnny Lawrence (while at the same time keeping him a man firmly stuck in the 80s thinking wise, to often humorous effect).
Daniel LaRusso’s journey from where we last saw him in “The Karate Kid: Part III” to being a family man with a wife, two children, and a successful businessman, seemingly the opposite of the perennially down on his luck Johnny, is also explored, and how the sudden return of Johnny and Cobra Kai dojo (re-opened by Johnny) brings Daniel to the realization that he has become out of touch with his kids and with his own life’s focus (his beloved mentor, Mr. Miyagi, having passed away seven years prior to the start of the series. It makes Daniel decide to resume his karate and to train his daughter and other teens in the Miyagi style of karate.
As I said, a very fun, well written book for fans of “The Karate Kid” films and “Cobra Kai” series (and a great companion to Ralph Macchio’s recently released “Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me” memoir book). I gave “The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai: An Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion Book” four out of five stars on GoodReads.
May 29, 2023
Loved it. Can't wait to do a full on re-watch and notice even more easter eggs.
July 2, 2024
Fun book to read, ton's of pictures.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews