Ralph Macchio stars as Daniel, a teenager whose growing pains are made that much more difficult by his arrival in a new town where he must start from scratch and make new friends. He quickly becomes a target of the Cobras, a menacing gang of karate students, who are less than pleased when he strikes up a relationship with Ali (Elisabeth Shue), the Cobra leader's ex-girlfriend. Eager to fight back and impress his new girlfriend, he begs his handyman, Mr. Miyagi, a martial arts master, to teach him karate. Under Mr. Miyagi's wise tutelage, Daniel develops not only the physical skills but also the maturity, faith and self-confidence to compete despite tremendous odds as he encounters the fight of his life in the exciting finale.