Let’s Welcome ‘Cobra Kai’ (Season 6, Part 2) to the World Stage

The true measure of any piece of any serialized sports media, whether it is a traditional sports drama or sports anime, is the quality of said media’s tournament episode or arc. Because when it comes to sports media, there is always a tournament episode or arc (whether it is an episode or arc really depends on the exact nature of the series). There is no better way to showcase character growth and opposition than a series of sequential challenges where our protagonists must somehow rise to the occasion. A good tournament sits with you. A great tournament arc will have you preaching the praise for years to come.  I knew from the beginning of Cobra Kai that I was going to love the series, but the season 1 finale ‘No Mercy’ cemented that knowledge. The epic conclusion of the series proved that the showrunners understood the assignment and every subsequent season has maintained that trust whether through big brawls or the second All-Valley. Now of course, season 5 set the stage for the final season of Cobra Kai by introducing the Sekai Taikai, a fictionalized martial arts tournament that was really the only logical progression of a series that had been anchored in the Valley for decades (the occasional visit to Japan notwithstanding), and after five episodes of preparing for the tournament, it was time for five episodes at the tournament.

Picture this, Barcelona. Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai joining other dojos in a tournament at a scale that neither team had ever imagined. Ri…