Pat Morita, a veteran movie actor of Japanese descent, catapulted to fame portraying Daniel-san's mentor in "The Karate Kid". He spent time in "relocation camps" in Gila, Arizona and other places during World War II, which possibly made his scene about the death of his character's off-screen wife in a camp more poignant. He also played Zenahiro in "Farewell to Manzanar".