We have Chozen… wisely. Please welcome Yuji Okumoto to the Washington State Summer Con from June 20th through the 22nd. Yuji lives in the Seattle area and we are honored that he will be making a rare appearance in Puyallup this year to join the cast coming to Summer Con.
Yuji Okumoto is a Japanese-American actor, producer, and martial artist renowned for his dynamic career spanning over four decades. A third-generation Japanese American (Sansei), Okumoto discovered his passion for acting at Cal State Fullerton, where he was signed by an agent after performing in the play Indians. His early career kicked off with a role on CBS’s The Young and the Restless, followed by his big-screen debut in The Check is in the Mail (1985). He quickly gained traction with memorable roles in 1980s teen comedies, including a nerdy sidekick in Real Genius and a humorous Howard Cosell impersonator in Better Off Dead (both 1985).
Okumoto’s breakout role came as Chozen Toguchi, the formidable antagonist in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), showcasing his martial arts skills, honed since age 13 under various sensei, including a brown belt in karate. His performance left a lasting impact, cementing his place in pop culture. Okumoto was Shu Kai Kim in True Believer (1989), a character based on Chol Soo Lee, and a Japanese navy lieutenant in Pearl Harbor (2001). His filmography includes high-profile films like Contact (1997), The Truman Show (1998), Inception (2010), and Driven (2018), alongside the Disney Channel hit Johnny Tsunami (1999) as Pete Kapahala.
In 2021, Okumoto reprised his iconic role as Chozen Toguchi in Netflix’s Cobra Kai (Seasons 3–6), transforming the character from villain to a redeemed hero and ally to Daniel LaRusso. His nuanced portrayal earned widespread acclaim, with critics praising his depth and humor. Beyond acting, Okumoto produced the indie action-comedy The Paper Tigers (2020).
Yuji Okumoto is a Japanese-American actor, producer, and martial artist renowned for his dynamic career spanning over four decades. A third-generation Japanese American (Sansei), Okumoto discovered his passion for acting at Cal State Fullerton, where he was signed by an agent after performing in the play Indians. His early career kicked off with a role on CBS’s The Young and the Restless, followed by his big-screen debut in The Check is in the Mail (1985). He quickly gained traction with memorable roles in 1980s teen comedies, including a nerdy sidekick in Real Genius and a humorous Howard Cosell impersonator in Better Off Dead (both 1985).
Okumoto’s breakout role came as Chozen Toguchi, the formidable antagonist in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), showcasing his martial arts skills, honed since age 13 under various sensei, including a brown belt in karate. His performance left a lasting impact, cementing his place in pop culture. Okumoto was Shu Kai Kim in True Believer (1989), a character based on Chol Soo Lee, and a Japanese navy lieutenant in Pearl Harbor (2001). His filmography includes high-profile films like Contact (1997), The Truman Show (1998), Inception (2010), and Driven (2018), alongside the Disney Channel hit Johnny Tsunami (1999) as Pete Kapahala.
In 2021, Okumoto reprised his iconic role as Chozen Toguchi in Netflix’s Cobra Kai (Seasons 3–6), transforming the character from villain to a redeemed hero and ally to Daniel LaRusso. His nuanced portrayal earned widespread acclaim, with critics praising his depth and humor. Beyond acting, Okumoto produced the indie action-comedy The Paper Tigers (2020).