24/12/2025
Do you know the differences between the four most popular karate styles? We've already published a list of films that chronicle each style and their influence on actors and films. But here's a summary of the main differences between the four most popular styles:
Shotokan: Founded by Gichin Funakoshi, the "Father of Modern Karate," this style stems from the Shuri-te lineage and focuses on low stances, long movements, and powerful, linear strikes. Shotokan prioritizes control and distance, key foundations for the development of karate in Japan. Among its most famous practitioners in cinema are Jean-Claude Van Damme, who used his flexibility to deliver dazzling high kicks, and Dolph Lundgren, who began training in this style before transitioning to full-contact Kyokushin.
Kyokushinkai: Founded by the legendary Masutatsu Oyama, this style is known as "Full Contact Karate" and focuses on extreme endurance and true combat effectiveness. Oyama became famous for his bullfighting and rigorous solitary training in the mountains. In addition to Dolph Lundgren, a 4th Dan black belt who has competed in world tournaments, other stars such as Michael Jai White, Sonny Chiba (who plays Oyama himself in the film), and fighter Georges St-Pierre are among the greatest exponents of this style's brutal power and discipline.
Goju-Ryu: Created by Chojun Miyagi, this style combines "hard" (Go) direct attacks with "smooth" (Ju) circular defense, inheriting strong influences from Chinese Kung Fu. It is characterized by deep abdominal breathing and close-range fighting. Actor Pat Morita immortalized Goju-Ryu through the character Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid franchise, whose name is a direct homage to the style's founder, with Master Fumio Demura as the true master behind the choreography.
Sh*to-Ryu: Founded by Kenwa Mabuni, Sh*to-Ryu is a style with katas (forms), as Mabuni sought to unify the Shuri-te and Naha-te aspects of Okinawa. This is a highly technical system, assessing accuracy, speed, and versatility of shots. The "Iron Lady" of action cinema, Cynthia Rothrock, was one of the most famous practitioners, holding a high-level title in the style and showcasing her technical fluency in dozens of fight films throughout the 1980s.
