With regard to the live action series Cobra Kai (2018), Jon Hurwitz clarified that the "Karate Kid cartoon is not canon. But there is an Easter Egg from it in Season 3," in response to the question as to whether "the Karate Kid animated series [is] official within the Karate Kid / Cobra Kai universe?" in the form of the Miyagi-Do shrine, briefly seen at Chozen Toguchi's dojo in Okinawa halfway through the season.
Pat Morita reprised his role as Mr. Miyagi before the opening through a narration in which he explains the episode's plot from his character's point of view. Morita provided opening narration for every episode except episode 8. He's the only actor from the film series to voice his animated counterpart.
The show debuted after Karate Kid III (1989) had hit theaters earlier in the summer of 1989 but with its ties to Okinawa, it seemed more like a continuation of Part II.
The show was originally planned for daily syndication for fall 1988 with 65 episodes, before eventually settling on a 13-episode order for NBC Saturday mornings in 1989.
The second and last collaboration of DIC Entertainment with Columbia Pictures Television (Now Sony Pictures Animation) until Tempête de boulettes géantes (2017) produced by your successor DHX Media (Now WildBrain).