This is the anime I never knew I needed. Yona of the Dawn is, at its core, a feminist anime, which is surprising considering Yona is a princess. It is a compelling adventure story that simultaneously proves that anime does not have to be about girls finding a boyfriend or taking down an enemy dressed in revealing attire.
The series opens with Yona's sheltered life in the castle. She is simple, and quite frankly, a bore. Although, the most cliché aspect of her life is her budding feelings for her cousin named Su- won, who's handsome, kind, and speaks with a gentle tone. Just when the viewer is about to consider watching a different anime, the boring plot the viewer anticipated is completely reversed. Su-won kills Yona's father in cold blood, and even orders Yona's death before her friend Hak saves her and takes her away from the castle. With this, Yona of the Dawn establishes its unpredictable nature.
After the death of her father and Su-won's betrayal, Yona becomes distant. She completely depends on Hak to do everything as she drowns in her despair. It's not until they are attacked by bandits and Hak is peril that Yona finally breaks out of her shell. One of the bandits grabs her by her hair, and to get away, she takes his sword and cuts it off. Cutting her hair symbolizes the fact that she is leaving her old life behind, helped by the fact that Su-won gave her a hair clip for her most recent birthday. After Yona cuts her hair, she begins to help Hak fight the bandits and very slowly begins the healing process.
One of the most admirable qualities of this anime is the fact that it takes it's time. Yona doesn't get over her father's death instantly – instead, she goes through a lengthy grieving stage with several setbacks along the way. She may have shed her old naivety by cutting her hair, but she doesn't become instantly independent. Rather, she begins to show an interest in learning more about her kingdom and about herself. Yona asks Hak to teach her how to use a bow and arrow, but even that takes time. She's not an instant natural, and is shown practicing across several episodes. The continuity of the show is a welcome reprieve from several other series that ignore certain plot points as the show progresses. In addition, the slower progression of the story makes the characters seem more realistic, and most of all, human. Overall, that's what this show does best. It takes the time to explore every aspect of the characters and show that, despite their diverse backgrounds, they're all people. Indeed, it's a rather unusual message for an animated series to tell.
The rest of the anime focuses on her quest to find the four dragon warriors who are tasked with protecting the Crimson King, of whom Yona is a reincarnation. Every time they encounter one of the warriors, the anime stops and takes the viewer back in time to view the warrior's story. The backstories highlight the most important details of their lives up to this point, and allow the viewer to understand the reasons behind the warriors' actions and personality. This a prime example of the 'show don't tell' concept. The viewer gets to experience the warriors' backstories firsthand, making it far more exciting. This concept is also used to evoke sympathy for Yona and Hak. After Su-won murders Yona's father, the anime goes back in time to explore the childhood friendship between Yona, Hak and Su-won. Witnessing the genuine appreciation the three had for each other makes Su-won's betrayal even more tragic.
Another thing that makes this anime stand out is the complex villain. It is established in the first episode that Su-won is the villain, but as the series progresses, the viewer becomes just as confused as Yona about their feelings regarding his behavior. Rather than being tyrannical, he advocates for good policies and tries to rebuild the kingdom. There are times when the viewer wonders why they hated him in the first place. His voice actor, Yusuke Kobayashi, maintains his soft, gentle tone. It almost seems as though one could forgive him for killing Yona's father because, as it is later revealed, Yona's father killed Su-won's father. Like Yona and Hak, Su-won is only human, with motivation behind every action. Once again, Yona of the Dawn explores every angle of a character, this time even playing with the viewer's moral compass.
In the end, Yona is back on her feet, fighting for the kingdom she loves alongside her comrades. She's no longer a dependent. She can fight with a bow and arrow, and is not afraid to risk her life in battle. And why is she a feminist? This clueless princess acknowledged her helplessness, and slowly built a new life for herself to the point where she could stand just as tall as her male companions.
The series opens with Yona's sheltered life in the castle. She is simple, and quite frankly, a bore. Although, the most cliché aspect of her life is her budding feelings for her cousin named Su- won, who's handsome, kind, and speaks with a gentle tone. Just when the viewer is about to consider watching a different anime, the boring plot the viewer anticipated is completely reversed. Su-won kills Yona's father in cold blood, and even orders Yona's death before her friend Hak saves her and takes her away from the castle. With this, Yona of the Dawn establishes its unpredictable nature.
After the death of her father and Su-won's betrayal, Yona becomes distant. She completely depends on Hak to do everything as she drowns in her despair. It's not until they are attacked by bandits and Hak is peril that Yona finally breaks out of her shell. One of the bandits grabs her by her hair, and to get away, she takes his sword and cuts it off. Cutting her hair symbolizes the fact that she is leaving her old life behind, helped by the fact that Su-won gave her a hair clip for her most recent birthday. After Yona cuts her hair, she begins to help Hak fight the bandits and very slowly begins the healing process.
One of the most admirable qualities of this anime is the fact that it takes it's time. Yona doesn't get over her father's death instantly – instead, she goes through a lengthy grieving stage with several setbacks along the way. She may have shed her old naivety by cutting her hair, but she doesn't become instantly independent. Rather, she begins to show an interest in learning more about her kingdom and about herself. Yona asks Hak to teach her how to use a bow and arrow, but even that takes time. She's not an instant natural, and is shown practicing across several episodes. The continuity of the show is a welcome reprieve from several other series that ignore certain plot points as the show progresses. In addition, the slower progression of the story makes the characters seem more realistic, and most of all, human. Overall, that's what this show does best. It takes the time to explore every aspect of the characters and show that, despite their diverse backgrounds, they're all people. Indeed, it's a rather unusual message for an animated series to tell.
The rest of the anime focuses on her quest to find the four dragon warriors who are tasked with protecting the Crimson King, of whom Yona is a reincarnation. Every time they encounter one of the warriors, the anime stops and takes the viewer back in time to view the warrior's story. The backstories highlight the most important details of their lives up to this point, and allow the viewer to understand the reasons behind the warriors' actions and personality. This a prime example of the 'show don't tell' concept. The viewer gets to experience the warriors' backstories firsthand, making it far more exciting. This concept is also used to evoke sympathy for Yona and Hak. After Su-won murders Yona's father, the anime goes back in time to explore the childhood friendship between Yona, Hak and Su-won. Witnessing the genuine appreciation the three had for each other makes Su-won's betrayal even more tragic.
Another thing that makes this anime stand out is the complex villain. It is established in the first episode that Su-won is the villain, but as the series progresses, the viewer becomes just as confused as Yona about their feelings regarding his behavior. Rather than being tyrannical, he advocates for good policies and tries to rebuild the kingdom. There are times when the viewer wonders why they hated him in the first place. His voice actor, Yusuke Kobayashi, maintains his soft, gentle tone. It almost seems as though one could forgive him for killing Yona's father because, as it is later revealed, Yona's father killed Su-won's father. Like Yona and Hak, Su-won is only human, with motivation behind every action. Once again, Yona of the Dawn explores every angle of a character, this time even playing with the viewer's moral compass.
In the end, Yona is back on her feet, fighting for the kingdom she loves alongside her comrades. She's no longer a dependent. She can fight with a bow and arrow, and is not afraid to risk her life in battle. And why is she a feminist? This clueless princess acknowledged her helplessness, and slowly built a new life for herself to the point where she could stand just as tall as her male companions.