Akatsuki no Yona

Overall [9.9/10]

How should I begin to talk about this amazing piece of work? Akatsuki No Yona is not your typical reverse harem (not really actually) anime and the heroine certainly isn't one to whine and actually gets things done. That was practically one of the best factors for me. Coupled with light humor and an underlying motive in the story, it just made it drastically more appealing for me.

Story [9/10]

Personally, I believe in bitter starts and hopefully sweet ends, and it brought forth that criteria expertly for me. As I had said, he character had a motive and were not merely just doing nothing and ... having fun.
It shows moments of happiness but yet you would feel the poignancy of their own pasts as they try to overcome it and develop. Most of all this anime shows that there is hope and perhaps with every villain (again, substantial), there is one that did so for better reasons and there is greater evil in the world. It's incredibly realistic and something most of us at some point or another could relate to.

Art [9/10]

In 1080p HD, I thought the art looked fabulous. Or perhaps I'm just a sucker for medieval/ancient architecture that has me squealing most of the time. The animation itself flows smoothly and there is one thing that I don't see much in other animes is that they add those little side prints you see in panels of manga. They do it expertly well too and convey the obviousness or hilarity of the situation and I commend them for that. Those little side prints are often neglected and I'm glad to see them put to use, especially when the mangaka herself has an incredible sense of humor.
Everything was pretty and kept to the original drawings, and they even added another effect which was the 'fire' in Yona's eyes. Believe it or not, such a thing does not exist in the manga and it was a nice touch to it. Good job animators :D

Sound [10/10]

Where the hell do I begin on this one? The Openings and Endings are amazing, especially the second opening.
The voice actors are incredibly talented, as per usual and they sound like they were all having fun as they made this. The best voice acting I ever heard was Hak's Laugh and it does not help at the fact that I know that his voice actor is Decim which makes me want to fan girl even more. Not going to lie; I probably replayed that scene at least 20 times.
The OST and background music are too, pretty amazing, if you bother to listen closely along with the dialogue. Applied at the right times and not over used, it gets a 10/10. The sound effects like punching and whatnot were pretty good too :)

Character [10/10]

I absolutely ADORE -- actually I LOVE the characters. Unique in their own ways, they compliment each other like pieces of a puzzle.
First of; Yona. I said this but she is not your typical heroine and one of the heroines I didn't want to slap. Her character development is excellent as you see her evolve from a sheltered and pampered princess into a being that is bigger than herself, willing to toss away the things she had known for her friends to prove her equal loyalty.
Hak, her closest companion and having a love interest for the heroine. Dragons, might I say, he has the most patience and willpower ever. In every way for me, he is desirable. Masculine and yet not overly, simple and yet you know beneath it there are complications with himself. He's so frank and amazing and observant. I should stop singing him praises before I think that I'm making out with him.
The Four Dragons; Ki-ja, Shin-Ah, Jae-Ha, Zeno. Again, Hilarious. They are so... bizarre and yet they pair up with one another. The interactions with one another is priceless as they lament and bond with one another. Most have a dark past and weird force of habits, but that's what makes them amazing and human.
And let's not forget Yoon, the pretty boy who is a genius. He is probably the one who we can relate to the most. The one that tries to be the best they can, but sometimes feel like it would never be enough. The one that would want to be praised to make themselves feel better and incredibly reliable. Need i say more?
Next and lastly -- side characters. They are special in their own ways too. They are properly developed and not half-assed and we could see their varied attachments with the main cast. Not drastically obsessive, but it makes you want them to be in the main role, and not just a side effect after one arc. It's the impression I don't often get and I'm grateful this anime had it.

Enjoyment [10/10]

From my long review... This is pretty obvious.
Did I enjoy it immensely? Yes.
Would I watch it again? I already did.
Would I read the manga over and over again? I already did that three times.
This anime/manga was strangely addicting and I don't regret it one bit.

This is my first time writing a review, and it's because this anime is worth a review. **Little to no spoilers**

Story: 10
This isn't your typical guy-meets-girl shoujo. It's about a weak girl who was betrayed by her loved one, and was kicked out of the palace. Now, she has to survive in the outside world--which is very different from the life she had in the castle. It's a mix of a lot of things: adventure, comedy, fantasy and a bit of romance. They also know how to balance the comedy and the serious scenes. The pacing was not too slow, and not too fast either. ...

Art: 10
The art was amazing. All of the characters and background were well-drawn. The art had an "anime feel" to it. The art wasn't so realistic, as to question whether you're watching an anime or a drama. The character designs were unique, and it suited the characters well. For example, the colour of their hair actually gives an idea of what they are (e.g. White Dragon=White Hair).

Sound: 9
You don't see(or rather, hear) instrumental openings everyday. The first OP was peaceful, I can't complain about it. But the second OP made me feel like there was something wrong with my headphones, when I first listened to it. I think it grew on me, but I still prefer the first OP. The first ED was kind of too emotional(and slow) for me, therefore I prefer the second ED. Actually, "prefer" is the wrong word. I loved the second ED. It really screamed "Akatsuki no Yona". It was calm, and yet adventurous. It fits the anime very well.

Character: 10
The characters were all well-developed that you'll find it hard to pick a favourite. All the characters were lovable (Yes, even the villain.). I find it really hard to hate the villain. He was such a cool and gentle character, but I guess people are all entitled to their opinions. The interactions between the characters are all so cute, it made me smile at my computer screen.

Enjoyment: 10
I wouldn't have written a review if it wasn't enjoyable. I haven't watched a good anime in a long time. A good anime in my opinion has to have a good story-line, and good art. This is one of those animes.

Overall: 10

(This has been adapted from my reddit thread)

The other day, for one reason or another, while talking with my wonderful mother, we stumbled upon the topic of the universe. Specifically about the scale of it all; how its literal astronomical size seems too daunting to comprehend. But how does this relate to Akatsuki no Yona, an anime that has about as much relation to outer space as does a piece of paper? Well, condense the thinking: despite the vastness of it all, we exist here, right now, at this very moment. Therefore, is it too silly or arrogant to think that we have some "reason" ... for living? That, perhaps, our life should have some purpose to it all? It is quite the interesting thought, one that this anime explores with some elegance.

STORY

Akatsuki no Yona's main heroine is Yona, the daughter of the current King Il. But after a savage turn of events, Yona flees the castle with her trusted body guard, Hak Son, beginning her on the road of a life-changing journey.

What's intriguing about the show is that the actual narrative and setting lends itself well to the adventurous nature that it embraces. Taking place in a China-like land, the era the cast find themselves in contains: kings, lords, clans, wars, and feuds. Therefore many of the conflicts revolve around these separate facets that predated modern society. Startling betrayal of close confidants, deceptive tactics to cause territorial harm, and unruly rulers holding an iron grip over a harbor town are just a smattering of what the show has to offer. But it's also more than just the problems that are faced. The background also serves well for the plot's direction, too. It's a classic tale that fits nicely in this classical setting; essentially, Yona is tasked with "finding X amount of Y," where X is four and Y is the Dragon descendants. This sounds more mathematical than fantastical, but this formula works in tandem with the aforementioned adventuring. In essence, the anime becomes segmented into distinct arcs, making it a quest whose end is already known. The audience knows that Yona will acquire her destined companions, so it becomes not a question of if but a question of how. Thus, the show plays out, with significant focus on each soon-to-be acquired group member -- Ki-ja, Shin-ah, Jae-ha, etc. -- allowing ample time for everyone involved in the main cast to hold a spot in the overall equation.

Where Akatsuki no Yona dips slightly, and somewhat ironically, is in not having enough variables fleshed out. Speaking more concretely, while the focus on Yona, Hak, and the rest of the troupe is evident, exorbitant even, the focus on Soo-won, "the bad guys," and the neutrals are not. This may not even be the anime's fault; it obviously needs to follow the escapades of the main cast. But much of Soo-won's motivations and the happenings of everyone else that is not Yona is left mostly up in the air. Part of the reason for this is to maintain a feeling of mystery; enshrouding Soo-won's actions in darkness leaves his character up for contention. In other words, it's not wholly apparent if he is good or evil. But with such little limelight given to him and the rest of the kingdom, there isn't much background or tension to make Yona's quest seem worthwhile.

Yet, the show manages to keep itself upright by making the trek itself have meaning. What is this saying? The idea of "having a purpose" has already been presented, and is what the anime follows wonderfully. Yona's journey is one where she finds not just the rest of the Dragons, but also herself. She comes to learn of the world that her father "kept safe:" its poverty, disease, seclusion, and human trafficking. What she learns is that the world isn't so well off. In fact, she almost cannot believe its state. And so what she concludes that she must do, what her purpose has become, is to protect those people she never knew needed protecting. And this theme is rampant within all parts of the show: the Dragons must follow their directive, the different villages harbored these fated men, Hak has his duty, Ik-su provides the prophecies, etc. Whether such purpose is predetermined or predicated doesn't matter. For the show's message is that, whether you be a servant of a castle or a local pirate mother, everyone has a purpose.

ANIMATION

The art for Akatsuki no Yona is difficult to describe. On the one hand, it's quite situational. And that's in every sense of the word: forests, towns, castles, cliff-sides, and caves are regularly visited, making the world itself seem vast, venerable, and vibrant. On top of this, everything fits nicely with the feudal, China setting discussed earlier. On the other hand, though, the environments are not particularly gorgeous nor are they horrid to look at. In short, they serve their purpose as set pieces without enough pizzazz to make them captivating. The anime also employs a cartoon-like style during the many comedic moments it boasts, which is used to good effect.

The character designs are well done for each of the cast members. Yona's fiery-red hair and peasant outfit; Hak's signature weapon and blue robe; and the Dragons' respective colors, attire, and uniqueness in details are all well-crafted. One gets a real sense of their power and importance by simply looking at them.

Actual animation is usually slightly above average. There are certain segments where it really picks up -- Hak's "one versus many" battle in the mountains is a great example of this -- but it consistently remains at a general evenness. There is a good amount of talking and sitting that is interjected with action sequences here and there, and while they have their nice moments of animation, the majority is not overly impressive.

CHARACTERS

Akatsuki no Yona contains a nice cast of characters, from the mains to the sides.

At the top of the totem pole, but not so in royalty any longer, sits Yona. Kind of heart yet ignorant of the world outside the walls of her castle, she discovers that the former isn't always found in the latter. She falls from dainty princess to defenseless plebeian, with such a predicament resting uneasily within her. Not for the fact that she is no longer pampered or waited on, but for the fact that she feels helpless, that she is incapable of doing anything remotely worthy of her and Hak's situation. Her mindset changes with her hair; the cutting of one's flowing locks is symbolic of change for the better, which is exactly what Yona undergoes. After learning of the legend she is slated to take part in, she goes from feeling helpless to wanting to be helpful. And this is what happens over the course of the anime; her eyes face the reality of the kingdom she's never truly known, getting to experience its people, its cultures, and its hardships. Slowly but surely, she transitions from having to rely to standing on her own. By journey's end, while it is clear she has yet to fully relinquish everything from her past, her sights are firmly set on becoming the aid her people have always desired.

As for Hak, the other lead found from start to finish, he sits in a rather precarious position. Stoic, strong, and stupendous at fighting, he's one of a handful of people who initially sides with the young Yona. The beginning of the anime showcases his past; childhood friends with both Yona and Soo-won, but relegated as a bodyguard as opposed to ascending as the object of her affection. That is the source of his inner conflict: loving the girl who doesn't love him back, trusting her enough to do things on her own, suppressing his desires, wondering how she's doing, wanting to be by her side, and acting jealous of the man she cannot seem to forget. Those are way too many emotions for a single person to handle, let alone one of them. And while Hak fights his true feelings, he doesn't always win; there are times when he can't hold back his passion for her. Most of all, he's scared. Scared of her becoming powerful enough to no longer "need" him. Because he wants her to need him, more so than anything else in the world. And thus the mighty "Thunder Beast's" only weakness is revealed: it's not having his love go unreciprocated but losing it entirely.

The rest of the important members -- Yun, Ki-ja, Shin-ah, and Jae-ha -- all typically follow the same route. Find said character, discover what makes him unique, explore his past, and ultimately add him to the gang. This process sounds monotonous, but it's not; each character is given ample time to be developed within his respective arc. Even after his arc ends, the character still plays a role within the narrative and group, but isn't the sole focus anymore -- that is granted to the next person in line. What's most important about each of the characters, though, is their reason for joining. There has already been talk of purpose, but each is driven by another factor: Yona herself. This just isn't due to the Dragon's blood coursing through their veins. They all understand something through her that they themselves couldn't. Jae-ha realizes the worth in struggling as opposed to staying content. Shin-ah finally feels compassion from another. Ki-ja has someone who he can closely relate to in status. Yun learns to avoid being so judgmental. And Hak has something he loves more than words can describe. In other words, while Yona needs all of them in order to achieve the goals she has set for the future, they likewise need her to feel complete in the lives they live.

SOUND

Part of what makes the first OP so good is its lack of lyrics. Being able to engross one's self in the violins, flutes, and drums, without being distracted by a vocalist, is what the piece nails. It's orchestral, fleeting, and foreboding, all at the same time.

The second OP is weird. It doesn't fit, at all, with the show's mood or general atmosphere. But the slapping guitar, catchy up-and-down beat, and modern-pop tone makes it, at the minimum, quite interesting to listen to.

The first ED slows everything down. The male singer starts off quiet, working in harmony with the gentle guitar playing. The halfway point introduces the hard guitar, and the song continues with this combination until its end. The piece is okay, and easily the worst of the four.

The second ED, however, is a fantastic track. It begins with a resounding chorus, which leads into quiet, whispering singing backed by a light guitar. Then it hits its stride, with the vocalist and background singers working in unison. The instruments follow the beautiful vocal work, with the beat maintaining a nice rhythm. Overall, it perfectly captures the vibes of the anime itself.

The soundtrack contains tense, violin-filled tracks during suspenseful moments; gracefully-chimed and flute-and-guitar tracks during the more peaceful ones; and piano arrangements that appear for the scenes that are significant or moving. The soundtrack is wonderfully composed, lining itself nicely with what the anime has to offer.

And as for voice-acting, it's somewhere between average to above-average. A special shout-out goes to Chiwa Saito as Yona for her perky voice.

ENJOYMENT

The anime was quite hilarious throughout its run. The various character interactions and their respective antics -- Shin-ah's way of sleeping, Yona's obliviousness to Hak's feelings, Hak's abrasiveness towards Jae-ha, and Ki-ja's embarrassment during certain situations -- were well polished. It made for an exciting and comedic time when the show wasn't showcasing drama or fighting.

And that drama was usually quite thrilling, too. Seeing Soo-won's treacherous actions, watching Hak desperately try to break through a cave-in, or being taken aback by the fiery intimidation that emanated from Yona's eyes; such scenes usually had me wondering what was in store for the cast at the next turn of events.

Akatsuki no Yona concludes in a rather open-ended fashion. But with its interesting storytelling, nice characters, and orchestral music, the show leaves me anticipating the rise of that next, new dawn.

SUMMARY

Story: Good, fantastical setting helps itself, not enough focus on "not Yona and gang," literally thematically purposeful

Animation: Fine, okay art style, good character designs, average actual animation

Characters: Good, Yona and Hak develop nicely, with the side characters seeing both growth and understanding

Sound: Good, good first OP, okay second OP, okay first ED, great second ED, great soundtrack, average VA work

Enjoyment: Good, strangely really funny, nice dramatic sequences, but not totally in love with the show

Final Score: 7/10

Story: The point of view is mostly through the eyes of the main character Yona, but it switches to that of Hak or the four dragon warriors occasionally.
I feel it was an easy story line to follow, however I believe if you have any history with watching anime, then you have seen this particular plot before (main character is a witness to a tragic event, and sets out on an adventure for vengeance and gains strength and an impressive following on the way). Sound familiar?
I thought the pacing was quite well. There were moments, especially at the end, that I thought it was ... a little too fast paced for my liking. There were full episodes dedicated to back stories of the dragons. I am usually not a fan of these, but they were crucial to character development and all that.
There was plenty of action and fantasy in the form of sword fighting and the use of awesome supernatural powers that were foreseen through a mysterious legend of powerful beings.
Adventure is a given since they literally travel all over the land and encounter many new people and places along the way.
The characters had pretty funny moments, especially Hak and the green dragon. The humor was sometimes dry but in all, I thought it felt genuine.
As far as the romance aspect is concerned, there really was none. Yeah there was a lot of flirting going on, but there was no advancement beyond that. This was pretty disappointing to me because I was looking for a good romantic/fantasy anime, but that did not faze me that much.
The ending was the main reason this series was not a 9 or even a 10 on my scale. There was no closure what so ever, just a humongous cliff hanger. It felt as if they only showed about half of the story in the short 24 episodes. Hopefully they decide to make a second season sometime in the near future.

Art: I thought the art was very pleasant. You can tell it isn't a super new series, nor a super old one.
The background looked amazing (especially the ocean and mountain scenes) My favorite was when the sun made her hair look like crimson, or when you could see the fire in her eyes, it was done quite well.
The characters looked absolutely unique and differentiated quite a bit from one another. You could easily tell who it was just by looking at their shadows or silhouettes.

Sound: Honestly, I skipped all the openings, like I usually do, but from what I heard through the fighting scenes, the instrumental music was pretty well conducted and executed. You could feel the emotion, and it hyped me up for the outcome.
As far as the voice acting is concerned, I watched the English dubbed version and I thought the actors were perfect for their roles, particularly Christopher Sabat as Hak :)

Characters: Just like many series like this one, there were many inhumanely strong characters. The main character is at first perceived as weak and helpless, however she shows what is up as she gets stronger and braver.
You become so familiar with every character until you can predict how each will react given a certain situation.
The only side/mainish character that is not given a backstory of any kind, is the yellow dragon which comes in at the very last second, when the plot was sped way up and it ended abruptly.

Enjoyment: If you like fantasy anime with quite a bit of supernatural action and lots of comedic relief, I believe you will enjoy this anime alot. If you are looking for a super romantic series, this probably is not for you.

All in all, I gave this series an 8 out of 10, so it had a couple of flaws but still pretty great nonetheless.

To sum this anime up, it was an okay experience, but I wouldn't rewatch it. I don't mind the bishie harem, nor the appearance of the chibi stylization, even the shoujo theme is fine, but Yona? She amounts to nothing throughout the entire series yet everyone is constantly taken by her. Action scenes stop dead because they see a fire in her eyes (literally, an animated fire in her eyes) and everyone is wowed by her sheer determination, even enemies will just stand there in awe, completely forgetting how defenseless she is.

Why not just have her contribute in ways that actually help? If having ... a lady become an archer is too gritty for this very shoujo anime she could always become a strategic mastermind of some kind, whatever. Even by the end of this anime Yona is still just this girl protected by all these hot guys. As a girl I'm kind of offended.

Overall though, I wouldn't say it's a bad anime - the story is compelling, I like the setting, the comedy is entertaining, and like I said I'm all for bishie harems. What I can't stand is useless female protagonists that serve only as a lifecoach. Yona had the potential to become super badass and she didn't. Such a waste of opportunity.

Akatsuki no Yona containing the sadness and joy in Yona's life, it is not like an ordinary story where you expect simple outcomes of what Yona does but really amazing and touching moments containing lots of informations about the character. When it is something coming into comedy, it really makes me laugh since their jokes are pretty much hilarious when you first see it. After the cries, the show make you brighten up by containing the jokes.
The music, is truly amazing and fitting in scenes making us really imagining what Yona is going through. The art have probably took them a long time, especially the ... eyes and hair which makes it unbelievably hard for producers since they didn't leave out a single detail. Characters are mostly developed, except for the Yellow Dragon.
Akatsuki no Yona leaves several question marks in our head since there is no potential antagonist right now since Soo Won cannot considered to be bad right now. Soo Won has his own ways in doing things just like Yona.

I'M WAITING FOR THE SECOND SEASON WHERE I HIGHLY BELIEVE WILL COME OUT.

Why do I always write my sucky reviews when I'm sick?? No clue! Here goes!

Ofc this review will be basted of what has happened up until ep 6. If there is a manga I haven't read it. This is only anime based! I will try my best not to spoil anything!

Story:
Yona is the princess of a kingdom that is divided between 4 elemental tribes all Avatar style! Her father is a kind and wimpy king whom everyone seems to like. Her cousin and life love murders her father on her birthday which forces her to flee the palace with her bodyguard/childhood friend and seek a ... way to make things right as well as to find herself.

The story in itself is pretty engaging, but what really works is the way Yona evolves!
That said she only started doing that in episode 5. The first episodes are kinda slow paced which leaves you hanging for a while. For me some of the humor(which can be pretty out of place) makes up for that. It's thrown in a bit here and there and gives the show a pretty unique style when it's at it's lowest. The slow start has great payback tough as sh*t really starts hitting the fan in ep 5, so it's all good!

Characters:
This is funny as there are A LOT of characters who take up pretty much 50% of the opening who hasn't shown up yet. I am slightly worried that they won't get the development they need, but I'll let the writers take care of that. I'm looking forward to them anyhow!

Yona is our main. She starts out as a spoiled princess who only has eyes for her cousin Soo-won. She is energetic and a bit of a tsundere with no clue of the world, and this MAKES her! As we've seen in the opening already she will develop into a warrior princess, and I could not be happier with that! She started her development a couple of episodes ago, but in the latest episode we finally got a glimpse of the future which looks very bright!
Hak is her childhood friend and closest servant. He is the leader of the wind tribe (No they don't have arrows on their heads) and the best warrior in the land!
So far he hasn't gotten any development. They have the typical childhood friends relationship of bickering and teasing, and he has an indestructible loyalty towards Yona. I doubt his character will develop much more, but he's there to be the right hand handsome future love interest, so it's fine.
Yona's cousin and father's murderer Soo-won. . . Is an asshole! That's what I know about him so far. His reason for killing the king is based on nothing as far as I'm concerned, and he gives off this "You're supposed to feel sorry for me even tough I'm a bastard" vibe.

Look and sound:
The animation is nothing spectacular in either the bad or good direction. Studio pierrot can be very good and very bad, so this is a nice go-between. The colors pop a bit too much if you ask me, but it can be overlooked.
The music is the biggest downfall for this show so far. It's very ill-placed at times and very repetitive. I really liked the opening which is only an orchestra piece which gives a very epic feel. While I still like it they've also used it in the show a couple of times already which lessens the epic feel. I just hope that they'll work better with the music from here on out because the timing is really bugging me.

Overall:
So far it's not fantastic and it's not bad. Today's episode got my hype back up as it showed a new side to multiple characters and I'm looking forward to seeing where the next step will lead!

If you're into historical, comedy, romance, or drama anime you should give it a few episodes and see what you think! I think it'll be worthy of your time!

Now I will try to go to sleep as it's 2am, and hopefully I'll not sleep until 12 o'clock! (If I do I won't be able to wake up for school on Thursday. . .)
Good night to you!

Akatsuki no Yona is a lovely anime. Unlike most anime/manga there is always a man as main character (mc), but here we got a beautiful young lady.

Story 8: I would say the story scores highest from me. First of all because it's a woman as a main character. We don't see that often. What I love about the story is that we follow a cheerful, very weak both physical and mental, happy girl, Yona, with very less self-confident. But after a incident happens, she turns into a more powerful women both in physical and mental physical and mental. After that incident she get aware what's ... happening outside the castle she were living in before when she start traveling around the kingdoms. Once she realized that she is even more determined to take over the throne from a certain guy and get the people's trust.

As I said in a mysterious way we got to see that women aren't so weak as they always have said to be, but can be strong characters. And i am still waiting for that day when she kick a certain bastard's ass and take the throne herself. ^_^

Art 7: The art is very good. I love how they drawn Yona furious and burning eyes. It's very nice done.

Sound 7: The OST are good. Not the best, but good. The only OST I love very much is the first OP. It shows us that shit gonna get real and give us a good fighting spirit. At the same time, the OST show us that this an adventure anime with a lot of comedy and enjoy. The second OST I love very much is the 2nd ending. It fits so well with the anime. Once you hear this OST it makes you think about Yona and her action and how determine she is to win the people trust.

I would give the sound 8 if it weren't for the 2nd OP. Though the song is very lovely it doesn't fit with the anime. Techno doesn't fit with a adventure anime like this. They should a more calmer song for the opening like the first one. One that rise the fighting spirit, but at the same time is very lovely and full of enjoy.

Characters 6: Though I love that the mc is a woman and it show us how strong a woman can be, I still disappointed that Yona have no girls in her team. I mean if the main point is to show how strong women can be, they should at least add one girl in her team. That disappoint me very much.

Something else I think they should have done something with is that how far less Yona's strength is developing. I mean the male characters like Hak and white dragon have a overwhelming strength, but Yona's strength is developing so slow. I mean it would better to show how strong women can be if they increased her strength a bit. But the fault lies with the mangaka too since this anime is based on a manga.

Enjoyment 7: As I have said many times I love this anime and the main reason for that is that it show the strength of women. That makes me enjoy the anime even more. What is also good is that it has a lot of humour that makes you laugh throughout the episodes.

Overall 7: Overall I think it's a great anime. It has a lot of potential and has a very good plot. It's just too sad that this anime have only 3 ep. left for this season. I were very curious about the yellow dragon as a character, but I guess we have to wait another time for that. :P

I recommend this anime to anyone that loves to have a girl as a mc and loves to see how strong women can be. So if you want to see something good, funny and adventurous this is the anime for you. :)

Well, I wouldn't be giving it an overall score of 10 if it isn't epic, right?

Akatsuki no Yona may appear your typical shoujo reverse-harem quite resembling Saiunkoku Monogatari, BUT NO! By the course of the anime, it proved me (and even those who watched it) wrong!

Yona, at first, is your typical spoiled princess who grew up with a doting father as King of Kouka Kingdom. She also had caring friends, Hak and Su-Won. She can get what she wants. She has a prefect life (as some may say), but it all goes upside down when a betrayal destroyed the Kingdom. The death of his father ... from the hands of his first love, Su-Won urged Yona to get everything back where it belong and put an end to all the conflict. With the help of his loyal bodyguard and friend, Hak, she improves herself, seeks the help of the 4 Dragons and embarks on an exciting adventure to bring peace back to Kouka Kingdom... and prove herself to be not your ordinary princess!

I had a lot of fun watching this series. You just gotta love the development on Yona's character. The sorrow, the passion and the desire for peace is what I guess made Yona kept going on. Now that's not something you see always on reverse-harem themed series.

Hak, on the other hand, is a really, really amazing character. She supported Yona, protected her, although sometimes he teases her, you can still see how much he cares for Yona. Yes, I SHIP HAK x YONA :))

On the other hand, the other characters are equally essential for Yona's development as a character. Yun being the support of the group, Ki-ja, Shin-ah and Jae-ha being the direct support in battles, and Zeno... well, the clown? I dunno, I'm gonna read the manga to know Zeno more. haha!

Animation, for the most part is amazing! You just got to love the art in Yona's bloodlust. THAT'S IS FREAKING CREEPY AND AMAZING AT THE SAME TIME!

Music-wise, it was good too~! You just got to love every BGM used in every scene. The OST is equally good, as well.

Overall, I really do enjoyed the series. It broke the cliches of reverse-harem animes out there. Yona is a badass! I really do hope for a Season 2. For now, I'll be reading the manga while waiting. Highly recommended to all those who want something different. Trust me, you won't regret watching this. :)

Overall this anime started really good and caught my interest immediately. The time period seems to be around 1860 and it brings back this old medieval feeling which I myself love where there's no firearms or magic involved but however there is over-natural involved but it does quite fit the style of anime and I do not hope that there will be fireballs flying around in this anime as it just doesn't fit in.

The first op is just wonderful as it comes to music. The instrumental music is just so gorgeous and there is no lyrics to it and it speaks to me that ... this is the typical cultural music of japan and I love it! However the opening spoils way too much. When you play the first episode of Akatsuki no Yona, you see the main character (Yona) and her little fighting squad which is just a spoiler that shows you the characters who will appear later in the anime and doesn't do anything else than that. As an example what I would prefer better was a proper introduction of Yona and makes people see that wildfire in her eyes which would confuse the watchers after the op as you see her as a princess.

The art is quite default when it comes to the surroundings but the characters are pretty well made as they capture most of their emotions in their eyes and as they add the comical touch to it with small ball eyes, a colorful background and thick black contours.

Something that felt very charming was the story. After the first episode was completed, it was impossible to stop there. The story-line is clear and the objective of the anime is quite obvious but I love it. The anime is somehow resembling as a game where Yona, the hero of the story must seek out power to accomplish her goal. Very heroic which is also a huge cliché. Yona is indeed a character who starts out very weak but as the story goes on, she becomes strong and wants to help those that she keeps close.

I like when there's a hero like that and she doesn't take to much spotlight neither which just makes it even better. But something that is bugging me is that the story goes too fast. I can see in front of me, sitting here in my chair watching the 200 episode of Akatsuki no Yona since you can create something so big out of these characters and this story but the writers just decides to rush things down.

Hak for example is the bodyguard of Yona and they have been friends since childhood and now he is the one protecting her from all the trouble happening in the world, one of the characters that has a kind of slow character development but there's a lot of potential and stuff to work with like for an example if Hak would turn mad and depressed for (just and example, it does not happen in the anime) Son Mundok getting executed which results in Hak leaving Yona and the others and taking the anime on a feel trip.

But one thing is happening after another which is way too fast and it just gets you closer and closer to the end of it which makes less room for more character development or making us viewers to bond with the characters making us more attached to them. You need to find a balance between going too fast and going too slow and right now, the anime is tipping over at going too fast which lowers my overall rating quite a bit. However the anime is really well done and it's so interesting, it made me think that this would turn out to be huge as there is SO much potential in it so I give it 7/10

Yona of the Dawn is an outstanding piece of art, the animation is very colorful and really cute. One of the things that I enjoyed is the personality of each characters, I admire Yona because of her character development, she started as a naive girl who is very carefree and only cares for her hair and girly stuff became a brave girl who is really cool, and I like it that the 4 dragons have different personalities.. One of them being arrogant, one of them is very loyal to Yona, one who is very silent , and one who is very joyful..

I ship Yona ... and Hak :D


It is so cool that they fitted everything in the manga to the anime for only 24 episodes.

Plot: 7/10
Art: 810
Sound: 6/10
Character: 8/10
OVERALL: 9/10

Akatsuki no Yona is a show about a young, innocent, spoiled princess named Yona who is suddenly betrayed by the man Soo-won who she loved when he starts a coup de'etat and murders her father in front of her eyes. She is then thrust out of her castle as a fugitive and is forced into a world unknown to her with only her childhood friend Hak to protect her. She sets off on a journey to find the four dragons and take back her kingdom.

What sets the story apart from others is the depth in which they go into the issues surrounding the kingdom. Each ... story arc is centered around an individual issue that is occurring in separate areas such as human trafficking, isolation and fear, and starvation. Issues that occur throughout the world into today that normally people aren't willing to discuss.

Each arc is extremely fleshed out and detailed, causing a slow pacing to the anime which may be a turn off for some. The arcs are made to be long so that each dragon can be developed and understood as a person which is a rare gem in shows these days. They are all given a story, a reason to join with Yona, and a chance to shine as a new character.

Yona -the main character- is a particularly interesting and phenomenal character. She is known throughout the kingdom as a small frail looking girl with eyes and hair that flame with the strength and passion of the sun. During the day she seeks to help her people from the shadows, traveling through the kingdom and helping the sick and poor in the villages along the way. Restlessly she spends the nights practicing sword fighting and shooting her bow so that she can be of use to those who wish to protect her.

She is a young girl who is weak and helpless, and she admits that she is. Throughout the story she seeks to become stronger in her own way so that she can protect her kingdom and those who she loves. She stands guard in front of the weak to defend them from harm even if she knows she is no match for the aggressor. She even goes as far as to cut her treasured hair in order to free herself from burdening Hak which in my opinion was one of the most startling and beautiful moments in the show.

Probably the most notable thing about her is that she allows herself to be disillusioned throughout her travels. She realizes that the kingdom is in a state of decay and that her kind and gentle father may not have been the best ruler after all. She does not try to defend her father or herself, but seeks to venture further and help fix the damage that has been done during her father's reign.

The state of the kingdom also brings an interesting twist to Soo-won's character. Even though you hate him at first you slowly begin to realize that there may have been something more behind his traitorous actions, and when he starts to repair the broken kingdom that suspicion grows. Even though you sympathize with Yona and Hak, you understand just as they do that something went wrong and Soo-won is trying to fix it.

Not only are the characters and story beautifully fleshed out, the art and the music leaves nothing to be desired.

The art of the show is actually drawn closer to a manwha style rather than the typical Japanese manga art style which is not something we will commonly see. The characters are extremely detailed in design and emphasize the moments when a character truly grows and shows their power. You can feel and see the fire in Yona's eyes and hair and feel the strength through the animation alone.

The musical is also very orchestral and true to the feeling of the show. The instrumentation of the opening in particular has a very culturally Asian feel and tells a story as it goes along. There is no need for voices or explanations because the music explains everything it on its own. The song appears in the anime whenever something major happens to Yona's character and really helps to set the mood for the events unfolding.

Overall I believe this is a show that most people can enjoy and appreciate. There is humor, action, fantasy, and serious issues all rolled into one wonderful show. If you overlooked the show once, I would highly recommend going back and looking into it again.

The review can also be found here https://eowinthcosplay.wordpress.com/2015/06/06/akatsuki-no-yona-the-hidden-gem-of-this-years-anime-season/

It's finally over. This exquisite anime is finally over.

Story: 9/10 - The story seems very simplistic on the surface, which it is, at least you think is it. This anime has a define plot. It has a backbone that a majority of shoujo's don't have. This isn't an anime completely submersed in romanticized scenes with petty fanservice. While comedy is subjective, Akatsuki no Yona is magical experience with a well structured outline. It's slow paced at first, but it really builds up to moments and really, this anime should get a gold star in having one of the best female heroine's I've seen in ... awhile. This is definitely a hidden gem.

Art: 9/10 - Art style has a unique premise to it. With playful styling in not so serious moments, while having the really sharp beauty in fighting scenes. Gosh, the animation with Yona in certain episodes is just so breathtaking. The lighting effect in the anime is also something to notice. It really highlights the eyes, always.

Sound: 9/10 - The background music is very fitting for each scene depending on what's going on. Very pleasant. Though I wasn't too keen on the first Opening, the second one proves to be better. Same goes for the Ending song, the second one is probably one of the best.

Character: 10/10 - One aspect I really admire about this entire anime as a whole, are the characters. They aren't two dimensional. They are well developed for the most part. Though Zeno was briefly mentioned in the last episode, I'd like to point out his backstory isn't for a while in the manga (like in the 100s I think). Disregarding that, the development given to the characters makes them not only interesting, but really lovable. I can honestly say there's isn't a character I dislike, even our murderer Su-won. His character is development as well.

One character I'm going to point out is Yona, our princess in this anime. She starts off so weak and naive to the outside world. What's so great about her? She never suddenly gets stronger, she never acts out of her character; her character gradually changes with each episode. She slowly becomes this strong person she's striving to be. Her feeble yet bold personality really shines through in this anime.

Enjoyment: 9/10 - I've enjoyed this anime to the max. I can't believe I almost skipped over this anime last season. I was extremely hesitant to watch this; thinking it would be some basic story. This became so much more than a story about a princess and her bodyguard Hak. It became something magical.

Overall: 9/10 - *crosses fingers* I want a season two.

Give the show a chance. Let it pull you in and you wont regret it. I say it's pretty mild for an adult but I would rate it moderate for teens due to lots of sexual comments, advances and it covers a topic later in the season that is all too real but often overlooked today. We are romantics but love a good fight seen and comedy. This show not only had those but pretty great character development for what was shown. The art style was also pretty darn good. IT NEEDS ANOTHER SEASON in order to complete the character development. It is absolutely outrageous ... that there hasn't been another season yet. I'm sure not all would agree with me, but I went into this show expecting a mediocre anime yet was wonderfully surprised and highly recommend it.

I forgot to write a review for this! No wonder why I feel incomplete! Fuck! I'll just write one now since I currently have a lot of free time.

Let's cut the chase. Akatsuki no Yona is no doubt the number one Shoujo anime. Despite the fact that its a shoujo, it really gives off feelings that is not the same as any other shoujo anime. You see, if your friend suddenly asked you "What is Shoujo?" then the first thing that you would probably think is a lot of boys attracted to one girl ( plainnn! clichee!). Well, sure, Akatsuki no Yona does have ... that aspect as well ( obviously ). But the series also brought presents along with that. Action, Adventure and Fantasy. That's right. These three genres came with the shoujo like secret hidden gems which sparks the show and make it become such a good series like adding three catalysts into a chemical reaction to make it become more reactive. I've always loved watching chinese histories ever since I was a kid. Either It'd be martial arts, political affairs, wars and many more. Just seeing what I loved when I was a child to be in an anime already makes me feel so brightened and nostalgic. What's more. There's also shoujo! A genre which I actually enjoy watching.

In summary, this show is a hidden gem. Its very good. There's a substantial amount of episodes and most of all. Its very entertaining to watch! I recommend this to every of y'all out there. Especially Shoujo lovers. Watch this or you'll miss a huge opportunity! You don't wanna abandon a gem, do ya'?

Shoujo fans, rejoice. Here comes an anime that will most definitely salvage the genre among the cliché fest that seems to reign it these days.

Anime in general seems to be suffering a lot about being fairly generic these days. All shounen comedy seems to be an ecchi harem, just like its action counterpart ahs the hot-blooded, determinator archetype as a main character. Shoujo has been infested with a horde of main female leads shallow enough for the viewer to easily self-insert without feeling remorse, which are usually friendless and pretty without realizing they're pretty. Which, by the way, falls in love with the ... equally shallow guy, which is more often than not a complete jerkass who very unrealistically 'changes' for the aforementioned Bella S-- *cough* female lead.

This, I'll emphasize, is the norm, not the rule. There are plenty of shoujo that soar over the sea of mediocrity and even several of them who decompose the previously mentioned overused plots. Kudos to them, for being standouts on their own right.

And kudos to Akatsuki no Yona, which didn't fall behind.

The story, I'll admit, is not entirely original, thus I had to give it a seven even though I certainly didn't want to). A girl goes on a journey to look for certain items that will help her achieve her goal, basically. However, I have to give my praise to the background. It's set in a fictional Korean-like kingdom called Kouka, whose problems are apparently scarce. The female lead, a princess, has lived indifferent and ignorant about all that lies outside. Then a certain major event forces her out and in look for the four dragons, legendary creatures who will her help retake the castle and overthrow a traitor who stripped her from all she knew.

Even though the pace is slow, I honestly never felt the episodes pass, and more often than not I couldn't believe that was all. Each character has an arc, which is never a bad idea of well-executed. And this being the gem it is pulled it off effortlessly.

Certainly a standout among the winter 2014 anime, Akatsuki no Yona offers a pleasure to the eyes with beautiful character designs, elaborated backgrounds and very solid animation. Very few frames seemed out of place and characters were seldom drawn out of proportion.
Same goes to the soundtrack, which greatly complimented the overall feel of the anime and in my opinion was only overshadowed by Tokyo Ghoul's (overhyped as hell, but great OSTs) and a couple others. Bonus points for the opening being instrumental as well.

The characters were a pleasure. An actually likeable female lead!? I had to be dreaming, except I wasn't. Yona manages to be spoiled, selfish and inmature the first episodes and still be endearing from the start. We see her grow and accept her hardships the way very few other leads could manage to do. She cries and whines, sure, but who can blame her? And she actually makes an effort to improve as an individual. Perhaps my favorite female character of the season.
Side characters weren't left behind, which was great. Hak was one hell of an eye candy with a personality to match, acting as the 'normal' one until the appearance of another character at the later half, and even then he was farily weird.

A moment of silence for him being friendzoned in absolutely epic proportions as well. I swear I had never cringed as much as I did with this poor guy.

Every character was fairly developed and had a farily unique personality. The team waifu, a smallish boy called Yoon, gets a special mention because of the huge housewife potential he has. I swear no person would live unhappy with a guy like that.
There's Jae-Ha, one of the dragons that despite his relatively little screentime quickly became the most interesting personality-wise, and Kija, a rather childish guy who can even pull of being annoying and endearing at the same time. And a character that appears exclusively at the last chapter, Zeno, a keet and a shota (what's not to love?) who acts silly but is obviously far more intuitive than his demeanor shows.
Hell, even the antagonist is well-made to the point I find it hard to hate him. Scratch that, I still want his head to roll, but I do get his intentions, if you get me. And a good villain is a huge, huge plus to me. Possibly my favorite cast in the season as well.

I have but one complaint, and that is Shina. I had such high hopes for him the moment he was introduced and even after the joined the group. Problem is, he was put far behind on the sidelines to the point he had one, two lines of dialogue at most in the latter episode. They could've at least tried making him relevant the way they did with Kija even if his arc had long passed.

Needless to say, this whole show was a delight to watch. Great characters, animation, a well-executed plot and an OST to match? I can't go as far as to call this a masterpiece... yet. It sure as hell has the potential. A gem among anime, and a definite must-watch among fans of shoujo.

Story: its about a spoiled girl living in her own bubble , then she met the real world with her bodyguard. she goes into a journey to find 4 dragons, each one of them is like a small ARC 3 or 4 episodes, the story is told perfectly maybe the the only thing i disliked about the romance.

Score : 10

Art: the art is average at most. Score: 7

Sound: the intro was meh... the background was great specially when they react to event.

Score : 8

Character: here is when the anime shines each character got special ability and charisma. The ... design was great, the voice acting was also great, i hated yona when she cries .

Score : 9

Enjoyment: one of th few animes that let me think about it when iam at work. I loved the 3 way love-hate tri between the main characters.

Score: 9

Overall: you will like this anime , one of the best this year.

The idea of royalty getting ousted has been a hot topic for many historical fictions, so the idea is pretty cliche. So if you think this princess is going to be a useless piece of baggage that is annoying, you're right! To an extent.

The amount of character development Yona goes through is tremendous. At first, you think she's an annoying piece of baggage but as she sees the world outside the palace for the first time in her pretty comfortable fifteen years, she begins to realize that what she knew wasn't all she knew. Plus her father is pretty hated on (like most kings I ... might add) so instead of returning to the palace, she works towards bettering her country from the shadows while learning the bow and sword on her travels. Yona soon begins to pull her own weight and even turns pretty badarse by the end of the show. She turns into your typical useless heroine into an actually really likable character.

With the addition of Yona and her quest, you have the side story of all these guys falling for her and her charisma/kindness. Of course the ones who get the most screentime in the romance aspect is her childhood friend, Hak, who also happens to be the strongest warrior in the kingdom and her bodyguard and her cousin, Soo Won, who was her first love. Of course, Yona is totally oblivious to Hak and constantly friend-zones him while is also accompanied by a merry bunch of more hot guys that also like Yona, but Yona is once again oblivious towards all the romantic action. It's totally obvious, but she doesn't know. It can get really annoying at some times, but at others it's pretty funny since the reactions the characters make are unusually accepting. The other characters cock-block each other all the time as well, making it very entertaining to watch the relationships that bloom from all their traveling.

All in all, I would have to say it's the characters and their relationships that hold this whole show together. The story is pretty cliche for it's genre, so I found little redeeming qualities there. It's the characters.

Akatsuki no Yona’s impeccable portrayal of a heart wrenching story of a lovable protagonist, Yona, the princess of the kingdom of Kouka, who overcomes her personal anguish for the greater good of her people is one to cherish. What made me deeply drawn to this anime was the thrilling adventure of Yona and her bodyguard Hak as they set foot on their journey to find the four dragons in order to protect the ones that Yona loves—her citizens of Kouka and her friends from the seemingly evil and newly founded king Suu-Won (yes seemingly as we are unsure of his motivations for bestowing tragedy onto ... Yona).

Story: 8.5
From the very beginning I was drawn to the story as the sudden change in tone from being cheerful to a heart wrenching one was beautifully portrayed in the first few episodes. However, this sense of depression was relieved through the hopeful storytelling of a feeble and ignorant princess becoming independent by finally gaining insight towards the corruption of her kingdom through her thrilling adventure. What makes an adventure story exciting is the thrill of discovering new characters that the protagonist meets along their journey and discovering who these people are, what their upbringing entails, what powers they possess, and most importantly what affect will they have on the story. Akatsuki no Yona used this element of the adventure genre almost perfectly by using the interesting characters of the four dragons, Yun, and the priest to add depth and excitement to this anime and to further develop Yona’s character. In addition to the plot, the method of storytelling elevates the audiences’ curiosity and interest from the very beginning, as the anime vaguely introduces the various characters and their powers and Yona’s strength as a leader in the opening scene. This clever method of storytelling allows the audience to be put into state of confusion, yet allows them to develop a strong sense of curiosity, ultimately becoming completely consumed by the story.

Characters: 9
The strong point of this anime is the characters as I explained before an adventure/action anime is centered around the development of the protagonist and his/her companions. Each of the characters in this story had a purpose, which was disparate motivations to follow Yona on her adventure, and this allowed each character to have depth. Hak and the four dragons are powerful and brave warriors which already appeals to the audience, but each of them have a different reason to follow Yona on her journey of self-discovery which strengthens the sense of camaraderie and complements the uplifting tone to the anime. However, the major character development and the aspect of the anime that appeals to me the most is the depth in Yona’s character. Seeing a powerless, frail, and cheerful girl being struck by misfortune and being forced to overcome all of it riles my emotions and immediately brings a tear to my eye. But it is Yona’s ability to escape her sheltered world as a princess and face adversity using her own strength that connects to the audience. It is the fiery passion that Yona gains while maintaining her emotional fragility that makes me pray for her triumph over her many difficult trials that gives dimension to this anime.

Animation: 8
The animation is not particularly unique but it is fluid and matches the adventure genre by having very bright and memorable character designs and animation. What appealed to me specifically was the strength and force that the animation had during the more emotional and important scenes as various colours, images, and textures were used to really portray the strength of certain characters, especially Yona.

Sound: 9
The beautiful openings that perfectly reflect the vibe of the entire anime and the character of Yona, as she is the focus of the anime, captivated me entirely and are definitely worth listening to alone along with the various calming OSTs.

Enjoyment: 9.5
This anime has made me hooked from the very beginning and constantly made me wanting more after each episode. From the very first cliff hanger to the very final seconds of the anime I felt like I was on a journey alongside Yona and this is what gives adventure anime its value. The ending of the anime was slightly rushed and some characters, such as the antagonist, Suu-Won, wasn’t properly developed, but this only leaves the audience asking more questions and hopefully the second season (let’s all pray for one) answers them!

Oh my goodness, I loved this anime! It's been a long time since I've watched an anime through in just a matter of days; I was obsessed with finishing it! Yona of the Dawn is such an enjoyable story, with memorable characters. I plan on reading the manga now, since I didn't want the show to end and I've heard the manga is ongoing.

Story:
This is not your typical shojo, with the girl obsessed over a boy or her looks or finally getting a date. Yona is on a serious mission, and the story drew me in completely. I loved how Yona is more than "just ... a girl," and even though she is weak and naive at first, she grows and becomes strong.

Art:
Beautiful! I loved how the characters were drawn and the attention to detail with scenery. An absolutely lovely anime to watch.

Sound:
This is one of the few anime in which I did not skip the intro song or the credits song. The music was beautiful! Even my husband, who was in another room at the time, came out and said, "I love this music." I also loved the instrumentals throughout.

Character:
Every character had a story, and I found that even on the episodes that diverted from the main character, Yona, I was drawn in and intrigued. I even felt sympathy for the villain, Soo-Won! However, it really is Yona that draws the story together. She is perhaps my favorite anime heroine. As I said above, she grows from a rather weak, flawed character to one with strength and courage.

I definitely recommend watching this anime if you haven't already. It has now become one of my absolute favorites!