A review by leguinstan
Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
*The written portion of this review is for Volume 1 AND Volume 2 of the series*
My sister, my brother, and one of my best friends are huge fans of Yona of the Dawn so I felt compelled to check it out despite the fact that this series is unfinished and has been running since 2009!!
I can't say I'm completely hooked after reading the first two volumes but I'm interested enough to keep reading other volumes. I think the relationships between Yona, Hak, and Soo-won are really interesting and the flashbacks to their childhood friendship adds a lot of depth to their shifting dynamic after Soo-won murders Yona's father and takes over the throne via coup d'etat . I think the glimpses of political maneuvering between various government officials show a lot of promise in regards to world-building and plot development in future volumes. In addition to this, the start of Yona's character development in the second volume is exciting and has a lot of potential for dynamic complexity in the later parts of the story!
As far as the art style goes, I'm really digging the expressiveness of the characters and some of the panel layouts do a good job of heightening the drama and intensity of certain moments. On a more minor note: I really like the way the mangaka handled outfits in series. The attire worn by the nobility is detailed and feels luxurious. Also appreciate that the accessories worn by members of the wind tribe are distinct compared to the accessories worn by members of other tribes.
My only complaint so far is that the main love interest, Hak, says a couple of wildly inappropriate and suggestive comments to Yona in the second volume. But otherwise his actions towards her are devoid of any lewdness and show a deep amount of care and respect?? I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll knock it off with these comments soon.
My sister, my brother, and one of my best friends are huge fans of Yona of the Dawn so I felt compelled to check it out despite the fact that this series is unfinished and has been running since 2009!!
I can't say I'm completely hooked after reading the first two volumes but I'm interested enough to keep reading other volumes. I think the relationships between Yona, Hak, and Soo-won are really interesting and the flashbacks to their childhood friendship adds a lot of depth to their shifting dynamic after
As far as the art style goes, I'm really digging the expressiveness of the characters and some of the panel layouts do a good job of heightening the drama and intensity of certain moments. On a more minor note: I really like the way the mangaka handled outfits in series. The attire worn by the nobility is detailed and feels luxurious. Also appreciate that the accessories worn by members of the wind tribe are distinct compared to the accessories worn by members of other tribes.
My only complaint so far is that the main love interest, Hak, says a couple of wildly inappropriate and suggestive comments to Yona in the second volume. But otherwise his actions towards her are devoid of any lewdness and show a deep amount of care and respect?? I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll knock it off with these comments soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Incest and Sexual harassment
incest: the main character is in love with her cousin. A lot of her time during the first half of volume 1 is spent pining after said cousin and trying to decide if she should confess her feelings to him. By the end of the first volume, she stops pursuing him romantically . The societal attitude in the manga towards this is very much in line with the historical acceptance of nobility marrying off cousins to each other.