Akatsuki no Yona [Yona of the Dawn] (OVA): Sono Se Niwa – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

What seemed like a silly OVA, which could have become perverted, thankfully is about exploring Gija’s relationship with his father, as well as hinting at Jeaha’s childhood.

Characters & Story (with Commentary)

It has been awhile since we have seen Yona and her dragons, but it seems things are as they were before. They continue to travel, as a small band, but rather than the OVA look toward the future of the series, it looks into one character’s past. Said character being Gija. Someone who we are led to believe, at first, is ashamed of the scars on his back – mostly due to the fact his father is the one who gave them to him.

However, as Jeaha grows closer to his dragon brother, we learn the truth. You see, Gija’s father shared the same excitement, and sense of purpose, which came with being the White Dragon. So, naturally, when he bore a son, it meant the possibility of him joining the king was over. Hence the mark on Gija’s back. Now, as for why Gija doesn’t feel ashamed of said scars? Well, it deals with understanding his father.

After all, Gija has experienced the upbringing of a White Dragon, and how much pride and hope is instilled into them. So imagine his father waiting for decades to fulfill his purpose, only to have the opportunity snatched away? Much less, the thing he took the most pride in, the dragon’s arm, being slowly, but surely, taken away from him. Thus stripping him of what was a major part of his identity.

But perhaps what makes Gija truly ok with his scars is because, after that incident, he was largely separated from his father. Making it so those scars, and perhaps the hug he got during his father’s last conscious moments, are the only times he really got to touch his father.

A story which doesn’t fall on deaf ears, for Jeaha too has had some negative experiences in the past. Unfortunately though, it seems Jeaha’s childhood, for now, shall remain a mystery.

Highlights

• Gija’s backstory
• Hints at Jeaha’s childhood

Low Points

For a moment, I was under the impression that the scars on Gija’s back didn’t deal with his father, but perhaps a fear of spiders. Making it so the reason he has those scars is because they were self-inflicted from trying to kill a spider in his past.

On The Fence

The old lady who ran the hot springs the episode takes place at. Which I’m only on the fence about since I think she was supposed to be a comical character, but really wasn’t.