Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn): Season 1/ Episode 1 “The Princess Yona” [Series Premiere] – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

With this having politics, love, drama, and promises of good battles and action, I think this maybe my kind of show.

Review (with Spoilers)

Akatsuki no Yona, like many of the anime I have reviewed in the last week, is the type you could easily misjudge. For with the poster looking like some sort of romantic drama, and with Yona, upon meeting her, seeming highly annoying, I could see someone watching the first ten or so minutes and deciding to tap out. However, like with Grisaia no Kajitsu (Le Fruit de la Grisaia), looks can be deceiving.

Characters & Story

Yona is the heir to the throne of a small kingdom often ravaged by war due to it being between two large and powerful nations. However, due to the power of the Kingdom of Kouka’s generals, they have kept their independence. But this isn’t to say there haven’t been casualties. For example, Yona’s mother was killed by someone and with King II not remarrying, and being a bit of a coward, it has left Yona to take over. Which, as can be seen in the history of the real world, whenever a woman rules, people dare to test her. Making it so between one of the country’s 5 generals Hak, cousin Soo-won, and the 4 remaining generals, they are the ones who keep the kingdom safe. Though with the kingdom’s future in question due to the 16-year-old Yona as the heir, who knows how long peace will last internally within the kingdom, as well as between the north and south nations.

Praise

When the episode begins we are introduced to an older, more worldly Yona, and then flashback to her younger days, and while I watch the young Yona I feel reminded of Usagi, from Sailor Moon, in a way. For the girl we get to know is very girly, and seemingly over protected due to what happened to her mother. However, you can see this desire to be more than just this princess and to be a woman in love; someone who can hang with the boys, even if just to be near her crush; and while she seems highly annoying upon meeting her at this stage in life, it makes the idea that she can become more fearsome all the more exciting for you expect a good journey to come about.

One filled with political drama, due to a betrayal amongst the kingdom’s ranks; perhaps some sort of love story between Yona and someone; and unlike many of the shows I’ve seen recently, there is more than a taste of what is to come, but the first course. For with there being blood, and just enough violence before censorship is required, I feel my needs as an anime fan are met.

Criticism

My only issue with the series maybe Yona to be truthful. For while we see the end result of what is to come, I feel that she could be just as annoying as Usagi was in the original Sailor Moon when it comes to her journey from immature child to a courageous, and dangerous, woman.

Overall: Watch It

I’m solely labeling this Watch It because of the political drama and potential. However, as Forever has shown me, sometimes you can’t really judge a show by it having a good first episode. For sometimes the first episode is just its peaking point before quickly going into a decline. However, with the small glimpse of the future shown in the beginning of the episode, I have faith that while Yona may be annoying now, she will become someone you’ll want to root for and see claim victory.