Yona of the Dawn

Episode 19

We all have different fears. For me, a lifetime of living in close proximity to the ocean has given me a healthy respect for its power, so the scene this episode where a couple of rogue waves come close to washing Yona from the shore sent a chill up my spine. If your fear is heights, however, this episode also has you covered, since the shore I mentioned is actually a goat track of a path along a high, steep cliff. Yona's clearly frightened by both of these things, but neither of them stop her from continuing on her mission to get a special healing herb for Captain Gigan, because unless she does, she'll have to face her truest fear: the possibility of losing someone she cares about. We've known that she is capable of pulling herself together and getting through for a while now, but for Jeaha, the reluctant Green Dragon, seeing her determination in action is eye-opening. He still worries that any budding feelings he may have for her are the product of his dragon blood rather than any real sentiment, but there's no denying that he finds himself very impressed by the princess he perceives as “just a girl.”

That is a statement we hear repeated a lot this week, that Yona is “just” a girl or “only” a girl. Coming from any of the pirates, who work under a female captain, it seems a little strange, although we could easily see how Gigan might not come off as especially feminine to her crew. In Jeaha's case, his view of Yona causes him to consistently underestimate her, but his repetition of the phrase that she's “just a girl” can also offer us a window into how Yona may have once seen herself. When she's comparing herself to Hak, it's easy to assume she's just looking at their physical strength and training. But she could also be seeing herself as somehow less capable because she's female. There's not necessarily a lot to back that up in the actual story, although the general lack of strong female role models for Yona – Gigan's the only one we've really seen thus far in a non-traditional role – and everyone's surprise that Yona is both the reincarnation of Hiryuu and a woman, both speak to a world that largely assumes her to be weaker because of her gender. Gigan is the first person who voices the thought that women can be strong too.

More obvious, and perhaps more pertinent to the plot, is Hak's continuing emotional turmoil. He and Jeaha have a semi-frank discussion about their romantic interest in Yona, and Jeaha comments that perhaps Hak doesn't really want her. This sends the Thunder Beast into a thought spiral as he tries to understand his own feelings for the princess, along with the first real jolt of fear at the thought that he might have an actual rival. (I get the feeling that he doesn't truly see Gija or Yun as threatening.) Whether this causes him to step up his game in the long run remains to be seen, but I think it's safe to say that Yona is finally getting a clue.

There are a few off-model moments this episode, mostly with poor Gigan, but some of the other artistic touches make up for it, such as hair that actually looks wet, a sight gag of Ao eating a fish, and Yun's constant nervous movement while he's waiting for Yona to come back. As an added bonus, Sinha actually gets two lines.

The story is far from over, but it is starting to feel like the show is moving towards a finale. A battle with Kumji looms next episode, and with one dragon left to find and a kingdom to reclaim, it seems fair to worry that the anime will end without another season announced. Hopefully we won't be left hanging, but even if that is the end result, it looks like there will plenty of excitement in the coming episodes to look forward to.

Rating: A-

Yona of the Dawn is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.com.

Rebecca Silverman is ANN's senior manga critic.