Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Yona of the Dawn
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rheiders
 Posts: 1137 Location: Colorful Colorado :) |
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I really liked how Yona explained her reasoning for wanting Hak to continue calling her "Princess." It's realistic for her to see Hak as the last tie she has to her old life and to the father she lost, and to want to keep that tie. It may be setting up some future character development too, since it means if/when she lets Hak call her by name, she will be leaving behind her old life once and for all.
I also liked how Hak's reaction was treated--he was taken aback and obviously somewhat hurt, but he seemed to understand what she was saying as she went on. Still kind of stings of rejection though, I'm sure. On another note, Sinha is sooo cute! I just wanted to hug him the whole episode!  Even though my family was in the room, I couldn't help making an audible "Awwww" when he ran away from Gija, only to catch him a fish to help him feel better.
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KidaYuki
 Posts: 129 Location: North America |
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I keep wanting to think that Shinha's wig is made from ao's hair......
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puppy1843e
 Posts: 101 |
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As much as I like the show/manga, I really hate when the eps/chapters focus on Soo-won and his subordinates. I know they're going to have to show him but I'm watching for Yona and her story and his crap just makes me skip to where she appears again.
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lys
 Posts: 1008 Location: mitten-state |
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I'm actually excited for this and the next episode, because I sorta skimmed these chapters when reading the manga (not from lack of interest (well, maybe a little impatience) but because my Japanese vocab level is not sufficient for all Su-won's political dealings). Now I can finally understand what all is going on! I may not ever be convinced Su-won's actions were the right ones, but I'm more than convinced that he's a character worth learning more about.
Regarding the flashback to "people he cares about greatly" and its inclusion of Hak/absence of Yona, I'm assuming that's because he was comparing the Wind Tribe with the Earth Tribe in how their members get along, and doesn't imply anything deeper... (alternately, he may be trying to put aside memories of the time when he was able to interact with others (Hak and Yona) without regard for rank?) |
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zztop
Posts: 645 |
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This Su-Won part is directly adapted from a later source manga chapter; although it existed as its own story arc then. Mangaka Kusanagi Mizuho said in her author's notes that (at that time) she'd been very excited to do a Su-Won arc for a little more variety. (Her later notes state she'd like to do story arcs for some of side characters and other generals as well.) She also said the rugged Earth Tribe general was her first attempt at drawing a hot older guy. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11348 |
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Well, if her artwork is anything like the anime's, she passed. 
Hate the new OP. I'll be skipping right over that to the good stuff from here on. Not too crazy about the ED either. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was one of those "everybody in the cast sings!" deals. To my ears the main vocal is lacking in control. I guess I'm in the minority, but I really enjoyed the Su-won half of the episode. It didn't drag for me at all. I especially liked the little by-play when Su-won interrupted their argument. I got the feeling that Geun-tea sensed something dangerous from Su-won, but that aura didn't match his expression, words or tone, and he wasn't sure what to make of it, so he just dismissed it. I'm also betting that those blue chunks in the stone are sapphires or some other gemstone that the villagers aren't familiar with (or maybe copper (azurite) deposits), and when Su-won fills them in, it will bring them more prosperity than the tapped out iron mining, and all will adore him. I have to say I'm a little baffled by the situation in the kingdom. Usually it's war that leaves villages like the one Yona and the boys visited because all the able-bodied men are drafted into the armies, and resources are siphoned off to support those armies. The local economies also founder when trade routes are disrupted by war. Not to mention places where battles are fought being destroyed. Peacetime is when people put their lives back together again because trade is restored and their resources are put to productive use. I know that a war can kick start a floundering economy, but why was Il's policy of peace the cause of the failure in the first place? Was all of it due to runaway corruption? As Hak says, Il wasn't a weak man, so that being the case, why would he allow that to go on, as long as it didn't take going to war to stem the corruption? Why would it take war to weed out the corruption? |
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lys
Posts: 1008 Location: mitten-state |
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The situation with that village was explained to be a result of the Fire general's single-minded focus on building/maintaining a large army (though they didn't say why he needed that army). King Il could/should have been keeping a closer eye on the general welfare of the entire nation, but apparently was content to let the generals do as they pleased in their regions. I'm not sure how to reconcile Hak's perception of the king with the apparent weakness of his rule, but it's a glaring enough discrepancy that I expect to get some explanation eventually. |
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Tuor_of_Gondolin
 Posts: 3524 Location: Bellevue, WA |
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Yeah, if they're trying to imply that murdering King Il was... not so bad due to him running the country into the ground, they need to do more to show a direct correlation between his policies and rulership style and the state of the kingdom. I also expect we'll be given an explanation eventually, but if we don't get one, it's going to undermine various themes running through the story, IMO. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11348 |
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I guess I'd lump the Fire general's actions in with corruption. But it also speaks to the impoverishment that war brings. Yet the people seem to always couch their complaints against the King in criticism of his pacifist policies, not so much mismanagement or corruption (so far I think only the court staff has even mentioned corruption). It's like the villager was saying, "They wrecked us to support the army, and that's why we hate the King, because he was weak and wouldn't go to war."
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Darkmagick
 SubscriberPosts: 463 |
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I think it's less war specifically (at least in the commoner's case), and more "I hate the King for avoiding all conflict of any kind." I mean, while there's no need to try and start a war with everyone, if you'll do anything to avoid a conflict, that means everyone else can walk all over you. What happens in the land of the Fire Tribe is just as much the king's responsibility as it is the Fire General's responsibility. And, in avoiding war, Il made concessions to other countries, making Kouka appear weak - and since it seems he gave away valuable land and resources, it wasn't all appearances, the country was actually weakening. This opens them up to invasion by other countries, which is probably worse than actively waging war against those countries. And then there's the matter of national pride. The Earth General took pride in his ability to protect his people and his nation on the battlefield. Having lost that, he felt useless, and powerless to help his people, who were also suffering from a lack of wealth, albeit not as badly as the people in the Land of Fire. And probably even for commoners, they want to feel that they're part of a proud, powerful nation, not a weak little doormat of a country. And maybe that last bit seems not really related to what truly matters, but the support of the people is a big deal. It surely struck a chord with many people when Soo-won, son of the great war hero who according to normal inheritance laws should have been king, announced at his coronation that he would restore Kouka to the great nation of his grandfather's time, even if he had to go against the gods themselves. Those are powerful words. Of course, on the other hand, it could be argued that Soo-won is also in a position where he has to shut up and let the Fire Tribe do what they want. After all, Soo-won is a very new king, and the Fire Tribe were his primary supporters in his move for the throne. Conflict with them could very easily knock him right off the throne. (My personal theory for why he's trying to make nice with the Earth Tribe is that he's preparing to betray the Fire Tribe.) |
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sunflower
 Posts: 1080 |
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I love the Su-won parts. I'm starting to think he had the right idea, overthrowing King Il, only he went about it the wrong way. It would be really cool if the series took years, and he realized his mistake and yet turned into a great ruler despite his earlier horrible acts. With Hak at his side.
(kidding)
I like shades of gray in a story and there have already been some that make me think this is possible. Yona would never forgive him of course, but she could come to respect what he's doing for the country if he does it the right way. She's realizing her father was too idealistic. That was heart-breaking. |
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whiskeyii
 Posts: 2245 |
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>.> Maybe it's because I really like political intrigue, but I LOVED this episode, over-use of Su-won's evil eyes or not.
I had honestly guessed at Su-won's objectives in the last episode, but in a different light; that maybe he was going to illustrate how the Earth Tribe can't rest on its laurels of the past, and that they should prepare for the future. The economic stuff surprised me, though! I can't help but feel that while Su-won is prepping for possible war (not necessarily against Yona, but maybe against the neighboring kingdoms, like the Kai), he's trying to establish good relations via trade--hence the tea trade route. Kind of like that old Gundam Wing movie mantra: "We speak of peace with guns in our hands". I also can't help but feel that the rules about the plate game (specifically, how kings can't attack commoners, but they're the only ones who can attack kings) is a subtle dig at King Il from the previous episode, and how his actions greatly wounded the common populace, and how Su-won may be intending to not repeat that same mistake. Or maybe I'm just reading into Su-won too much.
Personally, I'm also hoping the encounter with the Green Dragon leads to the ship scene from the OP; it reminds me a LOT of the old manga Basara, so I'm hoping it ends up being a good arc! |
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Hakajin
Posts: 46 |
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I didn't get the impression he was worried about Yona at all. This whole time, Su-Won's been worried about the other kingdoms. In fact, that's why he killed King Il: because Il refused to stand up to them and made Kouka look weak. Good points overall, though! |
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Calsolum
 Posts: 898 |
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i must say of all the characters I like Jeaha the most. Excluding his narcissistic tendencies he values his freedom and doesn't want to be tied down to destiny. he's a bit extreme in it but i was hoping thered be one dragon who'd refuse to serve yona simply because she was the red haired kings reincarnation.To be honest the 4 dragons seemed like obsessive parents who want their children to follow the path set out for them and do nothing else, theyre even forbidden from refusing. The white dragon was like a brainwashed tool, and the blue dragon simply didn't know any better so he stirred on by his instincts. Im hoping Jeaha refuses to listen to the dragon inside him but i fear he'll end up going for a silly reason like beauty. I was hoping the 'immortal' dragon would be the rebellious one if he's the same dragon from ancient times because of his immortality.
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SnowWarren
Posts: 272 |
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These reviews constantly talk of Yona reclaiming the throne, but I don't think Yona herself has ever stated she wanted to do that. The Priest said "Gather the Four Dragons", but he never said what to do afterwards.
In fact, I think Yona has only ever said it was so they could "live freely". |
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