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Yona of the Dawn
Episode 6

by Rebecca Silverman,

Su-won is a much more interesting character than I at first gave him credit for. While Yona and Hak bookend this sixth episode of Yona of the Dawn, Yona's traitorous cousin actually gets the majority of the focus this time (although not necessarily the most time on-screen), and hearing his inner monologue starts to shed some light on his actions. After the opening of the episode, where Yona once again proves her recently acquired mettle by lopping off her hair to escape Tae-jun and save Hak before they both fall from a cliff, we return to the palace on the eve of Su-won's coronation. There he receives the news of Yona and Hak's presumed deaths (we viewers know that they can't kill off the heroine this early, but to Su-won, he's the hero of this story) and a handful of Yona's red hair. His reaction to her supposed demise is interesting – he clearly feels regret at her loss, but he tries to keep those emotions inside. Whether he is doing this so that he won't be distracted or because he wants to project a cold persona to his new subjects is unclear...as is whether he misses Hak rather more than Yona. During a flashback we see him have a conversation with Hak about wishing Hak worked for him instead of Yona, with the general telling him that if Su-won marries Yona, then he will work for him. Su-won's reaction to this, both physically and verbally, starts to make one wonder if it isn't Hak he has the stronger feelings for. It would explain his aversion to marrying Yona, which I had previously assumed to be because he had brotherly feelings for her. But it is Hak's apparent demise which makes the bigger impression on Su-won and appears to lead his actions as he prepares to be crowned king.

Given the once again impressive fight choreography we're treated to when Hak single-handedly fights off the Fire Tribe's soldiers, it's easy to see how he could make an impression. Everything about this fight scene is well-timed, from Hak's moves to the artistic sprays of blood when one of the soldiers gets him. Likewise Yona's slicing off her hair is striking, with strands sparkling and flying away as she cuts off what would have been an important sign of her femininity. The haircut is both practical and symbolic – now Yona really can't go back to being the pampered princess. She has symbolically cut her ties with her past as she races to save Hak instead of waiting for someone else to rescue her.

This episode also introduces one of the major players from the opening theme, the boy with two feathers in his hair. He turns out to be Jun, a self-described bishounen who happened to be passing by when he found the unconscious duo at the bottom of the cliff. He is under the “guardianship” of Ik-su, a mysterious priest who has been hiding on Wind Tribe land. Ik-su has a direct connection to the gods, it would seem, and the preview implies that he will be the one to give Yona direction going forward. The preview also teases us with some more romantic content – I'm sure I'm not the only one who squealed a little and can't wait for next week.

The music feels a bit toned down from previous episodes, making it easier to fully enjoy the show. The opening theme remains the strongest piece, particularly in the beginning, when the bells are present in the song, giving it a driving feel. This week's best vocal performance is most definitely by Chiwa Saito (Chaika's Frederica), whose Yona in the beginning is very impressive and manages to sound both hysterical and determined without getting shrill. All in all, Yona of the Dawn is continuing its upward trend as the characters grow and reveal more about themselves and the action heats up. She's no one's damsel in distress anymore – some people in the palace are in for a surprise.

Rating: A-

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

Rebecca Silverman teaches writing and literature and writes ANN's manga reviews.


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