Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 34

暁のヨナ [Akatsuki no Yona] #34

by Mizuho Kusanagi

Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Su-won. But everything changes on her 16th birthday when tragedy strikes her family!

As Yona continues to read Su-won’s mother’s journal, she uncovers secrets about the Crimson Dragon King’s bloodline! What’s more, Yona discovers the series of events that led to the lethal animosity between Su-won’s parents and her own… The fates of Kashi, Il, Yon-hi, and Yu-hon are bound by revenge!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels, Shojo, Young Adult, Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 18, 2020

About the author

KUSANAGI Mizuho (草凪みずほ) used to work as an assistant for Yoko Matsushita.

Circle(s): JAKE

Loves: drawing and considers herself to have a 'super fetish' for voices. As such, she loves seiyuu (voice actors) but also actors with good voices.

Favorite Food: Ramen. Prefers vegetables to meat.

Favorite Movies: Anything by Miyazaki, whom she loves! Also, The Sound of Music and Lord of the Rings.

Reviews

[bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) This backstory just giving us ALL the tragedy, isn't it? Interesting to see how everything goes down with the parents.

2) Il and Yu-hon are two people with opposite (((extreme))) traits. Il who worships the Crimson Dragon to the extreme degree and Yu-hon who hates the Crimson Dragon to the extreme degree. Hence, neither one of them will be a "good" king for Kouka Kingdom. Still, they both have someone/something they need to protect. Il with his religious believe in God and worship the Gods as if it everything to them, and Yu-hon on the other side who want to protect their Kingdom and wife by any means, even it'll cause pains.

3) After knowing about their past, I personaly think that Soo-won is indeed the most ideal king for Kouka right now. Neither Yu-hon or Il can handle and separate their personal matters with their Kingdom matters. Meanwhile Soo-won discarded the human part of him for the common good of his Kingdom. If that 'aint the quality of a king then I don't know what is it.

4) I love how Kushinagi-sensei choose Yon-hi as the main narrator of this arc. She is a kindhearted but a naive woman, hence make the "unreliable narration" seems possible ((and makes it less annoying, LMAO)). She's been confusing us with her descriptions here and there, lead us to form/make assumptions about this and that, only to get us clowned in the end LMAO 🤡 Well, she kind of makes us see both sides of the coin easily tho LOL.

5) Yu-hon. Soo-won. Why I always get attached to male characters who has attitude issues and twisted personalities— I wonder.....

6) The glimpses into the past make it hard for us to dislike Soo-won, right? ((or just me? LOL)) I know you hope to hate him but you just can't ((or is it solidifies the hartred? LOL idk pals u do u)) [wink]

7) I know a lot of people ranting about Il or Yu-hon or Soo-won being shitty and all. I totally get it, but personally, I'm going to sit back and appreciate the complex themes that come from writing a multi-layered characters like them.

8) What I really like about Akatsuki no Yona is that there is clearly a blurred lines between villain and hero. Most of the characters are gray. Hence nobody is totally right or at fault of anything! ((except priest gobi)) There are no good ones nor evil ones in this story! ((except priest gobi)) Personaly, I can hate nobody in this manga ((except priest gobi)). Most of the characters ((except priest gobi)) stand on the gray lines and I TOTALLY LOVE IT. So, before we go and criticize a certain character ((except priest gobi)) based on assumptions, let's just consider the grader schemes! We don't want to be 🤡s. ((or you can hate them plus priest gobi all u want LOL u do u dear just don't forget to hate priest gobi pls))

9) The twists in the story is literally twisting my brain. But many things have been revealed, so it all makes sense now.

10) I personally think that this is the most important arc regarding this story's main plot. I love how the loose threads are starting to come together! Kusanagi-sensei connected all the dots so well, I'm at loss of words.

11)

"You protect Yona, okay..."

Is Hak got the mother's blessing before he even know how to count LMAOOO—

12) Watch out for lots of onions scattered in chapter 197 ✨

13)

"Even if one day Yona will become lonely, I want to place by her side someone who will treasure her more than anyone else. Someone who will never betray her, no matter what happens."

AND THAT IS HAK I—


Cheers Hak, you've been approved by both of your prospective in-laws 🍻

14) Cue for Yona badass moment in chapter 198 💣

15) Why my review of this manga is always so long? 🎻👌🏻

[Dann · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s nothing left for me to say except that Yona is QUEEN. It’s so much fun to watch people underestimate her before she brings them down.

[Libary of Aj Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this series Cause Yona has the best character development were she graduates from a native little girl to a women who commands a rooms like a boss. my favorite series so far.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

194. Attachment To The Red Blood
195. The Last Wish
196. The Pain That Was Inflicted, On Those Who Inflicted It
197. Unsteady Handwriting
198. Member of the Royal Family
199. South Kai Empire's Very Important Person

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yona is THAT BITCH. God I love when she kicks ass whether it's as a princess or a warrior both are ~amazing.~

Honestly that backstory was very long winded and twisted and I'm not sure if it really cleared up much for me. During it I started to hate King Il but by the end I'm not sure. It's so strange how emotionless and calculating Soo-won is as a child. I want to get into his head so bad. Like what the hell has he been thinking? Has he planned for Yona to take the throne this whole time? I also feel like the question of what happened to Yona's mother is still left unanswered. I don't believe what was said. It had to have been someone else. As much as I've liked getting some backstory for some things, I'm happy to get back to the main story. I miss Hak, Yun, and the Dragons. I can feel this concluding soon and I'm ready for it.

Side note: I hate that the translator I found keeps leaving comments next to the story and they piss me off!! They're so anti-Soo-won it's annoying. Like I keep trying to ignore them, but I'm like what if it has to do with the story like a translation note, but it's never that.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/iT5HciwzgJw

3.5 stars

I'm not sure how to rate this volume. What a bright and fun cover with a dark and depressing story…

Super conflicted on this one because its just a hard volume. Not sure what else there is to say except seeing tragedy after tragedy unfold was pretty devastating to watch unfold. Not only that, but as a mother, I really felt the horror of Yon-hi when Su-won said the things he did. I found it to be extremely disturbing and is the one time I can honestly say that I felt Su-won was far more conniving and villainous then I had ever expected. I guess this volume goes to prove how dangerous of a man he really is (and surprisingly how loyal Keishuk actually is).

I'm glad(?) to know the backstory behind Yona and Su-won's parents, but I just feel depressed currently. Ha! I feel I like I should just prepare myself not to have "happy things" in the next volume because then I'll just be happily surprised and have zero expectations. Ha! At least Sinha speaking up about Yona was absolutely wonderful and brought some comfort to my heart. I also did really enjoy those last few pages and how strong Yona was. I mean, she has been strong, but that was definitely a touche moment. LOL!

[Chantaal · Rating 5 out of 5]

yeah okay it’s not like I needed emotional stability or anything, just hit me with blow after blow of historical revelations, it’s FINE

also ending this with Yona being the boss babe she is YES

[TrippyBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great volume with so much backstory. Mainly Suwons family & why he did what he did( I still don’t like him but his dad is worse)

Let’s go Yona

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque necesito ciertos reencuentros YA, la verdad es que el tomo ha estado muy interesante y eran cosas que ya necesitábamos saber.

[Audrey]

ch. 198: I'm not sure I like the way the story is going, but it is very fun to see Yona be a fucking badass and show these random emissaries who's boss. I miss the days of wandering around forests and being bandits. To me, (excluding Yona's character development) the best part of the series has always been watching the interactions among the group. With the whole flashback thing and the circumstances that are keeping them apart, we're inevitably robbed of that. I will never like this part of the story as much as the rest just because I miss seeing all the banter and Hak and Yona being adorable.

[Mary Emma Sivils · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many secrets revealed in this volume! Everything is waaay more complicated than it seemed at the beginning of the series.
But Yona at the end here? Oh, yeah. 😏 She’s really stepping up to the challenge!

[M Shen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why?? Why does it keep doing this to my hopes??

Also Yona has grown SO much and this volume shows it off the best by far 💕💕 I'm so proud of her!!

[sarah ♪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars!! That backstory was SO GOOD. I said in my last review that Il probably killed Yuhon because of something to do with the Crimson Dragon King, and I was on the right track! Then in an unexpected twist of events, Yuhon was actually the one who murdered Kashi when he discovered that she was a priestess. I'm not 100% sure about that though, because Keishuk said that Yuhon never actually said that he did. Whether he did or didn't, we finally got to learn the entire backstory of Suwon's parents, Yona's parents, the killing, the massacres, the coronations, just...everything.

The only thing I'm still curious about is why King Junam chose Il as his successor instead of Yuhon. I feel like the most logical explanation is because of Yona, but there could've also been other reasons too. Yuhon would've been a much better king though, and I'm glad that Suwon's following through with what he would've wanted. It's made me grow even more appreciative of Suwon. It's politics, it's war, and I love it so much.

[H.S.J. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the record, this cover absolutely kills me.

Likewise, the contents.

[ribbonknight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinarily satisfying.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

This part of the royal family backstory was so heartbreaking and intense that I felt goosebumps.

I don’t care what the bashers say. I think that Soo-Won’s one of the most complex and well-written antagonists I’ve ever read.

[Aranzazu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything makes soo much sense now!!! And Yona, WHAT A QUEEN!!!!!

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich finde es so toll, wie vielschichtig die Charaktere in dieser Reihe sind. Sie sind komplex, machen furchtbare Fehler, weil andere auch Fehler machen, verstricken sich in Tragödien und leisten daraus wiederum Gutes... Wahnsinn, was für tolle Charaktere diese Frau schreiben kann!
Die Vorgeschichte hat einige offene Fragen geklärt und mich emotional total mitgenommen. Musste mich an einigen Stellen zusammen reißen, um nicht zu weinen. Was macht Yona nur mit mir 😭🩵

[Jess | jadecanread · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so impressed by how expertly written and crafted this series is! The set up. The tragedy. The revelations and character depth. So good!

Recap: more about the parents but we see young Suwon Hak and Yona interact. We find out Yunho killed Kashi and ail retaliates. Suwon even decided to take matters in his own hands at the age of nine. Ends with dragons knowing about the kings illness, and Yona taking suwons place at a meeting where she absolutely ball busts two seconds in!

[Arlene♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story I have been waiting on since the moment Su-Won killed King Il!!

[Rachel ♥⁷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried reading this volume... so good!

[Amalea]

yona got a phd in bad bitchery and will let u know!! go girl

[Stephanie]

well, the backstory's tragic isnt it

[Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

La llorera con las cartas, madre mía...

[Ericka ☾⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love me some backstory, but I am really glad that next volume we should be back on the main storyline 😅 I miss Yona, Hak, and the dragons.

[cherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m glad the author took so much time to explain the histories of Yona and Su-won’s parents and their respective relationships. It adds so much depth to the events that have taken place in the story thus far and give so much reasoning to characters’ actions/behavior. Some of young Su-won’s lines were particularly interesting and clear up some questions I had about his motives.

I also really enjoyed the scene where Yona took Su-won’s place at the end. I hope that he sees how brave and capable she has become and can treat her with respect in the future. It’s amazing that she can put her anger and trauma aside and be able to help Su-won.

[Lucía Cafeína · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necesitaba más moentos Yona - Hak pero SE ME HAN PROPORCIONADO MUCHAS RESPUESTAS Y MUCHA INFORMACIÓN AHHHH

[Luana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

Questo volume è stati come un pugno nelle gengive. Una botta tremenda, perché finalmente vengono al pettine un sacco di nodi. Fondamentalmente, Yona e Suwon sono vittime di una tragedia cominciata con i loro genitori. Se Il non era propriamente tagliato per fare il re (cosa di cui era ampiamente consapevole), il fratello maggiore Yuhon non era da meno: era sicuramente un generale di grande successo, amato dal popolo, stimato dai nobili per via della sua risolutezza, ma, allo stesso tempo, era anche un uomo di una crudeltà indicibile. Nel suo tentativo di proteggere il regno e le persone che amava di più, si è macchiato di crimini efferati nei confronti di quelli che lui considerava i suoi nemici. Una crudeltà francamente sconcertante e ingiustificata, come quella rivolta contro i sacerdoti venuti a conoscenza del lignaggio della moglie Yon-hi. Allora, il grande sacerdote non aveva l'aria molto simpatica, ma finire per mettere al rogo tutti quanti, comprese persone innocenti, e dare fuoco a edifici e santuari, mi sembra un tantino esagerato. Un evento che allontanerà sempre di più i due fratelli e che porterà a conseguenze nefaste, con vittime da entrambi i lati. Un confronto che spingerà persino una persona pacifica come Il a prendere in mano un'arma e a fare del male. Se Suwon conosce già quanto accaduto in passato, per la povera Yona è una scoperta sconvolgente.
Personalmente, re Il mi ha fatto molta pena, così come Yon-hi; zero compassione per Yuhon e per il figlio. Zero. Anche perché, nel mezzo dei suoi ragionamenti sempre molto ponderati, Suwon si è guardato bene dal criticare le azioni del padre, dal prendere in considerazione le eventuali responsabilità del genitore. O i sentimenti di Yona, tanto per dirne una. Una freddezza mai vista in un ragazzino di nove anni e che non mi è particolarmente piaciuta.
Sullo sfondo rimane la figura di Hiryu, venerato da Il (che si è ritrovato tra le mani la sua reincarnazione), detestato da Yuhon, che vede in lui la causa delle sofferenze della moglie e che, in linea generale, non ha alcun interesse per le divinità. Purtroppo per Yuhon, le visioni di Kashi si sono rivelate corrette e Yona, in quanto reincarnazione del drago scarlatto, ha riunito intorno a sé i quattro draghi della leggenda. Il loro legame è innegabile, anche Suwon l'ha notato. Con buona pace sua e dei suoi galoppini.

Comunque sia, la situazione non è delle migliori: con la salute del re che continua a peggiorare, Yona si ritrova a fare gli straordinari e dare la paga a una banda di parrucconi pronta a deriderla per via della sua età e del suo essere donna. E invece...
Non so perché sono rimasta ferma per tre anni con questa serie, è uno di quei misteri che resteranno senza risposta. Se non altro, mi sono ripresa. Meglio tardi che mai.

P.s.: vogliamo parlare di Hak che praticamente si prende la benedizione della "suocera" al primo incontro e poi pure quella di Il? 🔝

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness. This is THE MOST messed up family ever, and the only one who escaped the insanity and constant vengeance cycle is Yona. Seriously.

Everything that happens is both shocking and shockingly horrifying all at the same time with glimmers of hope shining through in tiny pin pricks throughout this tragic tale. The reasons behind everything and grappling for power and control on a number of levels with Yona and Su-Won’s fathers is just sobering on how obsession of one thing or another and then revenge acted upon those feelings or inaction as a whole can really mess up a whole family. It’s also just purely heartbreaking, but left with a note of hope at the end of this, frankly, tragic tale.

I loved that we got to meet Yona’s mom and see how Yona, Hak, and Su-Won first met—also Yona’s mom basically giving Hak her blessing was just precious. 🥰 I enjoyed FINALLY seeing the truth about the past and what happened, and I am amazed by how the mangaka wove all this throughout the story for so long and how it all fits perfectly—true storytelling craftsmanship there!

And I LOVE how all Su-Won’s people underestimates Yona, and she just shocks them all by commanding the room like a boss and being the QUEEN—yeah, girl, you go! One of the strongest female characters in the history of fiction!

VERY interested to see how things go down from here! But could my Happy Hungry Bunch be brought back together again soon? Pretty please? 🥺

Content: violence and blood (nothing over PG-13); a pile of dead bodies are shown (not drawn in detail); a character commits suicide (not shown, only mentioned); a character’s face is burned; mild swearing; people are burned to death (not drawn in detail); death and grief; characters suffer from an illness

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel a little conflicted about this backstory. It's super important and the characters are interesting, but it's so ridiculously tragic. But, without the extreme tragedy, it wouldn't explain and justify the things that set up the story either, so I guess it's a necessary evil.

The stuff back at the present is good!