Yona of the Dawn: Volume 15 manga review

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 15 cover image

As the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka, Yona lives an ideal life.  Her father, King Il, dotes on her, and her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yona even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes for Princess Yona on her 16th birthday when the king is killed and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne.  To do so, she begins a journey to find the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 15 (Chapter 83 to 88) opens, the drug dealer, Hyo, strikes swiftly.  A drug known as “nadai” has spread swiftly through the coastal towns of the “Water Tribe” territories, and Hyo is behind it.  Now, Yona must protect herself against Hyo, and her actions against him will leave the young criminal mastermind seething with the feeling to avenge himself against Yona.

Meanwhile, Yona's new acquaintance slash friend, Lady Riri, has returned to her home in Suiko Palace, where her father, General Jung-Gi, awaits her.  Riri must convince her father to move against Hyo and his criminal conspiracy, but will her father take her seriously?  Will anyone take Riri, whom many consider to be a pampered princess, seriously?

THE LOWDOWN:  The Yona of the Dawn manga continues its adventure into the land of the “Water Tribe.”  It is one of five tribes that comprise the Kingdom Kohka (Sky, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Water).

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 15 is a tale of two princesses.  Yona, having already found her strength and conviction, is wearing herself down by way of injuries and exhaustion.  Lady Riri, daughter of the Water Tribe's leader, is struggling to find her footing as a leader, her strength and conviction.  I find this story arc to be an interesting move on the part of creator Mizuho Kusanagi.

JN Productions (translation) and Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane (English adaptation) always reveals the romantic side of this shojo historical fiction and romance.  In Vol. 15, however, the English-language adaptation must capture Kusanagi's focus on the female lead, Yona, and the guest female lead, Riri, as heroines and as leaders, rather than as girls in love and as pampered types.  Interestingly enough, the men are the lovelorn ones in Vol. 15, so I see this current story arc as both a strong one and as something different.

This proves that Yona of the Dawn is more than beautiful illustrations.  It is a beautifully illustrated tale of tough-as-nails young women.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the “Shojo Beat” title, Yona of the Dawn.

A
9 out of 10