Episode Reaction: Yona of the Dawn (暁のヨナ) Episode 1 – I ♥ CHINESE-THEMED ANIME!

Before I begin my review of this episode, I'd like to mention one thing about me: I am part Chinese, a third more specifically, so you can only imagine how much I was bouncing with excitement at the little Chinese elements incorporated in this series, especially the opening. Like, ugh. My love for instrumental Chinese music.

Just . . . the Chinese instruments. *^* (I know, I know. I am such a Chinese buff, lol.)

So, anyway, before I get a little too carried away here with all this Chinese stuff, let's talk about the episode. This episode begins with our main heroine's, Yona's, sixteenth birthday coming up in a few days. However, she is looking most forward to her cousin's arrival, his name being Soo-won (something like that, right?). So . . . wincest then? Hehe, nope! 'Cause right off the bat (okay, not really, it only happens by the end) Yona's father gets killed . . . by Soo-won. ..................WHAAAAAA—?! Okay, I'm not gonna pretend like that's a shocker. Not just because the synopsis already spoils it for you, but because, well, it should be kinda expected. Like, come on, it's a shoujo. You should be expecting some clichés like this (although I'm hoping for some unpredictable ones to come eventually).

From cute to mature to badass. Love it.

So our characters. Yona is our heroine and honestly she bugs me a bit. She's just very childish, spoiled, girly, and—for lack of a better word—shoujo-y. However, I do have hopes she'll eventually become a badass in her own right, according to both the OP and manga readers. And despite her brattiness, I did feel sorry for her after she got betrayed by her own guards and lover.

That's a forever scarred person if I've ever seen one.

Next up, her childhood friend and general of her kingdom, Hak. Despite my love for the black-haired/blue eyes combo in anime guys, Hak is a pretty typical male character in anime, especially in the shoujo genre. He constantly teases the main heroine, but he is a badass (from what we see in the last few seconds of the episode). I hope that he'll get just as much development as Yona does, because then my insta-love for him can be justified. *o*

My minion: Ma'am! The badass alert siren is going crazy!
Me: Good! Let us watch the badassery unfold before us!
Episode ends.
Me: DAMMIT.

Last up for our main characters, we have the love interest/cousin, Soo-won. He may seem like a gentle sweetheart, but in reality he is a coldblooded killer who kills Yona's father just like that and proceeds to have her assassinated. I'm really hoping his motive for assassinating the king and attempting to do the same to Yona isn't just for wanting to be ruler of all the land. Hopefully he also has a reason for all this instead of doing it "just because he's evil."

Don't be fooled by the kawaii-ness, ladies. He's a coldblooded murderer! ......Don't believe me, huh?

So while I'm here complaining about how clichéd everything is and how I want character development, Yona of the Dawn is probably my most hyped series this season, even surpassing that of Magic Kaito. The hype the manga readers and opening created have made me so excited for the next episode, I literally have chills. In fact, I really want to read the manga, but I don't want to get spoiled on the show, so imagine the struggle. T~~T I just know this series is going to get really good and might possibly become a favorite.

Saying I have high hopes for this series would be an understatement. I so desperately want it to be an epic fantasy/action adventure story with romance and awesome characters and awesome music and awesome animation and— Yeah, I think that's enough of that. You see, my dream anime is something like Yona is setting itself up to be: an entertaining and epic fantasy story with plenty of action, adventure, and romance along with a merry group of friends going on a journey together to fight the forces of evil. I know, maybe what I ask is too much, but if Yona can please some part of it I'll be good—in fact I'll be great.

So hopes? Begin plot and character development and throw out those clichés! We all know Yona and Hak are gonna most likely be together by the end (and believe me when I say I want those two together), but hopefully it won't be by clichéd means.

D'aww! Look at that. The lovebirds are having a lovers' quarrel. (Shoujo cliché #21: Bickering couple.)
(Why yes, I did randomly come up with that number.)

All I have left to say is, hopefully this is the start of a wonderful journey, guys. And with that, take care, otakus!

I swear, everyone be looking badass here.