November 20, 2014

Akatsuki no Yona [Chapter 98]

[Free talk: I’ll be working on Skip Beat next. Nothing much happened in that chapter except Kyouko and Amamiya talking about work. ^^; So, I did this one first since it is more exciting yet easy to do.]

The Kai soldiers are retreating. One of the soldiers is pulling his fallen comrade that soldier 2 shouted what he is doing, they should retreat. The soldier asks him to help put this guy on the horse. The soldier 2 shouts for him to quit saying foolish things for that guy is already no good, leave him.. And, a Kouka soldier stabs soldier 2 and goes away. Soldier 1 starts to cry and curse those Kouka bastards. So the war for Kai’s ‘Gold Province’ [the place where Kalgan lives; I’ll translate the name of the place literally okay, instead of the romanji ^^;] is over in just a number of days because of Kouka’s overwhelming military power. Kai’s military were completely suppressed. As the defeated Kai soldiers regroup, they say that Gold Province is already over, taken by Kouka so in the end, this place would be occupied by Kouka.
Vengeful soldier [/soldier 1] mutters that he cannot forgive and he will curse Kouka. How can they just leave it at that, rather than for the place to become Kouka’s, wouldn’t it be better for them to destroy it first. Back at the village, Yun informs Yona that the dragons aren’t quite good for they are now vomiting what they ate, and it is difficult to get medicine in this place. Eavesdropping on them, Kalgan thinks that he was the one who infected them because when he was at Kouka, he was tired and weak. Kija and Jeha always carried him but if the people noticed that he was sick, they will think that the others infected him. With a pouch, Kalgan hurries to the next village where there is a huge medicine store. At Kumquat village, the pharmacist says that it is some sort of fever illness that it can be quite a hassle if an adult got it. The pharmacist gives Kalgan some medicinal herb to suppress the headache and vomiting. Kalgan thanks him and starts to leave when he hears a scream.
He wonders what it is so he peeks out the window. He sees the soldiers slaughtering the villagers. VG [vengeful soldier] shouts to take the food, money and women, those who resist would be wiped out. Steal and burn everything. A man asks what they are doing, they are Kai’s people so as Kai’s soldiers, why would they.. VG stabs the man. VG says that sooner or later, this place will become Kouka’s annexed territory and he won’t give anything here to those Kouka bastards. The pharmacist says that it is the defeated soldiers who are looking for a way to vent out their grudge. He tells Kalgan to quickly escape for those guys are going to burn and kill the towns and villages in this place. Kalgan quickly opens the window and runs through the alleys. Then, he is surprised to see a soldier on a horse in front of him. Meanwhile back at his village, Kalgan’s mother is looking for him. Upon learning the situation, Yona offers to look for Kalgan. She looks around and sees Kalgan approaching the village.
After calling out to him, she sees that a soldier on a horse is running after him. Upon seeing the soldier carrying a drawn sword, Yona quickly takes out her bow and arrow. She shoots down the soldier and goes to Kalgan. Breathing hard, Kalgan says that he got the medicine for the others and sorry that he got them sick. VG charges and shouts bastard, is she the bastard who shoot the arrow? Kalgan tells her to quickly escape for those are Kai’s defeated soldiers who kill, burn and plunder the nearby villages because they lost. Yona quickly prepares to shoot an arrow when Haku swings his halberd and slashes VG down from his horse. Haku asks if she is alright. After Yona says she is okay, Kalgan says that these guys had raided Kumquat and they’ll come here soon. Dying VG cries while muttering about destroying Kouka, if Gold Province is reduced to Kouka’s annexed territory, then he will plunder, kill and burn everything. Yona looks surprised by this.
Then, Kalgan points out to the Kai soldiers approaching their direction. Yona looks surprised as she looks at the soldiers. She seems to feel the soldiers’ sad and bitter feelings/thoughts that are repressed. She realizes that this war will unexpectedly bring about this, involving innocent people into it. Haku tells Yona to get Yun, Zeno and those dying idiots together and run away. About this, he’ll think of a way. Yona exclaims that even if it is him, he cannot win against them alone. Haku says that it is because he’s the only one who can fight right now. Yona tells him that she’ll also fight and she can fight. Haku asks how she can possibly be able to fight. As the horses approach, Yona pleads him to let her. Haku tells her to let him fight alone for she’ll hold him back. “Quickly go.” Yona becomes teary-eyed. Haku looks at her and tells her to please do not cry. Yona says that she didn’t, it is because of what he said that she cried.
As she wipes her tears, Haku holds her face and kisses her by her left eye. “Sorry, forgive me this time around, okay.” Yona looks surprise. Warming up his arm, Haku says, okay, his vitality is now up by a hundredfold. [<- because of the kiss, I presume =P] Blushing Yona is puzzled by that. Haku tells her to please quickly leave, her job is to protect Kalgan. Yona looks flustered but still grabs Kalgan’s hand and runs off. Putting his halberd on his shoulder, Haku awaits the approaching soldiers. The soldiers say that it is just one man with a weapon, ha, what can relying on a single person do. They ignore him and shout, Charge!! Haku suddenly jumps up and slashes the two guys. The others are bewildered over how he can ‘fly’ like that carrying that huge blade, what’s up with this guy. Kill him! Haku evades, slashes and got himself a horse. He slashes some more and blood are flying all over the place. The soldiers call him bastard and charge at him. Haku thinks that’s right, go after him and don’t leave a single person behind. During this time, he can fight and those guys can run away to a faraway place.
Meanwhile, Kija and the others can hear, well, Shina see, that there is a ruckus outside. Jeha says that the war should be over so how come he can hear the horses’ hooves from the ground. Then, they overhear Yona calling out to Yun. Yona asks them how the others are. Yun says that they are lying down for the fever has not left. Yona shouts for him to quickly get them up for the defeated soldiers are attacking the nearby village. Haku is currently hindering them in front of the village. There are a lot of people [/soldiers] so everyone should quickly leave here. As Kalgan gives the pouch to Zeno [and don’t ask me where it went afterwards], Zeno was tasked to help Kalgan in informing the villagers. Since Kalgan is probably tired, Zeno is going to carry him. Yona tells Yun to get the others to a safe place. Yun asks what about her. Yona says that she’ll go back to support Haku. Yun says no, that’s dangerous. Yona protests that if this keeps up, Haku will.. Yun says okay, in short, first hide the others.. Even if they are rare beasts, their bodies right now can’t compare with ordinary humans.. Yun goes into the tent to find the dragons missing.
Comment: Well, that is an expected thing in war for the defeated soldiers to want to ‘I don’t get this territory, neither will you’. In short, sore losers. In this case, it isn’t just territory, they are also killing all of the people and destroying everything there that they were supposed to be protecting. That is one mistake, and another mistake is for them to ignore Haku. I guess Haku’s reputation hasn’t reached the other countries. If there are any survivors, maybe it will now. It turns out that it was Kalgan who infected the dragons. It is nice how he tries to make amends. He really reminds me of young Haku there. ^^ The kiss is nice..is that a goodbye kiss? Well, here, for now, it is a power-up kiss. =P Haku in action is really a sight to see ^^ As for Yona staying or not, I think it isn’t wise for her to stay. Even if she can provide back up from afar, I assume that the soldiers are many so they can spread out and attack Yona. For now, it seems that these soldiers don’t have archers..if they do, Haku might be in trouble. If they don’t have archers, I don’t know if Yona is underestimating Haku or there are really just too many of them. So, is Yona weaker than three sick dragons? I’m sure they are not just going to give Yona and others a favor by hiding themselves =P

They would most probably not want to be damsel in distress and let Haku do all the fighting while they run away. That would make them into the level of Yona and the others. But then, for them to help Haku at their state, won’t they also be hindrances for Haku? I guess they leaned on willpower to get themselves up and leave. Ah, maybe they cannot go far because of their state so Yona and others can grab them and shove some medicine into them. Hehe..okay, their medicine is most probably the herbal medicine that has to be boiled first, and they don’t have the luxury of time to do that except to hide first before doing anything. Speaking of medicine, Kalgan gave it to Zeno who later on left with him. Maybe Zeno will just drop Kalgan nearby and go to the dragons? Dragons have a ‘gps’ thing to know where any of the dragons are, right? Again, that medicine has to be boiled. So, something big might happen next chapter. Let’s see..there is a possibility that sword-shield will come out like some Chinese readers would think. Suwon and others might also arrive...then thank Haku for his help in finishing up the war. ^^;; Hopefully, it doesn’t include someone from the good guys being killed. PS. It turns out that I made a mistake on the chapter numbering. I based it on the folders I saved on my computer but it turns out that the Japanese magazine, I presumed, skipped chapter 95..or they have a typo because they counted the side story before as a chapter. ^^; Sorry about that so chapter 100 ought to be something to anticipate for ^^ Scans by 红莲汉

Quote of the day:
Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath. ~ Eckhart Tolle

136 comments:

  1. thanks kat as usual amazing job^^
    Hak is badass that's the first thing i can't think of he is amazing the way he fights is epic and beastly ,everytime he does something it is truly epic and i may sound like a fangirl which i am but no one not even the dragons did something as cool or are as epic as hak and he doesn't have godly powers like the dragons or war experience like the generals but at the end of the day those two group can't compare and that's reality i really liked how he jumped around just slashing people and how he got on top of that horse even when he started his assault and at some point he vanished like what they do in naruto ,one piece and bleach to say that they are fast ,this dude is the total package speed ,technique ,strength agility ,looks and he is brave enough to take an army by himself without losing his cool and i also like how he is not only protecting yona but also got the dragons back add loyal to that list above but we already knew that ,hak truly deserve fangirling right ^^
    Now i was thinking of something if hak defeat all these dude by himself what if that bastard suwon take the credits for it and thus not only will he become famous but the villagers will also gladly go with kouka since he saved them i will rage if that happens but it is something suwon can do .Another thing that i would hate is if suwon come in and hak is in danger and he save him i hope the author won't pull something like that if he has to be saved let it be by the dragons but the best is of course him defeating everybody by himself and when suwon gets there he finds a mountain of dead bodies and a dying soldier that they were defeated by a beast that had the speed of lighthing and the strength of a thousand men i would love that .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading ^-^

      That's right ^-^ That is really nice..and to think this isn't shounen. =P The mangaka did well ^^

      Oh..that's a possibility..and like you, I won't be pleased to see. Though, it would be funny if the dragons arrive and Haku has finished the job =P

      Ya..or like, Yona seeing Suwon and asking for his help to save Haku. Don't want to see that..actually, anything but related to Suwon =P

      Delete
    2. Yup and you said if before hak is shouen character and if i may add something he is way better than shouen dudes like ichigo or naruto . Seeing hak fight truly is a delight ^^

      Ya ,as long as suwon stays out of it i wouldn't mind if he gets saved by the dragons or yona as long as suwon doesn't enter the picture .

      I didn't think of that but if she beg suwon to save hak sakura's style i won't just be mad i might lose my mind kat seriously .The best solution is hak defeating all these dudes like a boss but like i said before even if his skills is way greater than those fodders but the problem is his stamina at some point he may get tired and thus be open to attacks .

      Delete
    3. That's right ^-^

      =)

      Ya..ugh. That's right...so let's hope for the best and those worst case scenarios do not happen.

      Delete
    4. Ya ,worst case scenarios involve suwon so as long as he doesn't come into the picture i'm fine .Even if hak gets injured he will survive i mean he fell off a cliff got internal bleeding ribs broken ...etc and was able to continue his journey and fight proprely so i'm not worried but if he gets saved by suwon ....ugh... then i'm not gonna stope complaining .

      Delete
    5. I just thought of something rather bad ,about hak's situation during this chapter when he was talking to himself when the army was attacking him and when he told yona to forgive him and go it make it seem like he was telling her farwell and he is just buying time for her and the gang to escape knowing that he will not escape from the battlefield . I also recalled what the priest said as well as zeno about hak's death .I know he won't die since he is the main guy but i fear that he will be injured seriously during next chapter but truth to be told i would rather see him near death than have suwon save him .It's horrible but that's how i feel .

      Delete
    6. lol sofia, I didn't think that there was someone who disliked Suwon more than I do. I mean, I can understand his worth as a credible and intelligent king, but I can't stand the character as a person. I forward through his scenes in both the anime and manga. Once is enough for me to read or watch his part of the story but I won't read/watch his scenes again. I try to be very objective when it comes to him though so I can be fair and interpret the story as it's told.

      As to Hak, sometimes I feel that he is wasted in this story because he has to follow Yona's agenda which right now is quite sketchy. However, I understand his dedication to protecting her. Hak needs to value his life more though. Like you, I think he would really risk his life to see Yona and the dragons get to a safe place. I just hope he comes through this battle safely and not deathly injured like last time.

      Delete
    7. I don't just dislike him i hate him whenever i see suwon i can only facepalm and hope he will quickly vanish into the background .I also tend to skip over the scenes where he is cause it just hurt my eyes . Yeah even though i hate him i also have to give him credits for being a capable leader .but as we talked about it with kat what matters to him isn't the happiness of people but to get back the lands his dad lost and to dominate the kai empire to show off their strength ,still at the end of the day he is better king than yona's dad that's the truth

      hak is way too good for yona and this story i couldn't agree more his skills and personality are just wow which more you could say about yona ,who is rather dull in my opinion despite others making her out to be some kind of warrior princess sent from heaven to save the world . Not only his life but also his feelings since yona seems as clueless as ever and is still into suwon .Like i said above i would rather have him injured near death than being saved by freaking suwon yeah that's how much i hate him .

      Delete
    8. I also think he is probably trying to fulfill some unfinished vision of his father's. It is quite clear that he idolized him. However, when Yona tried to grab his sword, he said he couldn't die yet until he finished his goal. That gave me the impression that the mangaka is hinting that he has some grand goal to benefit the kingdom of Kouka and I wouldn't be surprised if the mangaka made it that way.

      Yona has character development but I can never say that she drew me to this story. I acknowledge that she has grown stronger but after almost 100 chapters I find myself wondering what’s the point of her story. All they do is wander around helping others without any purpose other than what's happening at that time and in that place. She's nowhere near a warrior princess either...at least not in my mind because there is Sarasa from Basara that gives me a standard to go by or Tsukasa from Tokyo Crazy Paradise. Those two girls were female warriors.

      I like Yona but I admit I am disappointed with her story so far in terms of her purpose. I think her unwavering feelings for Soo-won makes her a kind and forgiving person but it also makes her seem like she doesn’t have a backbone. Even if her heart still wants him, I think she should have had the courage to stand against those feelings. However, she doesn’t seem to have the determination or will to banish her feelings for him. Honestly, I find that pathetic because she doesn’t “struggle” to overcome them. She just retains them just like she retains that hairpin so there’s no moving on to get stronger. In that way she’s still holding on to her past.

      I think we can count on Hak to demonstrate common sense. Even if he were to be saved by Soo-won, which I hope doesn’t happen, I don’t think something like that would overshadow Soo-won’s betrayal and suddenly make his actions acceptable. I’m sure Hak already realized that Soo-won was plotting the king’s murder for a long time now and that automatically means that he willfully betrayed him even while he was smiling and playing friends with him.

      Delete
    9. To me this vision is to make kouka's military super strong to dominate others that's what he want while yona what she wants is for others to have what to eat and be safe .

      Her character development started rather well since she wanted to be strong and tried to do things on her own she still want to do that but after that it stopped since she is still into suwon after all this time since like you said she didn't try to get over suwon .

      Exactly as i told kat before that's one of the main problem with yona it has no goal ,she is just wandering around without a clear goal and that's a probelm . Ya even kyouko is more of a warrior than she is ,i hoped that she would be more fierce but sadly she is far from it .

      More than her not having a backbone it is like she refuses to face reality ,that suwon cheated her all this time that killing her dad was something he wanted to do for a long time that she never knew the real him and that's a massive problem . Ya the fact that the hairpin is always with her means that she didn't move on and everytime i see that damn hairpin it pisses me off .

      Of course not if suwon help him out hak would refuse he would rather die than be helped by him but if it happen i'm sure yona would go even more gaga on him .Ya actually hak understand what kind of person suwon is while yona has all the facts in front of her face but she refuses to look at them .

      Delete
    10. I'm hoping she is retaining the hairpin to stab Suwon with. If the mangaka made Yona capable of such an action..1- total shock 2- then I'd concede Yona has some warrior traits.

      Delete
    11. Sofia, somehow I feel that there's more to Soo-won's plan than military might. I don't know what it is but I just feel like he has a grand plan for the country.

      One of the things I find extremely lacking in this story is a rational and truthful voice that helps the heroine to grow. I thought Zeno could have been that kind of character but he hasn't been that since all those chapters ago when he bluntly inquired about Yona's goal in gathering the dragons. He said what needed to be said and forced Yona to consider her purpose.

      I think Yona isn't ready to throw away her past if ever at all and that's why the hairpin remains important to her. I see others say that she keeps it as a symbol of Soo-won's betrayal but I tend to disagree because when she holds it she gets a tender look in her eyes as though she is remembering him fondly. Others say that it's good that she's still not over Soo-won because it shows that she is not a shallow person and her love for him is real. I don't have a problem with the fact that she loves Soo-won deeply. What I have a problem with is her refusal to even "try" to throw away that feeling after all that happened with her father and her near death at the castle. She just allows the feeling to stay in her heart without any struggle.

      Anon, the last time the hairpin was mentioned she almost had a fit because Yun found it and suggested that she wear it for her dance performance. I liked how Hak told her there's no need to fuss because it's hers to do what she want with it. It was pretty obvious that she wanted to hold on to that feeling so I can't see her using it to stab Soo-won. LOL

      Delete
    12. I guarantee you that neither Haku nor the dragons are going to die. They really can't at this point in the series. Not all of the prophecy has come true yet. It would be pointless.

      Delete
    13. Ya, sofia..

      Well, it also make me think of it as a farewell. Also, he might have to lead them to some faraway place..or they will go to some faraway place...and they didn't talk about where to meet again. ^^; Ah..back at the village when this thing is over?

      Delete
    14. @ Anonymous If yona stabbed suwon with hairpin then i would agree that she is badass ^^

      Yeah they won't hak because he is the main guy and the dragons because their job isn't done yet but at the end if they died or one of them did i wouldn't be shocked .But of course the only death i'm looking forward to is suwon's ^^

      Delete
    15. @Taylor_ E i'm sorry except him wanting to prove kouka's military power i don't see another goal love and peace maybe ?

      I agree on that i always tell kat i wish someone would say to yona the truth that she seems to avoid about her journey and suwon i thought laybe it would be zeno and jeha but it seems like the author prefer to let her be that way which is a shame because she is lacking growth as a character .

      That woul've been great if she kept it to remind herself of his betrayal but like you said the look she has whenever she see it or someone tell her about it ,it is like something too important to be thrown away or touched by others which is pathetic .

      I do have issues with her still loving him ,him loving the dude doesn't make her love e great one because despite everything she is still into the guy who killed her dad and ruined her life that make her a psycho .Does moving on from a love that caused only pain make you shallow i doubt that it means you are mature enough to let go .

      Also like you said she doesn't even try to let go .

      Delete
    16. @ KAT So it isn't only me who thought of that scene as a final goodbye 0_O and i found this in sorasan blog ,the tag line for next chapter "The four dragons have collapsed from disease. Hak fights bravely to protect Yona." does this mean that the dragons would try to reach hak but will collapse in the road ? Well what i wish for is for hak to finish that fight alone without any help but if he has to get help at least let it be from the dragons and not suwon .

      Delete
    17. Well, sofia..with that tagline..it seems like the four dragons didn't make it..and it really opens up the possibility of Suwon. ;_;

      Delete
    18. I also think the same and i'm trying to brace myself so as not to rage but i'm already pissed thinking about it .Yona did mention suwon and hak fighting side by side so what if that happened T_T anything but that like i said above i would rather have him near death than get help from suwon .

      Delete
    19. Oh..so that would be like a premonition. Well, we'll just hope for the best.

      Delete
    20. Oh, please no. I don't want Hak to owe that guy anything although technically what is happening now is Kouka's fault since they started a war with Kai. I also hope the sword and the shield has nothing to do with that guy.

      Sofia, I just realized something. Remember when Yona told Hak that he is the only one who wasn't to forget that she's her father's daughter? Well, she said that quite proudly yet everything her father didn't want for her she's embracing. I have no problem with her picking arms to defend herself but what about the fact that her father was adamantly against her attachment to Soo-won? She's not trying to get rid of her feelings for him knowing what he did to her father yet she is claiming proudly that she's her father's daughter. Again, I don't dislike Yona but I wish she would she had for mettle and determination. It's frustrating to watch her holding on to her past. There's no way she can move forward without coming to terms with that.

      I'm not even considering Hak's feelings for her because sometimes I really wish that he would move on from them but I can respect his desire to protect her since maybe he blames himself for trusting Soo-won that night that he killed the king.

      Delete
    21. @kat ya and the best would be suwon is left out of this

      Delete
    22. @ Taylor_E

      Amen to that whatever happens keep suwon out of it .

      No this has nothing with her what her dad wanted ,it is common sense to hate the the dude killed her dad and admited he planned to do so for a long time and he pretty lied to her their whole life but yet she still love him and doesn't even try to get over it .
      Also please don't use the word love ,the girl is a 16 years kid who never set a foot outside of the world and know nothing of human relationships yet she speaks of love like she know what the damn thing is

      As i have told kat before no matter how powerful she gets i won't acknowledge her because deep down she is very weak ,not knowing how to let go is a form of weakness to me especially when that person and that past you are attached to is made of lies .

      Also to me the best heroine is kyouko mogami to hell with yona .

      Delete
    23. Sofia, Kyouko Mogami is the only female I have on my favorite character list at MyAnimeList. I just love that character. She works hard, she's determined and she wasn't afraid to throw away what she considered her worthless past. She's the kind of character that thrills me because she won't back down when others try to push her down.

      The reason I drew attention to her father's wishes is because she of her own volition would never banish or resist those feelings. Remember you can't really help what you feel about someone unless you are willing to change your opinion about that person...or at least something like that. So, if she's not willing to change her feelings I thought that maybe her father's objection to Soo-won would make her feel guilty. I can't use her witness of Soo-won's action as a catalyst to change her mind because I kind of think she's already forgiven him.

      I think she knows that Soo-won cannot be trusted from the way she reacted when he was trying to help Lili. However, that hasn't really deterred her feelings about him.

      :) So you don't think she feels real love for Soo-won? I think maybe she does since she can forgive him for what he did. Only love can do that. She also seems sympathetic to him so I think she really does love him. Even if we don't want to define it as love, I guess we can say she has strong feelings for him.

      Delete
    24. You know why i like her it is because she is very human i know it is weird since this is manga .But i can relate to her while to yona i can't and her behaviour to me lacks common sense . Even though it is fiction it should've logic in it right ?

      I get the point but the girl clearly doesn't care about her father 's death so i doubt she will care about his wishes .

      Ya if she had any intent to hate him she already would've done so after being a witness to her father's murder so if that isn't enough to make her hate him ,even if he were to slaughter the dragons and hak she would still be okay with him
      double facepalm

      Yeah i don't ,it is like when you are a teen and you have a crush on a dude and in your mind he is the one but as you grow up and mature you understand that wasn't the case .Plus what does she love about him ? his lies he played her for god sake his innocent character is just an act ,now if she could throw away that damn hairpin and move on she could find love with hak although he is too good for her ^^

      Delete
    25. Totally agree. Kyouko had me crying so hard when she suddenly broke down and cried after she failed the acting test to enter LME. Her rage and tears felt so human to me because she finally let it all out...how she wasted all those years loving a person that in no way deserved that kind of devotion. I like that whenever she thinks about her past she is utterly disgusted by who she used to be. I just love that girl so much. I also loved that she was determined never to be that person ever again even if it meant swearing off love. I love that she was so determined to stick to that plan to the point that she cried so much when she realized she was in love with Ren.

      I think the Soo-won she knew from when they were kids was genuine. Somewhere along the line he changed and he's a different person now. I think she loves the kid Soo-won who was kind and gentle with her. The other Soo-won is a different story.

      Well, Hak is different from Soo-won so I can see why she wasn't really attracted to him. He's not a princely-type. Her type seem to be the gentle, kind, smiling princely-type. Remember she took so easily to Hak's little brother? She told Hak that he is nothing like his little brother. Hak, on the other hand, is honest and blunt and he doesn't really coddle her. Yet, it is very clear to me that Hak is very kind to her but not in the way that Soo-won is. Remember when Hak was taking care of her when her back was injured? Because he was gentle with her, she remarked on it. I guess she was surprised by his tenderness. Yet, more than anything else, she should see great kindness in the way Hak protects her to the point of death. That's why I was so glad when Yun asked her if she has ever thanked Hak for the length he goes to to protect her.

      Delete
    26. Yup ,and like i said above kyouko is very human that's why it is easy to relate to her .She was hurt by someone she loved and trusted and was enraged and bent on revenge .She slowly let go of that love to fall in love with a new person .But was careful not to do the same mistakes .She has ambition and a clear goal she works hard .She if funny ,gets angry and sad

      Just what is yona ? A girl who is so noble that she is willing to forgive her dad's death since it was for the sake of the country .A girl whose heart is so pure that she is still "loving" the dude who killed her father .Like hell that makes sense and it is truly unpleasant to read .

      His feelings yes he does care for both yona and hak .But the guy was acting sweet and innocent while in fact he is a manipulative hypocrite .

      Ya and that's why i'm saying it a crush she did know that his real personality or feelings she loved him because he was sweet .Hak on the other hand is a honest man very blunt and isn't afraid to hurt her feelings ,he is always there despite being hurt (heart and body) always pushing her forward and for god's sake how can you claim loving someone when you don't even know that someone proprely? Yeah he is a bully and S and i like that overly sweet characters makes me sick but i don't know how she could doubt his kindness when he is ready to throw his life anytime anyday for her .

      Delete
    27. I do have a problem with overly sweet characters but they permeate the Shoujo genre. That's why I appreciate Kyouko who when she realized Ren didn't like her and was deliberately mean to her didn't hesitate to dislike him too. LOL In fact she said she wasn't generous enough to like someone who didn't like her. I completely related to that. It's such a natural reaction,

      I think maybe she's like her predecessor, the red haired King who loved the humans who hated him and was willing to kill him. It does make me wonder if her story is going to be a repeat of his. Maybe this explains why she still loves/likes Two-face. Still, we see this kind of thing in manga all the time. Even Shounen does this kind of thing because they want to keep their Heroes noble.

      Speaking of Hak, I am very worried about him facing this army by himself. It makes me wonder if this is the time for the sword and shield to awaken now that the dragons are sick and no one is there to protect the princess. However, so far there hasn't been any hint of what is this sword and shield. I think Hak acts as both for the princess but the prophecy says the sword and shield will awaken so it makes it seem like it's something yet to be fulfilled.

      Delete
    28. That's why i hate most shoujo manga . Ya that's what i said kyouko isn't perfect which makes her human and thus easy to relate to and like ^^

      Ya the priest (forgot his name) when yona told her she met suwon but she couldn't kill him or hate him he told her it is just like the red dragons who was betrayed by humans but still loved them .

      Ya hak does fulfill both the function of sword and shield but i think if he is the sword then the shield is suwon or zeno like i told hak if zeno come to help out hak and both fight together they might awaken or if it is i hope not suwon then something will happen .

      Delete
    29. But Suwon being the shield or sword doesn't make sense to me. I guess it depends on what role the shield or sword plays in the story. If Suwon is the shield or sword then it only soldifies my opinion that this story doesn't have an antagonist. The sword and shield are supposed to protect the king who comes back when darkness covers the land. I guess I just don't understand how Suwon would fit into this since the sword and shield protects the king, which the story tells us is Yona.

      I think Zeno will do something next chapter though because supposedly he is/was featured in the next chapter's tease. Also, I found it a little interesting that Zeno has a shield in the anime.

      Delete
    30. I know and the last thing i want is him being part of the prophecy but i'm sure the author will give him a part in it .

      I hope so i have been waiting for so long just who is zeno and what are his powers ?

      Delete
    31. I'm sure he is part of the prophecy but I just wouldn't have thought he would be part of the prophecy that protects the king. For right now it just doesn't make sense to me. The sword and the shield is supposed to protect the King and I assume if they are not literal then they are people who travel with the king to protect her. So then, protect her against what? Is there some terrible kingdom that will rise that will attack Kouka? There has been hints that other countries are at war on their borders but it would have been nice to know about them already if they will be the main antagonists in this story.

      Delete
    32. Well if he is part of the prophecy he can only be the shield or the sword .Since the four dragons are already known .The red dragon is the red dragon and yona is the king or maybe shocker it is suwon ???? maybe yona is the red dragon and suwon the king or maybe yona and hak are the sword and shield that protect the king suwon LOL .I really don't know i can't discuss this any further since we don't have enough intel .

      Well there is plenty to protect the king from ,they live in dark times .

      Delete
    33. Am I the only person who isn't looking forward to Su-won's death? :(

      I'm sure he will die (and probably on his death, be forgiven by Hak and Yona) but I actually like him (despite his psycho tendencies).

      I don't think Yona has forgiven Su-won yet, and I don't think she still loves him as ppl are saying (I'm pretty sure she's already in love with Hak).
      She hasn't thrown away the hairpin but that doesn't mean she is still harboring feelings, it could be she's keeping it as a reminder of that night, or a reminder of the fact that she's princess and must take back Kouka... or anything... maybe she really IS planning to stab him with it?

      She couldn't go through with killing him, but I don't think many people could go through with killing someone they have loved in the past (Hak is a warrior so he's used to killing, I don't doubt he could kill Su-won in anger) - not to mention that Su-won is her first cousin, and is probably the only family member she has left.

      Delete
    34. Not really..I'm sure there are Suwon fans out there ^^

      Is that so..though is he a psycho? He doesn't seem to be. Thinking about it, my major problem with him might be his looks and his betrayal. =P I had liked two-faced, cunning characters but with Suwon, I don't know..don't like him.

      Is that so..well, there ought to be still some sort of feelings there..and yes, she is falling for Haku.

      Probably, I would want to think that but the way she is looking at it, holding it and acting about it..it seems to be none of the above and more on feelings-whatever it is with Suwon.

      Ya, I guess..but then, this is the guy who killed her father which she saw with her own eyes. Usually, the typical reaction would be someone to be so angry or at least, later on, become angry and want revenge..or at the very least, justice...regardless who that person is and what he was in her life. But since she seems to prioritize those things, it makes me think that Suwon is more important to her than her own father.

      Delete
    35. Sofia, LOL I have thought before that maybe Suwon is the rightful king. It might turn out that way...only time will tell. I wouldn't really be surprised by that though because I still very much doubt that Yona will be king. I understand that her journey is teaching her a lot but I kind of draw my reference to governing from a few historical asian drama that I've watched which reminds me of this manga and it's very rare that the king would be female. Also, unless the younger generation is being groomed to take over their clans, I can't really see the current clan heads bowing to Yona. However, for the purposes of the story I don't entirely rule it out if only Yona would get a lot more character development.

      Still, she would have to be surrounded by advisers and perhaps Yoon and the priest would be the key factors here. I also believe that Lili and Tae-jun might become key players if the younger generation succeeds the older by the end of the story.

      Delete
    36. Anon, I really don't care if Suwon die or not. He could drop off the face of the earth, be exiled or remain king and I wouldn't care. What I do hope is that he remains a person that can no longer be a part of Yona or Hak's life. I also don't like reading about him because I don't enjoy him as a character. I am sure there are plenty of people who like him as a character. Heck, even Shou from Skip Beat got 600 plus votes on a character poll for that manga. I think Suwon will do better than that because I think his type of character actually appeal to certain type of readers. He is good looking and intelligent and those two characteristics alone can trump his duplicitous nature for many readers while revolting others like myself. Let's just say I prefer a lion over a snake.

      I hope Hak never forgives him.

      I think Yona has already forgiven him because when she told the priest about running into Suwon and that she couldn't kill him she said she thought she had resented him but her actions proved otherwise. I can only conclude that what she thought in her head and what she actually felt were different.

      I think Yona does still have feelings for him. It doesn't seem like so long ago when she did the dance when she grabbed the hair ornament from Yoon as if he touched something sacred.

      For me, the love triangle is Suwon x Yona x Her dad. It irks me that she would still get a tender look in her eyes when she thinks of him even after such a traumatic event like the one she went through that night. Does she even understand that he would have watched the guards chop her head off if Hak didn't stop it? I like Yona but is she stupid or something? She almost got her head chopped off with her beloved's consent. I get that she should be conflicted but many months have passed since then. I want to see resolve in her eyes regarding the thing that makes her the weakest.

      I don't really want Yona to kill Suwon but I want her to grow indifferent to him. It infuriates me when I think how he treated her that night. She need to adapt and grow. What she shared with Suwon is in the past and the body of her dead father should be standing in the midst of this.

      As to Hak, I ship Hak x Stay Alive big time. :D

      Delete
    37. @Taylor_E yeah not only is she a girl which isn't something accepted that can be accepted as the ruler of the country Plus she is the former king daughter a king who to say the least wasn't loved or respected also she has zero training in military or political affairs and the fac that she can shoot arrows and has a "killer glare" isn't gonna change anything above all she is too emo unable to cut off her ties with the past and move on unlike suwon who did it and never looked back
      In a nutshell she lacks character development . lili and Tae-jun are more of groupies than anything else .

      Delete
    38. It seems like the simplest solution would be to leave the country under the current king's rule. Well, I don't think it's even necessary to say that because it's not like Yona has shown any interest in becoming King anyway. It's not like the current King is unfit either. He's probably been trained since he was a child to be a leader.

      Why do you think Zeno didn't feel the initiation? If he's immortal maybe his king is the original one and he is still tied to him?

      Delete
    39. Ya but like i told kat before if suwon remain as a king and yona and hak as rogues they will never be able to be at peace since soldiers will always chase after them and yona will forever continue hiding not only her hair but herself as well .What kind of ending is that i know that yona is supposed to be like robinhood and suwon is a good king but come on it make no sense at least to me .

      Ya i also think he is the first YD so yona isn't really his king or maybe it is because his body is super strong so he didn't feel it .

      Delete
  2. Baby hak is such a cute boy he put himself in danger to get the medcine despite the war that was going on that's just adorable ^^
    About the hak kissing yona scenes like that i don't know what to do with it since yona still seems clueless so what 's the point and there is one thing that bothers me in the past when stuff like that occured for example at the fire festival when hak was about to kiss her and she closed her eyes and looked very willing but when hak saw the hairpin he just left why the hell is she making it seem like she is willing while she is clueless about hak's feelings and still is attached to suwon is she deep down a loose girl ? but it was still funny that it gave hak a power up
    I understand yona's feelings but she shouldn't go because even if she can provide backup those soldiers are enraged it seems like they wouldn't stop at anything and if she is there hak would worry and probably get injured because of her and i'm worried that even if these soldiers are fodders hak will run out of stamina and may be left open so some soldier will stab him .It will be great if his name spread out throughout kai after this victory ^^ and i thought of something if kouka did this without hak what would've happened if hak was there ??? Also what if hak gets weakened and suwon arrive i would be pissed i don't want him to face suwon while he is weak but even if it does i'm sure rage would give him another powerup
    Where are the dragons ? did they go to help hak ? or did zeno take them somwhere to heal them or power them up ? What do you think ?
    About zeno i think next chapter we are gonna see what he can i think we will see him body cover in scales but he supposed to have strong body so what is he gonna do follow hak jump on the horse with him and be his shiled and maybe something will happen if they fight together if they are the sword and shield of the king maybe ...

    Those kai soldiers attacking their own country men because they thought the land was already kouka's is pretty pathetic but i somehow felt sorry for them they were crushed by kouka war is truly awful and now they are being destroyed by one single man those guys really got a horrible fate .
    Again i really could see suwon take the credits for all of this ,and again after seeing all of this what will yona do regarding suwon that's also what i'm thinking will she continue to help him because she did since the beginning or will she challenge him i wonder if the one who was runing after baby's hak was one of suwon's mean would she be that willing to kill him or help hak kill them or not ? I really i'm looking forward to next chapter .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed ^^

      Loose girl..huh...that is actually common in a love triangle. ^^; Maybe she's confused/conflicted with her feelings?

      Indeed...maybe it would be help if she is also on a horse? She shoots some down..and if they are coming near, she uses the horse to gain some distance. It also depends how far she can shoot. If she has to be in some near distance, no good.

      True...and how many are they? You know, maybe it is the anger that is powering those soldiers up..I mean, shouldn't they be tired because of fighting for days earlier? Yup, it would be nice if his name spread ^^ Hehe, maybe the war would be over in a shorter period of time than few days.

      Ya..but you know..I suddenly wondered that since it is chapter 100...what if the mangaka made the three meet up again. ^^;;

      I assume that they went to help Haku. Zeno cannot carry all three and he just left with Kalgan. So, I'm worried if they went to Haku in their state and become the hindrance. So, as backup, are sick dragons better than Yona?

      Hm..maybe...I think he ought to have sense that the dragons left the tent so he might go after them first rather than to Haku.

      Indeed though it does happen. Hm..that is something we can only speculate on...though if we base it on the past, it would most likely help Suwon and hesitate to shoot down..or at least just injure the guy.

      Delete
    2. Well if a guy tries to kiss you and as he gets he face closer to do so and you close your eyes i think it is pretty clear that you are aware of it and okay with it ,her behaviour is weird/twisted/dense .On one hand it is clear that she is still into suwon yet on the other hand she send hak signals that make one think she does return his feelings .Hoping that at the end of this arc the feelings become clear maybe baby hak can push yona into the right direction since a kid seems more aware of how human relationships works than she is .

      Nope she can't ride horses and i don't think she can shoot from long distances .

      I also thought of that but please no suwon can come in and see how beastly hak is okay and then hak can charge at him and slaughter him okay but for suwon to come in and save the day PLEASE NO

      Ya it seems like their rage gave them a power up and by the way you said that yona felt the soldiers bitter feelings yet she doesn't feel hak's sorrow when she talks about suwon facepalm .

      Ya i also think they went to help him ,ya weakened dragons are better than yona because they have more experience in fighting and are tougher even if they are sick we saw hak fight while he was injured i think they can do the same .
      But yona with her level and the dragons in their current state may prove to be a burden on hak since he will have to fight and protect them and he may end up being injured like what happened at the start of the series at the cliff .

      Ya since like you said they got a GPS so they know where each of them are maybe he will go instead of them to help hak and show what he can do .

      Ya so in a nutshell it is like what i have been saying all along she doesn't have it in her to take down suwon even though the facts are there she ignore them .SIGH

      Delete
    3. That's right.

      I see..so no good a back-up based on that.

      Ya..and in a way, I guess we don't like Suwon doing good, looking good and thought to be good when obviously, the guy is a backstabber-type. =P

      Lol..you know, I think Yona can only fell the 'rage' stuff. It seems to happen here..and also when that guy in water tribe tried to kill her..well, when he was running through the village, iirc. Maybe it is limited to strangers. ^^;;

      Yup, most likely so. And the dragons would probably also be able to do it through willpower-type of stuff. That's right..that is slightly worrying me..and it is not just one person..that is 3 sick dragons. Ya..hm..by becoming a dragon/human shield? ^^; That seems to be how he plans to protect Yona at the water tribe arc.

      Ya..for now..but as I mentioned..there is my wishful thinking =P

      Delete
    4. Ya he always come out to be the good guy when he isn't and he always come at the end when everything is done as if to mess things up with yona and hak .So i hope he stays where he is for now ,if it 's for him to come and save hak let him stay where he is ,if it is for him to get his ass kicked or see how great hak is then let him come .Again at the end of the day whatever they do still end up being in favor of suwon (hak defeating those dudes)

      Or maybe she feel it when there is danger ??? i mean great danger for he life or those around her ?

      Ya he already had his hands full by trying to protect yona so now if you add three sick dragons i'm afraid he may suffer serious injuries .

      Delete
    5. Ya..and in a way, I guess we don't like Suwon doing good, looking good and thought to be good when obviously, the guy is a backstabber-type. =P
      ----------

      For me he can do as much good as he likes but it will never change what he did to Hak that night. I won't talk about Yona since I can actually see her forgiving his actions that night. Hak on the other hand, I hope never forgives him. It seems obvious to me that everyone is okay with Suwon as king. It's almost as if the former king's death doesn't matter to anyone except maybe the wind tribe general. Anyway, I don't mind seeing him do good because I don't think he is supposed to be looked at as an evil character. The doubts he experienced is supposed to humanize him and I guess endear readers to him. I still can't stand him though although I acknowledge he had doubts after betraying his childhood friends. I just don't like duplicitous characters who plot and connive behind his friends' back. I don't sympathize with them at all. I also think if you are willing to go that far you should be willing to accept the consequence of that choice. There's no going back here.

      Delete
    6. Well about the king it is kind of normal that they don't care since he made the people life miserable but what's shocking is that his daughter doesn't care at all instead she still cherish his killer so how do you want others to mourn him ?


      Ya ,yona forgiving suwon is a given and if ou think about it she doesn't hate him to begin with so there is nothing to forgive .For hak it is another story and i so hope he beats the living hell out of him and i do hope that the dragons would mind their own business if it happened since they stoped hak the first time .

      He isn't supposed to be evil but he is far from being a good guy to say the least cause let's not forget that he killed the king chased out his daughter to take the throne used the fire tribe general to do his dirty deeds and then he threw him away the dude is a liar and manipulative bastard so him being portrayed as a good guy really does bother me .

      What doubts ,he showed some puppy eyes at the start of the series and that's it ,the dude was aware of what he was doing and there was one scene that shocked me when yona and hak "died" at the cliff what he thought was something along the lines "i need to restrain the wind tribe before they bare their fangs to me when they learn of hak's death" i was like dude your bestfriend/brother died because of you and that's what you are thinking !!!! so suwon can go to hell for all i care .

      Delete
    7. Hmm. She does cry over the king when she remembers him. I guess the idea is that she loves both Soo-won and her dad. Don't ask me why it is still so after so many months but this seems to be the case.

      Don't you find it almost interesting that he is portrayed as a capable, intelligent king while King II is portrayed as a derelict dead-beat king? All of King II's actions are portrayed as detrimental to the country of Kouka and the suffering of the people. Nothing that he did seem to have been good. He is even said to be a murderer who took the life of his own brother. I find that dichotomy interesting because it's like Soo-won is justified and King II isn't particularly after we learn that he allegedly murdered Soo-won's father and he allowed the country to fall to ruin. Also it's interesting how everybody in the story is charmed or convinced by Soo-won except Hak. LOL Even the dragons seem to like him although they didn't know that he was the king except Zeno.

      Well, he did deliver some sentimental lines about them. I think that was suppose to show that he had depth as character because he was conflicted over trampling on the feelings of his childhood friends.

      Delete
    8. Yup, sofia. Who knows..maybe after Yona and others are gone, he would say that it is his 'people' -Yona and others being from Kouka who helped them.

      Maybe something like that.

      That's right. Anyway, let's just see how things go.

      Delete
    9. That's right, Taylor_E.

      Well, he seems to have accepted them though at times, still kind of bewildered? Since he's stunned when Haku went berserk and tried to go after him. I guess he was expecting a Yona-type of reaction especially since she is the daughter so what more of Haku. ^^;

      Delete
    10. @ Taylor _E Does she ? i remember she did it at the start of the series and that's it . The thing she remembers is happy times with suwon and that's it .

      Well i guess the author did it on purpose so as to show that suwon killed the king for the greater good and he proved himself to be better leader than yona's dad .

      Ya cause they are all idiots to be charmed by a hypocrites i laughed so hard when jeha said i felt like i could trust suwon i was like yeah trust him and you will have you dad dead as your birthday gift .

      Did he deliver sentimental lines ,the only time he showed regret was when he was made king and it was for split second yona on the other hand like a lovesick idiot is still going gaga over him .

      Delete
    11. I would still not be pleased i would rather rumours of a mysterious warrior that had the strength of a demon gets around or a mysterious group than have suwon take credits for it .

      Truth to be told for the first time i look forward to ANY more than to SB and that is scary

      Delete
    12. Ya it is scary that i of all people would say that but it is the truth so let's face it ^^

      Delete
    13. Kat, he must be an idiot to think that Haku wouldn't be enraged. From the beginning of the story Haku said he didn't like nobility because they are always plotting against each other and dragging each other down. Obviously he didn't take Haku seriously if he thought he would welcome the mere sight of him especially considering the way his betrayal destroyed his life and made him homeless and a fugitive. With friends like those who needs enemies.

      Delete
    14. Sofia, it is a curious thing that whenever she remembers her father she sees his dead lifeless body but it seem to have no effect on her feelings for Soo-won. Like in chapter 98 she thinks that if her father had agreed to war Haku would be fighting alongside Soo-won. It frustrates me because it really does seem to confirm that Soo-won killing her father seems justified or okay in her mind.

      What is wrong with this heroine? What happen to even if the whole world hates her father and never mourns him her loyalty would be to him?

      I am sure that Haku valued Soo-won and that's one of the reasons for his rage but he also is enraged because of the murder of the King. Haku seem to recognize King II's failings but he still remained loyal to the Baka King.

      Delete
    15. Sofia, about the dragons trusting Soo-won, I often think that they would actually help him if necessary. In a way this story doesn't have an antagonist from how it's been playing out. Only Haku has an antagonist attitude towards Soo-won and of course they have had antagonists like the guy causing trouble in the Water Tribe.

      Delete
    16. @ Taylor_E That's what i also think what goes in her mind is "if my dad was a better king then he wouldn't have been killed which he deserved now that i have seen what he has done to the kingdom then now we would still be with suwon" and that so pathetic ,hak a servant is more loyal to the king than she is her own father ,if the daughter doesn't care about his death who would ?

      Ya because unlike yona he is a loyal man who faced the truth that his childhood friend and is enraged because the betrayal was from someone he loved while yona well you know ...sigh

      I also believe that they will help him out if they have to and when i remember jeha saying he was their ally and stopped hak from giving him a beating i can't help but get mad how could he and the dragons side with a person they saw for a few minutes instead of a person they know for months ? ,the story villain should be "suwon" but the author is always trying to make him look good and it will be further proven if in next chapter he helps out hak

      Delete
    17. He should be the antagonist but he isn't. I dislike the character but I don really see him as an antagonist anymore.

      About Hak, I saw a comment on episode 7 that said he's the mythological thunderbeast that has been tamed to serve the king. Unlike the original King, this second King has the thunderbeast along with her dragons. Like I have said before, i think Hak is wasted in this story. He's just there until it's time for the next battle.

      I do wonder if we'll ever get any more information about him. i always wondered what happened to his parents and why couldn't he have just been the general's grandson.

      Delete
    18. To me he neither a good guy nor a bad guy and that's the problem .

      No he isn't he is just a human and he is called the thunder beast because of his speed ,hak fighting speed were compared to lighting that's why . I agree he is too good for this manga

      Ya i'm dying for a hak background but i feel like the author will leave at he is an orphan adopted by the wind tribe general and that's a shame cause his character is just wow and what's even worse is that he doesn't get enugh screen time even that freaking suwon got chapters focused on him yet hak doesn't when he is the main guy doesn't make any sense

      Delete
    19. Yes, since the dragons joined, there's not much that goes on with Hak except in battle. I would really like if he had his own purpose in the story but no such luck. Even Ren has his own purpose and goal. Only now and then do we get a little more insight into his character. Like at the Wind Tribe, we learned that he's shrewd when it comes to money and could be a good business man. Then last chapter we get to learn that he can think strategically since he understood what it is that two-face is doing. We also understand that he perceptively understood that Yona is trying to atone for her father's actions while he was king. Otherwise than that, we don't get much information on him. Again, utterly wasted character.

      Delete
    20. So, the results of a character poll is going to be in the next volume. I wouldn't be surprised if two-face is popular. The Japanese fans loved Sasuke Uchiha so two-face might be just as loved.

      Delete
    21. That's right, Taylor_E ^^

      Lol..well, two-faced characters can be loved and interesting..hehe, I guess it depends on the 'packaging'. Even if Sasuke is like that, I think he is a 'cool character' power-wise and looks, etc. Even if Suwon might be popular, I think Haku would best him in a poll =P

      Delete
    22. Ya hak is awsome he is handsome ,insane combat skills ,intelligent as he have proved it in the past ,perspective ,loyal even if seeing yona still attached to suwon breaks his heart , very funny honest which to me is great quality very brave as proven during this chapter . To me he is the prince/king of the story not freaking suwon

      If suwon is above hak in the poll then the comments will be filled with rage at least mine ^^

      by the way sasuke isn't two faced he is just EMO very EMO to say the least and like kat said he is actually pretty cool his fighting style and looks which is more than you could say about suwon .

      Delete
    23. Oh no I didn't mean Sasuke is two-faced. I meant that he was so messed up that it was hard to believe that he still topped Naruto and Itachi on the character poll. I always credited Sasuke for being intelligent but he allowed himself to be manipulated so often that somewhere along the line I could no longer sympathize with him. His irrational behavior was also annoying so his appeal as a character plummeted for me. That said, I agree he's very good looking and he personifies cool if I don't consider people leading him around by the nose.

      Kat, I suppose they can be and I suppose they do have their fans. :D

      Sofia, I wouldn't be too bothered by Suwon beating Hak on the poll. I do think Hak is the better character but that is just our opinion. I remember when I found out how popular Hisoka was from Hunter x Hunter I was surprised but the more I learned about the character the more I understood his appeal because even though he is extremely twisted, dangerous and deadly, there is still a fairness about him that makes him likable.

      Delete
    24. I agree on all what you have said and you know just put it that way he married freaking sakura who is the most pathetic female character ever that alone speaks volumes about his character .

      I know that each person has his/her own taste but i'm sorry saying suwon is better than hak it is just wrong .
      I adore hisoka he is creepy ,crazy ,twisted and also a pedo but his character overall is freaking epic so is the series in itself .

      Delete
    25. Hey sofia and Kat, I saw the results from the character poll on Tumblr. Hak is #1 as he ought to be. He got 3,000 votes. He is the only reason I went looking for the manga after seeing the first three episodes of the anime. Two-face is #9 with 389 votes.

      Delete
    26. hehe ,i also saw it and it made me really happy knowing that the AnY fanbase has actual common sense ,hak getting first place makes so much sense he deserve it and like you he is the main reason i read the manga the dude is the perfect package he is handsome ,brave ,skilled ,badass ,funny ,honest ,loving in a funny and teasing way ^^ seeing him is a treat ^^ for suwon if he got last place that would've been great but at least he isn't top five

      Delete
    27. Sofia, that's why I say he's too awesome for this manga. I remember in the anime when he was leaving the Wind tribe I acknowledged to myself that even if this guy was going on a journey by himself I would watch it because I know it would be interesting. That's how much I enjoy the character.

      Like you I am also glad to see that the Japanese readers have common sense. Even the squirrel got more votes than that person.

      Delete
    28. Yup, that's good to hear ^-^

      Indeed, sofia, Haku is pretty much that ^-^

      Hehe, Taylor_E, I might actually read it, too ^^ When I saw him in action at the cliff..I'm totally hooked =P

      Lol..and the squirrel is just a mascot of the series...though a useful one =P

      Delete
    29. Kat, I think the squirrel is adorable. I remember when Yona was resting from her back injury, the squirrel was beside her with a nut in his/her hand. It was so cute.

      I was also glad to see that Jae-ha made a good rank with many votes. My ranking would also be pretty much the top four except that I would probably rank Jae-ha and Yoon equally at #3. What about you guys? Who would be your top five.

      Delete
    30. My ranking would be #1 hak # 2 kija #3 jeha #4 hak's gramps + tae-jun (i think that's his name the fire dude whose father helped suwon in his coup d'état ) # 5 the priest i forgot his name but i think he is very cute ^^

      Delete
    31. I must admit I do like Tae-Jun a lot more now. Well, I never not liked him in any case. I like the priest as well. I would definitely rank him before Shin-ah who doesn't talk much at all. So where would you rank Yona?

      Delete
    32. Ya me too i started to like him a lot well one of the main reason why i like him is because he is very funny but also because of his character growth .Yup the reason i didn't include shin-ah is because he doesn't talk but i do think he is very handsome to me him and hak are the best looking guys in the manga i only hope that the time will come when he throw away that mask and show off his eyes ^^ Yup the priest is super cute ;) Yona truth to be told i would rank her quite low i didn't get into the character i can't help it .

      Delete
    33. That's right, Taylor_E, it is also doing that to the dragons in these few recent chapters. ^^ I like the joke that the squirrel eats everything =P

      For me, of course, Haku is number one. Then, Yona and dragons are two. Generals and other funny/amusing characters are third. Last are Suwon and other villains. =P

      Delete
  3. gaaawwdd! its already 99 chapters and yona is dense as crap! but that kiss screams me out tho.. haha

    and yeah you're right, four dragons wants to help hak, but in their case, they will be just a hindrance.. or maybe there's something happened like waking up their powers out of the emergency situation and automatically healed from the illness.. lol *too much imaginations *

    thank you for the summary kat! you're fast as always! ;)

    >>>Na-chan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehehe..

      True...I can only hope that and hope they aren't going to be a hindrance...

      Thanks for reading, Na-chan ^-^

      Delete
  4. oh wow... I can't wait for next month! Thanks for the summary!

    ReplyDelete
  5. KYAAAAAAAAAAA! THE KISS!! *forget about all the war stuff*
    I do not wish bad things to happen to Hak, but don't you think Hak is OP? I know he is thunder beast, ex-general and etc, but it not nice to see him too powerful, not really realistic. But things will be complicated if Hak fall too -_-
    Anyway~ I have some hope for chapter 100. Maybe Zeno will shine? It's about the time isn't it? XD XD

    Otsukaresamadeshita Kat-chan :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. =)

      Ya, he is indeed kind of OP though he has his setbacks..girl into someone else until lately, got heavily injured twice already, right - fell off cliff and trying to kill Suwon, being framed as the bad guy, made to leave his village, etc. So, I think being OP is okay in this case.

      Hehe, is that so..maybe ^^

      Delete
  6. I love Haku! I really do. I think the mangaka has shown us already that in spite of his fantastic fighting ability, he can die. It's not like he's invincible. That said, I hope he doesn't die. I want the other guys to support him because no better how good he is, I just can't see him taking down all those men by himself.

    From the moment I saw Kalgan I thought he looks like a child!Hak. lol They obviously have the same taste too. Anyway, he's a sweetie. I'm glad Yona was able to save him.

    How awful it is that the Kai soldiers turn on their own people. That's just insane but then they say war is hell.

    I wonder how witnessing this will affect Yona. The good thing about her is that she is seeing all sides of the conflict and how the actions of people in power affect the lives of ordinary people. For instance, although she has shed many tears over it, she was able to face the fact that her father might have been wrong in the way he governed the country. When she saw the bitterness that people felt towards her father, she absorbed it, cried over it but decided to face it. I love that about her. She's trying to discover the truth and face up to it. I think that's one of the reasons why she doesn't hate Suwon ( although I personally cannot stand him even though I could also acknowledge his merits as a king). I think she thinks that maybe Suwon saw that the country was going to ruin and wanted to turn it around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True, taylor-elle. I really hope he doesn't die.

      Yup ^^

      That's right.

      It's possible that is how it is but still..to do that, he would kill her father. There are other ways for it but Suwon choose to kill him. It makes me think that it is something personal -- revenge for his father as hinted/mentioned. So, perhaps, that is the real motive, the 'nice to see/look' motive is it is for the country. From what he is doing, it seems like he is somewhat fulfilling what his father wanted being a conqueror/warrior-type of person.

      Ya, Yona probably thinks that way but still..for her not to be really angry or something..it makes me think that she doesn't care much about her father..as a father and not as the king. Suwon/country is more important and murdering her father is okay.

      Delete
    2. Yes, I agree. His real motive in killing her father was undoubtedly revenge for his "beloved" father. If we think about it, he basically killed her father in the same way that he said her father killed his. He also stated that he intended to honor his father's wishes by taking the throne which was rightfully his father's since he was the elder brother and should have been the heir. Maybe this is why Yona also cannot hate him for what he did. Maybe she feels that he was only avenging his father and she tries to look at it from his point of view.

      I say those preceding things objectively but personally I do not like that Yona is still so sympathetic towards him. I feel that her sympathy towards him should have changed somewhat over time as the truth sunk in. After all, he remorselessly killed her father and told her he’d been waiting for that day when he could avenge his father. However, I also see that it's like she's trying to continue to see him in a good light as if he cannot do any wrong in her eyes.

      It has always been clear to me that Suwon is Yona’s most important person. I know that she should have experienced strongly conflicting emotions, and she did, but I feel that as time passes those conflicting emotions should have diminished. Maybe she doesn’t understand the truth or the gravity behind Suwon’s betrayal. Haku gets it. That’s why he reacts the way he does. Yona, on the other hand, who knows…I can honestly see her forgiving Suwon before the story ends.

      Aren’t shoujo heroines like that anyway. People praise Yona as the best shoujo heroine and strong female lead but I have to wonder if they have never met the awesome Kyouko Mogami. I like Yona but I don’t think she faces her issues head on. I honestly think she’s still a little girl and I still want to know where her story is headed because right about now it seems she doesn’t have a bigger purpose.

      Delete
    3. By the way, Kat, thanks for the summary. :D

      Delete
    4. Yup, Taylor-E, it sinks down to revenge, tit for tat. That's right..but then, the grandpa was the one who made Iru the king. And, we still don't know if what he thought about his father's death is true. I just find it hard to believe that a peace-loving, weak king can kill a stronger guy. If anyone has a weapon, it would be Yuhon. Maybe Yuhon teamed up with them rebels and got his wife killed so he killed him out of anger? Maybe they are arguing and Yuhon got killed instead. If Iru is indeed like what Suwon thinks he is, it almost makes me think that Iru is Suwon's father =P Nice, smiling but turns out to be a backstabber. ^^;

      True, perhaps, it is like that and basically, she seems to be in denial and she somewhat understands the reasons - revenge, want to be king, etc. That's one thing but then, it is still her father. Is losing her father okay for those reasons? I guess, it is.

      That's right..it is still the same even if I have some wishful thinking that somehow it will change...and use that hairpin to stab him or something.. But indeed, the possibility of forgiving is high..though even if she forgives him and stuff..I hope Suwon would be punished for what he did.

      Hehe, is that so. Maybe..or they only read the weaker shoujo female leads. I agree.

      Thanks for reading ^-^

      Delete
  7. Kat, about Iru and his brother, the thing about this story is that since nobody cares about the truth I don't see how it will be discovered. For instance, Yona is quite passive about what happened. She has shown no interest in finding out what kind of man her father really was especially after Soo-won's allegations and if those allegations are true. Therefore, the only way I see us finding out the truth about the mystery behind the brothers is if it was discovered by accident.

    Again, I had high hopes for this story and the heroine but the main group is just wandering around without a bigger purpose so it feels like they're wasting time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True, Taylor_E. It really is quite awful that everyone probably Haku in some extent and Yona in the least extent, who cares about the king. I'm not too sure about Haku's gramps. Most don't quite care for the truth about Iru's death either. ^^; They probably immediately believe the lies about Haku doing the deed.

      That's right..so I'm really, really hoping that this point of the story is crucial for the bigger purpose. The sequence of the story seems to be like this..as to why they are wandering around -- first, escape. second, find dragons. third, know more about the tribes. All tribes and heads are already introduced so probably time for the bigger picture. I hope.

      Delete
    2. Come to think about it, Kat, nobody talks about these things in the story. It's so weird. For instance, Hak and the Wind general didn't even talk about what happened that night. Hak and Yona don't talk about it either. It's such a good opportunity to understand their feelings about this but it's never spoken about.

      Delete
    3. That's right. I think that is what's missing. Actually, it makes me think that this series is plot-driven so there will be no or almost little character development. ^^;;

      Delete
    4. She's not wandering without purpose, she's meant to find the 4 dragons (which she has done now) then the Sword and the Shield are meant to appear (still hasn't happened.... or has it? Maybe the sword is Hak and the Shield is Yoon? Or the sheild is Hak and the sword is Su-won? Or....*endless permutations of the known characters*), and then the red dragon will rise again (or something prophetic like that - I think the red dragon is symbolic of the royals of kouka - or Yona herself since she's the heir) and then she's meant to unite Kouka and the 5 tribes (sky, wind, earth, water, fire).

      Phew! There's still a lot to do Yona! Get a move on!

      Also, aside from the prophecy the priest told her, she's decided on her own purpose: that she will do what she can, where she can to help the people of Kouka. So far they've helped several villages and towns who were being oppressed, or who were starving or dying of disease. The whole journey has been one of discovery and growth for Yona, this is the first time she's been outside the castle and she never knew what hardship or the struggle for survival was before.

      I think there's been tremendous character development, at least for Yona.
      She has come so far from being the crybaby weak princess - she's learnt to use the bow and the sword to defend herself and her friends, she's learnt about caring for her subjects, she's learnt how power and desperation corrupt people and bring out the worst in them, she's slowly learning how to lead people and be a good ruler.

      Hak's character development is patchy at the moment, I have a feeling his origins (he's adopted remember?) have not been explained properly for a reason which will become clear later...

      Su-won is being deliberately kept a mystery as a plot device, his reasons and motives will probably be fully explained right at the end in the final showdown. After all "why did Su-won do it?" is the biggest question in this whole series, its definitely something to be kept back until the end :) I'm expecting a major plot twist regarding this.

      We've had backstory and some character development for 3 of the dragons (Zeno is currently a mystery deliberately I'm sure), Jae-ha got some attention recently when it showed his relationship with his predecessor (quite sad ;_; poor Jae-ha).
      The scenes when its just the dragons talking about how their lives will probably be short but that they want to protect and help Yona as best they can while they can are poignant and touching.

      Even Tae-jun got a chance to develop and change from a bumbling comic-relief antagonist to a bumbling comic-relief ally (I loved those chapters btw! Yay for Tae-jun <3).

      I think the reason some might feel that there isn't much character development is not because there isn't, but because there is just SO MUCH PLOT!

      Yes the story is mostly plot driven rather than character driven but I don't think this is a bad thing.

      The plot of this manga is quite complex compared to most shoujo - it really has the feel of an epic fantasy novel (except that there isn't QUITE so much lore xD) - this is a good thing! Really!

      The fact that it isn't all mushy romance stuff or angsty drama with a little bit of plot thrown in to keep you reading (like most shoujo) is truly refreshing.

      It's not over yet! There is more development coming (I'm expecting romance soon between Hak and Yona <3, and hopefully another Hak and Su-won showdown -- fight! fight! fight!).

      Delete
    5. Ah, we meant after she got the dragons..why wander around with seemingly no purpose? Unite the country-tribes? Ah, I think Suwon just did that already. ^^; They are all together with him now in conquering their former territories.

      Yup, I guess that is the purpose she wants: somewhat like Robin Hood..helping the poor and oppressed. That's it. sofia mentioned that she can do a lot more if she's on the throne if she uses that goal. Though from how things are going, I agree with you. She seems satisfied with small scale stuff in helping the people so no problem with me. I'm also not too sure if she is fit to be a ruler because she doesn't have education about it and knows almost nothing of politics and stuff. Maybe later on..? But for now, I'm not convinced.

      Lead people? In what instance? I mean aside from Haku and the dragons since they will obey most of what she says. I agree with the rest of what you mentioned though I think the major problem is about her view of Suwon that seems to have not quite changed.

      Yup..perhaps, Haku is actually the true son of Yuhon. That would be a fun twist =P And Suwon is adopted. Or maybe, the son of Iru so Iru is against her being with him since that would be incest. Lol.

      Huh..why he did it? Wasn't it revenge for his father since Iru supposedly kill his father? He also want to get back the territories of his father. Honestly though, whatever his reason is, I don't think it justify killing the king and betraying his childhood friends. There is that option of not to kill him but then, well, that is for the story plot so.. ^^;

      Yup, Zero's background is deliberately kept a secret.

      Indeed...even if it is because they cannot help it.

      That's right, Tae-jun story is good and amusing ^^

      Of course, it isn't a bad thing if it is plot driven. For me, I'll just adjust my expectations accordingly. =P

      Hehe..sounds like an advertisement ^^ True, it is complex though I tend to compare it with a shoujo of the same genre which I think tend to be equally complex.

      True...hopefully ^^

      Delete
    6. Kat, what complex shoujo are you talking about? I'm curious. I think the only complex ones I have read so far is Skip Beat, Tokyo Crazy Paradise (is that shoujo?), Fruits Basket maybe and the Legend of Basara.

      By far though, Legend of Basara is the most complex in terms of a sweeping epic journey that changed post apocalyptic Japan from a monarchy into something near a democracy. There was a plethora of diverse and interesting characters, great character development and a heavy dose of truth all around. It's an old shoujo and it has some mature content in it that I didn't care for (I actually tore some of the pages out one of my books because of that) but overall the characters and story were very well done.

      Even on re-read the story still fascinates me. When I saw the female pirate in Akatsuki no Yona I was reminded of Chacha, the female pirate (she's a lot younger though) in Basara that was a lot more awesome. She was introduced when fighting one of her pirates on a plank over shark-infested waters. Apparently her pirate had violated their code of ethics which is to never steal or harm one another and she was administering punishment. It ended with her winning the sword fight and the sharks devouring the pirate. The characters in this story don't play around when it's time for serious business but there's a lot of heart in the story because the characters and story are just so well done. The places that the heroine traveled to were very interesting and the characters she met in those places were equally interesting. I still don't know how the mangaka managed something like this because following 20 plus characters wouldn't necessarily interest a reader and meeting new characters in much later volumes might not interest the reader but the characters were so well done that they were all interesting so it didn't matter if they were introduced in the first volumes or the latter volumes. One of my favorites who were introduced around volume 16 or so was a girl named Kiku who was one of four assassins who worked for the monarchy. She used dolls and other inventions as her weapons of choice. She befriended the heroine, told her that she's an assassin but there's no need for them to fight since their objectives were different and her master didn't command it. Those two became such good friends by the end of the manga. I think I should shut up now. lol

      So, after reading that legend it's hard for me to find any other shoujo story that equal that kind of epic proportion. I love Skip Beat because it is very evident that the mangaka put a lot of thought into her story and it pays off really well. Skip Beat is the only manga I currently collect that I look forward to all the time. I also couldn't help finding Fruit Basket interesting even if I didn't like it as much as a lot of people seem to.

      Delete
    7. Oh wait, how could I forget Glass Mask too. That is a shoujo manga and it's quite interesting and complex as well because of the Crimson Goddess element. Those poor Japanese readers who has been reading it since 1970s must be so mad at the mangaka. She hasn't even finished the story yet after all these decades of starting and stopping. It's a pity because the love story is really endearing and Masumi Hayami has to be the most patient man in all of Japan.lol

      Delete
    8. Yes, TCP is shoujo, Taylor_E.

      I know of Basara but didn't manage to read it after someone who kept on raving about it before then in the latter parts, totally hated it. ^^;;

      Fruit Basket is okay at first but at a certain part, I totally lost interest. ^^;;

      I have read Glass Mask..lol, summaries from before. I think it stopped at the point when the guy's fiancee threatened to commit suicide if he leaves her. True, it has been such a long time and I don't think it would ever be finished so I no longer check on it if ever there are any new chapters. I recall there was this dying fan before asking the mangaka to tell her the ending.

      I actually meant that fantasy shoujo should be compared to be fantasy shoujo and usually those are complex especially the long ones. Even if the lead girl is one of the types people hate the most but I think Fushigi Yuugi is epic-ish. I haven't read/watched it but I was told that Twelve Kingdoms is quite good..with supposedly strong red-haired girl lead compared to FY. Angel Sanctuary is very complicated though the theme isn't exactly popular. I forgot if it was complex though..RG Veda. Kurobara Alice seems to be complicated at first..though that is incomplete.

      If it is non-fantasy, I think Candy Candy is quite complex-epic type..even if the ending, I heard was rushed. I only watched the earlier parts of the anime until it was stuck on reruns in our place..but from wiki, it seems to be like that. Pin to Kona is quite complex though simple at first and has a female lead that became insignificant later on..but then, it is the two male leads are the real leads. That is about kabuki. Hehe, I cannot think of anything else and I'm not sure if it fits the 'complex' type of genre. Complex = not shallow type or complex = gives you a headache after reading it. =P

      Delete
    9. Kat, I wonder why the person you know hated it later on. Maybe something happened to one of her favorite characters and she didn't like the story anymore? Who knows. :D I enjoyed it from beginning to end but I don't like the mature content. Too realistic for me in terms of how they treat women who are captured.

      I didn't like the love triangle in Fruit Basket at all. I also didn't like the head person of the family. I think that's one of the reasons I don't like Fruit Basket like so many people do.

      As to Glass Mask, I did hear about that dying fan. Poor lady. Miuichi should be ashamed of herself. So many mangaka has started their story since her and ended it since her. I heard she's a perfectionist but it's ridiculous to think that she actually get away with rewriting the story unlike other mangaka. You're right though. It will probably never end.

      Oh, fantasy shoujo. Well, Twelve Kingdoms was good. The heroine started off really whiny but then she grew into a strong person. She was very different by the end of it. However, somehow the story seemed incomplete in the anime and I never read the novels so I don't really know the entire story.

      I've never heard of Angel Sanctuary and the others you mentioned except Candy Candy. I heard it had a sad ending too but the fans seem to love it. Rose of Verseilles seemed alright but I've only watched the anime.

      Delete
    10. Maybe, Taylor_E I forgot what his reason was..maybe it was the character or the ending wasn't what he wanted it to be based on the earlier volumes. It was a guy from a manga group before. I see..those are usually hard to read.

      Hehe, is that so. I was okay with the love triangle though I think when the horse was introduced..I somewhat lost interest. The artwork seem to have also changed..no longer cute and things are getting darker, iirc. So, in the end, after skipping all that stuff, I just checked the ending to know who ends up with who and that's that. =P

      Ya...anyway, I kind of thought that Skip Beat is like Glass Mask in terms of how believable the actor/actress tackle their roles. The two female actresses contrast with their approach.

      I see..but can you tell me if those pictures of her and the sword..is that just decoration or she can really fight with it?

      Candy Candy..it doesn't seem to be a sad ending..since she got someone though I think I read that fans prefer the other guy but then, things happened that... I have heard of RoV..though didn't get to watch/read it. ^^;;

      Delete
    11. Kat, you're right Skip Beat does remind me of Glass Mask but in a less dramatic way in terms of how soap opera-like Glass Mask can get. Still, I must admit that I really like the romance in Glass Mask because I really like the way Masumi loves Maya. I love Ren and Kyouko's love story too though and I can wait to see how it develops. I think Nakamura-sensei is the only mangaka that I trust implicitly to deliver a story that is interesting, full of surprises and one that I can fully appreciate.

      About Twelve Kingdom, I think Youko was able to fight as far as I can remember. She traveled alone with a sword so I believe my memory is correct that she can use a sword. I have the DVDs but I have not watched them for a while now.

      Yeah I think she ended up with someone but she and the other guy were in love. I think that's why it supposedly had a sad ending. A lot of Glass Mask fans read it because they compare the two occasionally.

      Delete
    12. Is that so..Taylor_E..I recall that it is quite gripping..that one will want to keep on reading it.. I don't quite recall if I read it for the romance or the acting..probably both like in SB! I find her rival interesting, too. It is really unfortunate that it is unfinished. =( Indeed..same here.

      Ah, I see. Well, that's good. ^^ And wow, she travels alone, huh. I guess she isn't a damsel in distress-type.

      I see so that's the reason.

      Delete
    13. Kat, yes the acting rivalry was interesting as well as the plays but upon re-read I really enjoyed the love story the most. The rivalry is interesting but I find that as the story progressed Maya, the protagonist, was more interested in her acting, developing it and trying to achieve the award that she needed to compete against the rival for the Crimson Goddess role. I also found that she is much more spirited toward Masumi than she is against the rival. To put it succinctly, she responded more aggressively towards Masumi's challenges than she responded against her rival. She also gets a lot of her inspiration to act because of Mr Purple Rose aka Masumi. So then, to me it sort of became more about Masumi/Mr Purple Rose than anyone else especially as she grew older. I think she's 20 years now.

      I heard a lot of Japanese fans write the mangaka about Masumi and Maya and her responses almost seem like she's so shocked that the fans seem to care more about the romance than the Crimson Goddess plot. LOL Yet, she must know how popular Masumi is because most of the manga promotions prominently feature him. Also, the official Twitter is called Masumi's Tweets. When volume 49 was released two years ago they also did a contest where the winner get a night in a hotel room designed to Masumi's taste or something like that. It's been a while so I can't remember all of the details exactly. Also, on Glass Mask forums, a lot of the discussions are centered around Masumi and Maya's relationship.

      I read an interview where the mangaka's assistant begged her to please let Masumi and Maya have a happy ending, lol I think the assistant understands the agony of all Masumi and Maya's fans all around the world.

      Youko did start out whiny but she went through a lot of things and became stronger. In the past I read some reviews and it seems that quite a few viewers found her unlikable right through the end. I can't remember my impression but I do remember thinking that she became strong but somehow seemed cold/callous at times.

      Delete
    14. I see. Hm..was this somewhat like a 'Daddy Long Legs' story..I mean, their romance? I vaguely remember it. The scenes I really recall is the 'water, water' scene as Helen Keller..hehe, watched the drama before..and the last part when fiancee threatens to commit suicide. Hehe..it has been such a long time.

      I see..well, it is probably what the readers can relate. Don't you think so? Romance is easy to put in one's shoes and dreamily think of having that love story..or at least, cheer them on. But the acting, and I recall that they are overly serious about it, the connection isn't that much..unless one is into acting or at least, passionate about a certain profession.

      Hehe, is that so..but then, as we mentioned, is it even going to finish soon?

      Ah, I see. Well, Fushigi Yuugi is similar to it..plot of girl whisk to ancient China/Asian country but then, people always say that Youko is a better heroine since she can fight. The one in FY, she is a 'damsel in distress' and there are a lot of people who hated her..well, those who hate weak female character leads...hehe, and has a harem =P

      Delete
    15. I guess it is kind of similar to Daddy Long Leg but I find the one in Glass Mask more interesting because of the way the two are drawn to each other (not lust) despite many reasonable objections to their relationship. For instance, Masumi indirectly precipitated the death of Maya's mother. And most definitely Maya is not a suitable match for Masumi who is expected to marry someone of his status. I personally just find the romance aspect and their interactions interesting. I have read and watched a lot of romance across various genres and not many move me anymore because they're so generic even if I can still appreciate most in a normal way. When I read shoujo manga, the romance begins to seem the same even if there are some differences.

      About the suicide and overly serious acting approach, that's why I said Glass Mask feel soap-opera-like at times. I understand that was the style in the 70s though but I really feel that it is overly dramatic at times. About the acting, I think a lot of fans like it. I certainly liked when Maya portrayed the Jane, the wolf girl. The story brought me to tears and I liked how Maya transformed to understand what the wolf girl must have felt meeting other human beings for the first time and the way they mocked and ill-treated her. So, I think the acting part is enjoyable but the problem is the long drawn out Crimson Goddess thing. I have seen so many fans expressed that they don't even care anymore how that turns out. The whole Crimson Goddess thing started in volume 36 or so and imagine the story is on volume 49 and it's still going on. That is utterly ridiculous if you ask me. Fans seem to be so fed up with it that they are focusing instead on the resolution for Masumi and Maya.

      Oh, I saw Fushigi Yuugi. Personally I dislike harem in all forms so I didn't really like it that much. I don't dislike weak female characters but it depends on the story and how they are portrayed. I vaguely remember the heroine so I can't say much about her. I wouldn't watch it again either. lol I like all types of heroines though.

      Delete
    16. I see, Taylor_E. True, there are just some things that click and some romances are just..too generic, cliche. Somehow, I think there should be the 'right mix'. Even if the romantic situation is typical, the characters and how it is done can make a difference.

      Wow..it was that long..and I'm assuming the releases are quite sporadic, too? No wonder the fans would tire of it.

      I see..same here. But then, FY is one of my first major fantasy shoujo..not including the popular Sailormoon, at that time, so I can still remember the story and the characters. The harem-type is quite typical..actually, could be applied to Akatsuki no Yona..the black haired rough guy, the long haired king, the shortie, somewhat quiet mysterious guy.. It also started with..something major happened and got to find these guys to kind of save the world thing..well, for the lead girl, at first, just to go back home.

      Delete
    17. Kat, imagine I bought the Sailor Moon series and I actually find it so boring that I can't get past volume 3. I decide I will tackle it again in the near future because there has to be a reason why so many people like it. I hope it's not for nostalgia sake alone though. I only started reading manga about five years ago so I never read the older manga series until recently.

      Yeah, the Glass Mask releases are very sporadic by gaps of years. She released volume 49 two years ago September and just stopped again without an explanation to fans. I think I heard somewhere that she didn't like how the story was turning out. Obviously this mangaka needs some lessons in vision and planning. I feel so sorry for the fans who have been waiting for so many years for the conclusion.

      Delete
    18. Oh Kat, I forgot to say that when I say harem I mean one where each guy has a real chance with the girl. I never read Hanasakeru Seishounen but I watched the anime and I felt that each guy really had a chance to win the girl over. In AnY, I kind of feel it's more of a love triangle than a harem because Yona doesn't seem to consider the dragons romantically. However, I do realize that harem and reverse harem means a hero or heroine surrounded by a bunch of people of the opposite sex.

      Delete
    19. Well, the first arc is kind of boring - introduction and random villains to be defeated. The next arcs are more interesting as more characters are introduced and plots get more complicated. Also, this was serialized in Nakayoshi which is aimed for young girls. It is famous in the magical girls genre. And well, you know, most girls wants to be a princess/queen with magic. With dashing mysterious prince always nearby. Ah..before..I'm not sure now. ^^;;

      Wow..gaps of years. Her fans must be amazing to be that patient.

      Ah, I see...well, FY is like that AnY at first, more of a love triangle, until season 2. Yup, most of the time, that is what it meant.

      Delete
  8. For the 100th chapter, I want Yona and Hak to continue where they left off in ch 99 and not just a kiss on the eyes or at least for Yona to finally, finally see Hak in new light after that kiss. It's about time. I know she's starting to feel something for him but it's just not enough for me T_T. I'm so pushy. My wish for the 100th chapter celebration is all for Hak's happiness. ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I want her to finally realize her feelings (she already likes him, its obvious to everyone except Yona and probably Hak).

      She probably hasn't realized it yet because she's under extreme stress and her last love experience ended in blood and tears... After all, when the guy you love stabs your dad in front of you and then tries to kill you it could make you lose your faith in love a bit... no? xD

      Delete
    2. Actually..it seems no, it isn't enough to make Yona lose faith in love because she seems to be still into Suwon up to the last part when she is looking at that hairpin during..ah that dance, iirc.

      But true, they both haven't realize it. And, I'm glad that there are mutual feelings..at least, for Haku's happiness, I guess. =P

      Delete
  9. Unlike most of you guys, I really like Su-won and I want him and Hak to make up (seems like they were best friends before Su-won went on his killing spree) -- I want to see Su-won save Hak :)

    Unfortunately I don't think that will happen, since Su-won promised in an earlier chapter that next time he meets Hak he will kill him.

    So I'm expecting the opposite: Su-won to turn up while Hak is overwhelmed by enemy soldiers, and then Su-won will probably attack Hak (because he can't beat him in a fair fight, we already know that).

    Poor Hak!

    I'm sure he won't die, but I bet he's going to be injured badly...

    ;_;

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is that so. Honestly, I think Haku would be foolish to make up with a guy who had already betrayed him before.

      Hm..that seems to be contradicting. He wants to kill Haku the next time so how can they make up. ^^;; Unless he is just deceiving that other guy.

      Oh..backstabbing again huh. Maybe Haku would shout, hey look, that is Kouka's king, kill him as revenge. =P Hm..now I'm starting to think that Suwon might not appear because of that. ^^;;

      Ya..high possibility of that.

      Delete
    2. Say it isn't so, Anonymous. I concur with Kat. Hak would be very unwise to make up with someone who didn't hesitate to betray him so thoroughly and then allowed a rumor to take shape and spread that blamed him for the king's murder. Not to mention he and Yona almost lost their lives several times with compliments of Suwon. Again, with friends like those who needs enemies.

      I think like this because I don't take Suwon's betrayal of Hak lightly or the king's murder lightly. I know the story says that Iru failed terribly as a king but that doesn't change the fact that he was Yona's dad and Hak's liege lord. They both cared for him even if no one else in the story does.

      Delete
  10. @ Sophia

    When it comes to Haku, I have to disagree with you when you say that hes too good for Yona. She's an amazing soul and its very clear why hes been in love with her since they were children, and I think it's incredible the lengths he is willing to go to protect her above all else. It's obvious that Yona loves Haku too, I just don't know if she realizes it herself yet (even though others seem to notice she gives Haku more attention than anyone else). It's pretty clear that whatever she felt for Su-won at one point is nothing compared to what shes ever felt for Haku, she genuinely loves Haku more than anyone else and its only a matter of time before she realizes it herself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know why i'm saying hak is too good for yona is because up until now she still into suwon anyone who denies that is just lying to himself i could understand that at the start of the series but after all this time what the hell!!! so yeah she is indeed starting to have feelings for hak but i can't take them seriously since she still thinking /yearning/making puppy eyes like in chapter 98 when thinking of him ,you said what she feels for hak is greater than what she felt for suwon i disagree she forgave the dude who killed her dad i can't see a bigger proof than that ,that she love him more but i do hope in the near future it will change and her love for hak will bloom into something EPIC ^^

      Delete
  11. To be honest, I do wonder why Hak was in love with her before because it seemed as though her whole world was just the one where she and Soo-won lived happily and she can watch him smile and her heart fluttering s away. :D It almost seemed as though she didn't care for anyone else except perhaps her dad whom she also took for granted.

    The Yona that I see now whose whole world is no longer just Soo-won but that of the people around her and their feelings and their sufferings is much more appealing. When I see this Yona I can understand why Hak would like her. I do like Yona and I like that she cares for people and she doesn't really act rashly as some heroines tend to do. :)

    Now, does she deserves Hak's utter devotion? I honestly think he is devoted to her to this extent because of his feelings for her and because of his desire to keep her safe. I just wish he would treat his life as something more precious though. I don't want him to die.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ Taylor_E

      While I get your point that Hak should treasure himself more, I think that's what make him and his love for Yona so beautiful. He treasures her to the point where nothing else really matters to him. Yona's happiness is Hak's happiness, which is the reason why he was (once upon a time) willing to accept the idea of Su-won marrying Yona because he thought it would make her happy. As a result, he has painfully suppressed his own feelings and desires for her since childhood because he is selfless and doesn't want to impose anything on her. Even so, hes been losing that self control for a long time now and is at the point where he can no longer contain his feelings, hence his need to be possessive and affectionate towards her regularly.

      Yona obviously loves and treasures Hak as well, which is precisely why shes been trying with all her might to grow stronger so that she can protect him and anyone else she cares for. She may not realize the extent of her love for him as of yet, but she will soon enough. She wont let him die, and the dragon squad certainly wont let him either.

      Delete
    2. True Taylor_E though I recall that it seems to start when she knows how to apologize and not depend too much on him with her problems regarding Tejun. = chapter 3. Of course, that is also the part where Haku realizes that the king isn't as weak as he seems.

      True..and probably partly because of the king. He is the 'designated' bodyguard, right?

      Delete
    3. @ Kat

      If anyone thinks that Haku is protecting Yona because the King had designated him as her bodyguard, then they clearly don't know his character nor have they been reading the manga properly. Haku stated outright many times that he is protecting her because he WANTS to. Everyone knows this, and everyone in the manga has pointed this out. The only person who is oblivious to this is Yona, I'm sure she knows that Haku cares for her deeply, but she is under the impression that Haku is journeying with her and protecting her partly because of the King's request, and that is simply not the case.

      Delete
    4. Kat, I believe that the part of his devotion to her that was based on his promise to the king was fulfilled when he brought her to the Wind Tribe. I think that after he had gotten her to safety there he felt exonerated of that duty.

      To me his devotion to her begun when she told him to give himself to her when she tried to stop him from leaving the Wind Tribe without her. I think Hak only agreed to this because of his feelings for her. To the point, I think he agreed to her proposal as a man rather than a bodyguard. So he's basically with her now because of her request and his feelings for her.

      Delete
    5. Anon, let's not take everything and make it solely based on romance. While I do agree that Hak is presently protecting Yona out of his own volition and his feelings for her, the fact that the king made him her bodyguard has its benefit for Hak as well. It gives him some authority to fall back on if necessary and where it counts. For instance, in an official circumstance he would have the right to stay with Yona because of the fact that he was royally appointed as her bodyguard. The people in the castle knows this and the clans as well.

      Also, who can tell if Hak also want to honor that promise that he made to Yona's father not only as king but a father as well. For instance, when Yona was lost in the caves where Shin-ah was, he called on her father to bring her back to him safely. Hak still thinks of her father occasionally and who can tell if he also still thinks of that promise he made to him to protect his daughter.

      I personally think that Hak fulfilled his promise when he brought her to the wind tribe but the fact that he still thinks of her father in connection with her makes me think that he also wants to keep honoring that promise that he made to the king. I don't see anything wrong with that because I find it very appealing in a man to honor his promises.

      Delete
    6. Anon, I did mention partly. Of course, for the most part, it is because of the reason you mentioned. Given the things he would do and endure for her, it ought to be more than just duty.

      Delete
    7. Is that so, Taylor_E. Hehe, isn't it a lifetime thing? Or at least, until she get her goal or something? Until she is really safe? I don't think it ended there because being the 'bodyguard', usually, one would not just leave the princess just because they escaped the dangerous area. I mean, he is free from that duty after that. Of course, I don't know how things work in their country..I'm thinking of butlers types in shoujo who are loyal to the end of the masters..until..ah, the girl gets married?

      But true, he ought to be free from that duty if the king is dead. Re-reading that..ya and with the way she said it. =P

      Delete
    8. LOL Kat, the reason I said his duty ended there is because Hak was going to leave her there without any reservations. He was passing the responsibility to someone else, namely, Mun-duek. He also told her that he gave up the title of Wind chief so he was no longer her servant and that sort of implied that he was no longer responsible for her as her bodyguard. He had brought her safely to the Wind Tribe and he also asked Mun-duek to allow her to stay there where she would be safe.

      Delete
    9. Ah, I see, Taylor_E..hehe, good point.

      Delete
    10. @ Taylor_E

      "Anon, let's not take everything and make it solely based on romance."

      While I don't mean to make things solely based on "romance", why would that necessarily be a bad thing anyway? Romance is one of the key elements to this story, is it not?

      Delete
    11. Anon, yes romance is part of the story but I would like to think that Hak is not solely about his feelings for Yona. In other words, although it is a fact that he has feelings for her I like to think that because he has mentioned her father a couple times in relation to her safety that he also wants to honor the promise he made to her father to keep her safe.

      Delete
  12. Anon, "one" of the things that endeared me to Hak's character is the lengths that he would go to in order to protect the princess. There's certainly beauty in the fact that he cared about his two childhood friends to the extent that he sincerely wished for their happiness despite his own feelings. I admire the guy. He could give Hayami Masumi from Glass Mask a run for the money when it comes to selfless love.

    That said, that doesn't say I enjoy seeing this awesome man always so willing to give up his life.

    Well, I don't really think Hak is possessive. I think Hak watches over her and makes sure she is safe but he doesn't interfere with her relationships with the others or interferes with her free will. The guys walk into her room when she is almost naked and Hak doesn't say anything at all. The only one who does is Kija. The only time Hak says anything is if the guys try to do anything strange to her and that's not often. If anyone of them wants to sleep next to her he doesn't have a problem or he doesn't say anything. To me he just isn't possessive unless it's regarding protecting her from deadly danger.

    I know it was probably painful for Hak to suppress his feelings earlier on when he was living at the castle but I think as he grew he learned to manage them. Jae-ha once told him that it doesn't seem like he desired the princess at all and Hak admitted to himself that he must have gotten used to destroying his impulses for her because he must have destroyed them a thousand times. If we look at Hak in the castle and at the wind tribe he didn't really show any "particular" affection for her so I do believe it is as he said..he was used to shutting off any desire he felt for her.

    I believe that once they started to travel together something changed. Maybe it's the way that Yona kept saying she wanted to protect him that changed his self-control. As he told her, saying stuff like that would make him become greedy. Still, lately Hak has pretty much stopped making passes at her since the night she did the dance. He promised her that he would stop his pranks and he hasn't really tried anything at all since then. In this chapter he kissed her on her cheek but that seemed to have been motivated by the circumstances.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ Taylor_E

      Oh no I agree, I'm not saying that it's fun seeing Hak come close to death so many times. What I'm saying is that I think it's beautiful and admirable that his love for Yona surpasses everything. Her well being is essentially his well being too, if that makes sense. A pure love in that form, to me, is indescribable and is just one of the many aspects of his character that I adore.

      Actually, Hak has been possessive of her numerous times. Jae-ha jokes quite often about sleeping with Yona and trying to steal her away from Hak, and Hak obviously shows jealousy about it. Jae-ha one time (jokingly) offered to sleep with Yona in her tent and angry Hak pulled Jae-ha away by his hair. That's just one example of many lol.

      Either way, even after that dance she did, Hak continues to display longing for her and clearly is still suppressing himself. He kissed her on the battlefield because it makes his heart soar anytime she shows concern over him to the point where she cries.

      Delete
    2. Anon, what you described there for me just isn't possessiveness. Most of the time Hak and Jae-ha's squabbling isn't meant to be taken seriously in my opinion. Hak displaying jealousy is also not a mark of possessiveness to me. If that was the case then all lovers everywhere are possessive. I just don't see it that way.

      I know that Hak loves Yona and as a man he must no doubt feel a longing for her. However, I think he has calmed down since the night of the dance. I think it was good of him to honor Yona's wishes to stop playing pranks since she admitted that it frightens her. Since then the only mention I can recall that addressed Hak's feelings is when they went to the red lights district and Jae-ha was teasing him about telling Yona how he was flirting with the girls. Hak has really laid off on his pranks and I like that.

      The kiss this chapter, in my opinion, was instigated by the fact that Hak thought he hurt Yona's feelings. Seeing her about to cry probably caused him to respond that way which is common enough when a man sees the woman he cares about on the verge of tears. It's either a hug, caress and/or kiss. I've seen that reaction countless times. It was a spur of the moment thing. If he hadn't glanced back at her to see her ready to cry, he wouldn't have turned around to face her and then kiss her. That's why I say the kiss was spurred by the circumstances.

      Delete
  13. I can't wait for the next chapter! I love this mangá and the anime is amazing too!
    Thanks! As always, you're a life-saver!

    ReplyDelete
  14. omg! just woke up this morning and saw this chapter 100 spoilers! Zeno is so freaking badass, looks like the rumor is true, that he's kinda immortal! take a look, here are the links:

    badass zeno -- sorasan00.tumblr.com/post/104300206350/the-ouryuu-is-immortal#

    everybody was stunned over Zeno -- sorasan00.tumblr.com/post/104332555855/i-am-the-dragon-that-was-born-to-be-your-shield#

    I'm so excited to read chapter 100!!!! >_<

    >>>Na-chan

    ReplyDelete
  15. omg! just woke up this morning and saw
    this chapter 100 spoilers! Zeno is so
    freaking badass, looks like the rumor is true,
    that he's kinda immortal! take a look, here
    are the links:

    badass zeno -- www.sorasan00.tumblr.com/post/104300206350/the-ouryuu-is-
    immortal#

    everybody was stunned over Zeno --
    www.sorasan00.tumblr.com/post/104332555855/i-am-the-dragon-
    that-was-born-to-be-your-shield#

    im so excited to read chapter 100!!!! >_<

    >>>Na-chan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is that so, Na-chan ^-^

      Hehe, I'll wait for the Chinese scanlations to read it.

      Delete