December 8, 2014

Akatsuki no Yona [Chapter 99]

Top 4 character poll results. [The comments are by Japanese fans and they aren’t thorough since the font are really small that I couldn’t barely read some of them ^^;]
1. Haku <3005 pts> Comments: I single-mindedly like him and he’s so cool, my heart goes dokidoki whenever Haku thinks of Yona. It is utterly amazing when he does some courageous thing. Even if he isn’t a dragon, he’s the strongest and simply too cool when fighting. His feelings are in a struggle in front of Yona yet maintaining an anxious distance. He is a character whom I cannot take my eyes off. Even if Haku is Yona’s, but my first place is still Haku! His personality, black hair, everything is quite good! I also want to bet everything to protect him, I like his sweet side.
2. Yona <2289 pts> Comments: Suddenly becoming cute and at times having a strict expression I like this contrast, in front of pain she won’t run away.  As a girl, I really looking forward to[?], and I also like the cute Yona during normal times. I’m crazy about her that I’m so into her that I don’t know how many times I’m attracted to her, beautiful, cool, advancing bravely in order to live on, fighting in order to protect, I like her the most. I would suddenly want to become her comrade. I super like the scene when she told Haku, ‘Haku, teach me how to use the sword. That’s an order.’
3. Jeha <868 pts> Comments: Even if normally looks light as a feather, but as everyone’s elder brother type of person, he protects the others. I like the most his personality wherein he thinks of the other comrades. Because he is the ideal love-something[?], I super like him as the ‘older brother’. Fast[?] personality and can play a musical instrument is a bit quite praiseworthy. At the side story, he was cute when he was young that I also want to take him away.
4. Yun <802 pts> Comments: Self-proclaimed ‘genius bishounen’ but becoming the only one ranting sarcastic [/tsukkomi] character and really cute, like him the most. He’s shrewd and dependable. I like him for having an ordinary person’s awareness. At Jeha’s arc when he said ‘I cannot protect Yona’, it made me think that he’s somewhat profound.

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And, Haku is still busy slashing the Kai soldiers. He curses for he is gradually starting to become unable to keep up his strength. A soldier tries to slash him from behind but Haku immediately points his halberd at the soldier. Without touching him, the soldier falls down. And it turns out that Kija has already clawed the guy. Then, the two kill some advancing soldiers. While back to back, Kija asks what he is dallying for, and his agility seems to have regressed. Haku asks about his fever. Kija tells him that it is no problem, the fever had left. Jeha calls out to the two to pay attention from above. Jeha jumps up and attacks the soldiers with his daggers[?] from above. While one of the soldiers is asking what kind of people are these. His sword was cut in half by Shina who also goes attacking the other soldiers. Haku asks why they didn’t run away. They look more dead than alive and look, they couldn’t even stand straight.
Jeha retorts back that Haku is the one looking unsteady so how about they switch and Haku, be the one going to sleep. Kija says that they already had enough sleep and it is their turn to make an appearance. More soldiers in horses are advancing. Jeha asks the two dragons if they can still do it. Kija says of course. Haku looks at the Jeha and Kija sweating and looking ill. Then, Yona and Yun arrive. They watch Haku and the others slaughter the soldiers. Yona says that Kija and the others are there. Yun exclaims that it is too reckless, those guys obviously still in a state wherein they couldn’t recklessly move. And more soldiers in horses came advancing. Haku thinks that it totally won’t end for the soldiers coming from the number of towns kept on advancing one after another. While Kija continues to claw the advancing soldiers, he becomes dizzy that one soldier manages to slash him with a sword. The two onlookers are shock but Kija gathers his strength and attacks the soldier.
Unfortunately, there is another solider behind him who slashed his back. While Haku looks back, Jeha worriedly calls out to Kija. Bleeding Kija finally collapses. The soldier shouts that is great, kill him. Jeha tries to quickly get rid of his opponent to go to Kija’s side. Yona worriedly calls out to Kija who was defended by Shina. Shina manages to kill another attacking soldier but he is getting tired. Then, one of the soldiers on a horse stabs Shina’s back with a spear. The soldier says that he had successful got rid of him. Shina manages to turn around and slash the soldier down. Kija worried calls out to Shina. Looking ill, Shina looks around at the others fighting and the soldiers that kept on coming. He takes off his mask. They are now surrounded by soldiers. Jeha shouts for Shina to stop, if he relies on his physical strength to release his ability..
Shina uses his power but he suddenly trembles and collapses. The soldier smiles and says that it is right now, these guys are already at their limit, charge into the town. Get rid of all the people in the town. Haku is surprised as the soldiers bypass him and head straight towards the town. Haku calls them shameful [/curses] as he tries to kill as many as he can. Jeha tries to kick as many as he can. The soldiers are now advancing towards Yona and Yun. While Yun tells her to wait for they are all surging towards them, Yona prepares to shoot them with her arrow. She tells him to quickly run away. Yun tells her not to. [<- it is useless/do not provoke them?] Haku and Jeha shout for them to run away. Kija and Jeha are totally helpless for they couldn’t even stand up. Yun calls out to Yona again which made her hesitate. Then, Zeno calls out to Yona. Zeno charges at the soldier and gives him a hug, I mean cling on him tightly like a koala bear. The other soldier slashes his back. Zeno falls down but manages to stands up.
He shouts for Yona to run away and starts charging again towards some soldiers. Yona shouts for him not to [do that/stop]. Yona and the others are horrified to see Zeno being stab by a soldier right through him near the chest. With one swing, the soldier throws Zeno’s body near Yona. Everyone still look stunned in disbelief. Yona calls out to him but there is no response. One of the soldiers dismounts his horse and says that it is a girl. Yun tries to protect her by standing in front of Yona but he was easily kicked away by the soldier. Pointing a sword at Yona, the soldier tells him to come over to him. Yona hugs Zeno tightly. The soldier repeats for her to come over and even if she tightly hugs a corpse, she also won’t be able to do anything. This irks Yona that she quickly swings her sword at the soldier and made him drop his sword. Yona shouts for him not to touch her and if he moves one step, she definitely won’t let them get away [with it].
The soldiers laugh at her threat for this girl is crying at one side yet on the other side, saying such strange words. Yona mentally calls out to Zeno that if she is a bit stronger..!! Then, a bloodied hand reaches out to her crying face and tells her not to cry. Yona calls out to Zeno. Zeno says that it is because he is too far away from Hiryuu castle that his recovery is so slow. Zeno stands up and tells her that he is okay for the yellow dragon cannot die. And the wound where the soldiers stabbed and slashed him are gone. While everyone including the soldiers looks stunned again, Zeno says that as he is the dragon who is born in this world [/era] as her shield. As long as there is a titled, ‘yellow dragon’s shield’ guarding her in front, he absolutely won’t let her be harmed.
Comment: Ah, first of all, next time, please do not tell me/post here any major plot spoilers until the Chinese scanlation is out. Thank you. ^^ Now, the poll is out and yay, Haku tops it ^^ And of course, he’s the first one the readers will see upon flipping to the page. =P Apparently, he is getting tired. Apparently, those soldiers are indeed cowards that there are a lot of them and they would rather kill the weak, defenseless and few. I guess these guys are way too used to winning that as sore losers they are resorting to this rather than fighting it to the end with Kouka. I mean aren’t they too enthusiastic to kill off the villagers whom ironically from their country. They would rather be killed off by people protecting their own villages rather than fighting the real enemy. I know it is for the story but I think it is a blunder not to finish off the defeated dragons. Or at least, halve their forces so that they can do two things at once. Hm..I guess this can be realistic because soldiers are usually just from small villages, etc and they are not really educated to know what they ought to do in the battlefield. They can be quite shortsighted. And I guess somewhat sadist for wanting the guys to experience the same thing they did when they were helpless against Kouka.

Well, nevertheless, it is quite rare to see such a bloodbath in a shoujo. Apparently again, it turns out that Haku and Jeha are the stronger ones in the group and they are too busy fighting to be anyone’s shield. In terms of immunity, I guess Kija is the one worst hit by the illness that he is also the first one down during the fighting. Also, it doesn’t help much that he and Shina aren’t as mobile as Haku and Jeha. Well, Haku got battle experience to know that he ought to steal a horse. So, in this case, the dragons helping out Haku, helps out a bit temporarily. I think Yona’s group needs someone with brains in strategies and stuff in order to fully enhance their potential even if they are few but powerful. They better buy some books about it for Yun. Next, I understand Yona wanting to fight rather than running away but in this situation, it seems best to run away. Shooting one arrow at a time isn’t going to do much at an advancing army. If she has to shoot, she should have done that while all the dragons are still fighting. As a girl, those soldiers are probably planning to get rid of some stress on her. Well, they must really want it for them to actually stop for her. ^^; Also, she is the raison d'être of the guys so it would be stupid if they are doing all that and she gets herself injured, killed among other things.

Actually, from those soldiers’ intention, it might probably be best to be killed by them. Okay, that is debatable if being raped by an army but alive is better than a swift death. And also, I’m not sure they can outrun the horses so running away isn’t exactly an option either. Since they are already in that situation, it might be best to fight it to the death. I guess for Yona, that scene is more traumatic. Isn’t that the same way her father died? Hm, her reaction seems to be similar too. Too stunned to do anything much except cry..though this time, at least swing a sword once and threaten. ^^; Actually, I don’t know if I should be complaining about that since Haku and the others are also too stunned to do anything..well, if they did, hehe, it wasn’t shown. I mean, there should be no soldiers around while they look stunned or else, they would be slashed/stabbed, too. As for Zeno, ah, does a shield mean bodily throwing yourself towards armed people? I have read of immortal characters in other series and they do say, even if one doesn’t die, hey, it hurts when they are stabbed, slashed, etc. So, I guess Zeno is okay with that. ^^; I actually wonder if he cannot die like forever or there is a limit to that.

Anyway, he doesn’t seem to have any weapon though I hope he knows..ah, karate or any martial arts without the use of weapons or something. Anyway, if he doesn’t have any known attacks, I guess he is betting on the soldiers’ fear that they are going to fight against an immortal/zombie, etc to freak them out and go away. Also, I don’t know if it is a drawing error but when he is standing up, he only got slashed on the side instead of stabbed in the chest. There is no hole there and only at the side. So, he just ‘died/gone unconscious’ of shock from massive bleeding rather than stab in the heart and slashed sideways? Or, he just passed out and they all thought he’s dead ^^; Anyway, that’s a minor thing, I’m curious how does a shield fight..wait, shield is just blocking and defending..so unless he can do better than throwing himself around on the soldiers, they are still in trouble..wait, he only is concerned about Yona and not the town. ^^;; Or rather, at least, it is more possible that he can protect her as a shield rather than protecting the town. So, if they want to protect the town, someone else or others might come to help them out. Hm..unless the sword suddenly reveals itself. I guess after this, they got a lot of question for Zeno. Or maybe whacking him a bit for giving them a fright. =P Scans by 红莲汉

Word of the day:
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. ~ José N. Harris, MI VIDA: A Story of Faith, Hope and Love

113 comments:

  1. Thanks for the summary kat ^^

    Let's start here YD said he is the shield and i'm pretty sure he meant the shield of the prophecy ,if the shield is actually a person (YD) then the sword can only be hak you agree kat ? because if it is suwon it makes no sense and i'm not saying this because i hate him i'm saying this because he didn't spend time with yona throughout 100 chapters while hak did and unlike hak who fought and is willing to fight until death for yona , suwon choose to cast her aside without a remorse to achieve his amibitions . and yeah at this point of the story it has to be the shield of the prophecy right cause they aren't gonna spend another 100 chapters to say suwon is the shield .
    By the way let's get this one thing out of the way i really hope yona won't go all emo about her being weak like what happened when BD used his powers and was injured .I find it very annoying when she start blaming herself for being weak while crying it remind me of sakura .She has to understand that she has to train for years to gain powers and at the end of the day she won't ever reach hak or the dragons level and with her frail boby she can only take care of fodders and do so after a lot of training .So i hope we won't see her get into her self pity mode just no please

    Zeno looked rather cool after getting "killed" and healing all of his wounds and he said that he was immortal i guess throughout history there was only one YD and that's zeno .So the theory that he is much older than he looks is finally comfirmed that's great .I hope that after this is all said and done he tells them his story and we get to have more insight on who he is especially since he was there from the start .I 've read a theory which said that the reason YD reacted to suwon when he saw him is because suwon looked like the red king so i think this maybe true or just like the dragons reacted to yona YD the shield reacted to the sword suwon which would be horrible but i explained above why i think he isn't

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    1. Thanks for reading ^-^

      Yup..unless there is some sort of condition to it = has to be dragon..or YD is a special case. I don't know, isn't it cheating that he's a dragon and the shield? But then, well, maybe he isn't counted since she didn't really find him as a dragon and he don't seem to have any other battle skill except being an immortal ^^; I think the sword can still be a sword since I cannot imagine Yona fighting with a sword and a shield like some gladiator. ^^;; Hehe, imagining YD throwing himself to anyone who goes near Yona to kill her while she's fighting ^^;;;

      I actually also think it would make no sense though because Suwon is suppose to be the antagonist unless the mangaka is going for what happened in Bleach/Naruto, it turns out to be some other strong person who came out from nowhere so that they can all just team up and defeat the said enemy. True, in a way, it is like Haku deserves it rather than Suwon who did all that to Yona.

      Hopefully, not though it is less likely since it turns out that he's immortal. I was actually hoping that after seeing that 'death scene', she or some of the dragons would go berserk..but I guess they are too stunned about it. ^^;

      True..though hopefully, there is more to that than posing and words, and throwing self into the enemies. ^^;; Yup, hopefully, he tells them more about stuff rather than be in the dark..or at least, give a huge hint on where/what Yona should really do.

      Ah..why would Suwon be the red king when he doesn't have the 'red hair' and the dragons don't react to him..as in cannot refuse her. Actually, I would rather think it is the opposite, he looks like the main villain who tormented, etc the red king. How about pushing that further by making him the direct descendant of the red king's enemy. =P Or maybe, since he lived long, he wandered about and recognized the brat Suwon during his town trips/know what he is capable of.

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    2. But kat the YD 's power is that his body can't be destroyed so i can't imagine anything better than the YD for shield . Me too i can't imagine her fighting like that since you have to be have strength to carry a sword and a shield fight and defend at the same time as we have seen yona just to keep up with one person she uses all of her strength like when she got slashed in the back .I don't know why but since the shield is a person i think so is the sword . Ya he may start doing something like that from on since he revealed his powers .

      Ya and the sword is supposed to fight and protect the king what did suwon do ? kill her dad and chased her out if it turns out he is the sword i will rage .I hope not i don't want to see them to team up suwon .Not only does he deserve it but it actually makes sense .Plus hak has been noted to be on par with the dragons who protect the king so that makes it even more logical if he is the sword (i do believe that he is stronger than them ^^)

      Ya i also thought someone may lose it but if it is yona what can she do except get herself hurt but if it were the dragons they might do quite a lot of damage .

      Yup if it is comfirmed that he is the orginal YD i hope he share his knowledge and wisedom with them instead of playing innocent ,this may help them in batlles and in their journey .

      I mean his face looks like the red king's ^^ .That would be epic but if he was the main villain that tormented the red king and zeno knew that as the orginal YD he would've shown some hatred toward him but he didn't in fact he looked rather okay with him . Maybe but it seems like there was more to it than him knowing who suwon is .

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    3. Hey Kat, thanks for the summary. I've been patiently waiting since Friday. :D

      I am so happy that Zeno is the shield. I couldn't bear the thought of it being Suwon. I've heard some fantastic theories about it being Suwon so I'm glad those theories pretty much fell flat on their heads. I guess it's only left for the sword to awaken. Maybe Zeno knows who the sword is. He might just drop the bomb soon.

      Sofia, I also hope that Yona does not go all emo either. She already was saying if only she was stronger as if she cannot comprehend the limitations of her female physique and lack of lengthy training and battle experience. Most girls that I know who are actual warriors actually trained for years and built up strength, agility, experience and sometimes speed. They also might be accustomed to fending for themselves from a young age.

      Kat, I think dying is much preferable to being raped and surviving. Well, I actually don't think this manga would be so bold as to go there and I'd be happy with that. Basara went there and I hated that realism. I want the dragons to cut down those sore losers but it seems like there's no end of the influx of soldiers. I wonder how they'll manage to defeat them. Perhaps Kouka will come to the rescue?

      I personally don't think that Suwon resembles the red king. He doesn't even believe in that fantasy. Also, I think Zeno probably stared at him because he can smell/sense something about him. Kind of like when he told Hak that he's spoiling the fresh air because he can smell his bloodlust and a faint scent of death on him.

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    4. I mean his face looks like the red king's ^^ .That would be epic but if he was the main villain that tormented the red king and zeno knew that as the orginal YD he would've shown some hatred toward him but he didn't in fact he looked rather okay with him . Maybe but it seems like there was more to it than him knowing who suwon is .
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      Sofia, I think Zeno acts very much like an observer. I just get the feeling that he doesn't take sides and he would be more open to seeing both sides of the issue but he would perform his duty and protect Yona. Sometimes I get the impression that he's the type of character he would observe Yona to see if she is worthy but I think he would still perform his duty to protect her.

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    5. sofia, you misunderstand me, I'm not refuting YD being shield. I'm just not too sure if Haku is also the sword if there is a condition that he has to be a dragon or YD is a special case. And since he doesn't have any other fighting skills and just have immortal body, so it is okay for him to be a shield and a dragon.

      Yup. I'm actually surprised that Suwon is a candidate. ^^; Yup, if the sword is a person, Haku really fits it.

      That's right..hopefully, YD does instead of going back to nothing happened, let's continue the journey around the country.

      Well, maybe because he isn't the main villain but the descendant so cannot really hate the descendant? Anyway, most likely he knows who Suwon is to Yona..I recall he has to remind her who their current enemy was at that time = water tribe arc.

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    6. Thanks for reading, Taylor_E ^-^ Hehe, ya, I've refreshing those Chinese sites all the time since Friday. ^^;

      Yup, and really..I couldn't imagine Suwon being the sword and shield. I mean, he's the antagonist..unless, there is someone else. ^^;; But then, he seems to fit the role of whoever did those stuff to the red king before.

      True about that..even if there are limitations, at least try rather than cry/emo. Hm..if it is like that for Yona, we might need a time skip for her to become a real female warrior. ^^;

      Yup, it won't go there. Wow, Basara did. Most likely, it would be from Kouka..unless, someone suddenly powers up.

      Oh..that's a good one..I like that..maybe smell the scent of hypocrisy/deceit. =P

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    7. Exactly Taylor_E that's what i was saying yona need to understand that she will never have a man's strength .yun realized that he is weak and can't fight but he is still more useful than yona is .She should understand that there other ways than fighting to protect hak and the gang but like i said in my comment she is stubborn to the point of being annoying .Now had she had training since she was a kid she would be way stronger but still a woman's strength loses to that of a man .

      I agree with you i would rather die than be raped and survive .I think suwon will come to the recue i just hope they don't meet up something like they show up and the dragons and co flee .

      Well if he start revealing what he knows we may know why he reacted to suwon .

      I agree he is like a bystander ya i also feel like he was observing yona to see if she is worthy of his help but it seems like he will perform his duty as dragon no matter what .

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    8. Ah okay so you mean since the shield is a dragon so maybe the sword also has to be a dragon ? well even considering the dragons no one fought as much as hak did for yona that's why i believe he is and there is also his skills Maybe that's the reason why the author made him so strong .

      I'm trying to forget suwon's existence but the fact remains that he is part of the story so yeah he has to be considered a candidate even if it makes zero sense .

      Ya maybe at last YD will help yona establish a clear goal instead of going on a random journey and stop whenever there is troubles .

      Maybe but i like the theory that he is related to the villain who tormented the red king ^^

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    9. Kat and Sofia, excluding the romance, I somehow feel that Hak exists for a bigger reason that is yet to be revealed. That's why I keep saying that he is a wasted character. Since the dragons joined, there's really no compelling reason (excluding the romance) for him to be around so I hope that there is more to be revealed about his existence in the story. I'm looking at this purely from the point of view of a writer's intent and I hope that I am not overestimating the mangaka. Why make Hak so powerful? Why isn't he one of the dragons? Is it solely because of the dragon's short life span? Wait, don't tell me he's solely there for the romantic plot? I guess I can't help but feel that something should be done with Hak. His importance as the main guy has dwindled a lot since Yona's group became bigger. I know it's Yona's story but I really do feel that except for times of battle, Hak isn't used well.

      I just can't imagine Suwon as the sword that protects the king. I can understand the shield since some speculated that he was the shield in the sense that he protected Yona from taking over a decaying country and he protected her from having to face hostilities from other threatening countries. However, even this theory is not totally sound because Yona's father was the one on the throne and if she had married, it would have been her husband that would have become king. So, both those people would have shielded her in any case.

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    10. Well that's what i'm hoping for , he is indeed wasted material on this manga because not only is there little to almost zero progress in romance but besides that what's his purpose ? yeah he is a powerhouse if he were to leave the group they would be weakened but they won't die from it . So for me the reason why he was made so powerful like i said in my comment is because he is the sword of the prophecy that's the only reason i can see and i guess that's his purpose in the story besides being a love interest .

      Like hell he did ,suwon didn't think that what he did would hurt yona and hak to that extent that's why he was so shocked when hak tried to break his neck .What went on his mind is simple i will become king and achieve what my father couldn't do i will take what was meant to be for my father . It was shown that he cared and cares somehow for yona and hak but never had he thought about her safety yeah he "protected" from the guys in the water tribe but whatever .

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    11. Doesn't it make you wonder who was the sword for the original king? We know Zeno was the original shield so he must have an idea who or what is the sword. Like you, I think the sword is a person since the prophecy uses the word "awaken". Well, I suppose it could also be a literal sword if it's a magical sword. lol However, I also believe like you that it might be Hak.

      He's wishy-washy. He plotted for who knows how long to betray his two childhood friends and still acts like a deer caught in headlights when faced with the natural consequences. For a brilliant person it turns out he's awfully stupid. I don't know why he thought Hak wouldn't be enraged by his actions. I don't think that he realized how detestable his actions were. Overthrowing a king with a rebel force through warfare is one thing. Insinuating yourself into the castle as a trusted and beloved person and then turning around and murdering or attempting to murder the people who trusted you and loved you is a different thing.

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    12. It will be fantastic if we got a zeno flashback to know what the orginal dragons and the red king looked like the sword as well and how he came into power and was betrayed by humans i really hope to see that instead of spending chapters wandering why not use use them to give more background to the story but i won't get my hopes up

      I also thought that the sword was actually a sword and as i have told kat maybe it was the red king sword which if it is used by yona will give her a power up or something ?

      I explained why the most logical choice for sword is hak ^^

      First of all i don't think suwon is brilliant the characters that i found brilliant are light yagami ,lelouch and ciel from kuroshitsuji suwon to me is a trickster and a hypocrite while with lelouch i got the feeling of a charismatic anti-hero and with light yagami of a crazy and insanely smart sociopath suwon i find him to be very meh . Ya as i have said it seems like despite planning everything from god know how long he didn't realize the consquences of his acts on the people who are close to him .

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    13. I think it's possible for Soo-won to be the sword. There's an association with swords and his character. In the beginning, Soo-won used a sword to kill King Il, and later on Yona even remembered that night because of seeing the sword. Soo-won also has a tendency to get things done (to be on the offensive, so to speak), and swords are normally used for offensive purposes.

      I don't really know if that's the case now, though. I initially thought that Hak would be the shield (he's constantly putting himself in the position of a shield), so if Zeno is the shield of the prophecy, then I'm not really sure how things are going to work.

      And I don't know if I would call Soo-won an antagonist. Especially considering that Soo-won and Yona have similar interests, the differences being in how they go about achieving things. Soo-won has also, for the most part, taken a stance that he won't get in Yona and friend's way as long as they both are aiming for the same thing. Yona has been helping him, even if that's not her reason for helping Kouka.

      I would consider Soo-won to be more like the deuteragonist or tritagonist (I can't really decide which one). The set up between Yona, Hak, and Soo-won is a bit similar to Skip Beat (although I think Skip Beat is much more by the book when it comes to wikipedia's definitions). Even though Soo-won has done something to hurt Yona and Hak, they are all still connected and may end up working together in the end.

      I guess what I'm saying is that even though Soo-won is the one who starts the conflict, he's not really continuing it (so far, anyway). Soo-won and Yona are just doing their own thing for now.

      Also I don't think Soo-won was shocked because he wasn't expecting to be attacked, but more so because he was actually seeing it. Knowing something and seeing it are a bit different.

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    14. True, sofia..based on actions, etc, if there is someone who'll personify sword = fighting for Yona, it would be Haku.

      Taylor_E, those questions are valid and as I told sofia, maybe those things will be addressed later on..at the end, to keep ah..Haku fans keep on reading? ^^; Since I first read this, I like Haku..I want to know more about him...and they go finding dragons, going around the tribes with side scenes of Suwon with the wind, etc..still nothing much except as romantic interest. ^^;; So, at this point, if there is more, with expectations downgraded, it would be just a bonus =P Wishful thinking..etc.

      Honestly, I totally cannot imagine Suwon being sword or shield especially if Yona is the 'king'. Lol, maybe he is the sword as the backstabber. ^^;;

      As you mentioned, Taylor_E, I think it could be either Haku or some magical sword. Haku whose origins are unknown..hey, who knows, maybe he is descendant of whoever was the sword. Oh, maybe that is why Zeno feels/senses Haku's aura stuff because he is the sword. =P Sword and shield contrast, aren't the two of them a contrast of each other? =P Of course if Haku is the sword, I wonder what is the condition for him to 'awaken'.

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    15. Yes, it can be viewed that way, Asunder but I'm thinking, wasn't the sword suppose to be for Yona/red king which she can use to fight/go on offensive with. Unless you mean, he's the sword that will be backstabbing her/red king.

      True, they seem to have both similar interests for the country..though I'm not that convinced that Suwon is doing it for the country..maybe just for his allies and other self-interests. For example, Yona truly wants to help the people, etc but for Suwon..I can twist that into, he is just helping them so that the generals would go to his side to help him go to war expeditions. Maybe it is that or Suwon belittles what Yona and the others can do. Yona and others aren't doing anything to him either. ^^;; It is more like, stalemate until someone makes the first move.

      Ya, that is a possibility..for them to work together.

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    16. Well, if Yona and Soo-won eventually work together, then he could be the sword. Although, that does make me wonder how much Soo-won would be okay with being used.

      I think Soo-won has Kouka's interests at heart. I figure part of it is for self-interests (considering the back story with his father), but at least so far, Soo-won has been a level-headed leader. He has been trying to get the generals on his side as well as fix issues within Kouka because those things fragment the country. And a fragmented country isn't a strong one that can stand up against possible invasions. I believe Soo-won has only been interested in this current war because that was the area that his father had been in charge of, but had been lost after King Il took over the throne. So far, Soo-won has only been doing things that would fall under "restoring the country to its former glory."

      I think the main reason Soo-won and Yona may disagree is in their ideology. Soo-won takes more of a pragmatic approach that is more focused on protecting Kouka. Because of his position as a king, he has to put the people of Kouka above anything else, and that also means accepting the possibility of war. Yona has been changing things on a smaller scale, and also because of her father's views, she wants to help people and doesn't really like war. I think the reason that it's a bit of a stalemate is because neither of them have had reason to get in each other's way. But in that case, I wouldn't really call it a stalemate, since at least until recently, they've been working towards the same goal, which is to make Kouka stronger. It's just been that recently, Yona wonders a bit about helping places besides Kouka.

      Hopefully that last paragraph makes sense, since I didn't really know how to say it.

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    17. Lol, Asunder. That makes things more impossible for Suwon to be the sword. It isn't in Yona to use people..that will be Suwon's role. At least, she won't do it deliberately. I also don't think Suwon would let himself be used.

      Maybe though it seems that he is manipulating them in ways to win them..he is successful with the earth and the fire-son. The wind are with him or else the tribe will suffer. The water is suspicious of him. It depends on how one views it but shouldn't he be more concerned first with the state of the country before going to war. Oh well, it is probably for the story. What is happening with the water tribe is happening way before but Suwon didn't exactly help them out. He is more concerned in getting the earth tribe to his side. He probably knows about fire general's ambition..things turned out well, now the son is his admirer for being benevolent to not punish them because of the father. The water..lucky, Yona and the others are there to help out..and now got an excuse for war. He didn't really help out the drug addicts either afterwards..it is war first.

      Protecting the people by going to war...okay..I guess he is quite confident that they can pull it off with minor casualties for their country. I'm not sure if it is to protect the people since they are the aggressor. I would think that it would be for their country to take spoils and more people to tax, etc = enrich their country. Wouldn't it put the people in more danger in case Kai retaliates in the future?

      True but unfortunately, it won't happen because the dragons are restricted to Kouka. From how things are, they are only for 'defending the country' and probably 'eliminate internal threats'. I think it would be an improvement of ideals with her father..rather than give in and give what the enemy wants..they would have to just defend/dispel the troubles. Better if they improve the economy of all the tribes so that each tribe would be strong enough not to be pushed around. Probably that is part of Suwon's aim for the war?

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    18. Sofia, as far as the story is concerned, he is brilliant. I've seen better brilliant characters but I suppose we have to look at Suwon in comparison to the other characters in the story. :D

      Asunder, it's not like Soo-won could use a gun to kill the king. lol The sword is the weapon mostly used in this manga and time period. I don't see how him using a sword identifies with his character any more so than Hak, for example. A sword is not also always used for the offensive. Look how many stories use a sword as a symbol of justice, judgment, destruction, honor, peace, truth, etc. In any case, I'll be very baffled if Soo-won turned out to be the sword that protects the king. It would only solidify my opinion that Hak is terribly wasted in this story.

      We have discussed this before and I've also said that it seems like Soo-won is not an antagonist. However, I don't necessarily think it's a good thing because at this point I am pretty much concerned about what is the point of this story. If the mangaka is planning to introduce an antagonist, it would be nice if she does it soon.

      I would hope even if politically they end up with the same goal that it doesn't dismiss the dead body that stand in their midst. I don't care how Yona reacts but I hope Hak would continue to treat the murder of his King seriously. We aren't in lala land and I hope the mangaka doesn't go there with Hak. Perhaps I've watched too many Asian drama with this kind of thing with the bloody betrayal within royal families but those issues are taken deadly serious in those drama which are often based upon history as well. I hope Hak at least maintain his common sense right through the end. Even if no one else cares that the king was murdered, I hope Hak cares to the end.

      Asunder, he is an idiot. Shocked by actually seeing it? Then he's utterly stupid. If you do something horrible to a friend and you meet that friend by accident, wouldn't you brace yourself for that friend's reaction to your betrayal? Wouldn't you expect that he/she would be very angry? Even in simple relationships where friends quarrel or say bad things to one another they would brace themselves for the worse and expect the worse if they meet again. Soo-won is even stupider because the last time he and Hak were together they were in a fighting match to the death. Even Yona when she first met him was trembling like a leaf IN FEAR and he saw it. Again, he needs to stop being wishy washy and face the consequences of his actions.

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    19. That's true Taylor_E if you look at him from within the story of AnY he is indeed brilliant because at the end of the day everybody is dancing according to his tune .

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    20. Yes, Kat, I have wondered about Hak's origins for a while now. I always wondered why the mangaka made him an orphan instead of a real grandson of the general. I think the story would've worked the same way if he was a true grandson. Then again, maybe he is an orphan because it made it easier to pass on the title of chief to the younger kid. I forgot his name. If it was a true grandson the title of chief would probably still be Hak's even after his journey.

      Asunder, I think Yona's journey is different to Soo-won's. They just happen to coincide at times. I think Yona is trying to help people where she can but also understand the feelings of the poor and commoners in the kingdom. She will probably understand both sides of the issue where war is hell for the average person and the kingdom of Kouka also needs to be fortified against the hostile countries on their borders. I hope that she ultimately have a balanced view of the situation which neither Suwon's father had nor her father had; one loved war and conquering and the other loved peace and concessions.

      As to Soo-won, I don't think that Yona thinks he's not a good king. In chapter 98 she seem to acknowledge that he is a good king. I even acknowledge him as an apparent good king by what the story has been telling us. I still don't care one iota about him though and I really hope that he gets knocked down a peg or two on his blood-stained throne.

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    21. Protecting the people by going to war...okay..I guess he is quite confident that they can pull it off with minor casualties for their country. I'm not sure if it is to protect the people since they are the aggressor. I would think that it would be for their country to take spoils and more people to tax, etc = enrich their country. Wouldn't it put the people in more danger in case Kai retaliates in the future?
      -------------------------------

      Kat, I read somewhere that it is better to fight in someone else's country than to put your own people and economy at risk. That's exactly what this guy did. He invaded Kai, won the war and now the innocent people of Kai has to face the consequences of war that they had nothing to do with or no say in. Look at what Yona's group is facing right now; the ugliness and insanity of war that wants to cut down the innocent. Is this where hatred breathes hatred. It's a good thing that Yona is seeing this from a commoner's point of view. Hopefully it will help to shape her views that might become important later on. Well, I can only hope that all of this is leading somewhere anyway.

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    22. I read all of your comments, Asunder, Kat & Sofia..all of these considerations flitted through my head too. Usually leaving me scratching my head at the holes left by any of those theories. If Soowan is a part of the prophecy- part of my thinking is that he doesn't know it or knows and doesn't like it. Either way, regardless of who the sword and the shield finally are, there will need to be a lot resolved if Soowan and Yona will coexist. Honestly, I feel like Soowan will die at the end of the story. I think some amends will be made- with his final breath he will aknowledge Yona and perhaps apologize for her father, but I just get the feeling he will have to pay for his crime when all is said and done. This mangaka is dipping a BRILLIANT job with the suspense raised by the prophecy as to who is playing what part out. Pretty in-depth for a shoujo.

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    23. Correction: doing, not dipping...lol...spellcheck, you little...

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    24. @ Anon nope he doesn't know about the prophecy nor does he even know about the dragons he doesn't seem like the type to listen to myths .

      I agree with you i do believe that suwon needs to die at the end of the series because throughout the manga we have seen that suwon always got away with everything dirt he did and plotted and it is like where is the justice in all of this ? i think his death is the best option to give this ending a somewhat logical ending

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    25. I think Yona has the ability to use people, it's just that she's nice about it. She's already using the dragons, so I don't think she can't do it.

      Soo-won had to focus on getting the generals on his side for reasons other than to go to war. It was to protect Kouka. I guess the best way to explain the situation is that Kouka is kind of like the US. Each tribe is sort of like their own "state" and they rule over their own respective areas. The king rules over the whole of Kouka, but he can't quite go doing anything he wants, especially in areas that are not part of the Sky Tribe. Soo-won was trying to get the generals on his side because they are the true leaders of each area. At the time Soo-won took over the throne, the generals weren't really working together. There was the possibility that the tribes could go against each other and could start a war with each other. By getting all the generals on his side, Soo-won is helping the country be more unified and prevents fighting within the country. Kouka was already a possible target for the surrounding countries who hoped to take advantage of a weakened Kouka. By strengthening the country, Soo-won is keeping war away from the people.

      Maybe Soo-won is getting the generals on his side for war, but more so it's for preventing it than starting it.

      Also, I don't think Soo-won was really in a position to help the drug addict problem. I think he did have some sort of plan, but he left most of the work in the water general's hands out of trust. If Soo-won had tried to fix it himself, that may have been insulting to the water general because the implication would be that the general can't take care of the problem on his own.

      Taylor_E, when it comes to the sword, yeah a lot of people use swords, but there was (at least in my opinion) an emphasis on Soo-won's use of the sword that other characters don't get. It's not the use of it that mattered as much as the importance it had in the story. Usually symbolism and foreshadowing are fairly subtle, so from what I saw, it seemed like there was a connection with Soo-won and the sword. I could be wrong, but that's just how my head-logic worked.

      And also, when I said that I think Hak, Yona, and Soo-won might work together, I didn't mean that I thought they'd become friends again. I would be surprised if that happened. What I more so meant was that they might work together since I don't think Soo-won would want to have the dragons on his bad side while he's trying to get things done.

      Keep in mind that Hak just showed up out of nowhere and went after Soo-won. I don't think Soo-won would be in a position to brace himself for Hak's anger.

      And Anonymous person, I agree too that Soo-won might die at the end. It's a feeling I get after having read those tragedy plays in school.

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    26. Asunder, yes I understand the symbolism you used in your original post about Soo-won and the sword but I don't see how that relates to Yona. If perhaps he was the sword in relation to the kingdom of Kouka, his rule, his conquests, his achievements, or something like that, the symbolism would make sense to me. He usurped the throne by the sword and perhaps the sword is the symbol of his rule with conquering he intends to do and the way he's rallying the tribes by the sword. However, I just don't see how that relates to the prophecy in terms of protecting the king.

      Asunder, to me the real tragedy in this story is the way Soo-won betrayed his childhood friends, them almost dying multiple times and wandering and homeless. Soo-won dying in the end is justice. I don't really care if he dies or not though. However, he conscientiously took a life. Where is the tragedy in that? If you take somebody's life willfully you shouldn't be surprised when justice catches up with you. It's not even like the king and him was fighting. By all appearances he just took the sword and plunged it into his chest.

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    27. I suppose it doesn't quite make sense in relation to the prophecy. I think it really depends on what will happen in the next few chapters.

      Also when I said a tragedy play, I meant it in the traditional kind of sense. Like in the way Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar were. A Shakespearean tragedy.

      And just to play devil's advocate, if King Il did kill his brother, where is the justice from that? Isn't that exactly what Soo-won did? Wouldn't he have brought justice to his father?

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    28. Taylor_E, I was thinking of what you mentioned regarding bloody betrayal within royal families..at least in Asian dramas. Is it like in AnY wherein because the murderer/the one who benefited from killing the king becomes the king, does it tend to be swept under the rug and no justice at all? Especially if the murderer is also royalty and the next heir? Ah, I'm not thinking of Yona as a heir because she was to be just be married off to someone who will be king, I assume and she got no training whatsoever..just a pampered and overprotected princess.

      So, since the others would think that it is futile to resist the new king, since he is the one in power, who cares about the dead, might as well, suck up to him and get favors? I'm just thinking that the justice system before isn't exactly the same as it is now. So, it would be ah..'realistic' that everyone just moved on with their lives without a care for the murdered king because of that since personally, their lives aren't affected by the death.

      True..so maybe there is a reason for Haku to be an orphan. From what you mentioned, it made me think that the Mundoku didn't marry/have no kids of his own, and just took in the orphans as his own 'relatives/grandchildren'. Ah, didn't he relinquish the title so that the wind tribe will not get in trouble because of him? I think he can still easily take it back if he wanted to..and the others would want to give it back. Lol..they seem to be the lazy/laidback type who doesn't like responsibilities..like the wind..go where they want to go/do.

      Is that so..good point on waging war in some other place instead of their own. Of course, I still doubt it is to protect the people and not for some other ulterior motive like what Haku said, get more territory. Kai is obviously not in the position to go into war against them because they have trouble with the Northern part-whatever. The territory that they are going to take over seems to be just because of its sentimental value. Based on the images of those villages, I don't think that it is economically wealthy enough that they are worth taking over.

      Of course, if the reason is for Kai to destroy itself, and it is happening, that's quite a great strategy.

      Indeed, the key word is 'hope' that it will lead to something productive.

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    29. Hm..Anonymous..maybe it will happen about Suwon..but acknowledging Yona or apologizing..I couldn't imagine it. Up to now, there is no remorse or anything that will lead to that. I can imagine him doing that then when her guard is lowered, maybe kill her, take her hostage, whatever to escape the situation he got himself into that he has to do that.

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    30. I see, Asunder.

      If it is that, I would agree though I still do not think that it is for that noble purpose that Suwon is doing it. He doesn't care about agitating and making things difficult for wind tribe earlier on just because of Haku. He didn't get the wind tribe approval, he subtle threaten them of what he with help of fire general can do if they don't do what they want. I forgot about the water tribe that they were somewhat blaming him for agitating Kai because of what they did to those nobles..iirc. So, I'm sticking to the idea that he is only helping himself and his own allies..not the whole country.

      Ah..didn't he already start the war? I don't think the other countries at least Kai is in the position to be at war with them since they are having some inner country problems.

      I see..though I meant Suwon helping out water tribe about the problem rather than fixing it himself. He helped Earth tribe to become rich, right? He can do it in a subtle way without insulting Earth general..surely, he can do the same with the water tribe. If he is letting each tribe deal with their own problems without helping them..why do they need a king?

      About the king killing his bro, if that is how it should be, should I think lowly of Yona who cannot even bring/want to bring justice for her father's murder?

      Of course, this is Suwon..that 'killing' might be his 'excuse' like his 'excuse' about what happened to the water tribe as a reason for war. I seriously doubt that Iru purposely killed the bro who is supposedly strong and everything. Was it mentioned how he was killed? I forgot. If it is because of a sword/weapon, I would think that it is an accidental killing. And if not, there is a reason for it. I mentioned this theory with sofia.

      My theory is Yona's mother was killed by rebels. Those rebels might be siding with the brother since they do not like what Iru is doing for they are losing lands etc. Maybe Iru confronted him or whatever and resulted to the brother's death or something like that. The rebels go to Suwon and tell him what happened, probably how they want him to believe so they team up with him to get rid of Iru. The rebels' leader might be that adviser. If that theory is true, that might be a reason why Iru doesn't want Yona to be with Suwon..unless, he already knew Suwon is a snake. =P

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    31. Soo-won putting pressure on the wind tribe may be "mean," but it's not like the alternative is that much better. Taking the time to find someone other than Soo-won (who has shown himself to be a good leader by now) would probably have taken a while. In that time, people may find out and become confused, and a country without a leader can go into chaos.

      I don't really understand this idea that Soo-won could be doing things for himself and his allies (and the only allies I can think of are the other generals, which goes back to trying to protect Kouka). I suppose he killed King Il because of his father, which I suppose would be him taking over the throne for himself. But besides that, I haven't really seen him do anything that would make me think he's just in it for himself. Generally when I think of rulers that seem more interested in their own well-being, I generally think of dictators. I don't think Soo-won is a dictator.

      I would also like to point out that war doesn't always spell bad news. The Roman Empire did really well at first, and they had a tendency to go to war to expand territory pretty often. It wasn't until there were civil wars and a whole bunch of other issues that they started to deteriorate.

      And Kai having inner issues can make them more of a threat. If Kouka were to be in an even more dire situation than Kai, then Kai would very likely try to take advantage of it. Kind of in the way that Soo-won is taking advantage of Kai's issues right now.

      Soo-won was mainly letting the water general deal with things on his own because the general seems like he wouldn't have taken kindly to any sort of guidance. Soo-won stepped in with the earth tribe because he needed to prove himself to the earth general. Soo-won providing guidance subtly also impressed the general and showed that he has the smarts to be the king.

      And Kouka has a king because they have a fairly centralized government. The king takes care of things that may be affecting the whole of Kouka. What all of those things are, I wouldn't know, since I don't think it really matters for the story.

      I don't see any reason to think lowly of Yona. She's not really in a position to get revenge or justice. I suppose she could storm the castle and take over, but it's only been a few months since the previous king died, and the constant change in rulers may go over badly. I think Yona is aware that she's not quite in the position to be a queen, and that would keep her from doing anything to take over the throne. And it's not like Soo-won has been a bad leader.

      Also, I believe it was mentioned that King Hiryuu was more like a nomad, so that may also have to do with Yona's interest in traveling.

      I don't think it was mentioned how Yu-hon (Soo-won's father) died. As Hak observed one day, I think there's more to King Il than being a coward. I would assume there's more to the story.

      I don't really know about that theory. It's possible King Il did know that Soo-won may have been planning a coup and that's why he said no to marriage, but otherwise, I'm not sure.

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    32. Oh, I have so much to catch up on here. lol

      Kat, about your question in Asian drama, there was one in particular that I watched that definitely have it's roots in history that is a good example of this type of treachery. It was during the Joseon era and the king who usurped the throne through much bloodshed actually had a prosperous reign and the country prospered under his rule from what I understand.

      I think the drama is close enough to what actually happened. The younger brother of the dying king usurped the throne from the king's young son. In the drama in one night they murdered all the ministers that would oppose the king's younger brother. They went to all the ministers homes and murdered every single member of the families. In that way they completely cut off the bloodline of those families and nobody will be left to seek revenge.

      However, the brother who usurped the throne also had other brothers and they opposed what he did and even plotted against him to overthrow him but one by one the brother killed them all. Ultimately he exiled the dead king's son and then killed him some years later so that he could destroy any hope rebels had of putting the young boy back on the throne.

      Honestly, that drama really showed how bloody these usurpation can get. That guy killing off all his brothers was truly something else.

      As far as opposition, there weren't many people left to oppose him since he had them all tortured and executed. The rebels in this particular case were people who did not agree with what the guy did and were sometimes affiliated politically with the deposed faction of royalty. There were even s bunch of scholars who were tortured and executed because they spoke out against the king. Actually, lots of people were executed even later on because the king became paranoid. I guess killing so many people would no doubt bring on paranoia. He wasn't crazy though.

      I must say that a lot of that kind of stuff appear in historical drama. Even the queen or concubines plot each other's murder in these stories. We also saw some of that in Saiunkoku Monogatari. Remember Hak also spoke of this in the flashback to the time the king asked him to be Yona's bodyguard. He basically said that he didn't want to deal with nobles because of the way they plot against each other and tear each other down. I find that so ironic since his childhood friend turned out to be one of those people.

      Anyway, the subject matter in the drama was treated much more seriously than in AnY but I still find what Soo-won did very atrocious. I also find these sort of plots cowardly.

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    33. Asunder, even if Soo-won feels like he was administering justice by avenging his father, he was just perpetuating the cycle. Him murdering King II doesn't exonerate him from the justice required for the blood he shed in such cowardice. I think The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas did a great job illustrating just how much revenge poisons and destroys.

      About Soo-won, no matter how great a leader he becomes, all I see is a blood-stained crown on his head. I find it so befitting that the anime opening song show him with a crown on his head with a cloud of darkness resting above it. It's so creepy and just like him. A man should never turn his back to him. **shivers**

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    34. Taylor_E, so then shouldn't that mean Yona shouldn't continue that cycle? Unless you mean that if/when Soo-won dies, it hopefully wouldn't be by Yona's hand.

      (This is also a bit of a side note, but I don't have a terribly strong belief in justice. People do some pretty terrible things and get away with it all the time. I think that, at this point, we would probably just be going in circles since we have very different views on justice. The main reason I like Soo-won is because the story would be kind of boring without him. Anytime he shows up I'm thinking "YEAH, story progression and conflict!" I can't hate the guy that makes the story interesting.)

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    35. I don't think you have to worry about Yona because I'm pretty sure she won't be seeking any justice for her father. So when I talk about justice she is far from my mind. In any case, what I meant was justice should be served in whichever form it greets him. If it so happens that he falls off his horse and breaks his neck, I would consider it justice in some measure and form.

      Yes, I know justice in the world is imperfect but I'm talking about the fictional world in AnY. And yes I have a strong sense of justice even if the system in our world is skewed.

      Well, I'm glad to see another reader acknowledge that this story is not so interesting unless a particular character shows up. In my case it is Hak and I would have been content to just watch the anime if it wasn't for him. I find it so annoying that he has no story in this story. What a waste.

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    36. And by the way, what kind of conflict does Soo-won bring to the story? I forgot to ask that.

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    37. Soo-won starts the conflict of the story. Everything is happy-dory (at least in Yona's world), but because of Soo-won's actions, that causes Yona (the protagonist) to struggle. If I were to classify it, I would say it may be a mix of man against man (or people against people) and man against society (or maybe the government). I wouldn't call this an easy story to classify, but I don't think that's a bad thing.

      Mainly, when Soo-won shows up especially in the vicinity of Hak and Yona, there's going to be some negative feelings going around. And that's conflict.

      Just so you don't misunderstand, though, I don't mean to imply that the only reason I like AnY is because of Soo-won. If this was just a slice of life story with all the same characters, I would have liked it just as much. I love all of the characters. It's just that in this story Soo-won is pretty important to the resolution for everything. So when Soo-won shows up, it feels more like the story is getting closer to that resolution.

      And I think Hak's background will be more fleshed out in the future. It's possible it just hasn't been all that important yet. That's just a complete guess, though.

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    38. I don't know, wouldn't Haku be better than Suwon?

      Aside from killing Iru for his father/revenge, before the start of the war, Suwon himself mentioned that they are now going to take back those lands that his father used to rule. Correct me if my translation is wrong on that. Haku also believes that he is doing it to expand the territory. So, maybe, if it is proven otherwise later on, I don't think it is for the country.

      Suwon isn't exactly a strict dictator type..I think he is more of a subtle type who is manipulative and cunning to make people be impress with him and do what he wants them to do. Well, he managed to fool Haku who is supposedly to be more 'aware' of this kind of things. If those won't work, he uses threat and pressure like with wind tribe.

      Hehe, well, war probably isn't bad news for the ones starting it and winning it. =P

      Why would Kai having inner issues be a threat? Wouldn't they be weaker as they are now because of those inner issues. I know because of that, it is advisable to attack Kai now. The thing is, is Kai that much of a threat? Thinking about it, it seems that Kouka can actually defend itself fine even with those skirmishes with Kai and other troublemakers. It is only Iru who probably forbid them. They can probably beat up those troublemakers and not make them want to cause trouble with them anymore..as shown in this war. So, for them to go beyond that, the motive would be different than protect country type... economy depends since those lands do not seem to be rich unless Suwon know something else about them ..maybe have more people to tax...?

      If Suwon said they are going to annihilate Kai so that they won't cause trouble anymore, or expand the country for economy reasons, etc, then I'll believe that he is doing it for the country..but he said something else. ^^;

      I see, so that seems like Suwon gives guidance to those who want it, and don't for those who do not want it. It also makes me think that the Earth general is just easier to woo to his side so deal with him first. ^^; The Earth general is also eager for fighting and getting back what's theirs.. their goals are aligned.

      True, the jurisdictions and what he can or cannot meddle with isn't mentioned.

      Her father is killed and Yona is in no position for revenge? During that era, I would presume a blood relative would be in position for revenge for any sort of murder especially one's father. If you mean, the consequence of revenge which will cause the country to be in disarray because of the change of leaders, most likely but still, currently, she is not inclined on doing that either..learning to become queen or have that goal.

      So, you were mentioning that as 'play devil's advocate' it is justice for Suwon to kill Iru because Iru killed his father, then for Yona, based on that, I would think of her lowly since she doesn't want to extract justice for her father's murder anymore. Of course, because of her attachment for Suwon, she isn't inclined/able to do it. That means Suwon is more important to her than justice (not necessarily death) for her father. So, what kind of country is Kouka that couldn't even give justice to its king's murder...would you expect the poor and commoners to also have justice if they were aggrieved? Actually, who would want Yona to be queen if she couldn't give justice to her father's murder.

      I think Haku meant that Iru would rather hurt himself by holding that knife rather than using any weapon to attack the aggressor/troublemaker. He isn't a coward to be scared of being hurt/be in pain.

      I don't think he knew of the coup or else, he won't let Suwon roaming around the palace. Unless, he's stupid. I'm saying that Iru might know of Suwon's true nature.

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    39. Thanks for that lengthy plot, Taylor_E..this is a Korean drama, right? Based on the name of the era. Did the dead king's son want revenge? Well, Suwon doesn't seem to go to that kind of lengths to seal his throne..ah, probably know Yona couldn't kill him and belittling what she can do ^^;; Are there no plots about the guy killing the king then take over..but left the others alive -- if there is, what are those peoples' reaction? I mean those close to him or relatives.

      True..ironic indeed..I wonder if part of the reason he is angry at Suwon is because Suwon made a fool of him. I think normally, one would get really angry about that. He also probably really like and is loyal to the king. Hm..thinking of the going berserk thing at the water tribe, Iru isn't exactly his father or anything..he is just his 'master' so why would he be so passionate in wanting to kill Suwon. In cases like that, it isn't exactly want to have justice, it seems more like revenge/anger for what he did to him? What do you think? Of course, I'm also wondering if it is because someone tried to kill Yona and Suwon is there so he assumed that guy is Suwon's underling so he wants to attack Suwon. ^^;

      Yup, so sometimes, I wonder if I shouldn't really question things here since it does seem to have loopholes/not really detailed that it ends up with having too many speculations from the part of the readers and not much info from the series itself. Like don't take this series seriously or expect too much from it..the last time I get this feeling is when I've read Vampire Knight. ^^;;

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    40. Asunder, Soo-won started a conflict but then the conflict just fizzled out. After 100 chapters, we still have no clue what the main conflict is. In other words, as far as I see it, this story has yet to present a major conflict. Soo-won showing up and Hak getting peeved is not what I consider a main conflict. It might be a personal conflict of emotions for Hak and that guy but I'm talking about the bigger picture.

      Kat, yep, it's a Korean drama. It won awards even here in the USA. Anyway, the dead king's son was 16 years old and very innocent. He would have grown up to be king but the minister that would have guided him was murdered in the same night that all the other ministers were murdered. Therefore, although he was extremely frightened of his uncle, he submitted to him and remained the nominal king while his uncle pulled the strings and eventually made him relinquish the crown to him. Then the uncle exiled him and later on sent poison for him to drink under the threat of force. What these historical drama show me is that it was probably far less dangerous to live outside the palace than in it. If we take a look at Yona's case, her mother was also murdered by supposed rebels. The king even said that he didn't want to marry again just in case his new wife would also be murdered. Hak was appointed Yona's bodyguard obviously because her life would always be under threat in the palace. Therefore, this is why this story reminded me so much of historical Asian drama because the culture in the palace is the same.

      Yes, Soo-won doesn't seem to go to this length to seal the throne but it's probably because the story is not fleshed out properly. It could also be because everybody else are idiots. They all believed the rumor that Hak killed the king. There's no dissenting opinion whatsoever unless it's the Wind general who knows the truth. Business just continues as usual. Again, this highlights my point that this story does not do conflict well. It's very hard for me to believe how smoothly the king's murder is just glossed over like he never existed. Even the lamest kings have their supporters even if they support him solely for opportunistic or corrupt reasons. I get that King II was a derelict king and not many of the nobles cared for him but no reaction at all from anyone seems absurd.

      About plots where a royalty takes over by killing the king and leaving others alive, normally it would only be the women and children that are spared. It's kind of unrealistic to leave powerful people alive that would create problems if a person usurps the throne. For instance, one of the ministers that was killed in that drama I told you about had some kind of influence with the military. Getting rid of him lessens the likelihood of a full blown war.

      In AnY, however, the only people we know are the clan heads and you basically saw how easily they accepted what was told to them. Again, very lame, in my opinion. These are supposed to be older men of wisdom and experience and it's very difficult for me to wrap my head around how passive they are. I don't feel much gravity with them.

      As far as relatives in this particular drama, the brother who usurped the throne and the brother who was the former king both had daughters. I think this is where fiction came in. Both daughters were strongly against the uncle/dad who usurped the throne. The guy who usurped the throne daughter was so embittered by what her father had done (and she is his favorite child) that their relationship deteriorated to the point where he made her a slave and gave her to one of his ministers. That girl, though fictional, was truly something to watch. She opposed her father (whom she loved dearly) from beginning to end. Eventually to save her life, her mother (the queen) faked the daughter's death so that she can live far away from the father.

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    41. Yes, Soo-won made a perfect fool of Hak. There's no doubt about that. I might be proven wrong later on but I'm not sure that it's revenge that Hak wants. As a soldier and the heart of the security of the castle, there is certainly some kind justice that he might have wanted to administer since it was his duty and responsibility to protect the princess and the king. Think of him like the police I guess and that guy as the murderer. lol

      I definitely think we shouldn't take this series seriously. I wanted to but I think I should just go with the flow. I'm fine with just watching whatever happens with Hak.

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    42. People in political power are not very honest. Everything is about image, and underhanded, behind-closed-doors dealings are nothing new. If being manipulative and trying to impress others was enough to make a political leader a dictator, that must be much more common than I thought.

      Kai having inner issues would be a threat because it would sort of be the case of a scared animal being cornered. They have no option to flee, but they're desperate, so they'll fight. If Kouka is weaker, then Kouka would make the perfect prey. Kouka's main reason for doing so well has more to do with Soo-won than anything. When the previous fire tribe general tried to attack, his side had more soldiers. But because of Soo-won's tactics, his side did very well. Also, if Kouka had gone into internal wars, that would weaken them.

      I don't think Yona has ever mentioned that she never plans to get revenge. Anyways, what's the point of killing Soo-won? So what, she got justice. But what would she do after? Maybe it's because she can't go killing her childhood friend, but it's also possible she just has no reason to do so besides "justice." I would rather see her be logical than blinded by rage.

      Also it's possible for King Il to allow Soo-won to be around because of the saying "keep your friends close and your enemies closer." It could be that he just wanted to keep an eye on Soo-won.

      Hak probably was angry at Soo-won for 1) making Yona cry, 2) causing himself and Yona a bunch of problems, and 3) betraying his trust. Soo-won and Hak looked up to each other, so for him to be hurt would be normal.

      Taylor_E, I would consider the main story line to be centered around Yona learning more about her kingdom and figuring out what she plans to do about it. The main conflicts surrounding that would be the fragmented relationship between Yona, Hak, and Soo-won; the back story regarding Soo-won, King Il, Yu-hon, and possibly Yona's mother; and the state of Kouka, which isn't doing so well after being under King Il's rule. I suppose the story line might be messy, but there is conflict.

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    43. And I forgot to add this. The name of the story is "Akatsuki no Yona" or "Yona of the Dawn." It could be a reference to Yona's red hair, but I also think it carries the meaning of Yona awakening, whether it just be her getting to know more about the kingdom and taking more leadership and/or her awakening as the red dragon. It could also be a reference to Kouka's rise, led by Yona. At the heart of it, I think that's the most important part of the story.

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    44. Hak was also angry at finding out that that guy murdered the king as well. Do not forget that because he's the only person in this story who thinks more of the dead king than Yona does. For a person like Hak who lives his life honestly, he would no doubt be angry over the king's murder.

      So basically the main conflict is the fragmented relationship between the childhood friends. That certainly explains a lot.

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    45. Yes, I suppose that may also be part of it.

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    46. Is that so, Taylor_E, I guess good for them that they know murdering the king is a serious crime.

      That's right..after that, it was business as usual..just follow what the new king wants after winning/threatening, etc them over. By the way, in the drama you mentioned, was the commoners' reaction shown? For AnY, I'm assuming that they don't really care who is the new king because they are still poor anyways.

      I see..but still, for Haku to go on berserk mode..seems more than because he wants some justice. It seems more personal.

      Indeed ^^

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    47. Well, Asunder, that is the typical 'bad' image of a politician. From the cast here, that mold fits Suwon, and the former fire general.

      If the threat is from outside, I would agree of that scared animal being cornered. But if it is from within, I don't think so. I'm thinking of a country who is under threat from rebels that their soldiers are dealing with it. If the people will flee, that will be to escape from death but not to attack the other country. Just like in Kouka, they dealt with the internal problems first or at least be united in some way, before going to war outside with full force. Of course, from the narration, I get the impression that Kai really got their hands full with the rebels-whatever. From their letter, they seem to be somewhat 'timid' about what happened with the water tribe. So even if Kouka is deemed weaker, Kai as a country doesn't seem inclined for war at that time.

      Okay, I mentioned justice but that doesn't necessarily Suwon's death. I don't know their laws there...maybe they don't have any regarding what to do with person who killed the king. ^^; Hehe, maybe it is like killing a cockroach..no big deal. Well, the daughter also don't seem to mind it so..

      What to do afterwards? Well, she can do whatever she is currently doing or rule the country-something with the help of Haku and others. Of course, I'm not saying for her to do it immediately since she is truly nowhere compared to Suwon as king or at least know how to rule a country/manipulate people, etc..but currently, as you also mentioned, there is no intention for it.

      Maybe but Iru doesn't seem capable of pulling that off..given his personality and pacifist beliefs. So, I guess if that is his intention, he's stupid to try to do that..and it turned out to be fatal. ^^;

      Hehe, that's a lot of speculations about the title.

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    48. I don't think it's rebels that are the problem with Kai. I believe it's that half of the country belongs to the government elites, while the other half is split into different tribes kind of in the same way Kouka is. I think it was mentioned that the problems in Kai are from fighting between tribes and lack of money from the government. There was some other info, but I'm too lazy to try and find it. And considering the way the Kai soldiers are being sore losers now in the story, I don't see them as being above going and invading other places.

      I figure, considering many countries and empires in history, Kouka would deal with treason by execution.

      The people of Kouka are probably glad that King Il died, though.

      I would like to see Yona continue as a nomad. I think she's more suited for that. Although I think she'll probably be making some decisions soon.

      Also, I can't really take credit for the thoughts on the title. I saw someone say it somewhere else, and I just agreed with it.

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    49. Is that so, Asunder. I call them 'rebels' because they are causing trouble and do not agree with whoever is the ruler. Lack of money..huh..I had a suspicion about that.

      Indeed..usually it is like that.

      I see, well, she does seem to suit that..and if she's stuck like that, those grand stuff about her based on the title won't happen.

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  2. Also i told you before that one of the reasons why i thought zeno wasn't the actual YD is because he does seem to keep his distance from yona and co since he never call them by their names i think it is because he can't die so he doesn't want to get attached and suffer after their deaths while he live on forever .

    I thought zeno was pretty cool in this chapter but truth to be told i wanted hak to be all bloody and " die" just to shock yona and co mainly yona because if she was that shocked for zeno i can't imagine how she would react if it was hak or at least i hope her reaction would much more intense ^^ then after they find him half dead YD step in and somehow heal his wounds (since BD has two skills so why can't others as well) because now i truly believe that him being very sharp at reading others emotions isn't a skill but rather the result of his long life .Anyway after he heal his wounds he could've gotten slashed then he would reveal his powers but it seems like the author went for something different .

    I have to add that the fact that the dragons went for hak right away despite being sick is foolish but i like it because they aren't just yona fanboys but they actually care for other members of their group .By the way this chapter answers your question sick dragons are more capble than yona ;) I still fear suwon will come out next chapter and be the knight in his shining armors if he does come out i hope the other will run away and let them deal with kai army i don't want the two groups to meet again .By the way since the kai soldiers are fighting with such heated passion i'm sure they can now challenge kouka and win so why do this ? There was also one thing that made me laugh when yona started to glare at that guy and said i won't forgive you ???it is like who cares seriously ? those dudes lost their pride and are out of their mind so ....
    By the way the prophecy said the sword and shield that protect the king will awaken when the 4 dragons are gathered and as we have seen the dragons were gathered ages ago but nothing awakened so maybe it is because YD didn't really show his powers what do you think ?










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    1. Yup, that's seems to be the case here. But of course, he cares enough for them to want to protect them.

      Hehe, is that so. Maybe that might be reserved when Suwon is around rather than going intense at fodders..well, and probably when she is more skilled with swords. Lol..I actually thinking that YD would let the others drink his blood so that they get healed faster =P

      Yup, they managed to do more than what Yona can. True..there is a high probability that he will.

      Well, I do think they're sore losers..they don't want another thrashing so go for the easy ones. ^^;

      Ya..it would be better if she does it more with action than glare and words. And, well, I don't think they'll take her seriously because from the looks of things, they are winning.

      Maybe or they are not in that kind of desperate state before.

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    2. Ya he does care to a certain degree .

      Speaking of skills you know yona is stubborn to the point of where it gets annoying i mean she wants strength but this strength that she wants isn't gonna appear like that out of the blue it takes time so if she want to help them and protect them the group she can stay away from danger because like you said what can she do with an arrow ? unless she is ishida and can fire thousands of arrows in seconds she should get out everytime she tries to help she make it worse she should stay in the back and wait for her time to come and when she can handle her own she can join batlles .

      I was also hoping that he could heal others either by touching them like they do in naruto or like you said by drinking blood .

      Yup ,pretty pathetic so let's hope suwon gets there the group go away and he continye the thrashing .

      Yup ,it is like she talks the talk but can't walk the walk and it is like if you can't walk just shut up and go hide .

      Ya ,well i hope it is explained soon because since the YD mystery is starting to be revealed i have the feeling that the series will be ending what do you think ?

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    3. Indeed..good intention isn't going to create miracles here.

      Ya..maybe they all go to the village and Suwon + army is there already.

      Indeed, retreating and hiding to fight another day isn't exactly cowardly. I guess it depends on one's principles. ^^;

      Ending cannot say..it depends. YD reveal then probably 1-2 full arcs in dealing with Suwon, etc? Unless, pull out some enemy from nowhere like what I mentioned. It would be disappointing if it is ending and Yona is still at this 'weak' stage.

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    4. Yup ,exactly she isn't just gonna power up because she wants from the bottom of her heart to save them .

      Not at all he who run live to fight another die ^^ plus if you engage stronger enmies when yourself you are weak it isn't bravery but pure stupidity .

      I know that but unless some tribes from kai decide to attack kouka what enemy ?

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    5. Kat, do you think that Yona will end up some warrior princess? I kind of don't think so. Too many people have been telling her that her strength cannot match that of a man (water tribe arc demonstrated that very well) and I kind of think there's a reason why they keep highlighting that. Now, if Yona actually was shown doing exercises that actually help to strengthen the body, I could understand her improving considerably because this manga seems to limit the fantastic when it comes to Yona's fighting abilities. It seems to take a realistic approach with training. Exercising would help her since it improves flexibility, agility, stamina, strength, and alertness. Even fighting dirty would aid her but she isn't taught any of that either.

      Also, all the women that we have met so far leave the fighting to the guys. I think it would be great if there actually was a female general or warrior in this story that shows that women can fight and win against males by employing ingenuity and experience but sadly there's none of those. The girls who protect Lili were just as helpless against the drug dealers in the Water Tribe. That's why I can't really see Yona doing too much more. I also don't see the dragons and Hak allowing her to fight in battles because she really is physically weak.

      I think Yona's ability probably will lie in the strength of her sincerity and perseverance. She would probably be the kind of leader that if knocked down would get back up. I'm not really sure if she has charisma. Suwon apparently wins that hands down since he has the ability to make people flock to him. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I expect to see Yona's character arc end with a girl who stands proudly with a resolve that's unshakable to achieve whatever goal she decides on. I just don't think it will be about battle prowess although she will probably know how to defend herself well enough.

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    6. Indeed, sofia.

      True..though it started to make me wonder if Haku and/or dragons shouldn't have gone on a 'suicide mission' like that either. ^^; I guess he/they didn't realize how many of remnants of the soldiers are coming over? It is apparent that they cannot defeat all of those soldiers.

      Ya..so how about those two countries below teaming up and attacking from behind? Or two countries teaming up with Kai..depending on their relations with Kai. Or all three attacking simultaneously then split the spoils. Won't that be fun. They are surrounded. But really unlikely to happen for it will be too complicated. ^^;

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    7. Taylor_E, that is wishful thinking..hoping that she will be. That was the first impression I got from the first chapter. Lol, thanks to a cover pic with them together, I almost hope for a combo fighting duo. Obviously, that is very far from how things are now. ^^;; True, with limited time, limited strength, and frustration, it makes things realistic. That's a nice idea, playing dirty ^^; Though I'm not sure how they can teach her that since they rely mostly on their strength/powers that they do not seem to need to resort to that. Is training in fighting with girls different from boys? Just wondering since maybe they don't know how to train a girl to fight?

      Hehe, I got the impression that the old lady pirate was like that. Wasn't she? True. I guess at most, at least learn sword skills to know how to defend herself. Archery can help in battles..of course, she would have to hide herself though not quite useful in plains/flat areas. Hehe, at least give her a horse so that she can swiftly run away when the enemy comes.

      I see..I guess that's not bad though I would want something better..or rather more than that. That is why I asked if the girl in 12 kingdoms is better. Anyway, if it is like that, it's okay, I guess. Hehe, I've lowered my expectations. =P

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    8. That's true KAT but i understand that hak wanted to buy time for the yona and the sick dragons to escape while the sick dragons didn't want hak to do everything by himself .

      I love complicated situations but not only is it unlikely but deep down i don't wanted to happen because if it does they are so gonna team up with suwon and the thought of that makes me sick .

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    9. Indeed, sofia..though in the end, it seems that everything they did is futile. Or at least, the soldiers aren't crazed/murderous enough to finish the job. Again, probably for the story.

      You know, I think this is the problem with this series. For the sake of the story/plotline, characters are usually doing some illogical things. Like what I mentioned above and among other things.

      Hehe, I see. So, if those are not possible, the most likely one is Suwon's real motive is an bad one that they have to put him down.

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    10. Kat, I think Hak knows how to fight dirty. I don't know why but since he is a commoner, I expect him to know that much. I have a feeling he has been among all sorts. Also, his personality also gives me the impression that he might know how to fight dirty maybe even as a kid to get out of a scrape. :D I think Hak is versatile in his fighting abilities. He taught Yona the sword and archery. He also knows how to use short blades. He also knows how to fight without any weapon. Look at how he beat up that guy from the Sky tribe...Judo or whatever his name. The guy is good.

      She is learning the sword. Remember the girls from the water tribe complimented her form and she did tried to fight that guy in the water tribe with the sword. However, it very plainly evident that she lacked the strength and stamina for a sword battle.

      Since I watched Twelve Kingdoms a while ago I can't remember all the details. However, I remember clearly that by the time Youko accepted the throne, she definitely left an impression on me. She had changed from this whiny, annoying heroine to one whose presence I felt. She had a strength, firmness and will about her that was more impressive than any fighting ability she had gained. Even her appearance exuded these qualities. Maybe that's why I said I often thought that she turned into a cold person.

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    11. Ya and i really feel like that they just got back to first reveal zeno's abilities second team up with suwon or get his help just to make him look good and i hate that , i'm pretty sure that he will come to save the day next chapter and i'm already pissed .

      Ya that's one of it's flaw and add to this the fact that there is no plot and it is like ...ugh

      That i'm pretty sure isn't the case and here again it shows that the author messed up because there is no plot .It is almost mindless series .

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    12. Sofia, maybe it doesn't have to be him that comes to save the day. At least not directly anyway. It could be one of the other clan heads and the army under their control.

      In any case, with the dragons sick, they pretty much need a miracle right now to get out of the situation.

      I'd like to see a plot emerge too or are we still in the introduction stage because a primary conflict hasn't really been defined as yet. I think at first some of us thought that it would be the conflict caused by the murder of Yona's father and usurpation of the throne but the story so far shows otherwise. So then, I guess we have to wait and see what the real deal is.

      To be honest, I expected great things from this story but I think I have to lower my expectations now. I am not bashing it. I'm just disappointed that nothing has happened so far. Even the villains, like the one in the Water tribe, were uninteresting.

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    13. Well when i said suwon i also meant his generals but i really think it will be suwon now if it is the earth general who come in with the army to save the day then it is okay if it judo after getting beaten up by hak it would be weird and suwon no comment fire general doesn't even care about yona and co and i doubt he will help rogues since right now he is trying to make himself look good to clean his clan's name .

      Ya , i hope that if suwon and co arrive the soldiers gets distracted which will allow yona and co to flee or maybe they will be too shocked by what zeno did and the soldiers will be the ones to flee ^^ and this is supposed to be a fantasy manga so maybe a miracle will happen ?

      Look this isn't a shounen where there are like 300+ chapters thus the plot can emerge late but it is a shoujo and even if it reached 100 chapters it will never reach 200 chapters a plot didn't appear neither will it appear let's face reality the author could've made it into an epic journey but she decided to do something else and it is a shame .

      Ya that's what i do in fact i did this a long time ago i have been waiting for something epic to happen once the dragons were gathered but sadly nothing happened .You know what i like about AnY i like hak that's obvious i also like the dynamics between the characters i find it fun to read like between the earth general and judo and i do have some interest in the prophecy but except that i truly don't see any real value to a manga who has no plot i mean even a one shot has a plot yet this one ...it is bashing when you lay down the facts .

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    14. Hehe, okay Taylor_E, what exactly is fight dirty? I'm imagining that when he is in a pickle, he would throw some dirt on the enemy's eyes or say, look behind you then punch the guy. I'm thinking that he doesn't need to do that or know to do that since he would most likely depend on his own strength and weapon to defeat the enemy. So as you mentioned, he is indeed versatile and knows all sort of battle skills that he doesn't need or have the need to know how to fight dirty.

      True, by the way, is she a right-handed person? Someone in the Chinese site mentioned that she used her left hand in this chapter. Shina, too. And of course, Haku. So, they are ambidextrous? Of course, a reader said that maybe Yona is like that because it is Haku who is teaching her. I don't have my scans now so I couldn't check out her fight during the water tribe arc.

      Accepted the throne..so Youko became a ruler? I see..so I guess that is somewhat like how I wanted Yona to become. Somewhat impressive and make me think that she's really cool..well, at least, in my standards =P

      Well, if there is a plot/primary conflict, it should come out around this arc. If not..I don't know. ^^;

      Hehe, so you also lowered your expectations.

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    15. sofia, about the fire general, he might still help since defeating all Kai soldiers can help him look good. I'm not saying helping Yona and the others, but the villages that will soon be theirs. Actually, they might think that it is good for they will be 'saving' the villages so the villagers won't resist their rule. Earth would probably help. Judo..not sure..maybe if Suwon ordered him to. ^^;

      Yup, it is a fantasy so miracles will happen. Maybe Zeno will power up go to his real form..saiyan mode and beat them all up. Lol...oops, this is shoujo not shounen. =P

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    16. That's true since right now all that's in his mind is make himself and his tribe look good in front of the king .Ya i told you before that suwon may protect them to make himself look good so it won't look like they are conquerors but saviors that's is so like suwon .

      Ya i also think earth may help them even if he is starting to become a suwon fanboy judo after the beating he took and with his loyalty to suwon i doubt it .

      haha wrong manga ^^ i still hope that they will be able to get away without meeting up with suwon and his party but i doubt it .

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    17. Indeed, sofia.

      Ya..anyway, we'll know for sure in the next chapter. Actually, if Suwon and party arrives and save the day, won't it be a downer/disappointing that after Zeno looked cool because he's the 'shield' (though I'm not too sure how he is going to fight..I obviously have problems if his skill is only as a human shield), as if he is going to do something..but actually, he didn't? ^^; So, his purpose will be human shield and history teacher?

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    18. I agree with you and you know that i don't want to see suwon save the day but in the legend YD is the one who has a strong body and this is it .So yeah he is just a human shield is it lame yes it is because this is a fantasy manga and sometimes you wonder where is the fantasy element in all of this ??? maybe he will release some kind of shock wave that will send all the soldiers flying i know this is very DBZ like but what else ? maybe if hak is the sword and now that the shield has awaken he will too ? and he will get some powerup and kick all of their asses because zero looked really confident in the last page so i'm hoping for more than just look cool but actually be cool .

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    19. A Goku or Vegeta powerup? We can only dream. Well, maybe if something really dire happens to Yona everybody will power up. That's how it usually is right. Seeing someone you care about in grave danger causes the fighter's skills to power up.

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    20. I would rather have them have a super saiyan power up than have suwon come in to save the day but no matter i really think he will show up next chapter and that's already making me mad

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    21. True..sofia. Hehe, when you mentioned Haku and Zeno being human shield type, I suddenly imagined Haku carrying Zeno around and thrust him to the soldiers to make them go off guard..will work if the soldiers cannot kill a chibi-type guy, then slash them. ^^;

      Indeed, Taylor_E, usually..though is that also true for shoujo..or at least for this series. When they saw Zeno killed, they seem to be ah..stunned and not doing any sort of power up or anything like going berserk. Again, probably for the chapter to end up how it is.. Though maybe like what sofia and you has been mentioning about Zeno observing and somewhat keeping distance..that is why that is their only reaction to him? ^^;

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    22. Lol that would be very funny if from now on whenever yona is in danger hak or one of the dragons just grab zeno and threw him in front of her to shield her ^^

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    23. lol You guys are making laugh by the thought of Zeno being thrown around. lol Poor guy. It would have been nice if he had spent all those years learning some fighting skills. lol

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  3. Also kat you said they needed someone with brains in strategy they already have that in GD and hak yun is also smart the problem is that they tend to follow yona's order and yona is impulsive and reckless and the other problem is that there is no cohesion everybody does what he wants and that's fine but in such a situation it may cause someone's death for example yona YD and yun should've kept away from this battle because at the end of the day they are a burden so are the dragons in their current state but they are still more useful .

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    1. Ya, so I guess they should start telling her some other good ideas in battle rather than the usual charge, and fight.

      True, more useful but then, in the end, still kind of useless since they only manage to delay them a bit. Okay, that depends on the situation on what's happening in the town. A bit of delay is already something if it managed to get the villagers escape. If not,... it does seem futile.

      True, no need for onlookers unless they are planning to drag the dragons back by themselves. Of course, they cannot just hide themselves without knowing what's up with the dragons..curiosity? Cannot just standby when everyone is fighting and could die..also want to fight? So, actually, Yona could have helped a bit with her archery when they are kind of away..again depends on how good she is at it from that distance. Hehe, you mentioned that she couldn't. She didn't so...back to curiosity and being worried about them. With no backup plan what will happen afterwards.

      By the way, since they are most likely have to be restricted to fighting within the country, it has to be either defend the country from foreign enemies or get rid of the threat/s within the country. So do you think that after this, they'll just stay within Kouka?

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    2. Ya ,they should stop listening to her usual " we charge and then we will see" since guys like jeha and hak have more experience and are way more mature than she is ,it is something that always annoyed me how they listen to a girl who never left her home and knows nothing about the world .

      Ya they were more useful than yona but still useless .

      Ya but after all this time she should have faith in them and let them fight even if it hurt her to be powerless having faith and waiting is also a form of strength and what a leader should do but then again she is no leader material . I told you unless she is ishida or a quincy she can't and shouldn't .

      I think they won't leave again maybe in the future there will be another war where other tribes from kai attack kouka or another troublemaker like the one in the water tribe .

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    3. Indeed..and I guess it was okay before since they always win regardless of it being Yona's orders. With a handicap, it is really not wise.

      Yup..oh well, I guess it is for the story to reveal YD's 'powers'. Somehow it makes me think of VK, characters doing irrational things just for the plot to advance/drag but of course in VK, it can be very random and erratic.

      You think so, too, huh.

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    4. Yup and again if yona was leader material or had she learned from all what she went through she would know that isn't wise to always charge head on when you don't have the strength to protect yourself let alone protect others .

      Ya and we waited a lot for it and truth to be told i don't see them waiting another 50 chapters to reveal the sword i don't see AnY being like SB 200+ chapters because i noticed that things are becoming repetitive in terms of the story but for yona's feelings toward hak and her growth as well i really feel like the story is going nowhere so i don't see it being like 200 chapter

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    5. Sofia, SB is in very good hands. The thing about that mangaka is that the story has repeatedly shown that the mangaka planned her story carefully. I have great respect for her writing ability.

      I also feel like the story in AnY is going nowhere. I want it to go somewhere though. Right now there just doesn't seem to be any direction. I've wondered several times if it is good or bad for the mangaka not to reveal Suwon's intention for country. I feel like she's willfully keeping it back to the point where I really don't care what his plan is. However, at least it would make the story more interesting to actually learn where the story is headed.

      Also, how much longer are we going to have to wait to find out what Yona intends to do. She's already traveled and seen the suffering peoples of Kouka and aided them where necessary. What next? More wanderings?

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    6. Ya and you know what i like about SB is that it is the story of two people who are trying to overcome their weakness as well as their sufferings to achieve their professional career and find happiness .You can relate to the characters while in AnY you can't .

      I'm sorry but isn't suwon's goal pretty clear restore kouka's strength and take back what was stolen from his dad mean the throne and the lands .

      Ya that's the major issue she has no plan no goal nothing like i said travel and stop whenever there is troubles .

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    7. Yes, that's one of the reasons I love the story. We also basically know what the goals are for both characters but it's intriguing to see how they will achieve them.

      But isn't that just our speculation on our part? Meaning, there could be more to it?

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    8. Yup and it is always funny to read how they are reaching their goals .


      I don't think so those are facts shown by suwon's actions and words .

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    9. I agree, sofia.

      I see..though I tend not to underestimate the powers of a mangaka to drag a series to more chapters even if it seems to be repetitive/going nowhere as long as it is still popular. =P

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    10. Ya look at what kish did with naruto :)

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    11. But guys, think about it. If the story ends now, what was the point of the story? I still don't understand where this story is headed. It's like watching an episodic show on tv without any overarching story. The story just made 100 chapters and I am still not clear on what the story is really about. I wish a goal will appear somewhere sometime soon.

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    12. I know that Taylor_E and that's for me one of the main reason why AnY isn't as amazing as many of the fans seems to think .It has no goal and let's be real here it is chapter 100 if a clear goal wasn't established during the first chapters i doubt it will be done now . I mean if the priest said to yona gather the dragons ,see the world and understand the suffering of the people because it will grant the strength and wisedom that you will need to rule since the true king of the country is you ,something like that and if suwon was the villain things would've been so much better but sadly the author mind of AnY a mindless series .

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    13. Exactly, Sofia! That's exactly what I mean. What you described there sums it up perfectly. Even if the priest had said that and Yona was reluctant to live the prophecy at least we still would have had an idea of what the story is about.

      Okay, some may argue that the mangaka is creating suspense but imo, it doesn't work well for a story like this or so it seems to me anyway. I also think it's important to know what the primary conflict is especially after so many chapters.

      One of the things that I think isn't done well is the conflicts in the tribe. I don't know about you but I didn't care for the people in the tribes and their sufferings in a personal way. I think maybe it's because the arcs for the tribe didn't use a character from the tribe to help me feel a personal connection to their troubles. They also weren't interesting so I found reading them a bit mundane. The funny thing is I found the Kai people on both visits a tad bit more interesting. The fire tribe son was alright too but I still didn't find that arc interesting.

      Lili is sweet. I like her but even her I found a bit bland. If we have to read about new characters that are introduced during visits to villages, I wish they was more variety to make things interesting. Also, the villains are so uninteresting. The drug dealer from the water tribe was a joke. Interesting villains have the potential to make stories interesting especially when they aren't fools.

      By the way, I developed a hatred for Light after he killed the FBI agent but Lelouch I liked. :)

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    14. Yup ,that would've been cool at least to see her struggle against that prophecy but again it is really a shame because this manga is like a beautiful stone that if polished could become a breath taking diamond but it seems like it is a piece of mud compared to it's real potential .

      Of course what are you gonna do with suspense if you don't have a plot to begin with .

      I agree ,everything seems very random they come into a tribe there is some lame dude who is acting as a villain they make friends with random people they help them then when all is said and done those people like lili or tae-jun become yona's fans and they leave it is always the same pattern and compared to the horrible state of the country what yona is doing is like adding water to the ocean it does nothing except make random people feel better .I doubt people like lili or tae-jun will have any big role and they may appear again at the end so what's the point ? Yeah i also like their first visit to kai with that village full of women who longed for nice men ^^ and this one has this battle and the reveal about zeno so it is good .The water tribe arc was BORING except for the ending .

      I agree great villains always makes the story better but in AnY all villains we have seen are LAME .I couldn't care less about lili she left no impact on me she is like yona 2.0 so no for me .

      Never mind that i loved how crazy ruthless and smart he was ^^ by the way in manga i'm a great supporter of evil as long as they are well portrayed because some are ...facepalm

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    15. Hehe, Taylor_E, the point of the story if it ends here is for the pampered princess to become female robin hood and her merry gang of dragons + two going around the world and helping who needs help =P

      True..the villains seems to be 'jokes'. Well, even Tae-jun used to be a joke. ^^; Also, as a villain/antagonist-whatever, it seems that Suwon fails. I'm still thinking of a villain like him who did that kind of grave thing who can still act cute. Is the mangaka trying to make us like him? Those scenes make me think that he is a hypocrite or should I even take this guy seriously. Those parts when he start to act silly or maybe it is his way to lower other people's guard down. ^^; Oh well, maybe that is how the mangaka likes to portray her villains..somewhat of a 'joke' except for the older ones who look way too serious to be used as a 'joke'.

      I think it doesn't help that his motive is also in a way speculative. Since there are readers who think that it wasn't revealed, it is for the country, for his own reasons, etc..it shows that the motive is vague. His thoughts are unknown. Cannot relate.

      As for Light, I think after the first arc, things aren't too interesting anymore when he is against the brats, iirc.

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    16. Soo-won isn't supposed to be a genuine villain. If he was supposed to be, there wouldn't have been as much of an emphasis on his friendships with Hak and Yona. I think the mangaka is trying to make his character in a way that makes him redeemable. When Soo-won acts silly (which doesn't really happen much outside of when he was a kid), yes, that's probably him trying to get people to lower their guard. And it has nothing to do with Kusanagi Mizuho's portrayal of antagonists. While I haven't read NG Life yet, I did read her work Mugen Spiral and there were more villain-y type of characters in that one.

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    17. Sofia, Lili was almost Yona 2.0 except she seemed to come off as somewhat less friendly. Yona is more friendly. Anyway, isn't it funny how all the hostile countries seem so vague in this story? We are simply told that these countries exist to the point where the former king was giving up land to them as concession, but all of this is so nebulous because we know next to nothing else about the people of these countries and the true threat they pose. We can't understand their threat because we are only briefly told about it. I'm so disappointed about that because the story feels like it operates in a vacuum. This is another reason why I cannot call this story epic because epic to me is a story that is vast and sweeping with many diversified characters, places and a grand goal/pursuit.

      Kat, you made me giggle. You summed up the story up until now perfectly. Anyway, no matter what Soo-won does, I still don't like him. My first impression of him is just too strong. If it's any consolation, remember even villains act like normal human beings with their comrades. In real life I heard that some notorious serial killers were very friendly and nice people in the eyes of their neighbors, colleagues, etc. In fact, I hear people on the news say it all the time when they are interviewed about their neighbors who were arrested for committing some heinous and/or violent crimes. There is always people who saw a nicer side of them and never believed they were capable of it.

      You know, Soo-won could be a good king for all I care...it doesn't really matter to me. What matters to me is that he NEVER becomes a part of the lives of his childhood friends again. About the story itself, something needs to happen to introduce the major conflict. If I'm reading a shoujo high school love manga I wouldn't fuss about it because with those you expect the usual tropes to appear in the day to day lives of the heroine/couple. This shouldn't be the case with this type of story where I expected an adventurous tale and nothing is really happening.

      Asunder, you are probably right that he's not supposed to be a genuine villain but I don't think the emphasis on his childhood friendships really influences this a great deal. For instance, I think the flashbacks to his childhood could have been employed to highlight the difference between the innocence he once had as opposed to now. The flashbacks could also work to show just how deep the bond was between the friends and how it was wantonly cast aside for the furtherance of Soo-won's goals. They can also work to show why Yona and Hak were so deeply hurt by his betrayal. To me who Soo-won was doesn't excuse who he is now. The flashback could have also been shown to make the readers question why he changed into such a person.

      Also, Soo-won laughing and smiling with his allies in no way detract from who he was always shown to be even from the beginning of the story. For instance, he was still laughing and smiling with Hak, Yona and no doubt King II even while he was plotting the king's death. With Mundeok, he practically threatened him in one breath while smiling in the next. That is who this person is. Duplicitous. Now that he has shown himself capable of this sort of underhanded dealing, I don't know how anyone whom he has betrayed could ever trust him again. I'd say the Wind Tribe keeps this in the back of their minds and remain alert in their dealings with him.

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    18. Taylor_E, I guess that's why stories can often be interpreted in different ways. I don't really see it that way, but I suppose it is one way to think about it.

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    19. Ya lili is a tsundere you know i'm doing this not because i'm your friend okay but you know i'm your friend she has that kind of thinking .Good point i mean a lot of elements in this story are vague and that includes the main guy background will the author touch upon those matters and clear them up well let's just say that i don't wanna get my hopes up

      Yup it is so far from an epic story and that's sad .

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    20. Asunder, so, you think that there is no genuine villain in this story?

      I thought the emphasis is to show how awful it was to be betrayed by someone whom you were friends with..rather than Suwon can be redeemed. But then, that is possible with this series. Ya, probably it is that.

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    21. Is that so, Taylor_E..I also heard those stories..and even about terrorists..actually, even the mothers of such people..no, it's impossible, s/he is a good kid..etc.

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    22. Ya, sofia..and from how things are discussed and speculated..I'm starting to have a deja vu on how it turned out with Vampire Knight. ^^;

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    23. and that's a bad oh god that's a very bad sign double facepalm

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    24. Yes, I don't think there's a genuine villain. I don't think that's a bad thing.

      If Soo-won had no hope of being redeemed in some way, I don't think he would have been presented in the way that he was.

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    25. Also, I sincerely doubt Akatsuki no Yona will be like Vampire Knight.

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    26. I always heard bad things about Vampire Knight and I'm so glad I steered clear of that because reading manga takes valuable time and I would much rather spend it reading a solid and interesting manga.

      Asunder, there are manga out there that present their villains or antagonists as human and likable. That doesn't say that it always ends well for them.

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    27. I'm well aware of that. I've read some of them. But in most cases, they're redeemed in some manner even if they die at end.

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    28. Hehe, Taylor_E, true though usually, if the manga is ongoing, it is hard to know if it will be a 'train wreck' or not. ^^; There are series that started really well..then..sigh. There are those that didn't but turned out really well later on. Of course, it also depends on the reader what is a 'solid and interesting' manga ^^

      Well, VK isn't that at all bad for me..at least, I got some laughs from it..unintentionally, by poking fun of what the characters are doing that seems illogical. =P AnY isn't there yet..but still...I don't know, there are some similarities.

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  4. Thanks for the summary. At this point the Kai soldiers will either run away in fright or they'll go into even more of a frenzy. I loved Zeno's face at the end too. I think Yona didn't really run away because she was just running on auto a bit and her initial reaction in the fight would be to try and attack others rather than run away.

    Also as an aside, Immortal Rain is a pretty bloody shoujo. It was kind of gross at times too. It's good, though.

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    1. Thanks for reading, Asunder ^-^

      True. Yup, that face is quite nice..I hope there is more to it than that though. ^^;

      True..though if things go wrong, running on auto can be disastrous.

      Hehe, is that so. I haven't read that one.

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  5. You seems so happy with this chapter, Kat. as long as I'm here I never see you chat that much ^^

    Fufufu... So chapter 100 is really the time for Zeno to shine. Eventhough I like action, the amount of blood here quite disturbing. Fortunately there is no sever limb here. It's shojo after all.

    Nah, it make me curious. If Zeno is the shield that Ik-soo mention before or not? And if he is, then is his speciallity only in defence? If he really immortal, then do Suwon make him remember somebody from the past? King Hiryuu maybe? Still need more chapter to uncover it.

    About the poll, It's actually quite rare to see main girl popular in shoujo genre. Usually reader pick the guys over the main girl. Yona do a good job even there is huge gap between her poll and Hak's. And about the dragon, I like Jeha behavior more. He is ridiculously funny. Even in that kind of situation he still joking with Hak XD

    Thankyou Kat!

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    1. Hehe, is that so, sangataa ^^ Well, it's funny chatting about the series which seems to have a lot of 'loopholes' and I still feel like laughing over Zeno's way of fighting.

      True..and in a way, it seems unfair that the good guys are the ones who kept on getting injured..well, aside from non-important villains.

      Maybe though most likely, he is..I guess. Well, it seems to be only defense. ^^; I'm really hoping that if he is indeed that, then there is more to his defense than what he is doing now = human shield. ^^;; King Hiryuu..unlikely...isn't that suppose to be Yona's role. I would prefer if it was..he looks like Hiryuu's enemy/the descendant.

      Is that so..I'm thinking along that lines but don't know a lot of shoujo character polls to say that it is so. That means, that if the main girl tops it, she ought to be really awesome from their perspective that readers pick her rather than the guy.

      You're welcome ^-^

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  6. And we finally learn why Zeno never had the vision when meeting Yona. Thank you so much for the summary! It is such an interesting chapter. I'm sure Yona and the gang will make it, but I worry about the village.
    Maybe losing the village and having to run away would be a way to learn a valuable lesson: they can't save the country without having more influence. They cannot stop wars unless Yona had the power to do that. Then again, this being a shoujo manga, I imagine they will manage to save the village somehow.
    At first I thought that they could eventually save the country in a different way than Yona ruling it, but as the political situation complicates, I wonder if there's no escape to Yona ultimately assuming the throne.

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    1. Ya, and thanks for reading, Claudia ^-^

      Ya, most likely, they will. The village..well, might be razed and looted. The villagers..depends if they have already ran away and how far they were able to do so.

      That's a good point..it is like they cannot save everyone and they need influence/political power, etc to do it in a large scale. Maybe..or Suwon + army intervenes.

      Save the country? From whom? In this war, Kouka is the aggressor.

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  7. thanks for the summary Kat! ;)
    zeno is the shield but I'm still confuse if its part of his duty being one of the dragons, or the shield on Iksu's prophecy? but i knew he will protect Yona by being her shield bcoz on the 2nd episode of the anime, they gave some hint, Zeno appeared holding a SHIELD while yona is standing behind him. here's the picture if you want to see -- www.sorasan00.tumblr.com/post/104641991130

    >>>Na-chan

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    1. Thanks for reading, Na-chan ^-^

      Ah, so it was hinted in the anime. Actually, thinking about it now, from how he plans to protect Yona during the water tribe, that seems to be hinting that he plans to be a human shield. I actually in disbelief that is how literal 'a shield' role will be..that I don't know if I should laugh or what. ^^;

      Maybe in the next chapter/s, we'll know if it is that or the prophecy.

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