January 4, 2016

Free Talk: Akatsuki no Yona [Chapter 117]


Scanlation is already up at hisazuki’s tumblr.

My Comment:

At first, I was excited since Kija showed off his hand and the generals are all uptight. Then, it went down the drain because Suwon is totally cool about it and supposedly giving off an aura of ‘I’m not your enemy/I’m not the antagonist of the story so go look elsewhere’. Suwon gets points from the dragons for not being scared or laughing at them. Suwon said that he doesn’t need the power of the gods and it is all about the people to make the country strong blah..blah. Okay, so it makes me think that’s right so what’s the point of the story? He is basically saying that Yona and the dragons are useless/unnecessary in the grand scheme of things..and he is right. They are just going around the country and doing small scale things to help the people who just so happen to be in need of their help when they are passing through..most of the time.

Perhaps, Yona should just let the dragons get their final rest and stop passing over their powers to the next generation. Maybe that prophecy thing is a fluke =P Oh well, perhaps, it is still not the time for it..until some real villain appears? I don’t know why Suwon only figured it out now that Lili isn’t in the fort. I guess he thought Haku lied/kept it from him when they were ‘talking’ last night. It was obvious that Lili wasn’t there since even if Haku hates him and everything, if it is for a good cause, Haku will grudgingly help. So, overall, Haku is all alone..wait..count in the Wind Tribe as the only ones who dislike/hate Suwon. Ah..apparently Kija didn’t know that Suwon isn’t the princess’ enemy. ^^; From the looks of it, he never was. So for now, the mentality here is if someone doesn’t give off a bad feeling = good guy. I guess it can be some sort of charisma and no wonder the other generals have the same effect towards Suwon. Haku and the Wind tribe snapped out of it only after what Suwon did/tried to do to them.

So, it is Lili’s turn to be the hero/sacrificial lamb. Even if she is weak and everything, Lili shines here as she becomes the hero and Yona becomes the damsel in distress who has to be protected. Hopefully something positive/character development comes out of this from Lili. I don’t except much change from Yona if Lili is saved. <- she didn’t change much after Zeno’s ‘almost death’. Maybe if Lili dies? I think Lili will be saved by Jeha and Zeno. Even if they are many, Zeno can handle them. Also, she is ‘begging to be saved’ since they should have killed her right there yet they have to bring her with them to some execution grounds. Perhaps they thought she would make a good example for wannabe escapees. Hm..and the fort is almost complete and they are going to war against Kouka..yet they have to bring an escapee with them ^^; Oh well, it is already established that Sei people are stupid. Now, it would indeed be interesting if Lili dies/got killed though. The implication would be interesting like who is to blame, some angst = hopefully character development, how will Jungi react, etc. But the chance of that happening is almost nil. Anyway, perhaps something that should awaken within Yona will awaken..sword or shield [<- for those who don’t think it is Zeno]. Even if I mention that..I don’t have high expectations of it happening here. ^^;

50 comments:

  1. when suwon and kija talk, I really hope yona will come out and say " dont touch kija hand, lets go kija, dont talk with him cz he is nothing" my imagination

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    1. Hehe..nur but then, I doubt Yona will say that if she was there.

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  2. im hoping a awakening happens this the same thing that happened when found out about zeno! m hoping the red will rise its power for I think these people need guidance! though suwon have point that those mean his right. for one when they attack sei he did consider the causualties it will took those who arent involve also he formed them base on lies & death of the king. as for kija & shiah I think zeno & jeaah will give them a pet talk since they have little exprience in life unlike the two. im sure suwon will get a word from someone that he cant deny those wirds are & questioning himself. I dont like how yona is still pull down after all that has happen!

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    1. Hopefully because currently, Suwon is the one running the show and the one acknowledged by almost everyone including Yona as 'good for the country'.

      Pep talk about what? Don't be so trusting? ^^

      Hm..from the current characters/cast..seems unlikely.

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  3. I do not agree. The Dragons AND Yona Are Useful . it is the power of the gods that allowed Kouka from forming. The time of King Hiryuu , there was no civil war as there was later in the history of Kouka . Without the power of the gods, men lose the boundaries of good and evil. Kouka which is based on the power balance of men and gods.

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    1. Ah..you are talking about the past. What about the present?

      Currently, they don't even believe on the 'gods/dragons'. As Suwon mentioned, it is all up to the people now.

      Even if Yona and the others aren't around, I think Suwon can resolve the Kouka problems. They just made it easier and faster for him to do so.

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  4. Hello !! I have a theory about Yona and Suwon. Since the author said so, Yona is the reincarnation of Hiryuu but when Zeno saw Suwon for the first time, he looked very surprised so I think they are in fact both his reincarnation but Yona is the godly/dragon part of Hiryuu while Suwon is the king/human part of Hiryuu. So for the country of Kouka to prospere, both of them are needed.

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    1. To be frank, I would laugh if that theory was true. It would be so silly and ironic...since, you know, Soo-won doesn't believe in gods or in needing their aid to make Kouka better. How funny would it be IF he was indeed a god himself and the one who fixes Kouka?

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    2. tachiin, I also wondered if what they meant was Hiryuu splitting into two = Suwon and Yona. Though not sure what it implies. I get Suwon being the king/human part..but what about the god/dragon part except for the red hair, having the dragons and have a bad past?

      But, currently, I think Suwon can do it alone with his allies - for Kouka to prosper. The other one isn't really needed unless we have some new sudden strong intelligent villain. So, they have to team up and everything.

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    3. The thing is, Yona seems to embody everything we know of Hiryuu. I mean, she's supposed to be kind, caring, love her people/country, and unable to harm even those who have betrayed her. She draws people to her naturally as a leader. Of course, she has his red hair and the loyalty of the dragons. She seems to fit the description of what Hiryuu was like.

      As for Soo-won; sure he wants what's best for Kouka, has a strong presence, and is a leader himself...yet, he's manipulative and cunning with his tactics and words. He was also able to betray his friends. So, is that what Hiryuu was like? Doesn't really sound like it to me...unless there's a side of Hiryuu we haven't been told about yet.

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    4. Well, starlight, Suwon is 'king' and Yona isn't. Suwon is male. Lol What else. Hiryuu doesn't seem to be into fighting just stand there while the others do it..same with Suwon. Sometimes..Hiryuu looks like Suwon..but then, I don't know if it is the mangaka's tendency to draw similar looking people...that the boy from Sei was thought to be Haku's relative =P

      Dragons have a 'feel' for him and he's the only one aside from Yona.. I have a feeling that they cannot do anything against him so he might be part Hiryuu...well, he is cousins with Yona, right? Maybe it is the bloodline?

      Maybe that negative traits is from the 'human side'? Hiryuu presumably married a human, right? But then, we are talking about Hiryuu's personality/traits being 'split up'. Thinking about it...in reincarnation, usually, there should be only one, right? Can a soul split in half? Unless this series has a different take on it.^^;

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    5. "Maybe that negative traits is from the 'human side'?"

      I was just thinking that we haven't been shown that Hiryuu embodies this 'human side'. Unless the author is planning to reveal that in the future then I'm not sure I could see that as things currently stand. As for the dragons having a 'feel' for Soo-won, couldn't that be just because they don't really feel that he's completely evil? It's very different from how they feel towards Yona. With her, upon meeting her, their blood reacts and it's as if they start to lose control of their will to resist her. I'm not really surprised how they're reacting to Soo-won, actually. I think Soo-won kind of gives off that 'I'm not entirely evil' vibe to everyone when meeting him. Even Lili was a little thrown off guard upon meeting Soo-won even though she knew Yona was ousted from her position by him. It might just be the mangaka trying to sell this whole image of Soo-won not being a black and white character.

      As for his looks, I'm not sure I see what everyone else is seeing. They both have long hair...that's the only similarities. To me, they don't even look alike...so I think that's completely opinion. I actually think that boy from Seii looks way more like Hak does than Soo-won looks like Hiryuu...and, as far as we know, Hak and that boy aren't related at all. Eh, I don't know. I guess if it turns out that they are connected then I shouldn't be too surprised since I don't think the writing behind this story is all that convincing or great to begin with. There's holes all over the place, IMO.

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    6. Hehe, true..just guessing for the possible reason for it =P

      Now that you mention it, that's right..it is the same for almost everyone. I guess it is indeed some sort of 'angelic charisma'-type of thing.

      Ya..though there are times when he looked like Suwon..then seems like Yona..so I don't know if it is deliberate or not. ^^;

      Hehe, ya.

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    1. Um..I think he was surprised because we know that zeno said that he was watching the princess even when she was in the palace that is why he knows how suwon looks unlike the others when they met him they didn't know who he was but zeno knows the fact that he is suwon and was surprised to see him with the others...
      Um..that's what I think of course I could be mistaken about this..

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  6. I feel like sometimes even the author doesn't know who she/he wants good or bad, important or not important. It's almost like we are watching the creator's own thoughts unfold in Suwon's comments, like she is saying "what is the point of Yona again? Why did I take the story this direction?" Lol. Except just because Suwon looks gentle and seems to be so concerned about Lilla, it's contradictory- he's a ruthless, cold blooded murderer that the author has worked so hard to give a good side to. Why the great concern for the one princess when he doesn't mind killing the father of the other, when he doesn't mind threatening the life of Haku his childhood friend- his character is contradictory, like the writing is. I feel like the author is "flying by the seat of her pants" and has taken us all along for the ride

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    1. Hehe, is that so. Though I have to agree on those points.

      As for the concern for that other 'princess', I think that is to get Water tribe to owe him big time = secure their steadfast loyalty like what he did with Earth.

      Hm..train wreck?

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    2. I think the author made Suwon's character quite well, as there are reasons why he is both kind and cruel, and it gives him dimension. I like it when the antagonist has a reason for his actions, and is not only "evil". He weighs the importance of the country higher than his relationship with Yona & Hak, so he chooses to overthrow the the crown (though the part of revenge for his father may be a part of that, I hope the author goes deeper into detail here later). Suwon chooses to be a leader where he must make difficult decisions. His closest friends are an "obstacle" that stand in the way of his goal to reform the country. In his heart, Suwon doesn't want to kill Hak & Yona, that is why he was shocked that they died (I think he wanted them to live quietly somewhere in the country) and he avoids battle confrontations with them too. I think he is cuthroat as a leader to acheive his goals, but each action has a reason to it. Though good intention does not always justify actions (which may be ethically wrong).

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    3. I agree on that but it can be a bit of a problem if he is 'too good than evil' and is doing a lot of 'good things' that even the lead character thinks that he is a 'good king' for the country. They seemingly also have the same goals so basically, he isn't exactly an antagonist. ^^;

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  7. I think that Yona and the dragons are needed but I'm getting a little bit confused with the current situation of the manga. We constantly read about Suwoon saying that he would make of Kouka a great Nation bla bla bla... and it seems like he is what Kouka needs but that's not true, is Yona who is needed. I mean she is the main character but until now he haven't seen much of her objective and what will be her role in the story for the good of her country.
    So I hope something big comes in the next issue :) still I enjoy the chapter and I wonder what will happen to Lily

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    1. Hm..in what way?

      True. Currently, Yona is still traveling around and helping those who need help with no definite goal..that is unless Suwon is going to do something bad, she is going to stop him..but currently, he isn't..so, what then?

      Hopefully...

      I think she will most likely be saved. The question would be who get to save her and who gets the credit for it.

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    2. I believe that Yona and Co had yet to be of use. I think the event that shall show the importance/use of Yona and Co is connected to the three countries that practically 'sandwich' Kouka. I can't really remove it on my mind that Kouka is practically 'sandwiched' by two kingdom on the south and the east respectively and one empire on the north (or is it on the west)(I'm not sure if its an empire but it is too much wider to be considered a kingdom).there is a possibility that these countries,while may not be allied to one another,will invade Kouka consecutively. No matter how strong Kouka becomes they can't protect a kingdom that is attacked from three different direction by three different countries. (I don't want to imagine a simultaneous invasion since it would definitely a very difficult situation for Kouka, even with the four dragon warrior's help.)

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    3. ArcanaLoveAnime, if the conflict scenario involves either one or three of the neighboring countries invasion/war, yes, Yona and co has a use. But are they important to turn the tide or something like that?

      In a way, given what we had seen in the first two neighboring countries, they are of no challenge at all to Suwon's intelligence/strategies/schemes, etc. If all three simultaneously attack, I think he can think of a plan to deflect the invasion and even conquer all three countries.

      Of course, it will be much easier if Yona and the dragons help. I think he can put the dragons to much better use than Yona. ^^;

      So, unless, there is an antagonist that Suwon and Gens cannot handle but Yona and Co only can..I guess that is the time that I can really say that they are important to the story.

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  8. What I don't get is how everyone is following Soo-won around and accepting his words of a greater nation when none of them know what his end goals/intentions are. Is Soo-won the only character allowed to use a brain or what? Heck, even Yona(of all people) seems to trust him because, without knowing the truth behind her father's death OR what Soo-won's goals are, Yona already thinks he should be forgiven because he's automatically assumed to be "good for Kouka". If you don't know his end goals, how do you know that he's good for Kouka??? It makes no sense to me. Shouldn't she be questioning what he's up to? And all the generals follow Soo-won around without questioning him either. I mean, do they even know who Kye Sook is or where he came from? Why are they all blindly following that guy around without even questioning who he is? Did I miss a chunk of the story or something?

    I also agree that Yona's role, as it currently is, feels quite pointless. If Soo-won is already a good king, what need is there for her or the dragons? If there's some kind of a big twist to Soo-won's role or his character, maybe Yona will mean something eventually, but, if the story continues in this fashion(which, 115 chapters later, there's really nothing indicating anything will change), it would be such a waste.

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    1. Well, they are 'seeing' what Suwon is doing like fending off the enemies and taking what's rightful theirs = not to be bullied around like in Iru's time = good for the country. He is also 'concerned' for the tribes except for Wind.

      Yup, Yona seems to believe that the means justifies the end. Hm..because Suwon is doing what is the opposite things of what her father did which most people think is bad? Pacifism instead of fighting back.

      They don't question because they are 'charmed' by Suwon =P The dragons are weak against it too.

      Lol, I momentarily thought..who Kye Sook is. ^^;; Well, he is under Suwon who is oozing with charisma so..ya, blindly follow just because Suwon said he is one of his. =P

      True. But for 2 dragons to have a positive impression of him based on their 'feel', I'm not sure if there will be some big twist with Suwon. So, I'm already thinking that they will be needed for someone else/other villain if things won't change that much.

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    2. Even if Soo-won is doing the opposite of what Il did, how do you know who's right when you have no idea what happened and why things turned out the way it did? It's not like it's a known fact that Il was some evil tyrant who was cruel to his people. Before you can judge anything, shouldn't you find out what really happened? Not only that but while Soo-won is "showing" he's doing good, he has also "shown" he isn't to be trusted. Yona, of all people should know this. That's why I don't understand how Yona can just lean one way. It would be more believable if we actually see her struggle with the trust issue instead of just jumping back onto the ship of the man who killed her father and almost killed her when she doesn't even understand the exact nature of where he's trying to lead Kouka. All we saw from her was anger for being betrayed...but still, she doesn't seem to have any issues with trusting someone who could so easily betray a 10+ year friendship. To me, that's not realistic. I think it's more logical for her to want to know the truth, decide how to judge Soo-won based of what she discovers, and then make decisions on what her next steps should be.

      As for the generals, they can't think beyond what's currently playing in front of them. What you see is sometimes not reality. What they're seeing in front of them could just be steps that may lead to a completely different motive. That's common sense. So, as leaders who are responsible for the safety of other human lives, I imagine that they would want to know what Soo-won's end goals are. You would want to be proactive and think about after-affects and future consequences for your people. Yet, none of them are doing that. I mean, take a look at Geun-Tae. I'm sure he's aware of how difficult Soo-won is to read and how good he is at hiding his intentions. After all, Soo-won tricked him with the war game. Obviously, it was to benefit the Earth Tribe that time...still, it doesn't change the fact that the guy is tricky and since they don't know what his intentions are, you would want to be a little more cautious. None of these characters can connect the dots...and that's what I mean by not having a brain. It's not that I think they should rebel against Soo-won but it would be far more realistic if they would at least question him and not simply follow him around blindly the way they are. They don't even act like proper leaders.

      And if there's no twist to Soo-won's character or his intentions then, to me, Yona and the dragons would be pretty pointless. Soo-won seems to be doing perfectly fine on his own. He was right to throw Hak and Yona to the side of the road then. Is that the message the author wants to send? That's it's perfectly okay to betray and throw away a couple individuals/friends when you're so smart you can do everything yourself? Sounds like a pretty negative message.

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    3. It almost seems like because the mangaka is trying to keep Soo-won a mysterious figure and not reveal anything about him, she makes everyone else blind and dumb by not having them question anything or motives except for what they're seeing right in front of him. It's kind of frustrating.

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    4. I'd say you're forgetting these people's mentality. In these times and place, what King was about to do, was his own case and nobody would dare demand answers from him - just as nobody asked Il what the hell he was doing when his people were suffering. It's only natural that they don't interrogate Soo-Won, who so far at least turned out a good ruler.

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    5. starlight, I think for the people of Kouka, they don't care if it's right or how things turned out that way. Most of them would only likely care about how the new king is going to improve their lives. If not..wait for the next one. The only tribe that he doesn't fully have a hold on is Wind.

      True but so far, that isn't happening. Or rather, Yona might say that she did think about it behind the scenes =P I think for her and the others, Kouka is not 'bullied by the other countries which causes them problems' is good enough for Suwon to be called a good king.

      True..but based on her talk with Lili, I think she is still in denial ^^;

      Yup..so far, it is only Wind that is mildly doing that. I would assume that most would believe that Suwon's end goals is to make the country prosperous and stop their neighbors from attempting to attack them again. Even if they went to war, the aftermath is really advantageous for them so no one from Kouka will complain.

      Yes..and well, it is good for the country so a few sacrifices like betrayed friends and one dead king is okay.

      Speaking of not knowing, we don't know Haku's origin/family background either. I think when mangaka-s/authors do that, those stuff and also the 'what really happened' will be revealed, if ever, at the end. Those are usually 'baits' to keep the readers keep on reading since they want to know about it.

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    6. @ Komentatorka
      Nobody would dare demand answers from the king? A king is a king, true...but these people are also generals/chiefs. The king ultimately has the final say on what goes on but that doesn't mean that they can't talk amongst themselves or even wonder to themselves what he's up to. Did you not see Hak deny Il when he initially asked him to be Yona's bodyguard? Did you not see Soo-Jin rebel? These are generals, rulers of their own tribes, who have control over each of their own armies. Sometimes they don't even get along with one another. Obviously, they have a say and are allowed to express their opinions too, which is why Soo-won has to go out and win their trust in the first place instead of just acting like a tyrant and dictating everyone. All that aside, you're completely missing my point. I even said I wasn't expecting them to rebel against him, simply that it'd be more realistic for us to see them use their heads and think like proper leaders would instead of acting like brainless puppets and machines that only do what they're told to do. They don't have to demand answers from Soo-won but, surely, they can be portrayed wondering to themselves or even questioning each other what it is that he's up to. Do we see any of that? Nope. As for Il and the way he ruled, I wonder the same exact thing. Why didn't anyone bring up the state of the country to him? Why didn't Soo-won share his concerns with the king? Did he do that? Was Il even aware of the state of his country? Heck, why the hell didn't Geun-tae do anything about the issues within his own tribe? Why was he just sitting around his home half naked most of the time like a lazy bum instead of taking care of his people? This story is truly a mess all over the place and I don't see how it's any one person's fault that the country fell apart. EVERYONE sat around doing nothing. Soo-won knew it from early on but it seemed he wanted to use it to his advantage in his revenge. He spent years plotting instead of actually taking action to help his country. Even if Il didn't like weapons or allow his generals to declare open war against another nation, there were other things everyone(small leaders, tribal chiefs/genearls, king) could have been doing to help the nation: fixing the economy, proper trade talks, fixing the education system, etc, etc.

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    7. @Kat
      Oh, I know the people living in the villages and cities are not concerned with royalty or their family squabbles. I wasn't referring to them. I was just talking about Yona who is directly connected to the person who was murdered. The fact that she doesn't seem to care to know the truth baffles me. Isn't it human nature to want to know when you're that closely connected to that person? I don't know if it's just bad writing and people are supposed to just ASSUME that Yona cares about the truth even when she's not shown to be thinking about it but it gives me the impression that it doesn't matter to her. Think about it, she's shown to be thinking about Soo-won/his hairpin...which is why we know she still cares about him. Similarly, she's SHOWN to want to understand Soo-won. That's how we know she cares. The fact that she doesn't also show desire towards wanting to understand her father or Hak makes me logically conclude that she doesn't care for either of them to the extent she cares about Soo-won. Similarly, I can only conclude that she doesn't care about the truth to her father's murder when she's not shown to wonder or even think about it.

      And, like I said, it's like there's some kind of a mental block on all these characters and none of them are allowed to think beyond what's currently happening. None of them are allowed to connect the dots, wonder about intentions, or know anything about Soo-won. If they wondered, the mangaka would probably have to reveal things since it doesn't seem like she wants to portray Soo-won as someone who would directly lie to get people to trust him. So, the solution to making Soo-won smart, mysterious, and to keep the story in the dark is just to have everyone else around Soo-won remain uncurious, completely trusting, and stupid.

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    8. Geun-Tae seemed to wonder a little about Soo-Won, but I don't think he really cares. I don't think Jun-Gi cares all that much either. Tae-Woo doesn't seem all that concerned as long as Soo-Won protects the country. Ju-Doh knows already, I think. Kyo-Ga doesn't have as much to be suspicious about because he became general later on in the story.

      Yona thinks Soo-Won is trying to protect Kouka because that’s what he appears to be doing. To achieve a goal, people have to do things to support and lead to that goal. If Soo-Won is protecting Kouka to achieve his goal, then the goal probably isn’t to harm Kouka.

      Yona does question what Soo-Won is up to when she talks to Lili. She wonders what he’s thinking, what he wants to achieve, and what she’ll do about it when she finds out.

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    9. I agree. The only thing I can think of that is, Yona tends to believe what others say. Suwon says that it is like this and that. Okay..it is like that for Yona. People say that Iru is 'bad king' this and that..okay so he is a bad king. And, as you mentioned above, didn't even realize that no one else is really doing anything either = it wasn't all Iru's fault that Kouka is in that state.

      Interestingly, yes, she has a lot of 'why' and want to understand about Suwon but not with her father or Haku. Haku and the Wind tribe did supported Iru.

      True..maybe part of the reason is to make Suwon likeable or something?

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    10. I personnally get the impression that for now, Yona's choosing to just "wait and see" what Soo-Won does. She wasnt expecting that he would kill her father and she wasn't expecting to get chased out of the palace and treated like a criminal.

      The other generals, well, they've already pretty much explained their positions.
      The earth tribe is happy as long as their leader is strong. The water tribe just kinda goes with the flow and follows whoever they think might bring them the most benefits. The fire tribe's trust was earned by the way the former general's treason was handled. Plus, the only tribe that knows that Soo-Won killed the former king is the wind tribe. As for them, Mun-Deok has known Soo-Won since he was just a kid, so mostly hope?

      What still has me puzzled is atually the events that happened before Soo-Won's betrayal. You know that Yona's mother was killed when she was a child, we know that king Il could be brave when necessary, you know that Soo-Won's dad (who should have been king) was passed over for his brother and you know that the pacifist king who hated weapons supposedly killed his own brother. What I'm wondering is, could there be some connection between those events and Yona's future role in the story?

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    11. Yup, Random Person. Her future/goal/etc depends on what Suwon does.

      True. You forgot Sky who also knows and is part of it. Hm..still how come Earth and Water never thought that Suwon killed the king? Unless, they actually believe what was told to them and that is Haku did it.. Which isn't exactly surprising either. ^^;

      Hm..probably nothing. It might just be a set-up as reasons for Suwon's betrayal. Might be a good twist at the end like, it turns out that.. I think that the prophecy wasn't even tackled yet..well, the sword and shield part..what more about the past of dead people.


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  9. Here's my two cents... I actually like the development. I think from the very beginning, the story wasn't just about Suwon being the antagonist... true it looked like that at first, but as the story progressed, to me it felt more like two parallel and somewhat separate stories. One is about kouka Kingdom, where Suwon is the savior, and the second is about Yona and about her finding the meaning of her existence. Sure, it looks like for now she and the dragons don't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but I feel like the story is slowly going towards that... the meaning of King Hiryu's existence, and the dragons' too. I kind of feel like the goal is to establish that the dragon blood in not necessary, and eventually Yona will find a way to break the cycle, and this may be the last generation of dragons after all. It may sound disappointing to some, but I think it's perfectly fine. To survive, what a country needs is its people after all, and the strength of the people. I have always thought that the way first generation dragons handled everything was not right. They always took the fighting upon themselves to spare the lives of the citizens, but that's not what makes a country strong so to speak.

    But regardless, I'm sure there will be a big fight at the end, and Yona & Co. will be of huge help to Suwon in protecting the country. And with that, the dragon blood will most likely stop working or something to that end. No more resurrection of Kinh Hiryu in the future... Yona+Hak= happy ending, and Suwon+someone else (may be Lili) = happy ending... or well, may be Suwon will die... and Yona will name some other random dude successor to the throne... I seriously doubt Yona will take up the throne herself, whether or not Suwon is alive or dead.

    Ugh... too long a post, but I guess what I wanted to say was, this chapter was a good one imho. But I can kind of see why you didn't like it much... I guess we just have different expectation out of this manga is all. But anyway, thanks for your comment, I always look forward to your comments on this manga... gives me a different perspective on the same story... it's interesting.

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    1. Is that so, Maliha but isn't that a bit contradictory? 'know the meaning of King Hiryuu' existence' then 'break the cycle'. Wouldn't that mean find out that there's no meaning for the dragons to continue existing so she must break the cycle? It would be good if it will lead to that but so far, Yona doesn't seem to be doing anything related to that. Rather, 'intruding' on what Suwon is doing as 'Kouka's savior'.

      I would agree if after this, she would quit going around the country and helping people but rather, focus on helping her dragons become normal people..and well, for Zeno, his 'freedom'.

      How about naming Haku to become the successor? =P True, probably a big fight with both groups cooperating...the question is against who? It would be interesting if it is the dragon god who got fed up with the unbelieving humans. So far, based on the two countries we have seen, Suwon can handle them with his generals.

      Well, based on the title and how it was at the start, I would expect that Yona is going to do something big for the country but currently, it doesn't seem to be like that. Probably just fulfill the prophecy and that's it. So, at most, I can expect Yona to 'free' them from their dragon powers, help Suwon rule the country from behind with her group, and then, settle down..that's it.

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    2. "Here's my two cents... I actually like the development. I think from the very beginning, the story wasn't just about Suwon being the antagonist... true it looked like that at first, but as the story progressed, to me it felt more like two parallel and somewhat separate stories. One is about kouka Kingdom, where Suwon is the savior, and the second is about Yona and about her finding the meaning of her existence. Sure, it looks like for now she and the dragons don't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but I feel like the story is slowly going towards that... the meaning of King Hiryu's existence, and the dragons' too. I kind of feel like the goal is to establish that the dragon blood in not necessary, and eventually Yona will find a way to break the cycle, and this may be the last generation of dragons after all. It may sound disappointing to some, but I think it's perfectly fine. To survive, what a country needs is its people after all, and the strength of the people. "

      I think I'm disappointed because I don't really agree with the idea that it looked like Soo-won was the antagonist from the start. I actually see it as the opposite. As early as ch2, Il was portrayed to be the guy who(for no real important reason stabbed his brother to death) and Soo-won was the innocent victim who was simply looking to avenge his father. Almost from the start, Il was the bad king who(once again, for no real important reason did nothing to help his people) and Soo-won was portrayed to be Kouka's savior, the guy who would come in and "fix" everything. That was the message from the beginning after just a couple chapters. So, to me, this story really has no strong development, no twists, no surprises, etc. For the next 115 chapters, the story has been going on and on about Soo-wong fixing things that Il(for no other reason than not liking weapons failed to do). In fact, we're at a point now where everyone(all the characters, that is) has practically forgotten that anything that happened at the beginning even occurred. None of it is ever mentioned again or even at the back of anyone's mind. It seems to have no true connection, effect, meaning to the rest of the story. Yes, Hak and Yona are angry about being betrayed but, ultimately, that anger doesn't even matter anyway because we're supposed to only care about Kouka. I was hoping we would eventually get an ending where everything was resolved and and tied together so that I could better understand each of the characters and their motives...but with how things are going, it's not looking like any of that even matters now so, yes, I'm extremely disappointed. Also, I think that all actions should have some kind of a consequence and that I'd like to see the main protagonist have a little redemption for what happened instead of being 'in the wrong' for everything that happened. After all, I do strongly believe that, in some ways, Hak and Yona were taken advantage of and wrongly victimized. True that they were naive to the situation of their country but being naive isn't a crime and that particular issue could have been peacefully resolved if only Soo-won had done things differently. As far as we know, he never even confided in Hak(who was one of his closest friends) about the going-ons of the country. I do not view Soo-won as someone who's blameless in all of this and the savior who's sole/pure intention all along was to save his country.

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  10. okay from all the post and my own opinion i have no fuding clue where this story is going. It is exciting and interesting but as a clear direction nah i dont have one. i watch naruto for years and i knew his objective is save sasuke and become hokage. But in this manga the author has not really stated a goal for yona. I mean she wants to help the country her fathers wasnt able to help so she decide to travel and she been good doing that but thats not a goal. And i know one day she will return to kouka kingdom with the dragon sword because that was in chap 1 when it show the future with her hair back long but what is her goal idk. and i dont even think son won has a goal...he saids he doesnt need the throne but plotted for years since they were teens to take the throne. He said he interested in the power of the people and wants a strong kingdom but has lie and plotted to get where he is at. he is full of contradiction. And the generals isnt question cuz he king. geun-tae said he was ready to rebel against kingII however it took how many years..this pacifist been giving away ur territory for how long and u finally wanted to rage war...really...-.-these generals dont have common sense. When geun-tae finds out yona took down kim-ji what then...when general joon-gi figure out yona save his tribe and his daughter zillion times then what...where is the loyalty..do u trust previous heir or person who is ur king. shit is gonna be interesting. im mad they look down on kija! how dare u laugh at my baby! i want a bad ass battle! i want to see the four dragons go all out on sei army with yona leading them and them asking lily permission to kick ass cuz the threat against her. i want to see yona all bad ass with sword fighting soilders to get lily back. on and of course we need a dramatic sacrifice! the generals arrive to see yona fighting bravly against soilders but she is out number and trying to shield lily. and soilder from behind attacks her and before he can *boom* there jae-ha crushing the soilder to the ground. and then zeno will transform and then the rest of the gang come and they are battling it out while pple who laugh at my cute kija see the dragon power up close! and yona turns up the heat and there are flames cuz she postto be the red dragon.....yeah lol i have powerful imagination

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    1. Ya, flora121..perhaps, Yona is still in the process of looking for a goal..depending on if Suwon does bad things but currently, he isn't so..

      Returning to Kouka..I got the impression that she was still outside the palace and just so happen..had returned to the place where she first left the palace with Haku. ^^;;

      Hm..indeed so that seems to be a case of saying isn't exactly the same as doing.

      Geun-Tae did..? In a way, things seems not right. Geun-Tae seems unable to voice anything to Iru to the point of wanting to rebel and everything yet Haku is very close to Iru. Favoritism? If Iru doesn't care about the country and stubborn about his beliefs even if the country is going down...how come Haku and Wind still favors him as some 'good guy'? One of the mysteries...

      Hehe, they are of course loyal to the king who is seemingly concerned about them. Yona is just some wanderer Robin Hood-type without any power and influence to actually majorly change things. Why would they be loyal to her when she isn't even aspiring to be the leader of the country?

      Yona with sword fighting here is impossible unless she has super fast healing skills like Zeno because in this chapter, she couldn't even stand up.

      Lol..and Yona the red dragon roasted all of them..and fly back to the heavens with her dragons to live happily ever after. Haku will just be happy for her and live happily ever after with the Wind tribe..or clean up all the mess and the people made him king. The end. ^^

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  11. I get the point what Suwon said, but isn't the legend not completed yet? as Yoon said, when the 4 dragons meet, what next is sword and shield... i think? Maybe something big'll happen.

    Suwon never desire the thrones in the first place, he just want to vengeance his father and fulfill his dreamt for being a king. But, as a king he must doing his job and establised Kouka like the past.

    I do think Yona and dragons important. Maybe actually Suwon can do everything to solve problem in Kouka, from perspective as a king, but different with Yona and others, they see from people itself. Like in Awa, if it not by Yona, isn't the girls being saved? It's not Suwon late at that time?

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    1. Yup, Rahmi. That was a long, long time ago. From how things are going, I'm guesting that will happen after they go around the world..so one more country to go.

      I think that is what Suwon is doing..Kouka in the past like during their grandfather's reign.

      Yes, in that one, Suwon is late but it doesn't mean that he won't/can't solve it. The same goes with this arc. A lot of people were already kidnapped and forced to work at that fort...we don't know if there are already people had died before. It just so happen that most of the time, Suwon and Yona are 'working on' the same problem at almost the same time ^^;

      As for perspective, I would think that it is like that. Still, in the end, I think that Suwon can 'solve the problems' even without Yona and the others...as of now.

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  12. I think that Yona is different from Soo-won. The different way she reacted to his battle with Kai underlines that point. Yona cares for individuals no matter what nation they are from. Soo-won is willing to sacrifice any individual no matter how important or any number of individuals for "the good of the nation". Yes he is an effective king. But at some point Yona is going to have to intervene in some way. To make the moral symbolism of the story make sense, she's going to have to do something to change the status quo in which waging war is the only right way to rule. That was the premise that the author started with King Il. She's going to have to find a solution to this situation. She may not do that by ruling the country, though.

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    1. Yes, she does, evilteddybear10, but in that battle with Kai..there is no follow up. And, afterwards, she was talking with Lili about wanting to understand Suwon and what she'll do depends on what he'll do. So, that makes me think that so far, what Suwon is doing is 'right' because she isn't taking any action but continues to 'wait and see'.

      Speaking of that, I would think that she approves of sacrificing an individual because she seems to be okay that her father was killed 'supposedly' for the country's good. She seems to have totally forgotten about it being revenge as Suwon claimed so I would assume that is what she is thinking.

      So, it is going back to pacifism but with defense this time so that the other countries won't mess with them? That the only thing that I can think of as an improve of Iru and Suwon's reign but then, not sure how she is going to do it without ruling the country unless her ally is the ruler.

      Anyway, I got what you want to happen and it would be nice if it were so but for now, I'm not too convinced it will be so..unless the mangaka suddenly made Yona lean towards that and do something about it.

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    2. There is no follow up yet, but this has been a story with slow character development for the heroine since the beginning. She's still what, sixteen, seventeen? If the author is taking this in the direction of something greater than a short shoujo, Yona still has a lot to learn and a long way to go. After Kai, Yona expresses that she disagress with Soo-won's actions. She doesn't yet know what to do about that though. At this point the only way she has to oppose him - I don't think she has been pushed to that point, and I don't think she will be.

      I think pacifism and defense is the moral of the story. Pacifism is ideal, but is not practical for a king. That's why I believe Yona's "place" might be intervening to prevent war, but not ruling. History is shown that a king must be willing to go to war to protect his people or other countries will identify the country as weak, like with Li Harza. This is why I think Yona maybe cannot rule.

      This comes back to the legend of Hiryuu. Hiryuu claimed to love humans even when they betrayed him and seemed to feel trapped by the role of king. How will she do it? Not sure? But I think she couldn't do it WHILE being the ruler. Like "Anonymous" said she's more suited to a robin hood type character.

      Unless the mangaka just totally ignores the political and moral plot she's been setting up to this point and decides never to resolve those issues and to leave those loose ends.

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    3. * The only way she has to oppose him (Soo-won) is to kill him, I meant

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    4. I think she's 16. Well, the keyword is 'if'. Currently, I don't have high expectations for it but it would be great if it became like that.

      True, she mentioned that. Then, later on, she tells Lili about wanting to understand Suwon. I agree..she won't likely be pushed to oppose him or even kill him. Even if she does, she will most likely be lenient about it like there is a reason why Suwon did that and probably conclude, nevertheless, Suwon is a 'good' king for Kouka.

      For example, in invading Kai, it will help Earth tribe and basically, they originally owned those lands. It will stop Kai from bullying them after that major loss.

      Based on what's happening, most probably so, that is Yona's role which is in a way, helping out Suwon, right? Personally, I think Yona is a bit naive to become a ruler especially about politics and economy...makes one wonder if she has no education at all.

      The thing is, what is the purpose of the reincarnation. Hiryuu must have some unfinished business, right? Or, perhaps, it is about the prophecy that they are needed. Zeno definitely want a 'release' so perhaps, Yona will 'free' the dragons from their duty.

      For now, I would assume that those things are just used loosely when needed but not really a major part of the story.

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  13. I disagree as I think Yona and the others have an importantnce in the grand scheme of things. They are not just going around fixing things on small skirmishes (like the Pirates arc, where she helped fix a huge problem before Suwon even got there, going into Kai to find a crop that can grow in the Fire country). Yona currently has the power to help people instantly, without being restrained by regulations or politics. Whereas, Suwon is King, his actions represent Kouka so any confrontation (especially with another country) could lead to war. His actions are limited by politics and that is why he goes incognito most of the time I think. I think the overall picure are a result of actions of many "smaller scale" actions.

    Both Yona & Suwon have similar goals, they both wish for peace and prosperity for Kouka now. However, while Suwon's perspective is to protect Kouka - and the people as an extension of that- through battle and force. Yona is getting the perspective that she wants to protect all people from hardships (be it from Kai or Kouka - seen in the arc where Suwon battles Kai). I think both actions from Yona & Co. and Suwon are both important and large forces that are creating change in Kouka.

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    1. So, do you mean Yona and others will indeed be 'Robin Hood'-type throughout the series? Helping Suwon from behind? I'm not too convinced that it is of importance since I would still assume that Suwon can do all those..even if he is somewhat late, etc. After all, he is portrayed as the most intelligent character in the series who pretty much knows everything. And, he tends to micromanage. He also has charisma to make those people even those who hate him 'work' for him.

      About the crop, I would assume that Suwon can find them some ways of living like what he did with Earth, but since Yona already did that, thanks to her then he can move to other things.

      I would say that Yona and others are of help. Hm..thinking about it, if that is Yona and the others' contribution, shouldn't Suwon get them into some social welfare department of his government? Ah..isn't Suwon protecting the people from hardships by battling the people causing the hardships?

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    2. I mean the foreigners who are causing their hardships.

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