Creator: yona-of-the-dawn (via tumblr.com) Episode 11: The Dragon’s Claw Manga Chapters: 18 – 19 (pg 62) We’re well on our way to meeting the blue dragon! This episode was chock full of comedic moments, at the expense of Giya adjusting to camp-life. But him and Hak bicker like budding brothers and the full extent of the white dragon’s claw is showcased as bandits ambush the group. Even Yona takes a shot during the action, putting her archery training to use instead of listening to Hak and hiding, with Yun’s help. While Giya struggles with all these new confusing feelings coming about him, Yona is consistently caring and becomes more of an inspiration for him as he watches her train relentlessly, much to Hak’s disdain, realizing how much strife Yona has gone through in becoming stronger to protect her loved ones. Yeah, I don’t like strange bugs either, buddy. (His screams in the dub are so hilarious in this scene!) Episode 12: The Masked Dragon Manga Chapters: 19 (pg 63) – 21 Holy squirrel was this one intense! A little suspenseful and suspicious undertones with a heart-wrenching back-story to boot for the blue dragon. This show is beautifully intriguing, discovering how each dragon warrior’s upbringing is contrasted. Meeting the blue dragon after Giya, a dragon who was worshipped for his powerful hand to one completely shunned by his people deeming the eyes of a dragon to be a curse because it goes against their customs in a sense, I’m excited to see how they interact. I didn’t enjoy the VA chosen to voice (the blue dragon’s…father?) his performance felt very sloppy and loud for the most part but he’s a one-off character, I’m not going to nitpick much. (But fun fact: means blue in Japanese!) Yona, sweetie, your next lesson is to not accept a stranger’s hand, okay? Okay. Moving on, this was such a sad episode, watching this innocent boy be left to darkness just because his eyes were different than anyone else’s leading to ridiculous rumors, don’t let yourselves be bullied, kids. But despite that, he still yearned to protect his people, that might’ve been his dragon’s blood but it’s still honorable. Who knew such a simple trinket as a string of bells can have so much meaning? Whoever in the translation team decided to put this in, I love you. Episode 13: The Rippling Fear Manga Chapters: 22 – 23 This was a wonderful episode. Yona firmly holds her ground against Hak, refusing to stay behind and wait while going to search for the blue dragon in the dark caves. In meeting the blue dragon, I love how level-headed Yona is, she doesn’t force him to join their group, she leaves that decision completely up to him, as shaken and scared as he is. She’s always on the same ground as her dragon protectors, her first question to him is what his real name is, similar to Giya. When an earthquake separates them, Hak actually gets the weakening moment here, clawing at the rock wall, begging King Il not to take her from him just yet, if that’s not the most genuine confirmation of his feelings for her, I don’t know what would be. I’m not saying Yona is Fairy-Tail-Mira-Jane-She-Demon levels of fierce just because she’s learning archery, she admits she’s weak and doesn’t like that she feels she needs to reply on Hak all the time and I think there’s a strength to that. But while Yona feels she shouldn’t want to rely on Hak’s physical strength to get through their hardships, it’s evident in this episode that they both rely on each other for a different reason. They’re better together than apart, that’s a good staple of an OTP for me. The fact of Yona being the calmest person in the room during all of the panic and hostility the villagers have towards the blue dragon, immediately blaming him for the earthquake, shows so much of her father’s gentle nature in her, it’s a sweet subtlety that I really enjoy watching as she grows into a stronger person. She has a wonderful humility about her, again there isn’t an almighty dragon in front of her, all she feels is she’s with a kind, sorrowful boy who can’t see himself as something spectacular. This episode ends with a bit of a cliffhanger so there isn’t much to conclude, we’ll have to wait for Part 5. To Be Continued… ~As always, stay positive and visit your local library~ 48 total views, no views today
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