#yotd themes

[tinysnailtales]

Yona of the Dawn Chapter 15

Wavering Determination

After hearing the prophecy and determining a path forward, we are finally on our way to meeting the dragon warriors(!). We also get the start of this Yoon gag–love it.

There is an air of intensity and mystery around the village of our first dragon warrior, which "has secretly dedicated itself to protecting [the dragon] blood" and is "not aligned with any other tribe and [doesn't] accept outsiders." Right away we learn that the dragon warrior from this tribe will probably have intense faith in the myths and will be another character who has lived in isolation, cut off from the rest of the world. It also seems like this village, and perhaps all the dragon villages, are more dedicated to the figure of the Crimson Dragon King than the country of Kouka.

Each character is charmingly fixated on something different as they leave Ik-Soo with Hak thinking about potential threats (which is accompanied by a nice reminder of the world's geography), Yoon being excited about seeing the dragon village and the world, and Yona basically ignoring the others and declaring "I wonder if soldiers will attack us again. I...need to learn...how to use a sword!"

Thus this chapter is focused on the search for the legendary dragon village and Yona's desire to learn how to use weaponry (get physically stronger). This connects back to King Il and his ambitions of nonviolence, which Hak himself emphasizes when Yona asks him to teach her how to fight.

"King Il never allowed you to touch a weapon. By doing this, I'm defying his orders. Think carefully about...why your father hated weapons."

He also really emphasizes that in order to truly learn to fight effectively, Yona must be willing to kill her opponent. Despite Hak's harsh words of reality, Yona is firm in her dedication to getting stronger and learning to fight. At least for self-defense. Hak agrees to teach her how to use a bow for now. 

I appreciate Yona's desire to learn "even if [she's] no match for [their enemies] or can't kill them." Yona is not aiming to be the best, she just simply wants to get stronger and be able to survive (and help the group do so!) It's not the point, but I like how it waves at the value of learning a skill even if you'll never be the best at it.

Hak, and really Kusanagi's, insistence that Yona must be willing to kill is really fascinating to me. Is it true? Hak holding onto King Il's ideals more than Yona is interesting too–yes, he does not put them into practice, but he feels the burden of them when entrusted with King Il's daughter.

I think like with the gods vs. humans, Yona presents a possible path of balance when it comes to violence vs. nonviolence. And this ties into the idea of "does she need to kill to fight?" I think perhaps it's less about being willing to kill and more about having her own ideals. Learning to fight not only provides development in her physical (and mental) strength, but it is part of her journey of self-discovery and identity. Very good!

Yoon seems to support Hak's way of thinking too, which is not totally surprising considering his "kill or be killed" attitude as a poor orphan. 

"When you use weapons...you shouldn't be half-hearted about it. We're talking about life-or-death situations. Self-defense is great in theory...but if powerless people like us were thrown onto the battlefield, do you think we could afford to not kill our enemies? In order to survive...we need to be ruthless and try to kill them in one shot...or fight dirty. We...have no choice but to outsmart them." 

Though perhaps the idea that only someone as skilled/strong as Hak has the choice to hold back could function as foreshadowing for the options faced by a stronger, more developed Yona.

Speaking of Yona's development, Yoon's thoughts taken with Yona failing to take out a baby boar emphasize how the "you must be willing to kill" idea fits in with Yona's development. She reflects that "drawing your bow means taking a life or letting someone take yours," which I don't think is necessarily true, but she is learning she must be decisive and stand her ground.

Hak offers some praise, noting she almost got it, but Yona can only think: "injuring it seems crueler than killing it for food" to which Hak notes "You're not committing yourself to it." Yona has already shown her willingness to commit herself to her goals, specifically her desire to protect Hak, but that is now being reinforced. I also think Yoon pointing out how the physically "powerless" and weak need to "fight dirty" and "outsmart" their enemies could point to Yona being a strategist in the future. 

Hak and Yona's archery practice is also revealing regarding Yona's feelings about Soo-Won and Hak and Yona's relationship. Hak has seen Yona desperately cling to the hairpin from Soo-Won and detach herself from reality after his betrayal–he thinks Yona is still in love with Soo-Won and unable to let go of him and her feelings. This moment shows that Yona's feelings are more complicated than that.

She says "there isn't anyone I want to kill!" but when provoked by Hak bringing up Soo-Won, she just about hits him dead-on with an arrow. She may not want to kill Soo-Won, but she does feel some messier, angrier emotions about him. That and Hak bringing him up in such a way gets to her–he's poking at a sensitive and complicated topic and he knows it. There is anger at Soo-Won and Hak. 

And yet, though Yona does not want to kill anyone (which I think is interestingly being set up as perhaps something that will change), she declares she'll "still use any weapon to protect [Hak]! No matter who [she] has to sacrifice," which is very...intense. Maybe it is because Hak feels like all she has left, at least of her past life, but it is as if he has become the center of her life and aims. Part of Hak's dedication to Yona is his (romantic) love for her, but for Yona–at least for now–it's something else. 

Yona's declaration makes Hak reassert their difference in status (after allowing himself a little forehead smooch), stating again that Yona should "think of [him] like a tool" and "you don't need to worry about tools." For someone so confident in his abilities, he has pretty low self-esteem. He really views his life as expendable.

And like damn, this is a good chapter to dive into Hak's feelings for Yona and how they impact his behavior, starting with his regrettable man-handling and over-the-line teasing at the beginning. Something to ponder and maybe return to...

Through all of this, it's kind of awesome to watch Yona struggle and dedicate a lot of time and energy to getting better at archery to the point of waking up in the middle of the night to fire arrows. In another, lesser story, she might have shown a natural aptitude or picked it up right away. Having her build the skill over time, and not just in montage fashion, makes things more realistic and also further emphasizes her character and arc. I think it also endears us to her. 

[stardvstbby]

what a striking image. it’s foreboding, as if saying the end is near. but in a way it’s reassuring too? despite all the damage, Kouka castle still retains its form.

Hiryuu’s presence signified the birth of Kouka. what if Yona’s heralds its death?

just as Hiryuu’s presence began a new era for the lands Kouka now resides, Yona’s journey has spurred a death and subsequent rebirth of the country. she’s done away with the corruption of old to bring about a new period, with a focus on the happiness and longevity of the citizens.

[mimi-tada]

My thoughts/notes on yotd ch265! :D

There's not any analysis just my jumbled up thoughts on this chapter. Sorry.

-They're still in the chalice, this might be really dumb but doesn't this suggest that their power is limited, sure they brought yona to the heavens but only when she was in the chalice. They didn't even know where hiyruu was for like 2000 years so idk,especially how the warriors are going to get out.

-also it's still the dragon god who looks like jae ha who's with zeno, and the kija and shin ah look alike with yona I think. I don't know if the dragon gods are separate beings at this point or just an amalgamation

-also with how they address yona as the 'crimson dragon' and not her name just shows how out of touch they are because they don't even acknowledge that she's a human and I don't think they can even tell the difference between her and hiyruu.

-Idk how to properly articulate this but theres a theme of fate in the manga with the dragon warriors being blood bound to serve yona not out of there free will shown with how jae ha first reacted to yona. I feel like this chapter clears up this problem because even though they don't have the blood? I think? They still want to serve yona because of the relationships they built with her. Even the dragon god says that their feelings are because of their blood but they are still willing to protect her and their each other too. And how they were willing to fight a dragon god themselves, might show that they're going go against fate.

-Additionally I think I mentioned before about 264,that the dragons would face some kind of consequences for turning fully human like a version of the crimson dragon disease. While they didn't get the disease, they got seriously harmed(shin ah being blind now? And kija losing his arm) but that's not really a consequence for being fully human rather them just attacking the dragon god. So this has got me thinking, will they get more consequences when they turn human or when the dragon gods meant turning them human, they just mean to amputate their dragon limbs off???If that's what they're planning on doing, that's gonna be sooo cruel.

-But also if the dragon gods remove their blood from the warriors without that much of a fuss, can't the same be with hiryuu's descents since yona now is in heaven. So would that mean that the crimson dragon disease would be gone since its caused by the blood? So su won wouldn't be sick anymore. But I don't entirely trust the dragon gods to be true to their word.

-Also the sword and the shield message? I always thought that it was meant to symbolise a person as a sword and shield like su won and hak. But I think it literally means the objects because a few chapters earlier yona throws hiryuu's sword away when she doesn't want to fight zeno and then the recent volume's cover art is zeno holding it.

I wonder if it means that zeno will have significant role in taking down the dragon gods now that he has the 'sword'. I can't think of what the shield would be cus there aren't that any significant ones I can remember.

-Speaking of zeno, he really doesn't deserve all this and I get that the dragon gods are doing this to punish him for trying to attack yona but kija and shin ah literally tried to attack the dragon god and while the got seriously injured it's less bad compared to zeno's immortality. But even the dragon god didn't get angry at them and didn't treat it like a punishment, saying they can still live peacefully???? (Ignoring how the dragon god can think they can live peacefully without some of their limbs and yona) isn't weird the difference in how they treat someone trying to hurt them compared to someone trying to hurt yona? It makes me think that there was something different between the other dragon gods and hiyruu for them to treat her so different. Like I wonder what their dynamic is because it's obvious that hiyruu is centre in their relationship but it could be just 2000 yrs without him that is making them prioritise him more.

-I feel like the dragon gods literally can not do anything about zeno, because they can't kill him. I wonder if it has anything to do with the yellow dragon god not being present in the recent chapters. I kinda think that he's trapped inside of zeno or something along those lines.

-I just love how zeno is in this chapter, you can see his raw emotion in each panel. And you can tell he genuinely cares both the warriors when he's trying to make them stop attacking, he's more concerned with there safety now then his permanent immortality. And I feel like this speaks volumes.

And how he scolds the dragon god about yona not being a pet and to treat her like a human, he really doesn't care about the consequences anymore of speaking out ot a literal god and is only focused on the others' wellbeings way more than his.

-I really like how the development of the dragons was explored in this chapter tho. Jae ha for instance, his whole character is centered around the theme of freedom. But he's will to lose his leg and his life to protect yona and his brothers, it's such a big change from how he was in the beginning and really shows how he considers them a family.

-Also kija, he's to most interesting to me because he has had the most positive experience with being a dragon warrior compared to the others and has a strong faith in the dragon gods. And now he meets the dragon gods like this, I wonder how he's going to process this because on one hand he's mad at them because of what they have done to yona and the others warriors but then he has spent almost his entire life believing in them and essentially worshipping them.This has to hit hardest on him because I don't think he can get over years of faith just to find out they were evil, so it will be fun to explore later on.

Shin ah is so interesting here too, he's the first warrior to full on attack the dragon god to get yona back, I think this mirrors how he attacked su won too. Like he did it for yona, because she means so much to him. Like she gave him his name and made him able to be with hhb, I just really like their relationship. She basically means the world to him.

Also he was really calm after basically being blinded, I feel like that was more the reassure the others because zeno was definitely panicking. Tho I'm forgetting if the warriors are aware that zeno betrayed them, it would be interesting to see them react to that if they weren't.

This scene parallels the one where zeno talks about seeing abi's eyes one last time but here shin ah takes zeno's role. I feel like the warriors all parallel zeno some how in this chapter at one point, especially the last line when jae ha says he's was glad to appart of the dragons. I like to believe that because zeno has been an outsider for so long even with the og warriors so it's like someone finally gets him. And omg, its kinda repeating what has happened to zeno with the og warriors with yona gone/ hiyruu dead and shin ah going blind/abi wearing a blind fold :0 that's why zeno looked so traumatised,it getting rid of any hope he has, now that he know he can't get rid of his immortality.

-Imo the only people who can do something about the dragon gods is yona, zeno or su won with how the narrative is framed. Maybe that can act as the myth of the sword and the shield but I don't remember su won ever having a shield or maybe he's acting as the dragon king because 2 chapters ago he says 'this is my last duty as king' or something along those lines. And the myth makes it sound like the king and crimson dragon are 2 separate things so maybe there's some hope for him :D

Also what happened to yun??? I hope he gets do something significant too because it feels like all the chapters are focusing on the others but I don't even think he knows what has happened to them. So it'll be heartbreaking if he finds out.

Thanks for reading my brain dump! Ik it made no sense but yea (I'll grammar check this tomorrow so apologies)

[dearru]

❀ basic info

⤷ mak. she/her. twenty. asian. virgo sun. intj. loves hinata shoyo. not fun at parties. appreciates em dashes and oxford commas.

⤷ as of feb 8th 2025, i no longer reblog on this acc! find my recs for art, fics, and more on @dearru-rb

❀ byf

⤷ i don’t write nsfw/dc (don’t rq it), but im okay if you do. feel free to follow! also, please don’t copy me! if i inspire smth you write, tag me!!

⤷ maybe try reblogging if u fw my work enough to spam like…

⤷ minors are allowed to follow my page as i am sfw and don’t reblog nsfw! just don’t be weird pls otherwise i’ll softblock

⤷ i love love love interacting via asks/comments (this is always welcome), but as far as becoming mutuals goes, i’d rather that happen naturally! please don’t ask to be moots, if we interact often enough, me following you back is probably inevitable.

⤷ i love interacting in asks, but i would ask you to please kindly refrain from venting! im glad you see me as a safe space, but my mental health is admittedly very fragile and i cannot be an outlet for you :( thank you for understanding!

⤷ moots may ask for my discord! if ur 18+ u can also ask for my socials :)

⤷ i try to write gn!reader so everyone can enjoy, but sometimes i do have fem themes in my works. i will always tag if pronouns other than they/them are used!

⤷ im a busy college student. posting + interactions may be infrequent!!

❀ fandoms

⤷ haikyuu. jjk. mha. aot. frieren. naruto. yotd. obey me. mystic messenger. bllk. others.

❀ favs

⤷ hinata shoyo. tsukishima kei. kuroo tetsuro. akaashi keiji. miya atsumu. kakashi hatake. geto suguru. gojo satoru. fushiguro megumi. itadori yuuji. choso. iida tenya. todoroki shoto. beelzebub (om). mammon (om). zen (mysmes). saeran (mysmes). isagi yoichi. bachira meguru. kunigami rensuke. others.

❀ requests: CLOSED TO NON-MOOTS FOR NOW

⤷ i do take requests! (note: requests may take a while for me to complete since i write sporadically)

⤷ i will not take requests for: nsfw (suggestive stuff is okay), male!reader (i usually write gn!reader), pregnancy aus, parent aus, ocs, part 2s for written works, poly fics (i am not against them i just struggle to write for this type of relationship!), ship content (i write ship content at my own leisure, not by request), or eating disorders (characters or readers having them)

⤷ only accepting rqs for hq atm but feel free to send suggestions my way abt any of the fandoms i’ve listed above!

⤷ it’s within my right to delete a rq i feel uncomfortable with/unable to do

⤷ you can send in rqs about whoever you want, but i prefer to write certain characters over others. if you rq a character i prefer not to write about, it’ll prob take me a long time to do it, and it may not be to your liking. click HERE for a comprehensive list of my preferences.

⤷ try to be specificish w the content of ur requests by telling me to use a particular dialogue prompt, scenario, etc. it helps me feel more inspired! don’t be so specific that it limits my creativity tho haha. use ur best judgement.

⤷ if u rq something abt shoyo the chances that i write it increase by x7292619191617181 btw

back to pinned

[mintiicinnamonii]

HELLOOO LMK FANDOM!

I have finally gotten around to feeding you guys something other than my Macaque coloring ‘page’!

If you love Mei and Macaque’s dynamic, villain arcs, macaque’s student!aus and me killing fictional characters with angst, this is for you!

(+ a yotd themed playlist to listen to as you read!)

[m1ckeyb3rry]

YOTD>>>>>> yess the colors match so well with the new theme!! Love it sm

Stop because a lavender character would be so nice….or even periwinkle or lilac….ugh I’m also quite partial to hioris colors mainly because that shade of sky blue is literally just my fav LMAO I love the contrast of Nagi’s coloring and his aura color too!!

LMAO FR ok but true I know they only ever show him playing fps games but I always imagine him just playing all types of mobile games idc he fs plays subway surfers candy crush angry birds geometry dash etc

No literally…also it’s funny when you think about your characterizations because in my mind that’s not even fanon that’s just their canon personalities LMAOO I’m ngl I made like 0 progress HSVSJS started the first episode got sidetracked and didn’t return but I will continue today!! So far it’s just a bunch of Isagi talking and lowk not sure how to feel but maybe it’s just because I got too used to the sub LOL

LMAOOO if you ever write something for Barou I will 100% eat it up!! So true us having a whole convo with green flag Barou and the snow story and now his colors really has me on the Barou hype train LOL I’m putting in a vote for that idea from the second thoughts dump…OR if we just need him out in the miraverse him as one of the wingmen is also one of my fav ideas we’ve discussed LMAOO

Yeah the whole drooling thing is not my favorite LOL there’s no way Karasu wouldn’t make it but Aryu being above him in ranking is insane like HUH???

OOOOH IM EXCITED I wonder who it’s for hehe…also curious about the wc LMAOO

- Karasu anon

yona of the dawn on top!! i need a reboot that catches up with the manga sooo bad omg anime studios stop exclusively picking up shitty shounens GET YOTD BACK ON SCREEN 😩 truly one of the best animangas ever

RIGHT like let’s play with some purples…some more pinks perhaps…actually lowkey they could def do more greens too i think?? like more of a mint shade vs an emerald color…kaneshiro hire me to color your characters i’ll do such a good job omg

no because i know in my heart that he ACTUALLY plays the facebook mom games like he’s def on level 14,000 on candy crush and block blast and whatnot 😭

yeahhh the isagi monologue threw me off a bit but oh well we do what we must for new bllk crumbs 😭😩 and YAYY i’m glad you think that 🤩 omg no because barou…literal need 😰 HAHA i’m between barou and chigiri from that request!! because lowkey misadventures w chigiri would be rlly fun but also barou 🤤 we’ll see what the vibes are hehe

i have no idea how aryu is ranked so well considering he’s a defensive player…the only thing i can think of is aiku and lorenzo are making him look real good 😭😭😭😭 i think it’s crazy that ubers is the only team where the defensive players have high bids as well…maybe it’s because their ng11 player is a defensive player so they actually understand the value of a defensive system and bid accordingly whereas bm and pxg (those are the only teams w bllkers that are primarily defensive) are more offensive heavy so they’re only giving high bids to players that are scoring goals

i’ll keep it a secret so you’re surprised when it drops 🤭 but you will like it i’m pretty sure…it’s tiny though!! like actually less than 5k for once LMAOAOA i don’t usually go too crazy with requests i feel especially because most people think 3k is long for a request response 😭 i usually am between 4-6k for requests and then occasionally longer if the prompt or character REALLY sticks out to me (like fwtkac with karasu and the plot of seabird in general) so i hope people are satisfied by them 😩 i have two where the request is just for a character and not a prompt (one is karasu or zantetsu and i think we know who i’m picking…the other is kiyora!!) so those ones might end up longer just because i can do whatever i want with them LMAOAO

okay wait before i conclude this relatively short response and get back to writing…guess who got a gagamaru request 🤩 accumulating side characters right and left HAHA 😏 this is my new brand at this point…forget being a nagi lover my pinned should just say “side character enthusiast”

[neixins]

ok stupid yotd-themed ides of march joke locked and loaded. i’m gonna wash my hair and then write the id

[catbatquartet]

Okay okay, you've probably been asked this a LOT but what are some of your fave levels? I'm really partial to Cloud Spires, Haunted Towers, and Colossus...I guess high up places! lol

ooh those are very good choices!! cloud spires is one of my fav YOTD levels, and I have a lot of fond memories playing colossus. haunted towers is one of my all time favorite levels across the whole original trilogy!

here's some of my favorites by game:

Spyro 1: cliff town, alpine ridge, and all the dream weavers worlds

Spyro 2: mystic marsh, cloud temples, metropolis (bit of a winter tundra theme lol), and zephyr

Spyro 3: crystal islands, charmed ridge, cloud spires, and enchanted towers

also, my favorite speedways/flights are night flight, ocean speedway, mushroom speedway, and honey speedway! (I really love the music for honey speedway)

[fates-theysband]

in the midst of my character design woes with my oneshot s/i i continue to kind of awkwardly poke the smoldering campfire that is my spyro s/i design with a stick (picrew)

this is lonnie, an alchemist (and former protege of the sorceress; needless to say, after the events of year of the dragon they kind of adopt bianca as a little sister because Boy Howdy Can They Relate) living in the forgotten worlds. they’re not usually as grumpily flustered as the picture makes them look; they’re just a sleepy quirky wolf (or cat? or ambiguous-species furry mammal thing? unclear; whatever it is it’s implied to not be their true form) who is prone to going off on tangents about things like the alchemical uses of different things in the spyro universe or the effects of their latest batch of potions or how that guy in avalar that they occasionally trade supplies with STILL hasn’t answered their letter and they have a ton of extra charmed ridge jumping beans that are gonna go bad if they can’t unload them soon

they actually manage to evade capture by the sorceress during the events of yotd but in the process they get locked out of their home world by the fading magic until spyro rolls up with a king’s ransom of rescued dragon eggs. they’re technically one of the “rebels” since they have a cool home world level where they’d be playable in a hypothetical game (it’s a big ominous tower with little bat assistants and the whole thing would be themed after old monster movies) but unlike the other rebels, moneybags is conspicuously absent from the process of unlocking and playing through their world...until one of lonnie’s bat assistants says she caught an intruder but those pesky rhynocs made her lose the cell key. after fighting off the rhynocs, getting the key, and making their way to the sanctum dungeon, lonnie finds that the tables have tabled. they let moneybags go for free (but not before pretending they’re gonna charge him to let him out just to get on his nerves and give him a taste of his own medicine) and realize “oh no. ohhhhhhh no. the stupid capitalist bear that i hate is really kind of adorable when he’s not acting smug. nobody can ever know about this.” little did they know that around the same time moneybags was realizing “how could someone so uncultured and obnoxious be so charming at the same time!?”

and thus a rivalry where both parties know good and well that they’re just trying to cover up a crush (and that fact makes them even more annoyed) blossomed.

[tinysnailtales]

Yona of the Dawn Chapter 14

The Chosen Door

Welcome to Yoon's backstory and an elaboration on how he fits with Hak, Yona, and the story as a whole. Also an explanation for his overall behavior and rudeness towards Yona.

This chapter always trips me up. Whenever I do a reread and try to articulate my thoughts, it makes me pause. And not in a good way. I'm sorry, Yoon! I love you, truly I do! And I recognize that his backstory is important. It can just really emphasize the pitstop energy of this section. I love a good backstory, I love backstory woven into the story and how it adds context to or re-contextualizes the present, but a pattern has been set here. We saw this in earlier chapters with Hak and Yona too–the ball gets rolling, shit is happening and then: pause, backstory time.

THAT BEING SAID there is good stuff in here. And following Yona's decision to embrace her fate/utilize the path it offers her, we get Yoon embracing what is essentially framed as his fate. So once again: welcome to Yoon's backstory and an elaboration on how he fits with Hak, Yona, and the story as a whole.

Hak is an orphan but was raised by the General of the Wind Tribe and Yona the sheltered princess of Kouka. Hak is positioned below Yona, but he is still from a prestigious family. As a kid, he declared that he hates royalty and the nobility and all the selfish motives and sneaking around they do, but he ends up as Princess Yona's bodyguard and the leader of the Wind Tribe.

His tribe and status as a warrior means he has been exposed to more of the realities of life, but he has still spent most of his time, at least in the past three years, at the castle. Yoon echoes Hak's sentiments towards royalty and nobility, but his exposure to their behavior is different. Hak saw it up close, while Yoon faced its effects as a poor orphan child in the Fire Tribe. Furthermore, the harsh realities Yoon experienced as a child are things Yona only experiences after having to flee the castle.

Previously, Yona's dreams centered on Soo-Won, really only desiring his happiness and being by his side. She never sought anything beyond the palace. Hak likewise dreamed of Yona's happiness, wanting to spend his life dedicated to her and Soo-Won. Their dreams weren't very ambitious and were focused on individual people. Yoon is a different case.

"I want to get out of this town as soon as I can. I want to see the capital and foreign lands!"

He is used to a kill-or-be-killed mindset and the daily struggle of survival, yet he dreams big.

He has a kind heart but has only been exposed to hardship. That is, until he meets Ik-Soo, who responds to his rough behavior and violence with baffling, unaffected kindness (kind of like how Yona will react to his jabs 👀).

More than that, Ik-Soo teaches Yoon skills and brings him knowledge and all of this flips Yoon's world upside-down.

"I learned something from him...'Pay me back by teaching me more things.' That was so much fun. I wanted to keep talking to him. There were questions I wanted to ask him. I'm used to being alone. But ever since we met...I can't shake this lonely feeling."

Through Yoon's backstory, we learn more about the people of Kouka and how they suffer as well as what drives and comprises Yoon. He is in part a result of his circumstances.

He is kind but not always nice. He is sassy. He thirsts for knowledge and picks up skills easily. And he is extremely dedicated to the people he cares about. All of this was clear before this chapter, but Kusanagi loves a good elaboration in the form of a flashback. I think she is very good at establishing character without the flashbacks, but even if they can be frustrating in how they impact story momentum, they show up at appropriate times and are used effectively.

Living one's life for another is something Yona explores over and over again. Hak is our first example and then we get Yona dedicating her life to him in turn, wanting to protect him. And now we get Yoon, who decides to join Ik-Soo even though, as Ik-Soo says: "But...I can't travel much. I can't go to the capital. I-I don't even have any books..."

"So? That's fine! I don't have to go to the capital! I don't need any books! You can teach me. Besides... it's too dangerous to let you wander around on your own!"

It's the idea from Chapter 13 stated again.

"You really know everything, huh?" "Can't help it. I'm a genius. I automatically memorize everything I read. But there are so many books out there, and I've read so few. There are tons of books I've never even heard of. It's annoying. But...for now...this ratty old book is all I need."

Yoon will take one ratty book over all the books in the world to be with Ik-Soo. He has all this untapped potential but puts Ik-Soo first.

But it's not like he gets nothing out of being with Ik-Soo, Ik-Soo becomes his guardian and gives Yoon perhaps what he really needs–companionship and love. And now with Yona and Hak, Yoon is presented with the opportunity to experience both companionship and a chance at his dreams.

Ik-Soo telling Yoon that he should go with Yona and Hak, in addition to Yoon's reflections on the past, lead him to realize he's been somewhat unfair to Yona:

"I told that princess that she's ignorant about the world. But the truth is, while I have a lot of knowledge...I probably don't know the first thing about the real world."

Though on opposite ends of the spectrum, both Yoon and Yona have been isolated and sheltered. And like the reader, they need to learn more about Kouka and the world (and become our vessels to acquire that knowledge!)

And then again, Yoon overlaps with Hak and the idea of dedicating oneself to another, Yoon tells Ik-Soo "You might not realize this...but I'll always act on what you tell me. So if you...order me to go...I will." This is reminiscent of Mundok's farewell to Hak as well. There are lots of interesting plays on hierarchy and family dynamics and the blurring lines between serving and caring for someone.

Yoon's backstory also adds more to the exploration of religion within Yona. We've got Yona, who will accept the existence of the gods, going as far as using their power and not being against doing so, but embodies Ik-Soo's statement of "heaven can only show you the path. You must choose to walk it," perhaps working as a happy medium in the arena of gods vs. humans. Hak, meanwhile, thinks all this god stuff is a myth. He won't believe it until he sees it. Soo-Won, of course, rejects the gods in favor of the people and Ik-Soo "[trusts] what the gods tell [him]" and uses that information (or did previously use that information) to "help [people who need encouragement] rediscover the courage to live their lives."

Yoon, upon learning about Ik-Soo's occupation, reflects "'But God...doesn't exist.' God isn't real. But...[Ik-Soo] doesn't seem like a liar." He's again more in the Hak camp, but seems to recognize that at the very least, the existence of god functions as a truth in Ik-Soo's eyes. There's also something to be said for how Yoon's life thus far has factored into his lack of belief in a god. And even if he doesn't believe in a god, he believes in Ik-Soo (which overlaps with the Soo-Won religion camp a bit).

Yoon meeting Ik-Soo spotlights priests specifically as well and expands on the exploration of humankind. Ik-Soo traveled and tried to help people, but people were selfish and stole from him. As he tells Yoon, "when I had that gold, it brought out something ugly in the people around me." That, the persecution of priests, and his inability to help everyone he wanted to pushed Ik-Soo into hiding. It harkens back to the story of the Crimson Dragon King and is something of note in the conversation on the morality of gods and humans.

[stardvstbby]

in my opinion, Yona of the Dawn is about love in its many forms; the love Yona has for her father and how that colors her perception of him as well as the world around her (familial), the love she has for Soowon and how she moves on from betrayal (crush), the love she has for Hak which provides a steady reassurance that encourages her to find herself (romantic), the love she has for the friends she makes throughout her journey and ‬how it gives her a reason to push forward even in the face of struggle (platonic), the love she has for not just the people of Kouka but humanity as a whole that inspires her to change so that she can be relied upon (community)

love is the dawn that brightens even the darkest of nights

[bamfas]

Happy Lunar New Year from tokidoki!

Lunar New Year is almost here! To celebrate, we’re giving you some Year of the Dog themed digital goodies! Celebrate with our special tokidoki Chinese New Year Red Envelope, Year of the Dog themed wallpapers and YOTD coloring page! Plus share your coloring page on Instagram with the #tokidokiYOTD for your chance to win a special prize pack. Happy Lunar New Year everyone!      

[stardvstbby]

what i find interesting is that King Il’s kindness became his weakness while Yona’s is her greatest strength. i think their difference is Il looked away from struggle whereas Yona faces it head on, refusing to avert her gaze. Il’s compassion never reached those who needed it most. Yona’s kindness is born from her ability to connect with others while Il’s is a form of selfishness. Yona wants to protect everyone whereas Il wanted to protect his loved ones even at the cost of others (ie Kouka citizens)

thinking about how Soowon and Yona represent a difference between victory through sacrifice and victory through compassion. Soowon is okay with being the bad guy if Kouka ultimately benefits, whereas Yona’s unwavering kindness inspires hope and garners support from even enemies. Soowon gave up every close relationship he had so he wouldn’t be blinded by affection in pursuit of his goals, while Yona’s affections are her very motivation and through them she is able to strengthen herself and those around her. both Yona and Soowon sway others, albeit in different ways. Yona speaks to people’s hearts and their yearning to be better, inspiring them to help her, but Soowon gets to the core of others’ goals and supports their motivations in a way that they end up wanting to do what he asks

[stardvstbby]

Critique ahead, read at your own discretion.

Am I understanding this correctly? Because of Hiryuu’s selfish wish to have more time on Earth, Yona was created, thus their soul did not return to the heavens to be with the other dragon gods. As a consequence hundreds of humans were damned with the dragon powers and short lifespans. If Hiryuu had accepted his own death as a natural course of life as a human and went back to the heavens then all of this could’ve been avoided. But it seems both he and Yona have trouble reconciling with loss. They’d curse strangers if it meant having more time with their loved ones. How is this not viewed as corrupt? Their resolve is painted as this heartwarming thing - that they’d bend reality if it led to the safety of those they care about. But what about everyone else? The world isn’t comprised only of those dear to your heart. They say Hiryuu loved humans but the more I examine his actions it seems he simply wanted control over them.

I want to love this manga, I have loved this manga, for many years. It was amazing seeing Yona’s growth and getting to know all the characters. Soo-Won, Shin-Ah, Zeno, and (earlier chapters) Yona will always have a special place in my heart. But the way the themes are being developed leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Idk, if anyone has some positivity to share about how things are progressing please feel free to do so, because at this point I’m disillusioned with YOTD.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

PAUSE DO I SPOT A YONA PFP??? If I’m wrong don’t say anything because that’d be embarrassing oops I’m like squinting try to zoom in on the icon shshshsh

Yeah of all things I was really not expecting blue for kiyora…definitely was giving me some warm tone vibes but oh well ig??? Barou’s red and black color combo >>>

Stop I definitely played the star wars one at some point too LMAOO I’m about the crack open the Rio angry birds for old times sake atp

Fanon interpretations are just the bane of all characters’ existence…which is why I usually stay clear from a majority of the fandom LOL I’m ngl I said I’d watch and did not even start ep 1 but I’m going now!! Will update you on thoughts fs LOL

REAL he may not be throwing hands but that doesn’t stop him from throwing shade!!!

LMAOAO you really said “nuh uh that’s Tullia’s man” I have no complaints about lack of Isagi content he’s the protag he’s got enough out there

No if they made Barou look good from the start he’d 100% have more fans…I know we’ve mentioned this at some point but kaneshiro trying to make Barou be the handsome gorilla like villain kills me a little like wdym?? Maybe that’s why he looks so crunchy in the beginning too

Honestly it’s not even the horror aura or anything the whole tongue out Rin is just uh…not my thing LMAO can’t wait to see what happens next tho (Karasu moment soon pls)!!

Also HAHAH GL LOCKING IN!!! You got this we trust you to cook and serve o7

- Karasu anon

YESS it is a yona pfp!! it’s her in an official art w hak although ofc hak is cropped out…hakyona is so tabimira coded LMAOAOAO plus i love yotd sm so i had to go back to the yona pfp (i had this pfp a while ago LOL) and it only helps that it fits my theme so well w the flowers matching the gold!!

they could’ve given him purple like reo is literally the only character w any shade of purple but like imagine even a lavender or smth for kiyora?? maybe i’m just a fiend for the purple eyes + black hair combo LMAOO praying we’ll get a character w that at some point since both karasu and kiyora were busts 😩 barou never disappoints though his colors are so good (i think my other favs are hiori’s because the shade of blue is sooo pretty, yukimiya’s because the brown + orangey gold is surprisingly rlly pleasing?? and nagi because i like the contrast of the pale haired character having the black skulls and death aura LMAO)

angry birds is just one of those defining games LMAO like it truly is so characteristic of that era (alongside candy crush bruh that’s such a classic that even though nagi canonically mostly plays first person shooter games i always make him a candy crush + subway surfers enjoyer i just think it’s sm funnier)

LMAOOO can’t name a single character that was improved by their fanon characterization…i wonder if people hate on any of my characterizations 🤔 like “omg why did she make karasu a loser…why is rin an emotionally unintelligent emo…why is kaiser repressed…why is nagi roasting everyone” HAHAHA oh well though they can feel free to scroll if so 😒 and yes keep me updated w thoughts for sure ☝🏻

NO FR like he (and kunigami for that matter) are so tullia love interest coded that idt i could write for them…only if someone requested ig 🤔 and LMAO yes the itoshis aiku and isagi are not suffering by me not writing for them there’s plenty of others to fill those tags up 😭

maybe it’s just a cultural thing where kaneshiro was going for handsome gorilla in comparison to what japanese people tend to be built like but all that i see with barou is fine handsome amazing huge husband KFNFSJSJ like if i squint ig i can see it but just barely 😩 bruh i need to write for barou or smth i feel like we always hype him up in our convos but there’s zero content of him in the miraverse (besides fwtkac bestie having a crush on him ig?? she’s so real for that though…girlie wanted nagi reo AND barou she has taste…ended up in an enemies to lovers arc w otoya though 😓💔 it’s her punishment for also wanting isagi ig)

yeah i get the narrative reasons for tongue out rin and admittedly it is a creative way to show him releasing his inhibitions however i’m very very grossed out by saliva and mucus and snot and stuff like that so it’s not my fav visual for sure 😭 PRAYING FOR A KARASU MOMENT SOON THOUGH he’s had a line or two in like every bm vs pxg chapter so there’s no way he’s not going to do smth soon i hope…also wait just remembered that aryu is ranked higher than him in terms of bids rn BRUH if fucking ARYU makes it and karasu doesn’t i’m crashing out 😰

YES LOCKING IN i’m hoping to get one of the reqs done like tn/tmrw night so look forward to it!! it’s one that i think people will rlly enjoy 👀 (at least the idea…we’ll see abt the execution LMAO)