We all know that the shoujo demographic is known for its lighthearted and cute romcoms and SOL. It's more like a candy magazine and full of pinkish color. There were lighthearted romcoms like Maid-sama, Special, A, etc. that will make you laugh. There were also complex doramance or drama romances like Nana, Fruits Basket, Natsume Book of Friends, etc. And there was a thrilling action like Banana Fish, which I couldn't believe. But it's to have like that kind of stories in shoujo magazine, and Akatsuki no Yona is one of them.

Akatsuki no Yona is an action-adventure, fantasy, historical romance show, produced by Pierrot, known for its famous titles like Tokyo Ghoul, Naruto, Black Clover, etc. and it was based on the manga of the same name. This is different from other shoujo that I mentioned earlier because it is more complex and character-driven. And of course, it's mainstream. I don't know why I got sold by this show and I considered it as one of the biggest pillars of shoujo magazine.

The story was set in a fictional kingdom of Kouka, which was created by the former King Hiryuu. The kingdom is governed by five different tribes; earth, wind, fire, water, and sky. Each tribe's Chief and General are respected by the people and hold royal authority. Yona, the princess of the Kouka Kingdom, is a spoiled brat. Her kind father gave her much expensive stuff like necklaces, golds, dresses, and many more. On her 16th birthday, her beloved cousin, Su-won gave her a precious hairpin, and she was into a spiral of happiness. Yona has feelings for her cousin and Su-won sees her a bit like a woman. That's the day of her birthday. But that night, she drowned in deep despair when she saw her beloved cousin, killed his father in front of her. He murdered her father to avenge the alleged murder of his father. He had a motive to restore the powerful kingdom of Kouka that it used to be during the reign of his grandfather. Yona's personal bodyguard/childhood friend, Hak escaped with her, and Su-won declared himself the new ruler of the kingdom, while the two of his childhood friends were pursued by enemies.

I gotta admit it, the story was beautiful. Because the story will focus on Yona herself and her relationship with Hak. The premise kept me hooked and it was so interesting. It got more interesting when the story introduced the history of Kouka that Yona is a reincarnation of King Hiryuu, and their mission to find the 4 dragons. The interactions of the characters were pretty amazing also and relatable. They were acting like real humans in different worlds and situations. The formula of action, fantasy, and romance elements was just the right amount and perfectly balanced. Although the fight scenes were kind of basic, that's the beauty of the show. There were no magical powers like in Naruto, DBZ, or in any other mainstreams. Just strength, combat prowess, and wits. The story was initially developed for the development of Yona's character and I loved her development, from a princess into a warrior. She was a soft-hearted clingy princess when she was back in that kingdom, but the cruel world slaps her with the brutality of survival and the outside world, which made her a strong woman. Not all things in her perspective are always candy, happiness, and love. That's the beauty of her development, as she knows what are the consequences of being in the outside world and how to survive it. She reminds me of Mulan from Disney and I like strong heroines. Yes, there's Asuna from SAO, Sakura from Naruto, and many more, but having a weak-willed and powerless heroine like Yona is so unique. I like the symbolism of her arrow shot at the enemy pirate, as she's now a grown woman and a warrior. The weak-willed princess Yona was gone now, and she was capable to fight for herself and her friends. That was her first kill by the way. And the symbolism of letting the precious hairpin that Su-won gave her is great, as an act of letting her feelings go from that man. The other characters were developed as well. I liked the character of Hak and Su-won because of their motives regarding Yona. The 4 dragons were great too and their backstories were satisfying and relatable. I mean, having great power from the dragons is great but it can cast you out from ordinary yet important things like family. I haven't read the manga but I planned to because the content in the anime was unsatisfying. Overall, the first season was merely a prologue to the main story and I can't wait to read the manga.

The animation was well-done. The adaptation of the manga was great because it's different from other shoujo animes. The style and designs made the show more intense, thrilling, and yet beautiful.

The sound was perfect. I like the music and it suited well to every scene. It gave me beautiful historical vibes like the KDrama Princess' Hours, Empress Ki, and Moon Embracing the Sun. I like how they made variations of Akatsuki no Yona's theme like the beautiful Morning dew ver., the quirky Promenade ver., the heart-wrenching Melancholy ver., and the exciting main theme of the series. It made me tear up a bit every scene.

Overall, this anime is a rollercoaster ride of emotions and thrilling adventure. It's a beautiful show that deserves more recognition from both anime and shoujo fans. It's different from mainstream shounen, but it's easily one of the best action-adventure animes that is character-driven also. It had ups and downs, but I'll be happy if the studio will make a second season or a remake with a different studio. Give it a watch and I'm sure you'll never regret it.

___Story: 9.6/10
Characters: 9.9/10
Animation: 9.1/10
Sound: 9.7/10
Entertainment Factor (Action: 5/5, Romance: 5/5): 10/10
Enjoyment: 9.9/10___