A Unique Reverse Harem Adventure

Written by vahncross on January 20, 2015 at 8:23 PM

At first, Akatsuki no Yona struck me as the typical reverse harem with a damsel-in-distress type female protagonist. Seeing shows like Hakuoki has made me skeptical of the reverse harem formula, but Akatsuki no Yona proved to be otherwise.

We follow the story of Yona, the red-haired princess of Kouka. Together with Hak, her childhood friend and bodyguard, they journey to find the legendary dragon warriors to help them take back their country from Soo-won. A typical and rather cliche story I might say since it isn't something new to anime. PEACE - CONFLICT - ADVENTURE, that's the formula that Akatsuki no Yona utilizes, similar to other shows like Saiyuki. But by all means is that bad. In fact, Akatsuki no Yona works it out so well.

Yona isn't the typical female protagonist, but to avoid giving out spoilers, I'll let you find that out for yourself why I said so. The anime has some super tense moments with bloody fights and betrayals. But the comedy that pops out of nowhere at times tend to be lighthearted, making it as the perfect addition to the show - for this, I especially like Hak's personality.

The animation is rather smooth and colorful, serving as a perfect blend in Akatsuki no Yona's historical, old world that's filled with trees, mountains, and ancient cities.

To those who are still skeptical about this show, I advise you to watch it immediately.