Mizuho Kusanagi

After the intensity of the last volume, things are settling down for the Happy Hungry Bunch. They're back to roaming through the kingdom, looking for ways to right the wrongs of all of Yona's people. When a young boy steals food from them, they realize that he's not a bad kid, just hungry. They feed him and decide to escort him home, which happens to be across the border in enemy territory. Well, former enemy territory, as King Won recently won that region back to Kohka. The people in the show more village aren't as nice as the boy they've befriended, and some of this has to do with their hostility to strangers. As a border town, they are constantly being traded back and forth between kingdoms. Therefore, they're not very trusting of anyone. To complicate matters, the dragons started to fall sick as they journeyed closer to the boy's home. The villagers are wary that they're bringing some contagious disease into their midst, but Zeno reveals to the group that it's actually a result of the dragons traveling so far from the center of Kohka, the capital and the seat of the Crimson Dragon. The further they move from it, the more susceptible they become to germs and illness.

Begrudgingly, the villagers allow the group to stay on the outskirts of the village while the three dragons recuperate. Zeno is unaffected, and this volume finally shows why as Zeno's special abilities are revealed: Zeno can not die. He suffers pain when injured, but the injuries heal preternaturally fast, and if he takes enough damage in a short period of time, his body changes to a layer of impenetrable scales that it seems no weapons can cut. This reveal happens right at the end of the book. Some bitter soldiers, angry over losing their war against King Won, are returning to their kingdom and decide to destroy all the villages along their way so that Kohka won't have anything of value in the land they just reclaimed. Yona can't let such destruction happen, of course, and because most of the dragons are sick and not at full capacity, Zeno gets directly involved in the combat to protect Yona. The reader finally learns how powerful he actually is.

I'm super delighted with this reveal at the end of the manga. It's obvious that Zeno has some secrets, and when you have a character that should be super powered show up and not display any special abilities, you just know that they have something awesome up their sleeves. And Zeno doesn't disappoint with his absolute immortality. I was truly so happy; I love an underdog hero, and Zeno is such an adorable one. I already love pretty much everything about this series. Throw in the exciting Zeno reveal, and it's a full-star rating for me. show less

I continue to love love love this story. It is my perfect combination of guilty pleasures: manga, fantasy, dragons, a female character who learns how to kick butt, a band of unlikely heroes, well-written romance, life-altering friendships, and all rendered in beautiful art. More people should be excited about the series. This volume covers Zeno's backstory. While his big reveal was at the end of the last volume, this one allows us to see the other characters' reactions to his invincibility, show more and to see them learn that Zeno is one of the original four dragon warriors. Most of the book, though, is devoted to flashbacks of Zeno becoming the yellow dragon, and his time with the original other three dragon warriors and the Crimson King. While all of the current dragon warriors have tragedy in their pasts, Zeno is perhaps the one with the saddest backstory of all. He's had to see all the people he loved get old and die, while he alone remained. However, the end of this volume counters all of that sadness with Zeno being surrounded by most of his new family: Yona, Gija, Jaeha, and Sinha. He pulls them in for a big hug, and that's a sweet way to end this book. The bonus story at the end was also adorable and funny. Another wonderful installment in the series. show less

This volume is hilarious. The story is still wonderful and the plot is amazing, but this volume is particularly in how Gobi tries to use the four dragons in negotiations with Soo-Won, as if he should care, and Soo-Won is like "I have no idea who those people are and they have no connection to me. Why am I supposed to care about them?" It's quite funny and perfect. Like yes, Yona is on her shoujo protagonist journey of self-discovery and adventure, and Soo-Won is doing many, many things that show more have nothing to do with most anything she is up to. I love it. Great volume. show less

The first manga I've actually enjoyed.
The main character, Yona, is a princess who witnesses the shocking death of a loved one at the hands of someone she trusted very dearly. She escapes with her guard, Hak.
The characters are realistic, the morals aren't black and right. There is no clear good or evil.
The characters can't forgive, but they can't condemn.
I love when we see these types of situations in the books, and these characters are portrayed pretty realistically as well, making their show more conflict all the more understandable.
I wish we got more books where they can't forgive yet they can't hate. show less