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Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: PRINCESS YONA
Welcome to this week's installment of Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week, wherein we shine a spotlight on strong women and nonbinary folks who inspire us. These characters are a prime example of empowerment and how crucial it is for youth to have said example to follow.
DISCLAIMER: This article contains spoilers for Season 1 of Yona of the Dawn .
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Fast Facts
Yona is the titular protagonist of Yona of the Dawn . Based on the ongoing manga of the same name by Mizuho Kusanagi, the story follows the crimson-haired princess of the Kouka kingdom. Her life changes when her cousin, Su-Won, assassinates her father. Yona and her childhood friend-turned-bodyguard, Hak, flee the grounds and manage to escape to safety.
But the princess has always lived a sheltered and privileged life. Reckoning with her dire circumstances pushes Yona to accept that she must advocate for herself and others to restore balance to the kingdom. This means saying goodbye to her father's strict 'no weapons' rule (and her long hair) when Hak nearly loses his life protecting her from Su-Won's assassins. For the first time ever, Princess Yona picks up a sword and vows to become self-sufficient.
In line with the prophecy given to Yona by the oracle Ik-Soo, she and Hak embark on a journey alongside Yoon, the oracle's caretaker, to recruit the fabled Dragon Warriors — Kija, Sinha, Jae-Ha and Zeno. While some need more convincing than others to join the cause, Princess Yona wins the warriors over with her compassion, unwavering determination and newfound strength. She also makes it her personal mission to become a pro with a bow. Yona spends many a late night practicing while her friends rest.
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Princess Yona is the real deal. She departs from Hiryuu Castle with little to no understanding of the world beyond its walls, but she quickly accepts the reality of the Kouka kingdom and the consequences of her father's rule. She never turns a blind eye to those suffering unjust treatment. In journeying from one town to the next, she and the rest of the bunch aim to leave each destination and the people they meet better off than they found them.
Of course, this also leads Yona into trouble. In Yona of the Dawn's final arc, she and her friends join forces with the pirates of Awa to take down Yang Kum-Ji, the ruthless leader of the human slave trade. To get the job done, Yona and Yoon infiltrate the operation by posing as poor, young women. They put their lives at risk to take down the trade from within and free many abducted women. In the heat of an all-out brawl between the pirates and Kum-Ji's men, it's the princess's arrow that finally ends the trafficker's reign. Why She Matters
Why does Yona matter? Despite a budding romance between the princess and Hak, the importance of Yona's role in Kouka's restoration is never lost on her (or us, the viewers and readers). In this way, the series and its protagonist subvert the expectations of shojo fans by arming the princess with a bow and seeing her pursue goals far beyond romantic love.
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And Hak accepts this, too. Ironically enough, the two model a relationship dynamic that's just as important for Yona of the Dawn's younger audiences to take away as themes of redefining leadership and power. Yona shows us what it means to lead with love, for yourself and others. She teaches us to advocate for ourselves and for those who can't, to search endlessly for our inner strength and to never stop using that power for good.
So, be like Yona. Don't let preconceived notions about yourself or your circumstances stop you from becoming who you're meant to be. Redefine what it means to be you . Most importantly, don't turn away when life challenges your perspective. Oftentimes, we can see the world through a new set of eyes when we face challenges head-on. And when we can recognize that a system is broken, we can do our part to repair it.
The first season of Yona of the Dawn is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Hulu. You can also pick up the manga where the events of the anime end, starting with Volume 9.
Anime Roundup: Everything Coming Out in June 2025 Olivia Rolls (she/her) is a weekly contributor at GGA, specializing in cozy games, anime and all things horror. Her byline has appeared at publications like The Mary Sue, The Escapist, GameSkinny and more. When she's not writing deep dives on her favorite games, shows, movies or characters, she's probably yapping about the latest pop culture trends or catching up on another Pokémon playthrough.
E-mail professional inquiries to [email protected]. You can also find Olivia on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
