And I can't lie, I can't help but grimace a bit when I remember the way people spoke of chapter 267 here, implying Kusanagi was saying that Yona's love and happiness were more important than the people dying from wars and natural disasters in Kouka. And it's like... if I were generous I'd say these people may have experienced such natural disasters and the aftermaths themselves so they know what they're talking about, but...erm. The argument just feels very tone-deaf to me. Not that Kusanagi is unable to be tone-deaf or that it's impossible to criticize these chapters, but I feel it's rather unfair to always assume the worst of intentions from her rather than examine what she may be trying to convey with her story, especially once you think two seconds about the perspective an author from Japan might have about natural disasters.

So with this context in mind, it leads me to think about what it means exactly for akatsuki no yona to talk about the fear of earthquakes and various disasters to occur in the future, how Yona is specifically scared of this among other things, how the gods tried to scare her with those as well, and then Yona's ultimate answer when she chose to live in such a world without their protection anyway. How the climax of the series is taking place inside a building collapsing because of such earthquakes with all our main characters trapped inside and working together to get out. About the gaiden chapters focusing on reparation and answering to the people's needs in every regions, the many concrete socioeconomic consequences of such disasters and how to resolve them, and so on.

Earthquakes and natural disasters are a reality for more and more people around the world and are part of life back where Yona was created too. They're unpredictable, and there's little humans can do to stop them when it's happening besides focusing on surviving and helping each other out. They're sudden, scary and devastating, the consequences are terrible, people die and lose their home and are injured, the same is true in the story as well. And Yona chooses this world anyway and becomes Queen in it, with her author's full knowledge and experience of such dangers. I can't help but find meaningful that she makes the characters of her fantasy manga face this reality.

I don't think akayona makes the argument to just accept things as they are and pray to the gods to spare them next time the way King Il did, but rather that everyone has a role to better the world together and help, that there political solutions too. That it's a constant and active choice to reduce the risks and help people make it through every crisis more easily, that not everyone is impacted the same so it's essential to work towards giving everyone all the help they need equally. And no matter what happens, they will heal their injuries and rebuild the world together as many times as needed.

And in a context where the japanese government prioritizes defense and anti-immigration policies more than disasters risk reduction and relief, I would say that Kusanagi making her protagonist take on the job of a ruler trying her hardest to hear the voices of all her people to fix their concrete and actual problems caused by the aftermaths of earthquakes and wars say a lot too. Akatsuki no Yona starts as a fantasy in the Flowers and Dreams magazine, but has Yona ultimately leave the world of flowers and dreams the fantastical gods offered to her. It's a coming-of-age story too after all, one when our protagonist is ready to come out of the dream and face the world as it is without the magic help due to her as the chosen one of the prophecy.

As I keep scrolling on twitter for news and reports about the earthquakes in Kyûshû right now, praying for my friends and everyone there, I can't help remembering various lines from the series and look at them in a new light. Akatsuki no Yona is universal enough to resonate with people all around the world, but I can't help but hope that the story reaches the people who need it the most right now.