Princess yona lives in comfort and ease as she is completely shielded from the troubles of kingdom of kouka. however, her peaceful life takes a dangerous turn when her father, the king, is murdered and her cousin su-won betrays her. to escape, yona only has son hak by her side, who is both her childhood friend and bodyguard. as she flees, yona discovers that kouka is not as idyllic as she thought it to be. poverty, conflict, and corruption are rampant, making reclaiming the throne a distant dream given the kingdom's current state. the manga "akatsuki no yona" follows princess yona on her coming-of-age journey as she faces the harsh realities of her kingdom. with only a legend to guide her, yona must find a way to restore kouka to its former glory while being pursued relentlessly by the forces of the new king of kouka.
Episodes 1-2 were previewed at a screening at Shinagawa Intercity Hall, Tokyo on September 28, 2014. Regular broadcasting began on October 7, 2014.The voice cast of the anime adaption includes voice actors from the Drama CD adaptation of the manga, allowing them to reprise their old roles alongside new cast members.