It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazine Hana to Yume since August 2009, with its chapters collected in 45 tankōbon volumes as of December 2024.

It is set in an East Asian fantasy world, notably a fictional kingdom called Kouka, which made up of various regions and tribes, and also draws significant elements from both Korean and Chinese cultures.

The four Dragon warriors mourned his death and walked separate ways from his castle, leaving the country to develop over the centuries into 5 Tribes: Sky, Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire.

2000 years later, the story commences with Yona, the sole princess of Kouka, ruled by her pacifistic father King Il under the Sky Tribe.

Yona lives a lavish, sheltered life from the harrowing reality outside of the walls of the Crimson Dragon Castle, her only friends being her bodyguard Hak, general of the Wind Tribe, and Su-won, her crush of 10 years and the son of King Il's brother, Yu-hon.

Upon revealing to her father her intention to someday marry him, Yona is shocked and dismayed when King Il forbids her from choosing Su-won as a husband.

Written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi, Yona of the Dawn started in Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazine Hana to Yume on August 5, 2009.

[8] The series has been licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media, who announced the acquisition at their New York Comic Con panel in October 2015.

Beginning on March 17, 2015, Funimation streamed their dubbed version of the anime, starting with episode 13 while the first half of the season will be released at a later date.