Review: Yellow series

Yaoi, Shounen-ai, Boys’ Love (BL): a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, right? These are the common terms for gay manga. Despite its reputation, not all BL titles are explicit in sexual nature; in fact, I’d say some are just as fluffy as many Shojo (girl oriented) titles. Here is a review of one of my favorite BLs.

 

 

Tateno, Makoto. Yellow, Books 1-4. Digital Manga Publishing.

Four volumes long, this spicy, badass yaoi is one of the best I’ve come across so far. A heady combination of romance, action, humor and drama, Tateno adds flair to this sometimes single-minded genre. If Trigun (a wonderful Shounen [boy oriented] manga) were a yaoi, it would be like this.

Goh and Taki are roommates, as well as job partners. Their employer pays them to confiscate illegal drugs by any means necessary. Taki’s straight and Goh’s gay, but, of course, it’s only a matter of time… Some of the most humorous moments arise from Goh trying to cop a feel.

The art style’s okay, but not my favorite. (I prefer the ideal combination where the males are pretty, but just masculine enough; no flat-chested little girls for me!) Long legs and faces are featured here, as well as wavy hair, and lean, yet muscled bodies.

One of the aspects that makes this series unique is the blurry line between uke and seme (see terms below). In most yaoi, the power relationship is definite, but in Yellow either Taki or Goh, with their similar body and personality types, could be in charge. While we often see Goh on top, I get the feeling they’re switchers.

Another thing I really love about this manga is the way the romance isn’t the complete focus of the story. There are plenty of secret agent-like action and fight scenes, as well as a good amount of humor. The comedy adds a refreshing feel to this genre, which, unfortunately, can be very cliché. A real treat, this yaoi is a welcome break from the monotonous plot lines of so many other BL mangas.

Warnings: Includes some profanity. Although not pornographic or explicit, there definitely are sex scenes. Oh, yeah, and I guess drugs… It’s got one of those little “Explicit Content” stickers of doom on the cover, and probably is shrink-wrapped at bookstores, but unless the cashier is your grandma or something, I’m sure you can deal with it.

Yaoi Terms

Here are some terms you should know if you want to be a yaoi reader.

Seme: Comes from the verb which means “to attack,” the “top” in a BL relationship. Often is manlier than the uke (i.e. taller, smaller eyes, more serious/masculine). This is not strictly true, however; we are starting to see changes in this type of relationship.

Uke: Comes from the verb that means “to receive,” the “bottom” in a BL relationship. More often than not the uke is the more effeminate persona in a yaoi couple. This stereotype is not always true however; the presence of manlier ukes is starting to come into play.

Doujinishi: Are fan-made comics. You can find doujin with characters from various anime and manga as well as books and movies like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Often features hetero and non-hetero slash (character pairings not present in the original story).

–Reviewed by Blue-Seme