Yellow Means Danger Yellow Vol. 1: Omnibus Edition – Makoto Tateno

Green means go. Red means stop. Yellow means danger. In this world, there are those who stop at yellow, and those who dash headlong, even as it turns to red. Taki and Goh are two such guys. They work as snatchers, people who snatch drugs in order to cripple criminal syndicates, when even the police department’s own undercover section thinks it is too dangerous. Taki and Goh share everything, not just the dangerous nature of their job. The same apartment for example. Goh however, wants to share a lot more, such as the same bed. Taki doesn’t swing that way though, so Goh is out of luck. Adrenaline pumps when the danger is at its worst, so passions tend to ride high. With the day to day intimate nature of their work partnership and living arrangements, will the forbidden entice Taki to cross that line, into the yellow zone of their interpersonal relationships? Only time will tell, but it might be sooner than Goh dared dream of…

Makoto Tateno brings us a steamy tale of crime, passion, beautiful men. No lightweight shonen-ai here, the pages sizzle with suggestion, innuendo, and even reach toward the fan girl’s explicit delight. As always, Tateno not only delivers the visual goods, but supplies an actual plot that is not a mere convenience vehicle. The story is interesting on its own, as we watch them unravel the mystery of where drugs are hidden, and the method being used to smuggle them in. There is a hint of mystery about the characters as well. We know Goh had a previous partner that was also a lover, and this is why initially he wanted to work with a straight person who was not his type. This obviously has not worked out quite as he hoped, as he fell for Taki anyway!

Taki himself is a bit of a puzzle. His background is shrouded in mystery, and he doesn’t talk about his childhood. Rather than being a plot hole that renders Taki into true 2D, it adds charisma thanks to the way Tateno handles this fact, leaving an opening for further story developments in future volumes. This is actually true for several of the side characters, from the mysterious café owner who delivers their assignments and owns their flat, to the ex-lover and partner of Goh who pops up during the course of the story. It is readily evident that more than the obvious is going on, with dark and murky pasts coming to roost sooner or later.

Tateno’s men are as beautiful as ever, but she quite outdoes herself when it comes to the more erotically charged scenes. The sculpted backs of her characters are delicious, and don’t get me started on Goh’s lascivious expressions. There may not be a lot of bedroom activity going on in full view, but between Goh’s fantasies going wild as he sleeps and the seduction of criminal suspects, there is plenty of heat going around, enough to cause smoke. This is double the illicit fun, being the omnibus release. Previously published as volume 1 and 2 of Yellow, this omnibus edition contains the first two books within one cover. There is a second omnibus edition of containing the rest of the original series, as well as a single volume containing the first edition of the sequel, Yellow 2. Buying the first two original volumes as an omnibus not only saves money, but means you can feed your carving for more of this addictive tale that much sooner.

Not being as lightweight as some of Tateno’s other works that I have previously reviewed, please realise that this carries an 18+ rating and a parental advisory. There is sex, gun violence, alcohol consumption, and drug references too. It is available as a paperback from usual manga outlets, including Amazon and the publisher’s own Akadot Retail. A digital version has yet to be released for purchase.