Hot Gimmick

Miki Aihara’s Hot Gimmick (2003–2006, Viz) is a shojo drama that follows teenager Hatsumi Narita as she’s blackmailed into becoming the “pet” of her cold, handsome neighbor, Ryoki Tachibana. Published during the early 2000s manga boom, this 12-issue series is defined by Aihara’s art and co-writing with Pookie Rolf, weaving a tense, romantic story about secrets, power dynamics, and first love. It stands out for its emotionally charged, soap-opera style that helped define the era’s shojo for English-language readers.