Hot Gimmick, Vol. 4 [Paperback]

Miki Aihara (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 2004 | Series: Hot Gimmick (Book 4)

In company-owned rabbit-hutch apartments live tenants who can't afford to live anywhere else, and the apartment complex in which high-school girl Hatsumi Narita lives is ruled over by the rumour mongering, self-righteous Mrs. Tachibana. Get on Tachibana's bad side, and life becomes hell. When Hatsumi has to buy a pregnancy test because her popular sister Akane is late, Mrs. Tachibana's son, Ryoki, who used to bully Hatsumi as a kid, promises not to tell the world about Hatsumi's secret, only if she becomes his slave. Suddenly Azusa, Hatsumi's protector in their youth, reappears to save her again! He's moving back into the neighbourhood! Despite the budding romance between Hatsumi and Azusa, Ryoki has control over her through the secret that could ruin the lives of everyone in Hatsumi's family, and he hasn't forgotten who his slave is! Find out why Hot Gimmick is one of the most talked-about new manga titles coming out of Japan! The Narita family is given the deep freeze when one of Mrs. Tachibana's spies glimpses our hapless heroine, Hatsumi, with her treacherous ex-"boyfriend," Azusa. Thinking they're being ostracized because she's turned down her former "master" Ryoki's advances, Hatsumi tracks Ryoki down and begs him to take her back...as his slave! But this only pisses lovesick Ryoki off, who actually wants Hatsumi to like him. He has another plan to win Hatsumi's good graces: he wants her brother, Shinogu, to be his private math tutor, and he wants his lessons to take place at the Narita's apartment! Shinogu doesn't like it...especially since Hatsumi is starting to fall for Ryoki!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A Gemini born on June 10 in Shizuoka Prefecture. Her blood type is A. She made her debut in 1991 with Lip Conscious!, published in Bessatsu Shojo Comic. Her hobbies are watching various kinds of movies and shopping for clothes. Currently she is a major contributor to Betsucomi. Her published comics include Hot Gimmick, Sensei no Okiniiri (Teacher's Pet), Seiten Taisei (The Clear, Wide Blue Sky), So Bad!, Tokyo Boys & Girls (also available from VIZ Media) and Sora ni Taiyou ga Aru Kagiri (As Long as There Is a Sun in the Sky), among others. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (May 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591163897
• ISBN-13: 978-1591163893
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,476,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enslave thy neighbor...part 4, October 19, 2005

By 

Karusichan "Karusichan" (Lansing, MI. USA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hot Gimmick, Vol. 4 (Paperback)

A confrontation with Azusa after the revelations of his mother's affair (and the attempted gang rape of Hatsumi) leaves Hatsumi with mixed feelings about him. She struggles with the residual feelings of love for him even as Ryoki still persists in his attempt to make her his girlfriend, despite her refusal. Suddenly the whole complex is ignoring the Narita family as well, and Hatsumi thinks it's because she refused Ryoki. At first she decides to submit to him to smooth everything over, but he has a different idea in mind and asks Shinogu, Hatsumi's older brother, to be his private tutor. He doesn't really need it, he is just looking for any excuse to be closer to Hatsumi and to resolve her family being ostracized. Suddenly her feelings about him are becoming, well, less defined as hatred and nearer to something approaching love, but her brother has too much concern over this sudden development in her attitude... and on top over all of that Akane, Hatsumi's younger sister, is trying to cope with her feelings of love for Subaru... It's just one confusing romance after another.

Read this manga... I am not kidding you. The plot is wonderful, the art is wonderful, it is just what you are looking for if you crave a good Shojo manga.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Perfect Volume, July 7, 2005

By 

Hakajin "Ecclectic Student" (GA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hot Gimmick, Vol. 4 (Paperback)

After what Azusa did to Hatsumi, you'd think she'd hate him, but somehow, she just can't. Ryoki however, doesn't seem to have this problem.

Something happens to make everyone in the complex ignore Hatsumi's family. Fortunately, Ryoki has a plan to endear the Naritas to his mother . . . And is Hatsumi finally starting to fall for Ryoki?

Also, Akane confesses her love to Subaru, but how will this Otaku nerd react?

This is a great volume. The shock of volume 3 is over, but the aftershock is just as engrossing. If you loved the previous books, you'll love this one too.

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Gimmick is stick to its title--it really is HOT, October 5, 2004

By 

booklovers "avidreadersbooklovers" (Eugene, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hot Gimmick, Vol. 4 (Paperback)

I fell at the beginning that some of the characters are twisted in this story.

Yet, that's what make them so unique and original. The characters in this manga will left strong impression on you.

Hatsumi, the main character is a kind hearted girl but also a pushover girl who cant stand up and got tongue tied in nasty situation. So, when her long time no see childhood neighboor Ryoki showed up his nose and start bullying her, she cant do anything but abide by his rule. He makes her his slave and order her around as he holds his power over her (a secret-- he saw Hatsumi purchased a home pregnancy test for her little sister who's still in Junior High School). Threatened by Ryoki Tachibana promised to tell his mom--Mrs. Tachibana (who is by the way holds position like the Queen of the employee complex where they all living because her husband is a director), Hatsumi can only agree to be his slave, cause she didn't want her family get in trouble with the Tachibana family.

To complicate things, there are many other people that involve in this twisted but exciting story line.

Atsuza, Hatsumi childhood friend come into the picture and try to rescue Hatsumi from the evil Ryoki, he act so kind that Hatsumi cant help but falling in like with atsuza who also is a model. But to make matter worse, atsuza aliby in doing those stuff is because he has a plot of revenge against Hatsumis's father due to somehting that happen in the past.

While plotting to do something bad to her (try to gang up some his model friends to rape Hatsumi), Ryoki comes to the resue. It seemed that Ryoki slowly turn to be in love with Hatsumi after all. Hatsumi fell all overwhelmed with all that happening in her life and confused with the sudden change in treatment that she received from Ryoki.

So, do u think that their romace (Ryoki and Hatsumi) works out in the end?

I think you should find out for yourself cause I've spilled too much juicy information alreasy (*wink* *wink* ;) )