This episode discusses the first half (volumes 1-6) of Hot Gimmick by Miki Aihara

It's here. It's finally here. Shojo & Tell host Ashley has been trying to make this episode happen for at least two years. And now, here we are. We're talking about the first half of Hot Gimmick, aka, Hot Trash, aka Hot Mess. Seriously: Content warning for basically everything. Ashley was prepared to have nothing nice to say about this series (she's read it before and thought it was the worst shojo series ever), but it's surprising what reading something 12 years after your initial encounter with it can do... Naja of Blerdy Otome is a big fan of Hot Gimmick, despite also recognizing that it's extremely problematic. There's underage sex and drugs, there's blackmail, there's demeaning servitude, there's gang rape. And that's just the first three volumes. Hatsumi's a doormat, Ryoki's bad, Azusa's bad, Shinogu's bad trying to be good, Akane is the reason we're in this mess. Only Subaru is good. Team Subaru! Let's talk it through.

REFERENCES

• Hot Gimmick is available from Viz Media in English
• Hot Gimmick S is a reimagining of the ending
• Other anime/manga mentions
  • Chobits
  • Cardcaptor Sakura
  • Gundam
  • Red River
  • Basara
  • From Far Away
• Archive of Our Own
• Wattpad
• Story of NHL player who Ashley went to college with
• Misc. media mentions
  • Gossip Girl
  • You
• Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

• Find Naja's work on her website, Twitch, Twitter, and BlueSky
• Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter
• Ashley on Bluesky