History Manga / HelterSkelter

An award-winning {{josei}} manga by Kyoko Okazaki, ''Helter Skelter'' tells the story of Ririko, the most gorgeous woman in the entertainment industry. She's hugely popular and successful, but behind her winning smile lies an ugly secret: her beauty is entirely artificial, being the result of dangerous extensive full-body [[BodyHorror plastic surgery]], which requires heavy medication and frequent touch-up surgery to maintain. Even as she's at the top of her profession, Ririko's mental and physical health quickly disintegrate as the strain of her [[TheSvengali possessive manager]], her [[LonelyAtTheTop unsatisfying relationships]], a detective investigating the [[BackAlleyDoctor shady plastic surgery clinic]] she attends, and the [[FifteenMinutesOfFame ticking clock]] counting down to her becoming a has-been all drive her closer to the edge.

''Helter Skelter'' was adapted into a [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2147319/ live-action film]] in 2012, starring Erika Sawajiri and Kiko Mizuhara.

* BeautifulAllAlong: In a really twisted way. [[spoiler: It turns out that pre-fame Ririko was ugly, except she had nigh-perfect bone structure. All they had to do was carve away all the flesh obscuring it.]]

* BileFascination: In-universe, this is why Ririko has a second wave of fame at the end of the comic — everyone loves watching a former star fall apart, [[BodyHorror literally]].

* Yangire: Ririko.

Not to confuse with the [[VideoGame/HelterSkelter video game with the same name]], the song by Music/TheBeatles on Music/TheWhiteAlbum of the same name, Vincent Bugliosi's account of the Tate/Bianca murders, that were regrettably inspired by said song, and the trial of the [[UsefulNotes/CharlesManson Manson Family]], or a character with the same name from ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes''.

* ContractualPurity: Possibly Ririko; she even exploits it by going behind her manager's back and leaking news that she's dating a guy to the tabloids in order to [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity whip up scandal]].

* TitleDrop: The song Helter Skelter plays in the closing pages of the manga, during [[spoiler: Ririko's show]].

* NotSoDifferent: Ririko and Asada.

''Helter Skelter'' was adapted into a [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2147319/ live-action film]] in 2012, starring the famous actress [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erika_Sawajiri Erika Sawajiri.]]

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Before she commits suicide, Ririko has Kin-chan bust out his best make-up skills to cover up all the damage from her surgeries. Subverted when it turns out she didn't die.]]

* MurderTheHypotenuse: A possible attempt when ''somebody'' throws acid in the face of Ririko's ex-boyfriend's new fiancée.

* {{Yangire}}: Ririko.

Not to confuse with the [[VideoGame/HelterSkelter video game with the same name]], the song by Music/TheBeatles on Music/TheWhiteAlbum of the same name, or a character with the same name from ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes''.

* AThreesomeIsHot: Very subverted when [[spoiler: Ririko shows up at Michiko's apartment and has sex with Michiko's boyfriend while she watches. Michiko and the boyfriend are both mortified afterwards. Later on, Ririko manipulates and coerces them into a long-term three-way relationship.]]

** [[spoiler:Ririko herself considers suicide at the end, but instead stages her own disappearance.]]

* {{Foil}}: Unlike Ririko, Kozue is a natural beauty, and she doesn't crave the limelight, instead looking forward to the day when she falls into obscurity.

Not to confuse with the [[VideoGame/HelterSkelter video game with the same name]] or a character with the same name from ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes''.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Nearly. Okazaki was hit by a drunk driver in 1996, leaving the manga finished but unpolished until her former assistant, Creator/MoyocoAnno, readied it for a tankobon release with guidance from Okazaki.

-->''No matter how beautiful it is, a rabbit is still just a chunk of meat once you skin it.''

* DrivenToSuicide: Ayako and several other nameless victims of the plastic surgery clinic that Ririko frequents.
** [[spoiler: Ririko herself considers suicide at the end, but instead stages her own disappearance.]]

* FairyTaleMotifs: When Ririko is blowing off her old friends: "I don't need seven dwarves anymore. What I want is my one and only prince."

** Later the manga compares the breakdown of old plastic surgery to {{Cinderella}}'s gown and carriage disintegrating when the clock strikes midnight.

* HollywoodPudgy: Chikako, who gets called "Miss Piggy" by her schoolmates.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Nearly. Okazaki was hit by a drunk driver in 1996, leaving the manga finished but unpolished until her former assistant, MoyocoAnno, readied it for a tankobon release with guidance from Okazaki.

* BileFascination: Why Ririko has a second wave of fame at the end of the comic — everyone loves watching a former star fall apart, [[BodyHorror literally]].

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Nearly. Okazaki was hit by a drunk driver in 1996, leaving the manga finished but unpolished until her former assistant, MoyoccoAnno, readied it for a tankobon release with guidance from Okazaki.

-->--No matter how beautiful it is, a rabbit is still just a chunk of meat once you skin it.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Nearly. Okazaki was hit by a drunk driver in 1996, leaving the manga unfinished until her former assistant, MoyocoAnno, completed it with help from Okazaki's notes and guidance from Okazaki herself.

* BecomingTheMask: Michiko starts out hating Ririko and only sticks with the job because she needs the money. It's not long before she completely wrapped around Ririko's little finger and even [[spoiler: maims other beautiful women at Ririko's behest.]]

* DrivenToSuicide: Ayako and another nameless victim of the plastic surgery clinic that Ririko frequents.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Before she commits suicide, Ririko has Kin-chan bust out his best make-up skills to cover up all the damage from her surgeries.]]

* FinancialAbuse: "Mom" told Ririko that a percentage of her income was going to her family. [[spoiler: It wasn't.]]

* DepravedBisexual: Possibly Ririko. [[spoiler: Though she might have just been using Michiko.]]

An award-winning {{josei}} manga by Kyoko Okazaki, ''Helter Skelter'' tells the story of Ririko, the most gorgeous woman in the entertainment industry. She hugely popular and successful, but behind her winning smile lies an ugly secret: her beauty is entirely artificial, being the result of dangerous extensive full-body plastic surgery, which requires heavy medication and frequent touch-up surgery to maintain.

* ContractualPurity: Possibly Ririko; she even exploits it by going behind her manager's back and leaking news that she's dating a guy to the tabloids.

* {{Gonk}}: Chikako, Ririko's little sister.

* TheSvengali: Ririko's manager, whom she calls "[[StageMom Mom]]," has shades of this.
* UncannyValley: In-universe, a side character describes Ririko as looking pretty at first glance, but creepy on closer inspection.

* BeleagueredAssistant: Kin
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Ririko.
* DepravedBisexual: Possibly Ririko.

* MoodSwinger: Ririko, partly due to all the medication
* ShowerOfAngst: takes one after [[spoiler: Ririko pressures her into performing oral sex.]]