We begin in the first chapter by meeting Ririko at the height of her career. She is idolized by millions, promotes the latest lines of beauty products and stars in popular dramas. But then we are treated to what happens after the cameras are shut and the stage crew leaves. As we might suspect in regards to the common trope of the too perfect model, Ririko is actually manipulative, abusive and otherwise the polar opposite of her public personality. She sells her body to the heir of a line of supermarkets for expensive gifts and to the producers and directors of her shows for more screen time. She makes unreasonable demands of her assistants ranging from finding exotic fruits to masturbating in front of her. However, the mangaka Okazaki Kyoko adds a twist – the surgery that has left her stunning has side effects that eat away at her beauty.

It is the complexity of Ririko and her way of struggling against the inevitable end that makes Helter Skelter so compelling as we see the ugliness inside of her reveal itself on her face and body. We are made to slowly care for Ririko as the story includes mention of how she frequently sends money back to her family and moments of tenderness she shows to those closest to her. But the way she shows her love hurt them more than anything. She thinks her assistant spends too much time with her boyfriend so Ririko sleeps with him to hurt their relationship. An arranged marriage between the aforementioned heir and another woman threatens Ririko’s relationship so she calls upon her assistant to splash acid on her rival.

Yet despite a cast filled with unlikeable characters, it becomes clear who the real target of Helter Skelter’s scorn is – the fans. Ririko’s fans gorge themselves on every tidbit by or about her – believing wholeheartedly whatever their goddess decrees to be true. However given any rumor that she is indeed not perfection embodied, the fans are all too ready to pounce, tear apart and stand poised for the next fad. On the surface, Helter Skelter is a story about struggle but underneath there is a commentary about the relationship between the media and us. It is all too easy to identify at least partially with the fans.

With only nine chapters, Helter Skelter feels like double or triple that, perhaps due to the compulsion to read it one or two more times. An essay that would take more time to read than the actual manga could still not do it justice with the number of plot twists and nuances being employed and certainly my brief overview is dismally inept. If you’re feeling too carefree and happy these days, treat yourself to this concentrated shot of the cerebral and the disheartening.