Its not a surprise that Inio Asano the acclaimed creator of works like Oyasumi Punpun cited Okazaki Kyoko as a heavy influence. For those unfamiliar with either Okazaki or Asano both are revolutionaries within the medium. Their hardhitting realism driven by a need for truth regardless of how bitter and laced with explorative psychological power has shook and captivated the world with every frame. Both are truly masters of portraying various facets of the human condition and the world that shapes it. From that familiar cut comes Okazakis short but powerfully evocative piece titled Helter Skelter. The manga follows a highfashion model named Liliko who is something of a Frankensteinian creation the final product of repeated surgical transplants stitched together by artificial fluff. Nothing about her is real. The world she lives in is artificial so why shouldnt she be? What could possibly be wrong with being a legitimate product demanded by ones environment? Okazaki answers these questions in the most literal grotesque way possible while revealing something essential. Through Lilikos descent into a sure form of madness where she is mentally and physically falling apart Okazaki speaks certain realities about her condition and perhaps ours. Being at the rise of Japans fashion/modeling scene Liliko flourishes as a top candidate but in order to please her position and her fans she must struggle voraciously. She must eradicate herself on the inside and outside and in the process lose the little bit of identity she so dearly tries to hold on to. In effect the story is one about inevitable selfdestruction its so heavily apparent it seems almost fatalistic. Helter Skelter isnt really about showing a demanding and spirituallyexhausting industry but about the horrors of losing face literally at superficial whim while emphasizing the need to retain individualistic spirit especially of ones true self. Identity is eternally important and key here. Japanese creators and artists of all kind have struggled with this topic as a product of their everchanging collective society and are constantly attempting to resign to individualism and selfexpression and this is the primary undercurrent of Helter Skelter. Liliko is both a visual and physical lie and her face isnt hers but of the many that find themselves faced with the kind of internal erosion Liliko does. It is a huge understatement and a disservice to this manga to reduce it to some generic commentary about how horrible the fashion industry is or whatever. It is so much more. Its one of the most brutally honest pieces Ive read within the medium that is able to combine so many intense themes into one heartwrenching narrative. And this shines brilliantly through the storys main character Liliko. It seems that Okazaki must be some sort of humanistic genius that shes able to create such a contrasting and unfounded character like Liliko who is both a woman of shame and artifice and a symbol of empowerment as diluted and wrong as the latter may seem she is undoubtedly. Her perpetual acts of selfdestruction are probably the only things real about her and the only times she experiences real joy even if they seem illusive to us. The graphic cold sexual acts the remarkable lust for attention the revolting deeds brought on by jealousy all make her seem incredibly villainous from the eyes of society and for moments to the reader. Yet something real continues to beat under all that vindictiveness that keeps Liliko in the heart of the readers sympathy. Perhaps it is the sharp fatalism or perhaps something more. A woman like her can never be destined for happiness it is impossible but through her decadence her vile nature and her trapped personality that everyone around her tries so hard to destroy a woman exists that fights viciously even if subconsciously and in vain to live for herself the way she wants. And nothing accentuates the impact of this narrative more than the art. Okazakis art in Helter Skelter is spoton. Its sketched with little regard for beauty each line portraying the inner distress of the works essence. Its messy at points overtly simplistic and wildly raw and thats precisely why it works. That which is beautiful is often deceptive and there is no deception in Okazakis art. Those wishing to revel in decorous sparkling art will not find it here and its actually a little silly to read criticisms demanding that. The entire point of this work is to avoid that. Okazaki aimed to focus on the ugly side of beautiful to present the concept as an insanely real phenomenon that is destructive revolting and evocative. Her art achieves just that. There is absolutely no merit in beautifying that which is not and was never supposed to be. Her art remained true to the intentions and ambitions of her work and I found it absolutely fitting considering the subject matter and tone of this work. A last point of interest that must be addressed relates to one of the genres that this manga falls under: Horror. Think back on what the horror genre entails. As a general rule it must invoke some degree of fear. Now most horror works focus on monsters the supernatural or various external entities that gridlock the characters of the story and by extension the consumer into an impasse blocked by some scary or fearinducing phenomenon. Most successful horror is able to do that because it forces the viewer to speculate the possibility of it translating into reality or at least by producing a shockvalue effect that just genuinely disturbs the mind. Now Helter Skelter isnt standard horror but it is very appropriately placed into horror for the very fact that it induces a kind of visceral fear that may be guising itself as discomfort or disgust but it is fear nonetheless. Imagine: when the monster moves inside your head into the very cranium of your being and unleashes its destruction from within the psychological toll and weight it brings can be nothing but devastating. Consider it a possession of sorts but not by a supernatural entity or some biblical demon but one that has long existed within you. That is why Liliko is terrifying. That is why Helter Skelter is terrifying. It is real and you can feel it in your bones. This is truly a fantastic work. I stumbled upon it on whim and was introduced to a world of chaos which was morbid and real. Okazaki deserves all the acclaim she gets and really leaves no room for surprise that one of the greatest mangaka of our generation has cited her as a sole point of influence. For being a short in length only ninechapters what this narrative manages to bring forth is nothing short of amazing. Overall Helter Skelter is a disturbingly eclectic manga suited for those who yearn for mature works not just geared towards womenissues but ones that paint grander sentiments about society identity and the duality that exists between both.