History Manga / BeautyAndTheBeastOfParadiseLost

** Giselle first seems the friendly sidekick bird made popular by Disney films, offering to help Belle to escape from the “terrible beast” before he eats her, but locks her up in a basement full of idoles and then almost makes her fall to her death. In both situations, she is saved by said Beast whom calls Belle out for relying so much in appearances. Afterwards, Giselle tries again by luring her into seeing the other Belle and convincing the girl that Beast was just being “good” to her because she had the same name as his comatose fiancée. When Belle still refuses to leave, Giselle threatens to hurt her, but Beast and Lucas catch her red-winged. [[spoiler: Much later, it is revealed that Giselle has became too comfortable with their cursed life (despite hating her new appearance) and didn’t want a stranger, especially a commoner, disrupting it. Also, she doesn't want Lucas' heart broken again, like it happened when Cyril was betrothed to the other Belle. But, after princess Belle wakes up unexpectadly, Giselle sees [[ManipulativeBastard the latter manipulating Cyril again]] and realizes that not only this situation would hurt Lucas a lot more but that her brother could be happy with the peasant Belle, whom, despite her flaws, is a good person.]]

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Even after learning that her father only wanted to ruin her life, Belle can't bring herself to hate him. Also, she is still conditioned to behave like when she was his prisoner. It takes years - months, when it comes to fictional characters - for a victim of abuse to get over the self-hatred ingrained on them, and a few still see their abuser with sympathy.

** [[spoiler: During La Medium’s flashback, princess Belle shows up while Cyril is orchestrating his coupe d’etat to rebuke him that they were supposed to be marrying that day and then calls La Medium a “disfigured woman”. That establishes her fundamental selfishness and cruelty, but still, it could have been taken as the speech of a spoiled kid who doesn't know better and the whole thing is told from La Medium’s point of view. Yet, as soon as the princess meets Belle, she bluntly [[InnocentlyUnsensitive asks if only her hair was cursed]]. And, when she asks Belle to be her friend, Beast tells his fiancée to leave the other girl alone, hinting that he knew she would pick on her... [[IdiotBall even though he believed later in the stupid pin trap.]]]]

* AnimalMotifs: The butterflies are a recurring element in the manga. Kid Belle wears a cloak with butterfly motifs. When Beast mentions the idoles to diissuade the girl from searching her mother, both the living corpses and Belle appear surrounded by butterflies. [[spoiler: Same butterflies show up again when she has her face stolen and her soul is transported to Samhain.]] In La Medium’s flashback, it’s shown that she attracted Cyril to her cell when he was a child by conjuring to him a beautiful butterfly, before showing him as a young adult secretly destroying another one as he lies that he finds La Medium attractive.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Even after learning that her father only wanted to ruin her life, [[StockholmSyndrome Belle can't bring herself to hate him]]. Also, she is still conditioned to behave like when she was his prisoner. It takes years - months, when it comes to fictional characters - for a victim of abuse to get over the self-hatred ingrained on them, and a few still see their abuser with sympathy.

** Belle [[PeekABangs hides her face behind her hair]] because she thinks she is ugly, much for other people's confusion.

** According to Giselle, both she and her big brother, Cyril, were regularly beaten by their parents, as a form of “discipline”. Unfortunately, [[DeliberateValuesDissonance that was common in the 18th century]]. Although in real life nobles normally had the son of a servant (whipping boy) to be beaten in their kid’s behalf.
* ActionGirl: Belle has her moments.

''Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost'' (''Rakuen no Bijo to Yajū'') is a terror retelling of ''Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast'' by Creator/KaoriYuki. Of course this manga is no different. However, the dark twists are not there just ForTheEvulz: the manga discusses trauma caused by DomesticAbuse and the dictatorship of beauty. The manga began serialization on Kodansha's ''Palcy'' website in 2019, with a hiatus in 2020, when Yuki had to be hospitalized because of a serious disease. Fortunately, she recovered throughout 2021, and concluded the manga in October of the same year.

''Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost'' (''Rakuen no Bijo to Yajū'') is a terror retelling of ''Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast''. Its author, Creator/KaoriYuki, is very known by her morally ambiguous characters and dark plots (''Manga/CountCain'', ''Alice in Murderland''). Of course this manga is no different. However, the dark twists are not there just ForTheEvulz: the manga discusses trauma caused by DomesticAbuse and the dictatorship of beauty. The manga began serialization on Kodansha's ''Palcy'' website in 2019, with a hiatus in 2020, when Yuki had to be hospitalized because of a serious disease. Fortunately, she recovered throughout 2021, and concluded the manga in October of the same year.

* SociallyUnnacceptableCollection: La Medium has an extensive collection of beautiful faces she removes magically from the young women kidnapped by her minions. She became rich by selling some for noble women who want to change their looks, but she collects them especially for fun. The queen is horrified when she first sees the walls full of faces.

* ConscienceMakesYouGoBack: When Belle and Beast first meet, she [[EasilyCondemned threatens him with an axe and accuses him of having kidnapped her mother]], although he had just saved from the fake beast (she probably wasn't thinking clearly, after having been threatened by her own father, carried by the fake to a carriage full of dead women and finding out that there was a second beast). Angrily, Beast destroys the axe with a vine, saying he doesn't care if she lives or dies; the metl pieces fall on her head and she passes out thinking she'll be devoured by the wolves. However, in the next day, Belle wakes up in his castle, so he obviously changed his mind.

* YouGotSpunk: It's hinted that one of the reasons Beast brought Belle to his castle was because he was deeply impressed when she threatened him with the axe.

->'''Belle''': Do you really believe that there's a monster out there that kidnaps pretty girls and makes them marry him?
->'''Laetitia''': Yes, I do. He can never make them love him, though. He's far too ugly and feral. He always kills them sooner or later.

** [[spoiler: Princess Belle not only was happy of [[RoaringRampageOfRomance having her kingdom destroyed by the war but she took advantage of it to burn her parents' castle]]. She saved Cyril's life, but her hands were burned, and she uses her scars (among other ammunitions) to guilt trip him.]]

** Although Belle is quick to talk back to Beast's insults, she shows no grudge for having been magically tossed against a wall when he caught her entering the rose courtyard. True that he didn't see who was trespassing; all the staff knew the place was off-limits, so it would be easy to suppose it was La Medium or one of her minions. Besides, he took Belle's side against Giselle afterwards (still, the girl [[MadeOfIron was lucky to not had been seriously hurt]]. The wall wasn't ''that'' lucky.).

** La Medium used to be the "saint" that protected Issus (though their subjects lived poorly, but that was the kings' fault)with her magic. She lived imprisoned, but was okay with that because she believed that the prince Cyril would marry her someday. When he finally freed her and she found out he was going to marry another woman, [[WomanScorned La Medium snapped out]] and cursed not only the prince, but everyone who loved him. Since then, she started to use her powers for her own pleasure and to collect beautiful women’s faces to wear as masks, remaining eternally lovely and gracious at the cost of their lives.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: If the Doctor hadn't talked to Duke Albert, he wouldn't have been recognized and maybe Beast's cover wouln't have been blown, or at least, not before they had the chance to find out where La Medium was hiding. Beast also goofed when he called the Vengeful Guy (see NoNameGiven)"ankle biter", same insult he used previously to the army when they tried to shoot Belle along with him.

-->'''PB:'''Perhaps you still haven’t gotten over that little scene earlier?
-->'''Belle (awkwardly):'''No… Really… that was all sorted out.

* PimpedOutDress: The story happens in an alternate world like 18th century France, so all the nobles and rich women wear elaborated dresses. Princess Belle's are particularly interesting because they look simpler, but have roses stuck all over it. After the curse, Giselle, or rather, her body started wearing black, doll-like dresses with white frills in an ElegantGothicLolita fashion.

->'''Belle:''' Now I see. You really ARE ugly. But the problem isn’t your looks… it’s your heartlessness! You’re not different from that void of idoles. You’re empty!

-->'''Beast:'''Say, old man, how would you like if I judged YOU based on your looks? Or am I right to assume you're just a mustachioed, out-of-shape clark playing soldier who can't actually fight a damn?
-->'''Lieutenant Antoine:'''Why, you!! You stooped to insults, I see!
-->'''Beast:'''You started it! Do these look like horns to you? They're my ears, asshole!

->'''Beast''': Just call me "The Beast". That's how you've always known me as, right? Unlike a certain dumb bird, I don't need you to puff my ego with some fancy title.
-> (Everyone stares at him in shock. Giselle's horrified look, especially, is pretty satisfying.)

-->'''Beast:'''But you still have time. Don't let yourself wilt, still afflicted by your own curse. It would be too sad. I know you feel guilty that you couldn't save your mother. But it's time to forgive yourself. You've suffered too much.

** * During his meeting with La Medium in Issus, Beast says she can do to him whatever she wants, as long as she lifts the curse from his people. La Medium’s answer? She decides to become the most beautiful woman in the world (by killing ALL the other attractive women), so he won’t reject her anymore.

** ** Despite his grudge, Evance built a bathtub and a sink in Belle's room. When she tells that to Giselle in a sketch the bird asks why didn't he get a job [[BrilliantButLazy if he was able to make such things]].

** Giselle first seems the friendly sidekick bird made popular by Disney films, offering to help Belle to escape from the “terrible beast” before he eats her, but locks her up in a basement full of idoles and then almost makes her fall to her death. In both situations, she is saved by said Beast whom calls Belle out for relying só much in appearances. Afterwards, Giselle tries again by luring her into seeing the other Belle and convincing the girl that Beast was just being “good” to her because she had the same name as his comatose fiancée. When Belle still refuses to leave, Giselle threatens to hurt her, but Beast and Lucas catch her red-winged. [[spoiler: Much later, it is revealed that Giselle has became too comfortable with their cursed life (despite hating her new appearance) and didn’t want a stranger, especially a commoner, disrupting it. Also, she doesn't want Lucas' heart broken again, like it happened when Cyril was bethroted to the other Belle. But, after princess Belle wakes up unexpectadly, Giselle sees [[ManipulativeBastard the latter manipulating Cyril again]] and realizes that not only this situation would hurt Lucas a lot more but that her brother could be happy with the peasant Belle, whom, despite her flaws, is a good person.]]

** Evance could do a seminar about psychological abuse. When Belle was a kid, he bought her a beautiful bonnet as an excuse to shame her violet hair. After Laetitia’s “death”, [[BreakTheCutie he convinced Belle that she was too ugly to be seen by other people, forced her to slave away as a seamstress]] and [[AlcoholicParent drank all the money she earned]]. When she finally breaks out, he runs after her with an axe, revealing cruelly that he never believed she was his daughter. He didn’t want Belle to be happy again because his own happiness had gone away with his wife, so he wanted her to rot inside the house long after he was gone.[[AssholeVictim It’s impossible to be sad when the fake beast stabs him with a claw]].
** According to Giselle, both she and her big brother, Cyril, were regularly beaten by their parents, as a form of “discipline”. Unfortunately,[[DeliberateValuesDissonance that was common in the 18th century]]. Although in real life nobles normally had the son of a servant (whipping boy) to be beaten in their kid’s behalf.

* BalefulPolymorph:
** Except for princess Belle, the curse changed the appearance of everyone in the castle. Cyril's face was turned into a dark, flat, noseless mask with a GlasgowGrin and long, horn-like ears that earned him the nickname of Beast. He says he doesn't care.
** Giselle received the lion's share, with her head turned into a cage with a talking bird (her mind) inside. Although she refuses to leave her room with her entire body until the curse is broken, she uses her bird form to fly around and stay updated on the castle’s rumors.
** Almost all the servants were transformed into anthropomorphic animals. Downplayed with Lucas, who has ram horns, but keeps his human face. Denis, the gardener, became a teddy bear, probably because of his gentle nature.
** The head of Xavier, the butler, was turned into a clock. As a consequence, he’s mute and communicates his orders with gestures to Lucas, who takes his place as the head of the household.
** In a sketch between chapters, the cat maids comment they used to raise cats before they worked in the castle, [[LampshadeHanging so that's probably why they were turned into felines]]. Which means that the curse transforms people according to their activities or personalities; the butler was turned into a clock because he was obsessed with timings and schedules, the gamekeepers are hound dogs, etc. Giselle became a literal CagedBirdMetaphor because even before the curse she was already a shut-in due to her royal position and for not wanting to see Lucas pining for [[spoiler: Cyril]].

''Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost'' (''Rakuen no Bijo to Yajū'') is a terror retelling of ''Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast''. Its author, Creator/KaoriYuki, is very known by her morally ambiguous characters and dark plots(''Manga/CountCain'', ''Alice in Murderland''). Of course this manga is no different. However, the dark twists are not there just ForTheEvulz: the manga discusses trauma caused by DomesticAbuse and the dictatorship of beauty. The manga began serialization on Kodansha's ''Palcy'' website in 2019, with a hiatus in 2020, when Yuki had to be hospitalized because of a serious disease. Fortunately, she recovered throughout 2021, and concluded the manga in October of the same year.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Belle is shunned by most of the castle denizens for being an outsider, a human and a peasant. Although she is officially the seamstress, the cat maidens make her cleaning the garden and the castle, partly by order of Madame Giselle, to press Belle into leaving. Lucas is, initially, the only one to treat her with open kindness, going as far as apologizing for Beast’s boorish ways, but he is a bit of cold towards her and tells Belle that she should leave the castle. She eventually gets a few friends.

* BeastAndBeauty: Cyril and Belle, of couse, although she think that the Beauty is her royal namesake.

* BettyAndVeronica: Belle (the protagonist), who is naive and scarred but also honest and [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe loyal to her saviour]] and Princess Belle, a ProudBeauty [[spoiler: and a [[RoyalBrat spoiled]], possessive, narcissistic, manipulative, passive-agressive bitch.]]

* BirdsOfAFeather: Despite [[BelligerentSexualTension not seeing eye-to-eye most of time]], Belle and Beast bond because both are trying to make it up for their mistakes and have strong tempers that their hard knocked lives couldn't tame completely. Beast gets to admit he identifies himself to her because, before the curse, he was pressed to be what people expected from him, like she is. [[spoiler: Also, he is emotionally chained to his people by regret just like Belle was to her father, although he doesn't seem to realize it... maybe]]

** [[spoiler: Princess Belle is a lot worse.  From her first appariton to the moment she wakes from her coma, anyone could think she was the PrincessClassic, with kindness and all; but soon it becomes evident (for the readers, at least) that she is a DevilInPlainSight that uses her sweet smile and falsely kind words to keep everyone wrapped around her finger. As soon as she meets Belle, she begs for her to become her friend and personal assistant, in spite of Beast’s resistance.  Belle is delighted in meeting someone so nice, until the princess condescendingly rants about how lonely and miserable her life must have been then rubs on the girl's face that everything – Cyril, the castle, the rosary that saved Belle's life - is hers. She also insists for Cyril to announce their engagement and has Belle sewing her wedding dress. The poor girl is an emotional wreck at this point, and the princess takes advantage of this to sneak offfscreen a pin in her wedding dress and hurt herself with it, making everyone think that Belle was careless. To add insult to injury, she says aloud that it is just normal for Belle to be distracted because she is in love with Cyril, too. Of course, that makes everyone suspect that Belle hurt the princess out of spite.]]

** [[spoiler: Princess Belle is a lot worse.  From her first appariton to the moment she wakes from her coma, anyone could think she was the PrincessClassic, with kindness and all; but soon it becomes evident (for the readers, at least) that she is a DevilInPlainSight that uses her sweet smile and falsely kind words to keep everyone wrapped around her finger. As soon as she meets Belle, she begs for her to become her friend and personal assistant, in spite of Beast’s resistance.  Belle is delighted in meeting someone so nice, until the princess condescendingly rants about how lonely and miserable her life must have been then rubs on the girl's face that everything – Cyril, the castle, the rosary that saved Belle's life - is hers. She also insists for Cyril to announce their engagement and has Belle sewing her wedding dress. The poor girl is an emotional wreck at this point, and the princess takes advantage of this to sneak offfscreen a pin in her wedding dress and hurt herself with it, making everyone think that Belle was careless. To add insult to injury, she pretends to defend her seamstress, saying aloud that it is just normal for Belle to be distracted because she is in love with Cyril, too, to make everyone suspect that she hurt the princess out of spite. Fortunately, Giselle and Isolde come to save the cornered girl.]]

** Played straight with the current [[spoiler: queen, the king and Madame Yvonne, his mistress. The latter had the queen's face horribly burned, and the king apparently knew that. In spite of wanting her husbands love, the queen coerces Raphael into being by her lover and [[HeKnowsTooMuch plans to kill La Medium, so people will never know that their queen has dealt with magic.]]She could have contented herself with the beautiful face she bought from the witch, but can't resist the latter's suggestion of disfiguring her rival. As a result, the queen's new face is destroyed and she is arrested on the charge of having tried to kill Madame Yvonne. That's exactly what the king needs to annulate his marriage and make his mistresss the new queen, although that doesn't keep him from making a pass on a disgusted La Medium. Or Yvonne from hooking up with Raphael.]]

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Deconstructed. The entire manga not only has beautiful characters with rotten souls but makes a harsh criticism of people’s obsession with beauty and youth. La Medium became rich by changing the faces of nobles, including the queen, [[spoiler: who wants desperately recover her husband’s love, after his mistress disfigured her face.]] Justified, because back then women rarely had some money of their own and were forced to depend on their husbands and lovers completely. And beauty was seen as fundamental to keep men’s insterest (In spite of feminist achievements, this kind of mentality still exists, unfortunately).

** Even when Belle was a kid, Evance’s behavior towards her was very ambiguous. He made her cover her hair with hoods and hats because its color reminded him that she (probably) wasn’t his daughter, but saved her from falling from a cliff. After his wife’s disappearance, he isolates Belle from the rest of the world insisting that “he is the only one able to love her”; abusive husbands/boyfriends frequently say that to keep their victims from realizing their treatment of them is wrong and getting help. And, when the demon possess Evance’s corpse, he first calls for Belle, rambling “No matter where you go or how much time passes, you will always be mine.” before the demon’s mind takes over and asks confusely who Belle is. Much later, Beast remarks that Evance lied to Belle about her appearance to [[IncestSubtext “keep her all to himself”]]. Belle is too innocent to realize but she left her "papa" right on time, [[LecherousStepparent before things]] [[RapeAsDrama went a lot worse]].

** ** Despite his hatred towards Belle, Evance built a bathtub and a sink in her room. When she tells that to Giselle in a sketch the bird asks why didn't he get a job [[BrilliantButLazy if he was able to make such things]].

** [[spoiler: Princess Belle is actually a sociopathic AlphaBitch that abuses of Cyril emotionally. Giselle never liked her, but didn’t want her replaced by Belle because the latter was a stranger and a peasant. She quickly changes her mind after the toxic princess wakes up.]]

* BeastAndBeauty: Cyril and Belle, of couse, although she think that Beauty is her namesake.

* BettyAndVeronica: Belle (the protagonist), who is naive but honest and [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe loyal to her saviour]] and Princess Belle, a ProudBeauty [[spoiler: and a passive-agressive RoyalBrat.]]