血の轍 14 [Chi no Wadachi 14]

血の轍 [Chi no Wadachi] #14

by Shuzo Oshimi, 押見修造

死へ向かう僕を止めたのはママだった!?

「もうこのまま…一生会わないでいいんかい?」

それは生前、父からの最期の問いだった。

逝去した父の遺骨を埋めるため

久しぶりに故郷を訪れた静一。

「これで、もうこの世に何も思い残すことはない…」

そんな時、偶然にも目の前に吹石さんが現れる。

蘇る記憶と感情ーー

一瞬、時が止まり、空気は張り詰める。

静一は、己の人生を、”無事”に終わらせることができるのか!?

Genres: Manga, Horror, Comics, Thriller, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Seinen

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2022

About the author

Shuzo Oshimi (押見修造, Oshimi Shūzō) is a Japanese manga creator.
Drawn in a realistic art style, his comics tend to be psychological dramas exploring the difficulties in human relationships and often touching on disturbing situations and perversions.
Oshimi debuted in 2001 with the manga series Avant-Garde Yumeko, appeared in Kodansha's 'Monthly Shōnen Magazine.' Most of his works since then have been published by Kodansha and Futabasha.
Among his first successes the single volume manga Sweet Poolside (2004), later adapted into a live-action film, and the series Drifting Net Café (2008–2011), also adapted for TV.
Oshimi reached international acclaims with The Flowers of Evil (2009–2014) and Inside Mari (2012–2016), both adapted into successful anime. Other notable works are Blood on the Tracks (2017–2023) and Welcome Back, Alice (2020-2023) .

Reviews

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Damn this series continues to be disturbing but also depressing as hell 😭 Vol 13 and 14 have been exceptionally sad and depressing. I feel so bad for this character. I’m curious to see where his story goes.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The manga has lost its flavour and is becoming bland ever since the MC grew up. The narrator spends a lot of time in a rational setting. I have no idea why what sensei is doing isn't progressing.

[Katie Colson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time jump has not done this series any favors. However, there were several moments that had me on edge. Like, genuinely scary.

But, let's talk about the actual horror in this book - the Author's Note. Did y'all read that? What the F**K? Shuzo Oshimi, my good sir. Now I'm not only scared of his work but also of him. He legitimately is Norman Bates, specifically from Bates Motel. I can't believe he divulged all of that in a printed edition of a widely read series. It also makes me worried for his well being on many levels.

After reading that, I have absolutely no idea where this series could possibly go. But I feel obligated to stick around to find out.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I’m in the same head space as a lot of reviewers when it comes to this one. The time jump has really messed up the pacing and it’s lost its steam. It’s still desk as Seiichi is forced to confront his own mental health issues. There is a reunion of sorts that occurs, but readers will begin to see the impact of his mother’s treatment. Overall, this series is turning into a huge disappointment for me, but I only have two more volumes until the end so I’ll stick with it. The artwork is still superb but I’m just not feeling the storyline.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This became a lot more horrifying after reading the authors note.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised at the low ratings for this one.

It's not as strong as the last few volumes but still a bleak and screwed up life our poor lead is going through. Now dealing with ready to take his own life but things change as he gets a phone call about his mother. Reuniting with her but not her being the same, is a great twist, and a fucked up ending makes me think we got a couple more volumes of figuring out how you deal with the past.

[Mercy Nurse · Rating 1 out of 5]

This really should have ended ages ago, I have no idea why it’s still releasing chapters.

[Anabel Samani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tras veinte años, Seiichi se ve obligado a volver a ver a su madre; aunque, en realidad, ella siempre ha estado con él, en su mente, ahogándole con su presencia.

Este volumen tiene menos fuerza que los anteriores, y coincido con las opiniones que señalan que el salto temporal no le ha sentado bien a la historia.

El epílogo... es muy desconcertante.

[Kesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Constantly reading older chapters since I can not wait for the next volume. Definitely one of my favourite mangas to ever come out.



Is there a way to both save Seiichi and Seiko Osabe?

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A reunion teased in the last volume fizzles, only to be replaced by another. In between, Seiichi flounders about in his mommy issues and the pointlessness of his life.

The thirtysomething version of Seiichi is so pathetic, it fritters away the compassion I had for the teenager who was so harmed by his monstrous mother.

[Vex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely heartbreaking in so many ways.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars (reread)

Sei is reunited with Seiko and sees her as she was when he was in her life, then as a child, and then as the old woman that she is. It's a brilliant form to show Sei being stuck in his mind since he was rejected in the courtroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 stars

Seiichi is confronted with his mother again as an adult and it continues to further fracture his mind while dealing with the death of his father. This one is DARK. Like the opening pages have a suicide hotline number on it with a trigger warning. This was intense and at times hopeless. I am curious to see where this continues to unfold. Will Seiichi choose to embrace a darker part of himself and take it out on his mother or will he take his anger out on other women??

[Ignacio · Rating 5 out of 5]

El ensañamiento con el protagonista, las consecuencias de lo vivido en la infancia y la adolescencia, ganan una nueva capa a través de sendos reencuentros. Muy bien Oshimi al representar el segundo a través de un detalle de dibujo/percepción desconcertante que subraya el tiempo pasado a la vez que el arraigo del trauma. ¡Qué cosa más horrible!

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, I'm honestly tired of everything now.

[Katie T · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is with the little epilogue at the end?? 😳

[Remxo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heavy read. So many thoughts and feelings. But the biggest reveal was Oshimi's afterword in which he talks about how he suffered drawing this book, stating that "It was supposed to be my revenge on my mother." Wether this is true or a cunning case of method writing on Oshimi's part, it it's an unexpected twist that presents Sei's broken relationship with his mother in a completely new light. As if this book wasn't disturbing enough.

The art was remarkable and truly haunting in how it reflected Sei's skewed perspective on reality and his internalised trauma.

Not for the faint at heart.

[mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art is just so goooood!!!

[Crystal Majeed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author’s note…
Um, I hope things are okay…

[Chiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracce di sangue si conferma con ogni volume che passa uno dei manga più interessanti in corso al momento, sia per storia che per disegno.

Rimango sempre colpita (e turbata) dalla maestria dell'autore nel rappresentare con pochissimi dialoghi e quasi sempre solo tramite le immagini le emozioni dei personaggi. Trovo estremamente efficaci soprattutto le tavole in cui la mente del protagonista si distacca dalla realtà a causa di panico o altre sensazioni distruttive date dai traumi: il disegno da realistico diventa totalmente confusionario e mostruoso e ci fa vedere il mondo dai suoi occhi e sentire sulla nostra pelle quelle stesse emozioni.

La "postfazione" col commento dell'autore mi ha lasciato davvero scossa. Non pensavo -e non volevo- che ci fosse così tanto di personale dentro questa storia. Gli auguro tutto il meglio per il suo futuro e che quest'opera non sia solo un rivivere i mostri del suo passato ma che sia anche una strada di guarigione.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚👩🏻Spooktober 2024 🧑🏻📚

Book #7

-not sure how I feel about this time skip…
-the story is getting quite repetitive and I’m not sure about the direction
-Seichi continues to struggle with his mental health and eventually reunites with his mother
-Seiko seems to have lost her memory and gone through a personality change —she insists she doesn’t have a son and behaves in an innocent and clueless manner. I wonder if she faking it in order to disarm Seichi but she definitely does have significant mental issues
-The artwork is amazing as usual. The visual depiction of Sei’s rage and descent into madness is heartbreaking (ngl it was sad when he threw the tea at his mother and he hallucinated her as a crying child. The lady is evil but the image of a child version of her apologizing and pleading for death tugged at my heart strings a little bit)
-This series is ongoing and I need one or two more volumes to catch up. I really think it should wrap up soon because the story is dragging on a bit.

[Klinton Saha · Rating 5 out of 5]

বাবার মৃত্যুর পর নিঃসঙ্গ সেইচি পৃথিবী থেকে বিদায় নিতে চেয়েছিল। কিন্তু বারবার আত্মহত্যার ব্যর্থ চেষ্টা করে। কোনো না কোনোভাবেই কাজিনের অদৃশ্য সত্ত্বা তাকে বাঁচিয়ে দিচ্ছে। শেষবার আত্মহত্যা করতে গিয়ে পুলিশ স্টেশন থেকে কল আসে।তারা জানায় তার মা এখন ঘরছাড়া। তবে এখনও সেইচিকে চিনতে পারে না। দায়িত্ববোধের খাতিরে সেইচির মায়ের ভরণপোষণের দায়িত্ব নেয়।
যে বীভৎস অতীত সেইচি দীর্ঘদিন ঢাকনা বন্দি করে রেখেছিল,তা আজ ইচ্ছার বিরুদ্ধে খুলে ফেলে।সেইচির মধ্যে সেই পুরনো দানব রূপ বেরিয়ে আসে।সে মাকে মেরে ফেলতে চায়!!!

[Ebony "Interstellar Introvert" · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Greatest Trick The Devil Ever Pulled Was Convincing The World He Did Not Exist."

- The Usual Suspects ( Verbal )

[Haylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chaos never stops and I’m so so here for it. However, these blue colored volumes really are staying true to their blue era and making me sad af.

[Zoë Akpan · Rating 4 out of 5]

the allegories and metaphors are strong here, but i can’t see this improving. the writing is declining, and there’s not much material for him to work with at this point. maybe there’s a twist? i did like how his mom in her eyes was always that young version of herself. it just shows that no matter how senile and vulnerable she looks, she’ll continue to be the one who ruined his life and childhood. and it was interesting how you could see when he was empathetic towards her when that version dwindled, and she was old again.

[Ostrava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I see many people struggling to empathize with Seiko, but why? Don't. Just don't. That is always an option.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to to say that this is getting a bit stale now.

[Baylor Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You know whose fault it is you ended up like that? It’s yours!”

After many months, I’m returning to this series. I waited a bit for the new volumes to be printed in English and carried at my library.

Suffice to say, this is not where I expected it would go after the cliff hanger of running into Fukiishi again as an adult. I expected Seiichi to find some joy, but without spoiling anything, things just get darker instead.

There’s a very specific visual choice in this volume that carries on for several chapters and throws you off as the reader. Once the veil is lifted on this choice, you go “ohh” and think of everything you’ve read differently.

All said, the most shocking thing in this volume is not any of the plot, but the personal note from the author in the final two pages revealing that much of this series is, in fact, autobiographical. At least, he admits that this series is his attempt to reckon with his relationship with his own mother.

“The more of this comic I draw, the more I suffer.”

This makes the series 10x more bleak than it already was (which is saying a lot).

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Seiichi.

At this point it's difficult to say anything without spoiling it.

Yeah...

3 volumes to go... this is probably Oshimi's best work so far.

A must read manga series for adults with nerves of steel.

[Bruna · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me it was better than the last volume so I'm glad I kept on reading but the level of chaos is disorienting at times (it didn't help that I took quite a long break between volumes). I still love the art and artistic choices that made the entire volume feel much more uncomfortable and stronger than the 13th for me

[Chantaal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is just highly depressing. The time jump did this series no favors.

I guess I'll finish it out since there are only three volumes to go from here.

Content warnings: suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.