Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

血の轍 [Chi no Wadachi] #13

Blood on the Tracks, Vol. 13

Rate this book
It's been 20 years since his mother told Seiichi that she renounced motherhood, since she thanked him for being a killer, since he tried to strangle her there in the courtroom—and somehow he made it through. Living alone, working the night shift at a bakery, barely speaking to his father, Seiichi's life is solitary and empty, and he likes it that way. But nothing lasts forever...

The grand preface is over—and now the real story begins!!

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2022

24 people are currently reading
623 people want to read

About the author

Shuzo Oshimi

137 books1,049 followers
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) .

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
837 (32%)
4 stars
1,108 (43%)
3 stars
533 (20%)
2 stars
64 (2%)
1 star
12 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
Profile Image for Gabby.
1,837 reviews30k followers
October 1, 2023
Wow!!! So wild that 20 years have passed since the last volume, and now he’s 36 years old! This volume was so sad and depressing, but still so engaging and disturbing and I’m soooo curious to see where the story will go from here.
Profile Image for Katie Colson.
798 reviews9,863 followers
May 9, 2023
20 YEARS?! When Oshimi said prologue, he wasn't messing around.

13 volumes in and I'm still holding my breath when I flip the pages. There were moments I wanted to cry. This volume is depressing and bleak and so lonely.

But you know that the hurricane's about to bust in at this next volume. I don't know if I'm going to like Seiichi as much as a 36 year old man and a MIA Seiko. But I have faith in Shuzo Oshimi.
Profile Image for Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎.
1,310 reviews188 followers
April 2, 2023
Time-skip to 2017, when Sei is already 36 years old, alone in a messy apartment, breathing, living an empty life, and but dead inside—with Shige's ghost following around. Man, this is just too sad.

Notice the transition of cover color themes. From bright red (psychological torture) to white (enlightenment), to blue: not peaceful, but not rowdy or intense either. There's deep loneliness that envelops the character's tortured soul.
Profile Image for Kesa.
580 reviews62 followers
June 29, 2022
Haunting.
Splendid prologue ends. Main story starts.
It's been twenty years since Seiichi Osabe had his trial. We now follow his silent life as a thirty-six year old man.



Profile Image for Rat Queen.
396 reviews5 followers
February 4, 2023
And this is where I shall end my Chi no Wadachi journey.
While this story was fantastic and an incredible representation of abuse and the fallout I have gotten everything I needed from this. The art and what it represents is incredible but at this point, I am tired and that's okay because I had a great time up until now.
Profile Image for Borja.
512 reviews132 followers
March 20, 2023
No apto para el día del padre
Profile Image for Ebony "Interstellar Introvert".
119 reviews13 followers
February 11, 2023
How do you begin to live your life after experiencing so much trauma?

Now, get this volumes 1-12 was the prologue. Seriously? I guess Shuzo Oshimi said, "Hold my beer and don't spill it."

We start with Sei living his life in Tokyo. He has a normal job, 36 years old, and living alone. He still suffers mentally, but he is dealing with it. His father stops by to visit and realizes his son is barely clinging to life. His apartment is a mess, and his attitude is very nonchalant. He suggests to his son that they should go out to dinner to get out of the trashy apartment.

Over dinner, Sei father apologizes for all the pain Sei has experienced and begs for his forgiveness. Afterwards, Sei continues on with his life. He later receives a phone call from a local hospital. They basically let him know his father is very ill. Sei rushes to the hospital and sees his father unconscious. For days, he remains that way until he finally awakens. Doctors let Sei know that his father may not make it due to the severity of his condition. His father dies, and Sei is left with the responsibility of placing his father remains at rest.

Now, after all this, Sei feels he can die at peace. Meaning he can end his life because there is no one left to keep watch. The artwork is absolutely haunting and disturbing. You feel every emotion in each panel. Shuzo does an incredible job of making you feel uncomfortable while reading this manga. I mean, volumes 1-12 were just an introduction. Jesus, take the wheel, and please drive me right off a cliff. I don't think I can take 12 more volumes of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sassy Sarah Reads.
2,348 reviews307 followers
September 23, 2024
5 stars (reread)

This is brutal. Sei is all alone. I sob every time his father grabs his hand in the hospital. Gets me every time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 stars

Shuzo Oshimi does it again! This volume picks up 20 years after volume 12, which was a huge shocker for me. This volume opens up with Seiichi living in society and working a factory job. He has not seen his mother since she renounced him in court and has a tentative and barely present relationship with his father. Seiichi's mind is still shattered, fractured, and slipping. This felt so hopeless. It broke my heart into a million pieces. This poor kid is now a man with no one and nothing. I can't wait to see where this story goes. It could go in so many different directions and I'm nervous, scared, but also itching for more.
Profile Image for Fanny.
163 reviews10 followers
January 21, 2024
this volume was BLEAK (excellently so). now i actually have to wait for the next two volumes to come into the library alas
Profile Image for Anabel Samani.
Author 4 books57 followers
November 4, 2024
3.75

Un tomo que da un salto de veinte años en la vida de Seiichi. Es un volumen triste que parece funcionar como entrada al cierre de la historia.
Profile Image for Ignacio.
1,445 reviews302 followers
December 17, 2023
Patada para adelante para seguir hurgando en las consecuencias, ahora con salto en el tiempo. Bien Oshimi, ¡¡bien!! (dijo él mirando el panorama desde la rendija que prepara con su mano entre el marco de la ventana y la cortina)
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
Author 17 books1,203 followers
May 6, 2023
A time skip as expected from Oshimi.

After the truly terrible words said by his mother in the last volume we get a huge time skip, 20 years later, and Seiichi is trying to live his life the best he thinks he could. Which is not very well. He's going through the motions, not wanting or needing anything. Only staying alive because his father is still around. He sees him every once in awhile but when tragedy strikes, Seiichi gets closer and closer to the line of suicide.

A great look into depression, suicide, and loss. I really love the more somber look into 20 years later verses some more movie-like ending where something scary or major happens. This feels realistic, and in the best way possible. Shuzo keeps on maturing as he continues to write, and I hope that continues.
Profile Image for Klára ☾.
38 reviews4 followers
March 7, 2023
Alright after 13 volumes I shall finally wrap it up. It definitely was an entertaining journey but this thing never ends 🫠
Profile Image for ky.
396 reviews1 follower
July 3, 2024
three things: first, the time jump?!?!? i gasped
second, the fact that the synopsis at the end says, “the great preface is over - and now the real story begins!”…….. so all that I just read was just a little toe dip?? a little sneaky peak? thirdly, is that why this is the first manga to ever make me cry (twice)? idk how oshimi does it
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,369 reviews282 followers
January 1, 2025
Well, I guess it isn't a Shuzo Oshimi series unless we get one of his unwelcome time jumps. The story screeches to a halt as we have to get up to speed on the characters' boring lives twenty years on.
Profile Image for Klinton Saha.
357 reviews5 followers
August 24, 2025
সেইচি এখন যুবক। পুনর্বাসন কেন্দ্র থেকে ফিরে এসে শুরুতে বাবার সাথে থাকলে পরে নিঃসঙ্গ জীবনযাপন করে।পরে বাবা মারা গেলে সে আর একাও হয়ে যায়।তবে এটা ভুল সে যে পুরোপুরি একা।বরং তার মনোজগতে এখন ঘুরে বেড়ায় তার সেই মৃত কাজিন যাকে সে মেরে ফেলেছিল নিজেকে মারতে গিয়ে।
Profile Image for Svetlana.
497 reviews13 followers
April 6, 2024
This volume is sad, but story is not creepy as it was before. But still holding my breath when flipping the pages. Also, it’s 20 years!!! after the main events. Why author did that???
Profile Image for Lauren Stoolfire.
4,781 reviews297 followers
April 16, 2024
This takes quite a a change as we start to follow Seiichi 20 years later at 16 years old. It's still just as engrossing and I need to read the next volume asap.
Profile Image for Zai Zai.
810 reviews18 followers
June 12, 2024
I wish there was no flash forward. I feel the author painted himself to a corner or simply ran out ot ideas.
Profile Image for Steph ✨.
684 reviews1,615 followers
September 21, 2025
Wasn't expecting the time jump with this one but it explains the change in colour on the covers and spines of the books. Interesting indeed.
Profile Image for Erika Sarutobi.
979 reviews31 followers
November 1, 2022
I was wondering why the covers were blue and know I understand it's because of the time skip and him feeling jaded all the time.
Profile Image for Jess.
609 reviews141 followers
May 20, 2023
3.75/5

Volume 13 takes place 20 years after the previous one, where Saiichi has been released from prison and now lives alone in Tokyo. Despite not having been in contact with his mother, the events of his past still shape him today. His body lives, but he seems to lack any soul.

This volume explores Saiichi's relationship with his father, who supports him unconditionally. The genuine love that Saiichi's dad has for him brought tears to my eyes.

As a reader, we can feel the suffocating loneliness of Saiichi's life through the drawings. I'm eagerly anticipating the next volume!
Profile Image for w1T.
211 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2022
Not sure whats going on here, but its quite interesting how things are progressing.

This issue wraps up the “prologue” of the story. Wonder how long the actual story is!
Profile Image for Rieux .
56 reviews15 followers
November 27, 2022
I’m reading it online and I don’t know exactly where the chapters start and end but the father and sei whole appearance in like after 20 years is extremely sad like I literally cried my heart out it was so miserable and quite touching seeing how sei’s life is just gone waisted all because of his mother who still hunts him even when he wants to finally rest it’s exhausting actually and I’m wondering why the author decided that after all these years sei mother is going to have a comeback I just need an end please
Profile Image for AsianMerr.
449 reviews6 followers
June 12, 2024
Before I review this, some context, I collected the “prologue” when they were releasing them physically. I first hated it and then mellowed out. Then vol 12 ended saying “the prologue is over” or something like that and sold my set. I would not buy volumes again but I’ve heard things that happen so I wanted to pick it back up.

Okay now the review, holy shit this volume was amazing. Probably because the mother is not here at all (I know she shows up later). Oshimi loves his time skip moping arcs. I liked how broken Seichi was cause it feels natural to get to that point. I feel so bad for his dad even though he is a bit at fault. Rippppp. It all felt natural and depressing. Nothing weird happened at all and honestly when Oshimi writes realistically he’s at his best. Glad I’m picking this back up lowkey. Hoping Seichi fully turns around. He needs to see what life really has to offer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.