Blood on the Tracks

• Name — Blood on the Tracks • Ja Kanji — 血の轍 • Ja Romaji — Chi no Wadachi • Genre — * Psychological horror • Psychological suspense

• Type — manga • Author — Shūzō Oshimi • Publisher — Shogakukan • Imprint — Big Comics Superior • Magazine — Big Comic Superior • First — February 24, 2017 • Last — September 8, 2023 • Volumes — 17

• Portal — yes Blood on the Tracks is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shūzō Oshimi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior from February 2017 to September 2023, with its chapters collected into 17 tankōbon volumes. The story follows a middle school student, Seiichi Osabe, and his relationship with his overprotective mother, who after a certain event, begins to show a darker and horrifying side towards her son. The series is licensed in English in North America by Vertical, who started releasing the volumes in print in February 2020; it is also digitally published by Kodansha USA since August of the same year. By May 2023, Blood on the Tracks had over 2.3 million copies in circulation.

Seiichi Osabe is a shy middle school student who lives an ordinary life under the care of his mother, Seiko. While others perceive Seiko as overprotective, Seiichi is entirely comfortable with her profound devotion and does not question her behavior. During a family hiking trip with his parents and paternal relatives, an event occurs that irrevocably shatters his peaceful existence. His cousin, Shigeru, playfully shoves Seiichi near a cliff edge, prompting Seiko to instantly intervene and pull him to safety. The family dismisses her actions as excessive and laughs at her response. Later, Seiichi and Shigeru venture to a higher, more precarious cliff edge. As Shigeru stands near the edge, Seiko, who has been following them, approaches her nephew and deliberately pushes him from the cliff. She then turns and offers her son a brief, tranquil smile. In the aftermath, Shigeru is left in a comatose state, and Seiichi remains the sole witness to his mother's true nature. This incident forces him to recognize the terrifying and dangerous reality of his mother's affection. His daily life is transformed into a continuous horror, as he must navigate an existence dominated by the disturbing and possessive protection of the person who claims to love him most.

• Seiichi Osabe • Seiichi is a shy middle school student living with his mother, Seiko, whose devotion is viewed by others as overprotective. His perception of her love is shattered during a family trip, when she pushes his cousin from a cliff after a prior, minor incident. The cousin is left in a comatose state, and Seiichi is the sole witness. He subsequently discovers the dangerous reality of his mother's affection, and his daily life becomes a horror defined by her increasingly manipulative and possessive control. • Seiko Osabe • Seiichi's mother, Seiko, suffers from psychiatric disorders that manifest in an obsessive and possessive relationship with her son, extending far beyond typical overprotectiveness. Her singular focus is his possession, driven by a profound fear that he will be taken from her. This fixation has previously led her to extreme violence, including a past attempt on his life by throwing him from a hill slope. To maintain control, Seiko expertly conceals her true nature and systematically manipulates Seiichi's memories, ensuring his dependence and distorting his understanding of their shared past. • Yuiko Fukiishi • Yuiko is a classmate of Seiichi who lives with her alcoholic and abusive father, their relationship strained since her mother abandoned them. She and Seiichi develop a romantic relationship. Through this bond, Yuiko becomes the first person to cause Seiichi to question his mother's behavior and the manipulative nature of his relationship with her. • Ichirō Osabe • Ichirō is Seiichi's father and Seiko's husband, a salaryman who works diligently to maintain family stability following the cliff incident. He possesses a caring and calm demeanor. Despite his love for his family, he remains largely unaware of the severity of their domestic situation. This persists even after Seiko confesses to Shigeru's parents that she pushed their son, and when Seiko later suggests divorce, Ichirō does not demonstrate a willingness to pursue it. • Shigeru Mitsuishi • Shigeru is Seiichi's cousin, known for his blunt and teasing nature, often mocking Seiichi about his relationship with his mother. During a family hiking trip, Seiko pushes him off a cliff. He survives the fall but is left in a comatose state. Through subsequent rehabilitation and the care of his mother, Shigeru eventually regains partial consciousness. Upon recognizing his aunt Seiko, he is immediately overcome with terror.

Written and illustrated by Shūzō Oshimi, Blood on the Tracks was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Superior from February 24, 2017, to September 8, 2023. According to Oshimi, the Bob Dylan album of the same name inspired the title for the series, but was not a major influence on the story. Shogakukan collected its chapters in 17 tankōbon volumes, released from September 8, 2017, to September 28, 2023. In July 2019, Vertical announced that they have licensed the manga for an English language release in North America. The first volume was published on February 25, 2020. In July 2020, Kodansha USA announced the digital release of the manga, which started in August of the same year.