Blood on the Tracks - Vol. 17 Ch. 153 - A Quiet Space

[Ninjafoo]

Finally decided to catch up where I left off after the timeskip. Something about seeing the mom's existence becoming so weak and pitiful by time passing and her own self-destructing mental illness was the saddest part for me. The part where she just slowly dies like nothing after years of wasted potential happiness.

 

[frern]

The last post-"Injury" 'arc' of his mother's degradation felt entirely unnecessary especially after the beautiful resolution that occurred around "The Storm Passes"-- which is what I feel should have formed the basis of an ending. A little more forgiving ending may have been what I'd hoped for.

It seems like Oshimi struggled to decide how to commit with Sei and Seiko's relationship and it made them feel unreasonably inconsistent, even for a pair struggling with psychosis and depersonalization, which I believe was not adequately explored in Seiko's case to make for a compelling or satisfying character. Focus appeared too vaguely and infrequently until the story's one pay off just for it all to literally rot away immediately after.

The reflections this manga inspired in me had intense emotional effect and for that it may be among the most personally impactful media I've experienced. These pages felt torturous at times, for those feelings and the painful but treasured thoughts and memories revisited. So, for that, I think this manga will be remembered with some level of fondness by myself, at least. Nothing from here on earth is perfect, I'll say that much.

Just some of my mind. Thanks to Oshimi Shuzo and to Little Miss & Good Sir Scanlations et al. <3

 

[biologist]

Hey look that is probably me in my elderly years. Without an abusive mother part of course.

 

[jolynehoestar]

This manga went on a bit too long. Honestly you can cut like 40 chapters and it still would be fine. While I liked it and set up myself to finish it years ago when I first saw it I honestly think it is not that good. It got dragged on and just became long for the sake of publicitaion and author's salary lol. I am happy I read it and it is a nice ending but it could be much better

 

[J0hnnyJoestar]

According to the author, his mom actually read the first chapter of Chi No Wadachi and he wanted her to read the rest through the ending. Interesting stuff

 

[zoo-wee-mama]

...huh. well, now that that i think about it, how could this really have ended any other way? i kinda would've liked him to have a normal-ish happy life with grandkids or friends or something, but i guess this is probably how that sort of thing would end up irl. at least he's not haunted by the specter of his mom anymore, which is the best we can hope for.

 

[CookieMonster]

Ending done right. When Yuiko showed up last chapter I was afraid they can somehow meet or even reunite, what would awfully forced. But luckily Oshimi Shuzo is not the guy who's chasing happy endings.

 

[nyamcam]

Author's stories have a habit of lingering one or two extra volumes, but I actually really, really like this ending. I love how their relationship has always been founded in mutual adoration and hatred, and how their roles have essentially switched during the final arc. Seiichi was able to confront, understand, forgive, and eventually forget the woman who dominated his early life and terrorized him through so many years. Her face has always been the most impactful part of this manga - beautiful, terrifying, monstrous, and eventually painfully frail and old and human. To see it completely blurred out by the end of it feels like letting out a long breath of relief that it's over.

I also like how "in their final conversation" he had to acknowledge that despite his care for her, he understands she really was just the worst kind of person to be his mother, and that only in his dreams will she be able to honestly talk to him. To be able to let it all go feels freeing. This manga was a hell of a ride.

 

[nclsdv]

Time heals all wounds. This was a work of art. The emotions were raw. The characters were real. I love the mother. I love the father. I pity the boy. I'm happy for the girl. One of the greatest manga I've ever read.

 

[HoangDinh]

Bro got alzheimer or dementia idk, that why he forgot. Because he old.

 

[Gsakiry]

Better ending than the one I was expecting ig

 

[JacobCada]

I've got to stop reading this guy's works, just leaves me burned XD

 

[TestAddress]

Wow that's the end of Blood on the Tracks & wish this was a happier ending for Seiichi but at the same time it's better that he forgot what his mom looked like. The guy had his whole life ruined because of her & it is a shame he never got to experience a normal youth & young adulthood. Still better than what I thought he might have done after she passed away (good riddance), which was suicide. The art Oshimi Shuzo sensei did for this always impresses me even that colored page. What a ride & can't wait for another grim story from him in the future. Thanks for translating this to the end.

IT RUINED HIS ENTIRE LIFE MAN. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO FUNCTION LET ALONE BUILD A FAMILY.


So Sekichi swung a sledgehammer?

To me the most powerful aspect of this manga is the number of people who can more or less relate to Seiichi, growing up with an abusive parent.

Then this panel, don't know the why but it was the one that really stood out to me the most in the whole manga.

 

[zevenate]

I read about half of his years ago, forgot about it, and just came back and binged the whole thing.

Subdued but touching ending. I was and am conflicted about the fact that Seiichi killed Shigeru, as he never seemed so totally psychotic before. But it did serve to show how dominating and destructive his mother was in his life. I appreciated the restraint in the closing act, without a fateful reunion with Yuiko or some other drama event. In particular it was nice to see that Seiichi and his father had a close relationship in the end, especially with their earlier distance and the scarcity of strong paternal relationships in manga/anime.

In the end, Seiichi had to come to terms with his mother and see her as she was, not as he imagined her to be. This was the underlying purpose of taking care of her: changing her diapers made it impossible to hold on to his idealized image. And this allowed him to finally release the pain he held and move on, knowing she was not a goddess or devil but just another person. To see him alone is sad, but to see him alive and able to enjoy each day is a victory. Even if he never realized an ideal life, together with Yuiko or someone else, few do. It's actually nice to see him have some satisfaction even in circumstances one might think of as terribly tragic.

If there's one message I took from this story, it's to know your parents. You are a product of the people who raised you in more ways than you (particularly if you're young) might realize. Reflecting on who they are can bring a lot of self-awareness.

 

[R2_Vanitas]

to be honest, i wanted an yuiko ending, well

 

[wetdripp]

just binge read the last 80 chapter tonight and ive gotta say this is by far the worst Oshimi manga i've read and im ashamed to say i've purchased the official english volumes ik this is just my opinion and to each their own but lots of dollars wasted and time and thoughts ill never get back smh so yea for me the end wasn't the slightest bit satisfying.

 

[vikispod]

im never reading this again in my life too many emotions man

 

[vikispod]

just binge read the last 80 chapter tonight and ive gotta say this is by far the worst Oshimi manga i've read and im ashamed to say i've purchased the official english volumes ik this is just my opinion and to each their own but lots of dollars wasted and time and thoughts ill never get back smh so yea for me the end wasn't the slightest bit satisfying.

wetdripp ?

 

[Scinded]

If there's anything I have learned from this series, its that most manga readers are braindead.

 

[Marxofcain]

People forget that most of Oshimi's work follow an autobiographical tendency and a tendency of modernist poetry. The symbolism is ultimate to the narrative in a magical realist sense. He is mangaka, not a novelist or a poet. His goal is to create a semiotic language as much as developing an intriguing plot. I say he did that perfectly. The depersonalized and tormented countenances, the gash-like, oozing shadows; the dichotomy of disgust and apathy. He's a Freudian or even Lacanian man. The exploration of the Mother as the oedipal obelisk which the child is speared upon. The Father, routine as the seasons, lost in a world of sensation and "duty". Yes I think the idea of duty is explored deeply here. As well as a nihilism of self in the interest of love and placement in a society. Our society starts in the home, the nuclear family. And when that is distorted so will be our ability to accept the laws of man. I suffer from this severely myself. While it ain't no Aku no Hana, it's nowhere near as clusterfucked as people say. In fact, I especially enjoyed this post-timeskip phase because it shows the emptiness of mind and spirit when your morality abandons you. As Seiichi was abandoned by his mother but who he could not. As well as the true effect of being alienated by both the system and his family. There's so much more to say but I'm lazy.