Story: 9
Chi No Wadachi, or A Trail of Blood, is a harrowing psychological thriller about the twisted relationship between a mother and her son that will keep you binging one chapter after another. One of the main things that makes this manga so electrifying is how much thought the author put into the story. Everyday events act as signals for character development (pay attention to what Seiichi eats for breakfast each day) and the plot twists and turns are very carefully laid out and revealed in astonishing ways. And it's because of the ability of the mangaka to make each scene so scary that the story has a continuous atmosphere of tension. Home symbolizes a safe haven away from the dangers and unknowns of the outside world. But when your home is the lair for the very same monster that gave you birth- what can you possibly do to escape?

Adding on to the ambience of terror that makes A Trail of Blood such a spine-chilling drama is its central villain- the mother. Behind her sweet innocent smile hides a manipulative, repulsive predator oozing with evil. The way she gaslights and controls Seiichi, warping this naive middle-schooler kid beyond recognition with her toxic and insidious lies, is both heart-breaking and outrageous to watch. Reading this manga I wanted nothing more than to kick her off the cliffs she wants to throw herself off of so much. She is SUCH a hateable character. The mother is more horrifying than any horror movie monster, and the fact that the protagonist has to live with her- and is manipulated by her 24/7- is what makes A Trail of Blood so nerve-wracking.

Art: 8
The mangaka does an expert job of using art to tell the story. The way he draws certain scenes really adds to the tension, and he also depicts the psychological trauma that the MC goes through in the series in a truly unsettling way. Particularly, I like how the sky is constantly black even at day, making each outdoors scene feel so eerie. And that smile. That damn smile. The mom's killer psycho smile will haunt me in my dreams. While most of the mother's scariness comes from her actions, the way the mangaka draws her makes her even more terrifying.

Character: 9
Let's start off with the mom. And I'm just starting off with the mom because I want to make something absolutely clear: THERE IS NO INCEST IN THIS MANGA. I'm going to warn you in advance, when you get to "that scene" early on in the story, remember that the mom had just found out that Seiichi got asked out by a girl at school, and in her twisted maternal way, wanted to replace and consume the girl's role in Sei's life to "protect" him from harm. The fact that she does not in fact have any sexual feelings for her son is made absolutely clear by the author, since the mom has numerous opportunities to act on any desires throughout the story and never, ever does so. She just really, really, REALLY despises Seiichi's love interest and is afraid of anyone who could take her darling son away from her. Ma is just a murderous psycho, not a horny murderous psycho. If "that scene" turns you off from the manga, don't worry, there aren't any more scenes like it.
All that aside, the mother is a great character, a walking bomb, exploding at sudden moments and fracturing Sei's grasp on sanity and reality over and over again. Her mannerisms, her motives, her cunningly manipulative behavior- all of this contributes to her being one of the scariest antagonists I've ever seen in fiction.
The other important character in A Trail of Blood is the protagonist, Seiichi. An innocent middle school kid, his hopes and dreams are completely dashed to pieces by his insane mother as she tortures him with emotional blackmail, while the poor kid, confused by natural love for his parent, is too helpless to truly fight back. Sei's mental deterioration over the course of the series is heartbreaking to watch and you'll find yourself rooting for the few individuals who try to free him from the chains of "love" that bind him to his mother.
There's minor characters in A Trail of Blood who are important as well. There's the emotionally distant dad who is surprisingly blind to the fact that his wife is crazy. The horny teenage love interest who is abused at home herself. The conked-out vegetable cousin who ends up being the hero of the story (no, seriously.) The author does a great job of characterizing each person in the story overall.

Enjoyment: 7
The one main annoying part of the story is the weird inkling of sexual tension between the MC and his sociopathic killer mom. Yeah. There's a lot of emotional touchy-feely business that goes on between the two and as I was reading this manga I was continuously worried that the situation would escalate, but fortunately it never does. It really took me out of the horror of the story at some parts but as long as you can read without thinking too much about it you'll get through the story just fine. Other than that there's lots to enjoy about A Trail of Blood. The spooky mysteries and startling reveals will keep you on the edge of your seat, I guarantee it.

Overall: 9
As someone who usually sticks to shonen anime and manga, I surprisingly enjoyed this series. A true page-turner doesn't need magic or explosions or aliens to keep you glued, and A Trail of Blood is a convincing example of that. The protagonist has a torturous character arc you'll never forget and the mother is a terrifying villain the likes of which you won't see in any other piece of fiction. After binge-reading all 85 chapters in one sitting, I can't wait to read what happens next in the story. Give A Trail of Blood a try, I guarantee it will haunt you for a long time if you do.

So...

Do you want the steamed meat bun or the steamed red-bean bun for breakfast?

The choice is yours.

Just don't make the wrong one.