The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride, Vol. 1

傷モノの花嫁～虐げられた私が、皇國の鬼神に見初められた理由～ [Kizumono no Hanayome: Shiitagerareta Watashi ga, Kōkoku no Kijin ni Misomerareta Riyū] #1

by Mamenosuke Fujimaru, Midori Yuma (Original Creator)

Young, cheerful Nanao can't wait to marry her betrothed, Reito, the young lord of the Byakurenji family. But that changes one night when she is attacked by a vengeful yokai spirit-an ayakashi-leaving her scarred with the mark of a demonic curse. Her cousin Akemi seizes the chance to steal away her fiance, but it doesn't matter. Reito now finds her repulsive, and Nanao is forced to wear a monkey mask to hide her scar and live the life of an outcast. Years later, she meets Yako, the willful young scion of another noble family. When Nanao's mask shatters after an accident, Yako sees her face and is drawn to her beauty and great spiritual power. But there's more to the handsome young lord than meets the eye, and when Yako offers Nanao a way out of her torturous life, the new life that awaits her is filled with more mystery and intrigue that she could ever imagine…

Genres: Manga, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Demons, Comics, Graphic Novels

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2023

About the author

FUJIMARU Mamenosuke
Name (in native language): 藤丸豆ノ介

Reviews

[Nancy •͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ {Comment restriction} · Rating 3 out of 5]

──⟡⋆˙✩ 3.5 stars ✩ ⋆˙⟡──

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ An interesting start. It had every cliché trope I was expecting—plus a couple more that took me by surprise—and overall? It was a short, entertaining read! At moments, it actually managed to make me squeal (which was surprising).

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥: ℕ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪 𝔼𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★

In this fantasy world, we have the evil demons vs. the noble humans. Our FMC, cheerful and innocent Nanao, is engaged to the future head of the clan—but then she gets tainted by a demon, leaving a scar on her forehead. Ever since that day, her life becomes hell: her loving fiancé turns cold and marries her cousin instead. Nanao is treated worse than a servant and is forced to wear a monkey mask in 'polite' society.

(Yes, you heard right—a MONKEY mask. Like... have you ever heard of anything more demeaning?!)

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ N̲a̲n̲a̲o̲:̲ ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪ ꜱᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ, ᴍʏ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ.

Doesn’t that just tug at your heartstrings?

But FEAR NOT, my friends! For every pure maiden in distress, there shall come a knight in shining armor who finds her special, demands to marry her, and takes her home. Enter: our MMC (the Ayakashi Hunter from the book’s title), who soon arrives to save the day.

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ H̲i̲m̲ ̲t̲o̲ ̲h̲e̲r̲ ̲o̲p̲p̲r̲e̲s̲s̲o̲r̲s̲:̲ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀꜱᴋ ʏᴏᴜ—ɪꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛ ꜱᴇᴀʟ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴀʙᴜꜱᴇ ᴀ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴀꜱ ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ᴀꜱ ʜᴇʀ?

Quite the interesting man, our MMC I forgot his name, sorry. He’s extremely good-looking (thank you, artist)—WAY more so than Nanao’s previous fiancé whose name I also forgot. And—bonus—he’s the only one who treats her like a human being. (I know, the bar is six-feet under)

He’s so incredibly sweet to her that even if I had my hackles up, they would shatter under the weight of his gentle treatment.

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ I knew I loved him when he said this about the stupid monkey mask she was forced to wear: ɪᴛ’ꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴜʀꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀᴏʙʙᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴇʟꜰ-ᴇꜱᴛᴇᴇᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴛʜᴀɴ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ.

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ So yeah—if you’re in the mood for something short, dramatic, trope-filled, and unexpectedly heart-squeezy, this one just might surprise you like it did me.

Huge thanks to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical, heroine is treated like trash by her family and former fiancee who ends up with the cousin/sister/female relative who pretended to be nice, but was scheming the entire time for what the MC h had, because #meangirlsneedfianceestoo, with the MC H the only one who sees the MC h's true worth and saves her from her oppressive and abusive family via marriage. Slowly, his gentle way with her makes her realize that she has worth for who she is and she falls in love with him. Happily ever after, but not before the horrible family does everything it can to use her/hurt/try to take what is NOW her's (husband, new home, wealth, etc.).

The End.

It wasn't bad, but it was formulaic. The artwork and HOW it was written saved this one for me. I'm just a sucker for the downtrodden and oppressed heart of gold MC h I guess.

Side note: One day I want to see the downtrodden and oppressed MC h, when she is freed from her abusive family/pick your oppressor here, end up actually being a huge B-word on heels. True story, happened to someone I knew. Very sad.

Back to the review, I am interested in reading the next volume to see if it stays on the right side of the tropes or if it falls prey to them.

3, better than the average stories of the same trope, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC of this book to read and review.

[Chantaal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setup for this story is that a young woman, Nanao, was once attacked and is tainted by a demon, and thus shunned by her fiance and their entire clan. One day deep into her bullied and lonely life Yako, a demon hunter from another clan, visits and realizes what Nanao truly is and whisks her away, declaring her his wife.

The main issue I have with this first volume is that the pacing is incredibly fast. The entire setup is a roller coaster ride of a single chapter, and it doesn't leave any room for the story or characters to breathe. I was left with zero interest in what was going on in the end.

Also, the setup for this romance is highly uncomfortable. Nanao is very sheltered and traumatized and feels indebted to Yako, and Yako "saved" her for reasons that are spoilery to mention here. It's unbalanced, and while I'm sure Nanao will grow into her own against Yako, I have zero interest in following the story.

The best thing about this was the art, it was gorgeous. I wish more of the panels had better background work, but when there were full splash scenes of landscapes and backgrounds, they were beautifully done.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing a review copy. This volume be released on March 25, 2025.

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!!

i loved the alice in the country of hearts/etc. series when i was in middle school, so to see mamenosuke’s name on a new series was like a blast to the past.

i’m interested to see where this new shojo series with demons go!

[☽｡⋆ Naidah ₊˚ෆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! Great story, beautiful art and great way to learn about ayakahi. If you’re fans of My Happy Marriage and Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits, definitely a manga to pick up. Set in the Meiji Era ❤️

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

—
Nanao has strong dark spiritual energy and one small mistake landed her to be marked by a vengeful yokai and becomes “tainted”

Years later she suffers abuse by her cousin, ex fiancé and everyone in the clan she lives in. Until one day, while completing her cleansing ritual a stranger with crimson eyes, stumbles upon her. Though the interaction was brief, this sparked the change in Nanao’s life…
—

Overall, I loved it. Definitely need to read the next volume.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga felt like a historical romantasy soap opera and I ate it up! The main character falls from a distinguished life to the life of a servant to her own family when her jealous cousin tricks her into destroying her destiny so she can steal it away from her. But the heroine's fortunes change when a new destiny claims her in the form of the lord from the highest nobility in the land declaring he wants to make her his bride!

The art is beautiful in this manga and the story is absolutely addictive. I really enjoyed the soap opera quality of the story, the jealous rival and the regretful ex. The supernatural elements were really interesting. This is a series I want to keep reading and collect for keeps!

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to be adjusted once series is complete

Once the fiancée of the Byakurenji family, Nanao is now considered tainted after being attacked by an ayakashi. She is shunned and abused until Yako, head of another family, decides to take her for his bride. Yako's motives are unclear but for Nanao this is a way out.

The art is beautiful and it doesn't shy away from depicting the scars Nanao carries. There is a fair bit of world building. At first it seemed as if the romance may be progressing too quickly for my liking, but it seems more transactional at this point and I imagine actual romance will come later down the line. It's definitely an interesting start and I look forward to where this story is headed.

[RatGrrrl]

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Unfortunately this is a DNF at 31%

Look, I am still relatively new to manga and I don't understand all the cultural influences, but this opened with an an adult telling his extremely young girl fiance that he would marry her once she was 15, talked about how uniquely spiritually charged women are so they must be the ones to makes breakfast, and then proceeded to have the protagonist who was 'tainted' treated in the most abusive and dehuminising way possible, which were all incredibly unpleasant to read.

I get that it's going to be all about how one of the guys will fall for her and her station will improve, but this is absolutely not for me.

Otherwise the art and script were great

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my goodness, I ADORED this book! I will admit at first, I didn't think it would be my thing at all. I was scratching my head a bit about what was going on. But pretty quickly it does a good job of filling you in on the details of what happened to Nanao to bring her to this point.

This had so many parts that just made me heart pitter patter. And it really grabbed me - I devoured this one so fast and was immediately left wanting to dive into the next one. I really felt for Nanao and the life she's experienced. I'm left curious about her powers and how they will play out.

I absolutely fell in love with Yako. It has so much of what I love in romance - he falls first/he pursues, rescue me vibes....and the vampire twist is just delicious.

Definitely going to grab more from this series!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was very similar to My Happy Marriage, but even better. The cast of characters is more diverse, and our leads are both flawed and likeable. There are also some interesting twists to the plot that will surely make this a compelling read going forward.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an arc from netgalley in exchange for a honest review. If you love my happy marriage then you will love ayakashi hunter's tainted bride. I was immediately sucked into the story.The fmc is full of trauma and has low self esteem so she couldn't believe someone would marry her. I'm all for people who just got married but fell in love later stories. Volume 1 set up The fmc backstory. The love story just started so hopefully the story is fleshed out more and we know more of the husband's backstory. The fmc is similar to my happy marriage due to her trauma yet has strong spiritual powers. I'm interested to see it play out.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nanao was set to eventually marry into the Byakurenji family when some careful scheming on her cousin’s part changed her life forever. Unfortunately, trusting in her jealous and deceitful cousin led to an attack from an ayakashi, which has left her with the scar and scent of their attack. Nanao doesn’t remember anything from the attack, but her entire future was snatched away and given to her cousin while she’s forced to wear a monkey mask to hide her face, scar, and scent. She has lived her life as an outcast, abandoned by her family, and constantly abused because everyone views her as tainted. Everything changes when the new lord of the Benitsubaki family discovers her and decides that they should marry!

I was interested in this story because this is an adaptation of a light novel from the same creator of Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, and I love the manga adaptation of that series. However, I was still not expecting to love the story as much as I did! We follow Nanao, a young woman who is viewed as tainted by the orangutan ayakashi that attacked her. She’s constantly verbally and physically abused, and she’s forced to secretly work for the same cousin who set her up for life as an outcast. Her entire clan views her as tainted and fears being contaminated by her touch, scent, blood, and even the sound of her voice because they have an obsession with their version of purity.

If you’re a fan of My Happy Marriage, this series is going to be right up your alley. Nanao has been verbally and physically abused for so long that she doesn’t have any self-esteem left, let alone any hope of ever finding happiness. However, thanks to finally getting away from the life she thought she was sentenced to until the end of her days, she’s slowly coming out on the other side. Plus, there’s a lot of interesting characters that come into the picture once she escapes the hell that was once her life. It’s a well-written story that sucks you in right away and blows you away with the stunning artwork. I can’t wait for the second volume!

[Meliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concepte de magie très intéressant, bien que la romance soit assez cliché, j’ai bien hâte de voir la suite de l’histoire!

[Mercedes Roth · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an advanced copy of this manga from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Spice: 0 out of 5 stars
Review: This was such a fun, interesting read! The beginning was a little slow for me, and a little info dumpy, but it quickly picked up and had me hooked. I love Nanao. She seems so kind and sweet, I just want to protect her. I hate her clan and her terrible cousin, Akemi. Seriously, her cousin is a grade a witch with a b. Master Yako is so handsome and mysterious, I can’t wait to find out more about him and his clan. Her ex-fiance Reito needs a switch butt kicking and I hope Master Yako gives him one. This was a really good start to a series and I can’t wait to read the next volume.

[Din Reads (In my suriel era) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was originally going to read this in parts but the story sucked me right in and I finished it in one go.
While the premise is something that's been done before -at it's core this is a Cinderella story- it has enough elements to make it an interesting and unique piece. The art style is gorgeous, the pacing is great and the protagonists are so cute together I immediately started rooting for them.
The antagonists are a bit predictable but they're the type you love to hate and watching them get what they deserve was absolutely satisfying.

All in all this was a great first volume and I can't wait to read the rest.

[Vale ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this manga!

This story is truly unique and intriguing. From the very first pages, I was completely captivated by its fascinating world, filled with mystery, supernatural elements, and an atmosphere that keeps you hooked. The characters are compelling, and I was especially drawn to Yako—there’s something about him that makes him absolutely captivating. His presence and dynamic within the story make me even more eager to see how everything unfolds. Definitely a must-read, and I can’t wait to continue this series!

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
Beautiful artwork and competent writing power an extremely familiar fairy tale storyline that should satisfy fans of the genre.

Thoughts
It's one of the most enduring stories of all time: A young woman of impassable beauty and impeccable morals is abused by her family for years until a prince appears to take her from her broken life into one that treats her like the princess she is. At last she is rewarded for her years of selfless kindness and excellent housekeeping when someone in a place of power sees the true value of her and her heart. There's definitely a supernatural element. There might even be a splash of revenge on the side. This iteration also includes a very tender look at the trauma of growing up with abuse, and how much the victim learns to internalize their own blame. Quite frankly, the first bit where she was stuck with her family was hard to get through - by design, of course, but WOW. Her family is terrible. Her new life is great, with a cast of fun characters to support her as she slowly learns to accept that she deserves to be treated like an actual person.

And that's kind of all we get for the first volume. The ayakashi world-building is interesting, but not in-depth (yet), with a few details that make it stand out from other stories. Her magical power manifests in making the world's most awesome breakfasts, which literally imbue the person eating it with magic. There is some sexy blood-licking as well. But for the most part, the story is just setting up all the characters for whatever conflict is to come. There are very few surprises, but the familiarity is comforting, and very competently written. If this is the kind of story you enjoy, The Ayakashi Hunter should be a very satisfying read. The art is delicate and confident, with some really great expressions from the story's villain, and there are plenty of sexy (but low spice!) moments to be had. The translation is very easy to read, and flows naturally. There are a lot of places this could go from here to distinguish itself from similar stories, but so far, it's a great start.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics from an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

[anzhelika ୨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 2.5 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

this was an overall okay read for me. i really liked the concept of the story, but it was the execution that didn't feel right to me. as soon as you start reading the manga, you jump straight into the plot without a proper introduction to the characters. i honestly wish we could've learned more about the backstories of the characters and about the spiritual powers that kept being mentioned but we almost knew nothing about. i'm still considering reading volume 2 because i'm curious how the story will develop.

˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Mamenosuke Fujimaru for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride" is a historical fantasy romance and is set in the Meiji era.

Nanao was supposed to have it all: the high spiritual spirit of hers would bless the place, the love and affection of her soon-to-be betrothed, Reito, who is the future head of the Byakurenji family. But all is lost in just a matter of seconds due to a small mistake.

Nanao is attacked by the yokai spirit—an ayakashi—and is marked as tainted with the demon spirit. Forced to wear a monkey mask, her life as she knew it was over.

Years and years of enduring abuse and being shunned by everyone, she never anticipated catching the eye of another powerful scion of the Benitsubaki clan. Instantly she was swept off her feet by Lord Yako, who has a reputation for being a cruel and ruthless ayakashi hunter.

Could Nanao be trading one nightmare for another? But Lord Yako is not like others; besides, he saved her.

I loved this manga. The storyline was perfect, and the illustrations are beautiful and breathtaking. I devoured this book in just a single sitting as it captivated me right from the start. The worldbuilding is fantastic, and the conclusion of the manga has me waiting for the next volume with bated breath. I loved the scene where Lord Yako sweeps in and declares Nanao to be his wife and the ones when they arrive at the imperial capital. Lord Yako's house was a total surprise. Besides the protagonists, I liked the characters that were introduced from Lord Yako's side, especially Goki. The surprise revelation was absolutely amazing.

This is a must-read. I'd highly, highly recommend it.

[Holly | Raise Your Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

| 4/5 Stars | ★★★★☆​

Trigger Warnings for The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride: Kidnapping, Discrimination, Isolation, Blood, Contract Marriage, Family Abuse.

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride #1 is the first volume of The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride series. It is Nanao's dream to marry the young lord of the Byakurenji family, Reito, but that dream soon becomes a nightmare. Cast aside from her family due to a ayakashi's mark, Nanao lives as an outcast, simply trying to do what's best for her clan. But the visiting Yako whisks her away for a currently unforeseen reason.

EEE! So cute. It's giving Inuyasha x Demon Slayer vibes and I'm here for it. I love the mixture of feudal Japan and the urbanization happening near the center. That mixed with the demons, yokai, ayakashi, and more has me super excited to read on. The ending of this first book also makes me really want to keep reading. I'm so ready for this weird little love-triangle-that's-actually-a-love-V-because-Nanao-don't-want-you-BOY.

Overall, this first book does a great job at luring us in. It really sets the stage with questions and ambiguity. Thank you to Mamenosuke Fujimari, Midori Yuma Yodansha Comics, and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

Follow all of my reviews and content with LinkTree

[BlaireReadsTheThings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this volume.

One man's trash is another's treasure. When Nanao becomes tainted by an ayakashi, her fiancé casts her aside and takes her cousin as his bride. Even after being discarded, she is made to serve the household because of her power. However, when Yako sees her for the beautiful and powerful woman that she is, he scoops her up and claims her as his own.

I liked this story a lot. The artwork is beautiful and engaging. You could probably just look at the art and the story would tell itself. I think that this could be the beginning of a really popular series.

[DancingMarshmallow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: 3.75

This volume is a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I did enjoy it and would be willing to continue the series to see what happens - especially to see if the heroine can heal from her trauma and become a more self-assured person over time. The demons are interesting as well, and I’d be up for learning more about their role in the story as well as the demon hunters in general.

I could do with less of the abusive family though. I get that - almost like a Cinderella story - the heroine’s evil family is part of the plot but ugh was that a bit too painful to read.

The art here is not my favorite, but it’s objectively fine, and there are some interesting panels.

Content warning: physical and emotional abuse

[Krissy Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, I was able to read this & provide a review.

It's been years since I dove into a Manga, but I really enjoyed this story. The artwork is beautiful and the pacing is incredibly well done. This seems more like a light hearted read, mainly about a girl who was mistreated by her own people, but shown kindness from a man who has had his own hardships. I really enjoyed the story thus far, and I am looking forward to reading the next volume!

Also - there was a small bonus chapter at the end, combining written pages and artwork to show a very cute moment between the two main characters. I'm a sucker for a sweet moment and a happy ending in a book, so this was a nice treat!

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and sad all at the same time. The art was stunning and worked so well with the story that I was sucked in instantly. I need volume two now!

5 stars

[⋆Aree⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ME ENCANTA!!❣️

Al inicio tiene las vibras de My Happy Marriage, y me gustó mucho eso!✨

Nanao cuando era pequeña fue maldecida por un espíritu (Ayakashi), a consecuencia de eso ya no podrá casarse con el señor del clan Byakurenji, su prima aprovecha la situación, toma su lugar y se casa con él.
Pero ahora Nanao tiene que vivir alejada y oculta, y usar una mascara de Mono para ocultar la marca en su cara.
Los años pasan y un día el señor del clan Benitsubaki llega de visita al clan Byakurenji y conoce por accidente a Nanao, siente atracción por ella y su poder, pero Yako tiene sus propios secretos….

AMO totalmente la interacción de Yako y Nanao, él siempre cuidandola, subiendo su autoestima y ayudandola cuando lo necesita🥹
YAKO ES TAN HERMOSO, ❣️estoy enamorada jaja y me encanta que sea un sinvergüenza coqueto con ella🥹😆
Cuando ambos llegan al clan de Yako me da mucha ternura algunos de su “familia” y me dan risa otros, es muy divertido🥹

NECESITO LEER EL SIGUIENTE!🤧






-Eng:




I LOVE IT!🤍

At the beginning it has My Happy Marriage vibes, and I really liked that!❣️

[When Nanao was a young she was cursed by a spirit (Ayakashi), as a result of which she could no longer marry the lord of the Byakurenji clan, her cousin takes advantage of the situation, takes her place and marries him.
But now Nanao has to live remotely and hidden, and wear a monkey mask to hide the mark on her face.
Years pass and one day the lord of the Benitsubaki clan comes to visit the Byakurenji clan and accidentally meets Nanao, he feels attracted to her and her power, but Yako has his own secrets...]

I totally LOVE Yako and Nanao's interaction, him always looking out for her, boosting her self-esteem and helping her when she needs it.❣️
YAKO IS SO BEAUTIFUL, I'm in love haha ​​and I love that he's a flirtatious scoundrel with her.😆❣️
When they both arrive at Yako's clan, some of his "family" make me feel very tender and others make me laugh, it's very funny🥹

I NEED TO READ THE NEXT ONE!!😫




Thanks Kodansha comics / Netgalley for the arc

[Lid · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Primeros 3 tomos*

NOTA: 3.5

El primer tomo me dejó un poco meh. Tiene un buen arranque en cuanto a mundo y trama pero no llegué a conectar como tal con los personajes y se me hacía más insípido. Es en el segundo tomo donde me empezó a ganar. Ahí se conocen más a los protagonistas y 🫶🏻

Nanao es una joven muy dulce que han tenido siempre repudiada y ahora está aprendiendo a dejarse ver y expresar sus sentimientos.

Ver su evolución es una montaña rusa constante, pues duele mucho cuando te das cuenta de lo que se la ha privado a la vez que conmueve la inocencia con la que hace todo, su preocupación por no entorpecer y ayudar. Y gozada cuando se armaba de valor y le cantaba las cuarentas a la arpía.

Yako me costó un poco más pillarle el punto, pero al final del segundo se ve más de él y ya es que solo con la forma en la que trata a Nanao y el cuidado que tiene, te gana.

Temí al inicio por su romance, ya que se vio muy de sopetón al inicio, pero me gusta que fue solo la excusa para liberarla y da tiempo a que se cree un vínculo muy bonito entre ellos, formando una relación de esas que fortalecen a cada uno y te hace desearles lo mejor.

Aunque si peca de un poco cheesy, de instan pero a ver, es un shojo de una chavala dulce y un galán, es casi esperado.

Por último, un punto curioso es que incluye contenido extra al final siendo una mezcla de manga y narración. Y bueno, el extra del segundo tomo es TODO 💖

[Amara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride Nanao is tainted by an ayakashi, annulling her engagement to her beloved Reito. After years of abuse the heir of another prestigious family, Yako, visits and impressed with her immense spiritual power decides to make Nanao his bride.

"How long can I go on like this? Hopes... Dreams... I don't have anything anymore."

First of all the art style for this manga is stunningly beautiful. This is shoujo at its best with emotive expressions, and gorgeous backgrounds and flowers everywhere. While the story is just getting starting, the mangaka seem to lay a solid basis for what is to come with the worldbuilding in this first volume. There is something very appealing in the premise of this story, of being spirited away from a less than desirable situation, that will speak to a wider audience.

"As of today...you're my wife."
"I'll protect you from now on."

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride is a great manga for any lover of shoujo fantasy. I would especially recommend this series to readers who love My Happy Marriage and The Ancient Magus' Bride.

Thank you Midori Yuma, Mamenosuke Fujimaru and Kodansha Comics for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Missha · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 is providing banger after banger when it comes to reading, even when it comes tk ebooks it seems. The Ayakushi Hunter's Tainted Bride might also be a nice edition for valentine's.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha comics for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I did not get paid for this review.

TAHTB does start by laying a solid base that did make my blood pressure rise (honestly fuck everyone that hurts Nanao), but also explains her actions easily without having to do a major info dump.

Yako is (surprisingly) a gentleman and I adore him already. He does have The Backstory and he definitely isn't the most perfect husband one could have, but he seems honest and makes promises he can keep.

I am however not looking forward to Reito trying to "save" Nanao. Leave her alone.

Perfect if you like: the mistreated to get the upper hand / hurt & comfort / bond over safety to be the base of future love
Skip if you: prefer the hurt to be drawn out / want instant love / were looking for spice

Definitely looking forward to vol 2!

[Megan Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced e-copy.

This manga was compared to My Happy Marriage and I can absolutely see that. The premise is the same: abused daughter of a powerful house is "rescued" by cold and calculating son of another crazy powerful house and there are lots of supernatural beings. Where this one differs is that the son of the other house is a vampire! Nanao was "tainted" by an ayakashi spirit (though I'm not sure what it means to be "tainted"). Nanao's family basically disowned her and she's mistreated until Yako finds her and takes her away from her abusive cousin and former fiancé. Yako seems pleasant enough for a demon hunter vampire. I'm more intrigued with the other yokai spirits he has living at his mansion. This was less action-packed than I thought it might be. But I am interested to see where it goes and will likely read the next volume. The art was lovely.