I noticed that there has been a rising trend in shoujo manga where the female lead is living somewhere where she is severely mistreated and abused and the male lead rescues her from her current situation. Over time she gains confidence and becomes the bad-a** that she was meant to be. Do I eat this trend up everytime? Yes, yes I do.
This manga is no different. In this work, women have dark essence while the men have light essence. The female lead has a high concentration of dark essence but because of an incident, she is stripped of her prestige and forced to be a servant. After years of mistreatment, she is rescued by a man who sees her potential. I can’t wait to continue to read this series and see how much she grows as a person.

I absolutely loved this manga. I really like those kind of stories. I've been drawn into the story from the first page and couldn't really stop. As well as of the drawings they are really beautiful and absolutely matches the story. I especially liked Nano and can't wait to read the next volume and to see if the scumbag Reito is going to try to "rescue" her and what her husband is going to do about it.

As someone who loves romance manga and reading about magic and myths, the mysterious yet enchanting atmosphere immediately drew me in and I finished this in one sitting!
This manga was full of Japanese folklore, historical fantasy and romance. I loved the visual storytelling and the artwork, it beautifully brought Meiji era Japan to life.
The premise is - our FMC Nanao becomes tainted by a vengeful ayakashi, her fiancé casts her aside and she is abused and mistreated by her family until the ayakashi hunter Yako decides to take her as his bride.
Nanao is the type of character that makes you want to root for her and her happiness. I have a soft spot for stories with female heroines that remain loving and kind despite their hardships, proving just how strong they really are and Nanao was exactly that. Even though he seems like a cold and intimidating type, Yako is so protective of Nanao and I loved him and their subtle romance.
If you're a fan of My Happy Marriage/The Demon Prince of Momochi House/Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi I highly recommend reading this! I'm so excited to see where the story goes next.
～Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for the ARC!

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

I had heard of this manga on an online platform but didn't get the chance to read it, I'm so glad I did. I really loved the start of this series, the plot was really interesting and has me intrigued enough I want to keep reading. When more volumes come out. I also loved the character development. It feels very similar to My Happy Marriage which I also love. I'd recommend this to any romance manga readers who also love fantasy

This title is sad but has hopeful notes that life can become better for our heroine. This owuld be a good companion for My Happy Marriage for readers who want more in a similar vein, though there is more supernatural influence on this storyline than the former.

Oh I am head over heels in love with this actually I loved the writing and the art style is genuinely one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen! Can’t wait to read more!!

Sadly, this comic was not for me. I’m not a big fan of shoujo with very timid FMCs with tragic backstories. The supporting cast were all very unlikable which is another reading turn off for me

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC.

The world is very interesting, but I just can't get into the romance. There's such a power imbalance, with the girl being so abused that she feel indebted to the main guy. They look cute together, but the way it starts just leaving a bad feeling throughout. Just not for me.

I received a digital ARC from Kodansha Comics via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this one! The artwork is distinct and beautiful and the story development kept me invested the whole way through. I liked that it's a little dark but still fun, romantic, and entertaining. The main characters are lovable and will have you rooting for them from the start. I can't wait to see how Nanao grows into a stronger, more confident character now that she's not being treated so poorly as she was at her own home. Plus what's going on with her spiritual power. Yako is a strong character, feared by many but gentle and protective with Nanao, which I love to see. This first volume has a good amount of worldbuilding and character introduction with some development for the main characters, but I look forward to seeing more character growth in the next one! It's a good blend of romance, mystery and action, so I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for that.

This book starts an intriguing series and I'll definitely be picking up the second volume. While it has some similarities to My Happy Marriage, there's a little bit of a darker edge to the story. I'm looking forward to how the relationships develop and the story evolves since there's clearly secrets being kept by everyone around the heroine.

There were two reasons I wanted to check this out.

One: I love Kakuriyo.
Two: The title.

The manga is a perfect blend of romance and mystery. The two main characters are great; you want to root for them. Plus, the artwork is also great.

I am looking forward to reading more.

This was such a good story! I loved the world building and meeting the characters. For sure a soon to be regular series for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kondansha Comics for the eARC in exchange for a honest review.

From the title alone, I knew The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride was for me. The mention of ayakashi, hello?! This has Lisa written all over it. But aside from that, the synopsis mentions that the story is from the creator of Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, which is an anime I love. Those two things coupled together only mean great things for me!

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride is by Midori Yuma with art by Mamenosuke Fujimaru. Kodansha is publishing it in the US. In it, Nanao is a young woman whose life has been in ruins due to a yokai curse. When she was younger, she was set to marry the young lord of the Byakurenji family, Reito. After being cursed, Nanao is shunned from the family, treated horribly, and made to be a silent servant. One fateful day, she meets Yako, a powerful son from another important family. He recognizes her true spiritual powers and saves her from her awful life by making her his bride.

Call me a simple woman, but I cannot resist a “damsel in distress” storyline. Serve it to me on a platter because I am eating it up! Especially when the rescuer is a man everyone fears, but he treats his partner with care. Nanao is wary of Yako but can’t help but to be drawn to him.

This first volume lays a lot of groundwork about the world this is set in. We gain an understanding of the spiritual world and the powers that be, as well as the family dynamics. It also hints at troubles coming down the line. At first glance, the plot may not be that unique, but I’m finding that it has a certain charm that sets it apart, especially with the main characters. The spiritual world it takes place in also feels like it has a lot of depth, especially with how Yako interacts with the yokai.

Nanao initially comes across as the powerless damsel despite possessing strong spiritual powers, but something tells me that she is going to level up tremendously. Already, she has made the decision to leave the place she’s been, filled with abuse and oppression, to be with someone she barely knows. She has a lot of agency, and it seems like Yako will only be encouraging that.

The promise of romance along with a spiritual world with interesting yokai characters, like Goki and Zenki, has me already preordering the next volumes. From the way this volume ended, I can tell there’s a lot of good drama on the way, and I can’t wait!

Akemi sucks and I hope she gets what she deserves. I hope nanao gets a happy life full of love. This has such an interesting magic system in it.

I picked up The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride on a whim, and I’m so glad I did! The mix of romance, mystery, and supernatural folklore totally pulled me in. Nanao is such a sympathetic character—you really feel for her—and Yako is mysterious in that perfect, brooding way. The art is gorgeous too, with so much attention to detail in the clothes and setting. It kind of gave me The Ancient Magus’ Bride vibes, but with its own unique twist. Definitely looking forward to volume 2!

This was a really great story! The overall plot was very interesting and I was surprised by how easily he accepted Nanao but he really does seem like her and wanted to help her. His household with all the demons was very intriguing too especially since its his job to exorcise them. I was hoping for a little more insight into that life but it was really focused on Nanao for this portion of the story. I can really see this being an anime in the future it has really good potential.

As a fan of “Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits” I’ve been dying to read something with similar vibes.

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride is a steamy new historical fantasy romance about a cursed girl shunned by those around her...and the demon hunter who falls for her.

I loved it so much and it was so addictive I finished it in one sitting! The characters, the drama, the romance were all amazing and the art was stunning 🤩
I think this one will appeal to lovers of paranormal romance a lot.🖤 I for one need the next instalment because I am positively obsessed 😭

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

I really liked it! It's perfect for anyone who enjoyed My Happy Marriage. I think the volume had a great pace and promises to be an incredible fantasy and romance story! The characters are very mysterious, and the whole cast of demons seems like it'll be fun. I want to read more!

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride would be a good addition to the bookshelves of those who love romance with a side of the supernatural. Especially to readers who love My Happy Marriage.

Nanao is a girl who was once engaged to a childhood sweetheart, However, after an unfortunate event, she ends up cursed by a demonic spirit. Years pass, and while she was allowed to stay in her village, her engagement was broken and she was forced to hide behind a mask. It seems like the rest of her life is written out until a demon hunter from another noble family visits. During his stay, Yako meets and sees Nanao without her mask. He falls for her beauty and strength, and he gives her a way out by leaving with him. What Nanao doesn’t know is that Yako is also harboring a secret.