I am a sucker for stories about abused main female leads finding happiness with the help of the male lead.

In this manga, Naonao was set up by her cousin and becomes tainted. This causes her to be mistreated by her family. Later, she is saved by Yako. I can't wait to see how their relationship changes and how Naonao slowly comes into her own powers. The manga's artist is talented and the story does suck you in.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-Arc and this is my honest review

I loved this manga so much, the drawing is gorgeous and reminds me very much of my happy marriage, I must say even the drawing looks a bit alike, this is a story that I really want to read what comes next.

I will just throw it out there, even though you had some kind of nudity (without details) its a very clean manga, and I say that pointing out is safe to give to teens. The main character is cursed since childhood, and her promised married another girl because of that, and since being cursed she is abused by everyone without being permitted to talk… and lord Yako changes everything for our main character Nanao, ok no more spoilers, and just grab a copy for yourself or to gift to someone and lefts go from there, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it ^__^

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

If you like romances where everything feels pre-ordained for the hero to swoop in and get the heroine out of her terrible living situation, this one is for you. I understand that comparison is the thief of joy but The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride feels like a darker version of My Happy Marriage, with stronger supernatural elements. I don't think I'm the target audience for this title.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Mamenosuke Fujimaru for providing me with an ARC of The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride 1 in exchange for my honest review.

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride is a captivating historical fantasy romance manga that blends elements of romance, dark fantasy, and rich world-building. The story follows Nanao, who is betrothed to the lord of the Byakurenji clan. However, after an attack by an Ayakashi, Nanao is deemed "tainted" and shunned by her clan. Forced to wear a mask to hide her spirit mark, she is left with no future in her community as her engagement is ended, and her cousin marries the lord instead. Years of mistreatment follow until she crosses paths with Yako, the powerful lord of the highest-ranking clan. Fascinated by Nanao’s strength and her dark spiritual powers, Yako whisks her away and draws her into a new world.

I was thoroughly impressed with how the manga balances its romantic, historical, and fantasy elements. The world-building is immersive, creating a compelling backdrop for Nanao's journey, while the character development pulls you in emotionally, making you deeply invested in their fates.

The story was a definite 5-star read for me, and I absolutely adored the illustrations that enhanced the narrative. I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment and genuinely believe this story would make a fantastic anime adaptation.

Thank you to Kodansha for the e-arc of this manga! This was such a quick and interesting read. The idea that one can be tainted by a demon with some sort of seal, like the fmc Nanao in the manga, is quite interesting. The world building in the book is fascinating, with different types of demons and supposedly ones that are “good” instead of bad. Yako is an interesting character because while he certainly has more power than Nanao in this situation, he doesn’t abuse it. I’m looking forward to seeing where this is going. Overall, a 3.75 🌟 read that I would recommend!!

I really like the art style the creator uses. This is a really cute start to a love story, would recommend to romance readers and anyone who likes to watch romance anime that wants to read something new.

I loved the art style, I read this creators Alice in Wonderland series a while ago, but I still love their style. It is a very unique story that I am looking forward to reading more of. Thank you for the early copy!

I am very interested as to where this story will go. The characters have great hooks that I am excited to see play out. They are incredibly complex with how short the story is so far. Nanao is a tragic heroine who I hope will end up becoming incredibly important to the safety of the world soon. Yako, the titular Ayakashi Hunter, is so cool and smooth! There is so much we don't know about him, except that he is kind to Nanao and good at his job. I cannot wait for the next book!

There are definitely some dark themes I assume will be coming up, so be warned!

This was my first time receiving an ARC for a manga novel and I was so excited to be chosen for this one. It was a really good manga. The characters were great and the storyline was well written. I look forward to continuing this Manga series!

A cute beginning to a fantastical love story. I loved learning about the magic and monsters of this world and I'm very excited to learn more. I feel like the basis of the romance is a little lacking in autonomy, but I can see that real emotion and hope is already starting to grow, and there is kindness in their hearts. I also was let down by the division of power in the magic system in this world based on sex, although there is hope that what I've learned so far is just because of an unreliable narrator. I hope that Nanao gains more power and autonomy in her life as the series continues. I am eagerly awaiting volume 2.

I really really liked this. Prominent man marries abused fmc for his own selfish reasons but they end up developing feelings and he technically saves her? I will always eat that up.

We didn't get a lot of background info on the people, families, or the world but with the way it's set up I feel like we will get all of that in the upcoming books.

I think this is a book for the Wattpad girlies... Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride is giving what Wattpad used to be like in the late aughts. There's pining, overt abuse, trading women, and a hint of sexism just around the corner.

That being said, this was not bad, it was just not my type of book. I am interested to learn more about the love interest. I just hope there is more to Nanao than just being a flat character in her own story. Come for the blood-sucking, historical aspect and heroism, skip if wanting something more modern or woman-forward.

This so so cute!! Magic, romance, lords and clans. This has it all! Cannot wait to see more of this story. Thank you for the arc!

First, thank you NetGalley and the author for this advance copy of the English translation!

This was a fun start! The artwork is gorgeous and I'm already loving the world we're in. Our two main characters already seem to have some good chemistry and I'm so very curious about Yako. This is definitely a series I plan to keep an eye on as more English translations become available.

A solid start to a new fantasy romance series!
Both the art and the story were fantastic!
I absolutely loved the chemistry between the main characters, and the ending really reeled me in! I will definitely be picking up the next in the series when I can!

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride surprised me! The story has its similarities with My Happy Marriage, which is a series I love, but the world and direction of the story feel unique. Our heroine is Nanao who has been abused and manipulated by her clan and ex-fiancée. I found Nanao to be a caring character that you can’t help but root for. I’m excited to see her grow and I hope her role with her power goes a bit further than what was described. I was not expecting the story to go where it went and I want to see how the romance develops. The only thing that I didn’t love was the animal choice as an equation for ugliness. It was one of the weaker points of the story. I am invested in the narrative and will continue with the volumes. A great first volume that will definitely engage fans of the tropes and newcomers! Thank you Kodansha and NetGalley for the e-arc.

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!

Thank you to Kodansha and Netgalley for this ARC. This review is my own reflection on the book and not paid for or influenced in any other way.

I'm going to start this review by gushing over the absolutely stunning artwork. The character details were so beautifully done and I often found myself pausing just to take in the finer details. The background panels weren't always filled, but when they were, they were also stunning. It is clear that the artist truly loves their work.

I also have already fallen hook, line and sinker for both of our main characters. I love how caring Yako is towards Nanao and the way he doesn't hesitate to stand up for her but also encourages her to have her own voice and emotions that for years she's had to hide. He can see how much she has been beaten and broken and is determined not to push her to do more than she feels capable. He watches over her when she feints to ensure she is okay. He promises loyalty in return for her being his wife. Honestly, I want him for my own husband.

Nanao may not be the most compelling FL so far, but with her background and being forced to remain silent and small, I didn't expect her to be the most interesting to start with. We start to see some glimpses into her courage and bravery through the volume and I have a feeling it won't be long before her new husband helps her realise the true power she has. I cannot wait to see her step up, claim her strength and use it to hand a can off whoop ass on those who treated her so badly while her husband proudly watches on and lets her have her moment (at least I sincerely hope that happens!)

That being said, I did have a few niggles that stop me giving this five stars. The magic system is very poorly explained and I'm not entirely sure what her purpose is to him other than to be a source of energy or something. So, is he truly marrying her because he has a connection or is it more out of the power she can give and it just happens to be that she's one of the most beautiful women to exist? I also really hated her original fiancé who only cared about her once she was no longer there. You mean you spent years standing by knowing how badly she was treated and only after her mask was removed to reveal her beauty did you suddenly care about her again? (I did love that this was also said by his father, that was so real of him ngl).

I also struggled a little with the pacing. I don't mind a book being fast paced, but it felt that this was a little too fast. I would rather have had the story for this volume end with her asking him to take her away and extend the scenes with her backstory and their meeting/him seeing how she's being treated more. I think we should have had a few more interactions with them before her mask was removed so I could believe there was a genuine connection between them building even before he saw her true face. Things like that would have absolutely improved my feelings.

So yes, while I am very eager to continue this story and fully back the love story that's about to unfold, there are a couple of things I need to be developed or explained a lot more for me to fully enjoy this story. I will absolutely be continuing with this series and can't wait to become completely obsessed with this pair!

I really enjoyed this first volume of "The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride"!

Both of the main characters are very interesting and have many secrets to reveal. I love that there is both a compelling romance as well as an interesting magical plot line.

If you are a fan of "My Happy Marriage" you will love this manga!

Big thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha comics for the ARC coy of this manga. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

Nanao is more than ready to marry her betrothed and into the Byakurenji family, until a tragic event marks and curses her forever, making her tainted in the eyes of Reito, who will now never marry her, and in the eyes of everybody that knows her. On the other hand, her cousin Akemi seizes this perfect opportunity to marry Reito in her place, while Nanao is forced to wear a monkey mask, symbolizing the ayakashi that attacker her. Years later, she has turned into a young woman full of trust issues toward others, even to Yako, the heir of another important family, who is also looking for a bride.
And since the title says it all, you can imagine what happens from then onward. A union that nobody is happy with, except the couple involve.

This is a very introductory volume, of course, presenting to us the main players of the story and the world they inhabit. Then of course, covering the events I described above and ending in such high tension that it leaves you wanting more. So, a first good volume to a series that promises us high drama among they five families/clans that defend the world from the ayakashi and that introduces us to rich characters and a vast world.

The first chapter was a bit confusing to me, I think because the manga was to get past the little live Nanao has at Byakurenji village and get her with Yako immediately, which makes the story suffer a bit. We see the attack Nanao suffer and why it came to be, then how she is treated and the Byakurenji received Yako's family. The thing is, that Akemi (Nanao's cousin who married Reito) appears pregnant on one page and, in a few after, her baby has already been born and is resting in some room. So, either she's pregnant with a second child, or the story makes a big jump in a few pages without even telling the reader. It's fine to make jumps, lost of manga doe this to tell a story, but they should be better mark, or done in different chapters, in my opinion.

Hopefully, the rest of the volume wasn't as confusing😂

The character design is good, making sure the characters are distinguishable between them, with a background a clothes that give way to their status, the places they live in and the time period they inhabit. But, to be honest, my favorite character's design were the ayakashi that serve Yako. I want to know more about them, how they came to work for him, and more about the way they present themselves to the world.

Finally, the main characters: Nanao, is my favorite, sweet, talented and loyal to a fault (though, hopefully, she'll stop been loyal to Reito, or I'll have to slap her myself to make her realize that man is not worth her attention); there's Reito, the heir to the Byakurenji clan, a young man that looks a benevolent master but couldn't be further from the start, for he mistreats Nanao while hiding behind a smile (I hope he suffers greatly); and Yako, the heir to the another noble family, who is also keeping secrets for Nanao🫢, but that doens't make him treat her with any less respect that she deserves, more over after he proposes and makes her his bride.

Overall, a fantastic start to a story with an amazing world, fully fleshed characters and interested creatures, and a romance that looks as slow burning as passionate. I came for the ayakashi and stayed for them, but keeping an eye on the romance too because these two are made for each other.