OH GOD I LOVE THE ART AND I LOVE THE CHARACTERS and im sooo excited to read volume 2. historical webtoon lovers, this is for you!!!!

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride 1 by Mamenosuke Fujimaru was...a mixed bag for me. It follows a young girl with strong spiritual power, but mistreated after an accident in her youth. She meets a man from another clan and he rescues her and takes her for his bride for reasons of his own. This manga volume gave me "My Happy Marriage" vibes mixed with "Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits" but in a not-as-good way. I'm not quite sure what put me off about this volume but there were a couple of scenes that seemed out of left field/unnecessary. There were also several parts that I did like however, so I might continue with a couple more volumes if given the chance to see for sure where I stand.

***ARC from NetGalley***

A wonderful addition to the demon hunting/vampire sub-genre, set during the Meiji time period. The collision of the old and new worlds (think kimonos versus modern dresses) serves as a rich environment for what would be highly improbable demons and magic systems in older time periods. In a world changing so rapidly and so chaotic, it is hard to tell what is or is not realistic anymore - all the better for us readers!

The story starts out very similar to "My Happy Marriage," and for those who love that story, you will be both happy and a little perplexed at the closeness. And then the story takes a sharp left turn into darker themes. I love the characters and very quickly was rooting for them as a couple.

A quick read and I cannot wait for more (this is the first of 3 volumes).

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC.

A great read. Beautiful art style, compelling characters, unique magic system and world, plus who doesn't love a swoon worthy black haired love interest. I really liked the pacing in this one as often I find these types of stories can feel rushed or just incredibly slow. I am very interested to see where the story goes and will definitely be picking up the next volume.

This was a fun read with really beautiful art. Fans of My Happy Marriage will definitely like this as it follows a familiar trope of traumatised girl rescued from her abusive family by marriage to a man who is more worthy than he might first appear. We're still in the very early stages in volume one, though things between the leads did move pretty quickly, but I'm intrigued to see how things progress and whether the FL begins to come into her own as she gains confidence and overcomes her rough start. There is a lot of potential in this one for fans of this genre.

*Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

This was a great manga and I cannot wait to read the next volume. The art was beautiful, the story was intriguing, loved the characters! This manga did great at story and world building, which is my favorite part of books! This is a great read for anyone interested in manga already or just getting into reading it. The story could work across the board. Loved it!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me an advanced copy.

It's been a while since I picked up a manga and the description sounded interesting enough, and I absolutely loved it!

This is such a sweet, compelling budding romance, the world is interesting and I'm so intrigued by the spirits and energy.

I really will be reading Vol 2 when I can!

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride by Midori Yuma and Mamenosuke Fujimaru is a spellbinding and steamy historical tale perfect for fans of Black Bird and My Happy Marriage.

Nanao is a “tainted” woman cursed by an orangutan ayakashi. However, due to her tremendous dark spiritual power, Nanao is forced to become a servant to her former fiance and his treacherous wife. Nanao spends her days performing chores while wearing a monkey face mask; not allowed to speak or touch anyone.

When fearsome Ayakashi hunter Yako Benitsubaki visits, Nanao hides away and hopes she’ll be spared his wrath. Yet after Yako witnesses the abuse Nanao suffers, he proclaims she’ll be the new Benitsubaki bride?! Could Yako’s proposal truly be an act of generosity? Or does the Benitsubaki family have an even more cursed destiny in mind for Nanao?

I really enjoyed stepping into the world of The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride! It was a bit information-heavy in the beginning to explain the world building, but it ended up being easier to follow than I thought.

The romance between Nanao and Yako is a little rushed and stilted given the setup to bring them together and space limit for one volume. But their relationship really shined in the moments they encouraged each other to be themselves and supported each other when it became clear they’ve both led painful lives because of circumstances out of their control. With the next volumes, I’m definitely looking forward to Yako and Nanao becoming a stronger duo who can explore their softer sides together.

Aside from the cute moments between Nanao and Yako, I was happy to see so many types of ayakashi from Japanese folklore featured; from stubborn inu to mischievous kitsune to regal tengu, and the infamous oni Zenki and Goki. Plus the mask seals with each demon’s type/name on them were so intriguing! For more human-like ayakashi like Goki, I looked forward to catching peeks of their faces underneath to see not only what they looked like, but their emotions too.

The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride is an exciting blend of romance, mystery and the supernatural with a richly traditional Japanese setting. A great recommendation for anyone interested in a Cinderella-style love story involving a few demonic spirits, curses, and tons of family drama. I cannot wait to see where the story goes and am really looking forward to the next volume!

I hadn't heard the name Mamenosuke Fujimaru since 2015 when a friend unloaded her huge collection of Alice in the Country Of... manga volumes on me. Fujimaru is probably most well-known in the West for the sequel of Alice in the Country of Hearts known as Alice in the Country of Clover, neither of which I was too impressed with at the time. However, The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride from Fujimaru caught my eye the moment I saw the cover art - I've been a sucker for good cover art since I was a kid. And now as an adult, I'm a sucker for a mature-looking shoujo manga set in historical Japan.

Kodansha, The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride's publisher, claims that the story is "Noragami meets My Happy Marriage." While not comedic like Noragami, I'd say the historical setting is there. As for the My Happy Marriage comparison, I can see foundational similarities, but Ayakashi Hunter has even more bite when it comes to drama and conflict. The manga is an adaptation of a Japanese novel later released, written by Midori Yuma. Both versions are currently ongoing.

Despite my negative feelings about the "damsel in distress" trope, volume 1 of Ayakashi Hunter got me on board and has me thrilled for the rest of the story. The manga will be officially released by Kodansha in print on March 25th, which is coming up quickly, so should you pick up The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride? This review will contain some spoilers, but I'll warn you ahead of time.

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride volume 1
Volume 1 Cover
The Story and Setting
A Girl With Dark Spiritual Power and a Monkey Mask

If your entire life and future were changed for the worse in a single moment, how would handle it? Nanao, a girl with incredible spiritual power, had a wonderful future in store for her, as she was set to marry a handsome man of an esteemed family, Master Reito. When she breaks a family rule by setting foot outside a protective barrier, she is attacked and tainted by an Ayakashi, a type of Japanese yokai or ghost.

Nanao is now shunned by her entire family and Master Reito. She grows up treated as a lesser human being - her family claims she reeks of an Ayakashi. She is forced to hide her face behind a monkey mask, do chores, and never speak. After years of mistreatment, she unexpectedly becomes the wife to Lord Yako Benitsubaki, also an Ayakashi hunter, after he sees her beauty and experiences her spiritual power. There is another vital reason why Yako suddenly takes Nanao as his wife, which I'll get to later.

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride

Nanao's past, some world-building, and Yako's proposal to her all happen within chapter one of the series, and I had yet to be sucked in after reading it. The art is highly detailed and, well, just simply beautiful to look at, but after 20 years of manga reading, that's not enough for me anymore. What draws me in is an interesting world and characters I care about, art be damned.

As for our main character, Nanao, I can't exactly say I dislike her OR like her. She's been dealt some terrible cards and has an extremely rough life, but we see this in shoujo manga a lot. The "damsel in distress" is a tired theme, and admittedly one of the reasons I wasn't so much into My Happy Marriage. I understand that stories like this can evolve into ones about overcoming trauma and moving on from the past, but it's just simply not a theme I care for. Nanao doesn't have a personality - at least not yet. Of course, this is due to her family's abuse leading her to suppress herself, but I just hope we see some meaningful character development later in the series as she, hopefully, overcomes this trauma. There's nothing more dreadful in a shoujo series than a female lead I don't care for.

Chapter two continues some interesting world-building, an element I often find lost in shoujo manga when compared to shounen manga. But there is a single component to Ayakashi Hunter that drew me in right near the end of volume 1. Prepare for spoilers in this next section.


The Manga Has What?!
Spoilers Ahead

As I finished the last chapter of volume 1 of The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride, I couldn't help but feel a bit silly as to the reason why I wanted to keep reading this series. Yako, the ayakashi hunter himself, reveals to Nanao as he bites into her neck that he is a vampire. I did not at all expect a vampire element to this story, but I was embarrassingly giddy about it. I'm a sucker (no pun intended) for vampire manga - ever since I picked up Masturi Hino's Vampire Knight in 2007, I've been locked in when it comes to vampire characters and themes.

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride
Yako explains that Nanao's blood tastes delicious (there was an incident in chapter one that led Yako to lick Nanao's wound), and that he desired to have her by his side. Vampire stories are sexy and add layers to world-building. I'm interested in seeing how vampires work in Ayakashi Hunter, as each vampire story has its own twist on vampire lore.

I think the real draw of the series for readers will be the conflict between Yako and Reito, whom Nanao was originally supposed to marry. Not to mention Reito's wife, a disgusting and selfish woman who seems she would do anything to get her way, plays a key role in the drama too.

The Point
Should You Pick It Up?

If you liked My Happy Marriage, or are a fan of historical Japanese settings, The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride would be a perfect addition to your collection. The print version localization is translated by Jacqueline Fung, lettered by Madeleine Jose, and edited by Tiff Joshua TJ Ferentini. Overall, the English translations stay faithful to historical Japan, and there are translation notes in the back that describe ayakashi and other things a Western audience may find confusing.

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride

Fujimaru's art has matured a lot since her work with Alice in the Country of Clover, which to me had a sort of goofy and cartoony feel to the artwork. Even if you were to hold this series up to Ayakashi Hunter, I think it'd be difficult to notice that they have the same artist. This goes to show how Fujimaru has come in her work - from an art style more subtable for preteen audiences, to now in Ayakashi Hunter which seems to be aimed more at young adults. I was especially impressed presentation of anger in characters, and I think we'll see some unhinged facial expressions from characters throughout the series.


I'll be reading volume 2, which is currently available digitally on Kodansha's official manga app, K Manga, and will be released in print on May 27th. While the series doesn't have the most exciting characters, I'm on board for the drama, world-building, and vampires.

⋆ ˚｡⋆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 and Mamenosuke Fujimaru for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

I loved this manga! Nanao's story at the beginning was very sad but I love seeing her start to gain her confidence and feeling safe with Yako. Besides Nanao and Yako's story, there is intrigue related to demons and possibly conflict with other clans. I can't wait to read more!

You will like this if you enjoy My Happy Marriage, Yona of the Dawn and similar mangas.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The storyline was captivating and the art was stunning to accompany.

The characters were memorable. I did feel sad for Nanao and how she was abused was awful. It was giving Cinderella. I was rooting for her all the way through and it did not disappoint.

The world building was easy to follow and the author did a great job at describing what was what.

Now I need the second book to find out what happens next!!!

This was a lovely start for a historical fantasy romance. Nanao is a member of the second lowest barrier clan of five, and strong in dark spiritual energy, which makes her an ideal wife for the clan’s future heir. But her cousin tricks her to break rules and she becomes tainted by an evil spirit. Her fiancé abandons her and marries the cousin instead, and Nanao is reviled and shunned by the entire clan.

Yako is the heir of the highest barrier clan that battles demons every night around the nation’s capital. He needs a wife with strong spiritual energy and isn’t bothered by the taint, which he knows is nonsense. His manor is filled with supporting demons anyway. So he marries Nanao and whisks her away.

Nanao has some trouble settling into her new life after being abused for so long. But she’s been trained as a wife and knows everything, especially how to make the all-important breakfast filled with spiritual energy. But it turns out, Yako needs a different kind of nourishment only she can provide.

I liked this story. It has elements from The Bride of the Barrier Master, and is likened to My Happy Marriage, though it doesn’t quite rise to its level in romance, but it’ll be interesting to see where this will go. There’ll certainly be some drama ahead as the former fiancé wants Nanao back.

Let me tell you about The Ayakashi Hunter—it’s one of those manga that starts with a punch and keeps you hooked. The story follows Nanao, a young woman with incredible spiritual power, who’s treated like an outcast after being “tainted” by a demon attack. Her fiancé abandons her, her family abuses her, and she’s forced to wear a monkey mask to hide her scar. It’s heartbreaking to see how much she endures, but her life takes a wild turn when Yako, a powerful and enigmatic demon hunter, shows up and declares she’s his bride.

At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about Yako—he’s intense, a little intimidating, and his motives aren’t entirely clear. But as the story unfolds, you start to see how he’s giving Nanao a chance to reclaim her life. The dynamic between them is fascinating—she’s fragile but strong, and he’s ruthless but protective. It’s not your typical love-at-first-sight romance; it’s more about two broken people finding something in each other.

The art? Stunning. Every panel feels like a piece of art, especially the scenes in the imperial capital and Yako’s home. The world-building is rich, blending supernatural elements with a touch of gothic beauty. And while the pacing is fast (maybe a little too fast in places), it keeps you flipping pages to see what happens next.

What really got me, though, was Nanao’s journey. She’s been through so much, and watching her slowly find her footing in this new life is both satisfying and emotional. Plus, there’s a hint of revenge brewing, and I’m here for it.

If you’re into stories like My Happy Marriage or Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, you’ll love this. It’s got all the elements of a great supernatural romance—mystery, drama, and a heroine you can’t help but root for. The first volume sets up so much potential, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

Fair warning: you’ll finish this and immediately want the next volume. It’s that good

Much thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me a review copy!
#AyakashiHuntersTaintedBride #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this story. It was well told and the characters were well established. I appreciate stories where the characters grow over time and I can already see the signs of that in this work. I think the art was really well drawn, and a variety of styles were used based on the situation being drawn. I'm looking forward to book 2!

Received an arc from NetGalley for an honest review! I loved the manga art style in this volume! I’m quite familiar with Webtoon comics so instantly I was intrigued, especially since the genres also piqued my interest (historical, fantasy, romance). I’ve read “Hooky” “True Beauty” “unOrdinary” “High Class Homos” “Sweet Home” which were all wonderful, so it was no surprise that yet another Webtoon comic would be a 5-star read for me. I loved the character development and how Yako and Nanao really compliment each other! The world-building was very enticing, it definitely sets the scene for future volumes to explore more. The side characters/animals are all so sweet (outside of the Byakurenji clan). The Byakurenji clan were very much like the family from Cinderella, which only made me more happy when Nanao finally got out of that toxic environment. I can’t wait to read more volumes of this story, especially with the cliffhanger ending involving Reito who suddenly wants Nanao back just because she’s beautiful and powerful. He’s definitely going to be an antagonist in later volumes.

This was just an okay read for me :/ The art style is absolutely stunning, but some things sadly fell flat. For one, it felt super rushed — I wish we got more backstory to flesh out the characters rather than just a couple short flashbacks, because I didn’t feel fully connected to them. Similarly, the main plot happens right away, almost too quickly. I think this volume would’ve benefited from focusing more on developing Nanao’s character, backstory, and “dark spiritual powers” that we learn nothing about, before jumping into the marriage plot. Something just didn’t work for me, but I'd consider reading the next volume to see where the story goes

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

This is a brilliant book. Fans of the following titles will absolutely fall in love with this series and I can't wait to read more:
Fiancée of the Wizard, The Savior's Book Café Story in Another World, My Happy marriage.

The Ayakashi Hunter's tainted bride was mostly similar to Fiance of the wizard, without spoiling the book, and follows a young girl who was "tainted" by being claimed by from what I could tell was a form of demon. Then we have our strong male lead who is the reserved type as we see in all three mentioned books. If you are a fan of tropes, love Japanese culture and are interested in books with fantasy, spiritual and magical elements, then this book is absolutely for you.

The world building wasn't particularly memorable- however the characters were. Which is part of the reason I've also compared it to the three series I have. Fundamentally they have the same plots but remixed, and that is something which makes me super biased for this book series, but also brings me joy as I didn't think I would be able to find anything similar to those stories, and I struggle rereading books.

If I was to include spoilers in the review however, whilst lots of the tropes are similar, the world stands on its own as does the characters. If I was fresh to this style of manga, this would be a brilliant book that I would be excited and would wish there were more like it.

What I will also say is- I will absolutely be buying this series for my own collection as a lot of my favourite books don't have physical copies, and I will highly recommend this for my friends. I am also humoured that in this book, the demon in question had the form of an orangutan of all things.

I also think there's a lot of relationship developments which were reminiscent of the My happy marriage series- which I absolutely loved.

This is a beautifully drawn Cinderella-esque story about a young abused woman getting spirited away to a marriage to a powerful lord. Due to a mishap in her childhood, Nanao became "tainted" by a demon, and then abused by her family. However, the lord, Yako, turns out to be "cursed" as well, needing Nanao's blood to maintain his health. Since this is the first volume, the story is still early, but its hook is great enough for me to keep reading.

I'm a fan of "Kakuriyo" by the same creator, so when I heard they made another series dedicated to ayakashi, I knew I had to check it out! It follows Nanao, a girl sabotaged and oppressed by her community, and how her life changes meeting and marrying Yako, the leader of another clan. If you like series like "My Happy Marriage", this one is definitely up your alley as well!