The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride 1

Listen. I'm not opposed to some trashy romance. I go crazy over media that's way, WAY darker and more ~~problematic~~ than this, so trust me when I say that the lack of wholesome fluff or the yucky power dynamics was not why I didn't enjoy this. I love the likes of My Happy Marriage and the author's previous work, Kakuriyo. However!This was just laughably over-the-top to the point that I couldn't take it seriously. The series uses every trick in the book to make Nanao come off as the most pathetic kicked puppy possible, verging on parody. The catalyst for her “taint” is a clear allusion to rape, and there's some interesting potential commentary on how victims are treated as worthless or responsible for their own “damaged goods,” but so far we haven't seen much on that front. There's very little complexity to be found here; the Byakurenji family is straightforward in its cruelty from Nanao's scheming rival to her shallow former fiance. While this is just the first volume, more time could have been taken to flesh out Nanao's place in the clan before Yako swoops in and saves her, and that feels like a missed opportunity to make the premise truly shine.

Ultimately, it wasn't all bad since I do see some potential in Reito's twisted savior complex and Yako's struggle to balance his needs with wanting Nanao to feel safe and comfortable in her new home. I just wish that it wasn't so overt in playing into stereotypical tropes of the fragile abused bird and her fairy tale prince with a bad boy streak. Some subtlety and holding back on throwing everything at the reader would have gone a long way for my enjoyment. I might pick up the second volume out of morbid curiosity, but you can do much better, especially my fellow trash enthusiasts.