The latest issue of Monthly Shonen Sirius revealed an exciting new short manga spinoff for Midori Yūma’s The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride (Kizumono no Hanayome) series. Titled Kōtō Onmyō Gakkō — Kizumono no Hanayome Gaiden (Imperial City Onmyo School: The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride Side Story), the spinoff is set to begin in the magazine’s next issue on May 26, 2026. Artist Tsugaru Toba will handle the illustrations while Sen Izumino oversees composition, continuing a creative partnership familiar to fans of Yūma’s works.
Table of Contents
What the New Spinoff Announces
The new short manga will explore a side story set at an imperial onmyō school — a setting ripe for supernatural classroom drama, character-focused vignettes, and deeper looks at supporting cast members. The announcement was published on April 24, 2026, and teases a compact, narrative-driven addition to the franchise that complements the main novels and existing adaptations.
Creators Behind the Project
Tsugaru Toba — Artist
Tsugaru Toba is credited as the artist for this spinoff. Toba’s character work and readability make them an excellent fit for a short manga format where visual storytelling must efficiently build tone and character.
Sen Izumino — Composition
Sen Izumino takes on composition duties, a role that guides pacing, panel layout, and adaptation of novel material into manga form. Toba and Izumino previously collaborated on the manga adaptation of Yūma’s Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi (Afterlife Inn Cooking) series, which gave them a proven working dynamic to draw on for this new project.
Recent Franchise Activity and Related Adaptations
The franchise has been active across multiple media. A recent four-chapter spinoff by Akimine Kamijyō, titled Kōku no Sōheki — Kizumono no Hanayome Gaiden, ran from its launch on January 26, 2026 and concluded with its fourth chapter in the April 24, 2026 issue—the same issue that announced this new onmyō school side story.
Toba and Izumino’s earlier collaboration adapting Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi launched in Monthly Shonen Sirius in January 2023 and wrapped on January 26, 2026. The completed manga reached 11 compiled volumes, with the final volume shipped on February 27, 2026.
Light Novel Status
Midori Yūma’s original light novel series began in 2015 and has continued to grow its readership. The franchise released its 13th novel in October 2025, and as of that month the series reported over 340,000 copies in print. These figures underline the series’ steady popularity and help explain the ongoing expansion into spinoff manga and anime seasons.
Anime Adaptations and Where to Watch
The property has been adapted for television in multiple seasons. The original television anime aired in April 2018 under the English title Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits-. Streaming platforms carried the series as it aired—Crunchyroll streamed the original run—and an English dub was produced and distributed by Funimation, which also released the series on home video in 2019.
A second season premiered in October 2025, which was again streamed by Crunchyroll with a simultaneous English dub. If you want to check the official streaming release pages for availability and subtitle/dub options, Crunchyroll’s show page is a helpful reference. Crunchyroll
Ongoing Manga Adaptations
Alongside short spinoffs, Waco Ioka has been drawing a serialized manga adaptation in B’s-LOG COMIC magazine. Kodansha shipped the 12th compiled volume of that adaptation in October 2025, and an English release is available through Viz Media—providing multiple entry points for new readers who prefer manga to light novels or anime.
What to Expect From “Imperial City Onmyo School”
This side story’s school setting suggests a shift toward character-driven episodes centered on training, examinations, and interpersonal tensions common to academy stories—only filtered through the supernatural onmyō lens that defines the franchise. Expect:
- Short, self-contained chapters focusing on supporting characters and school life.
- Visual set pieces that highlight Toba’s strengths in character expression and supernatural action.
- Opportunities to deepen the worldbuilding around onmyō practices, rituals, and the institutional culture of the Imperial City.
Why Short Spinoffs Matter
Short spinoffs are a strategic way to expand a franchise without overcommitting resources. They let creators experiment with tone and pacing, and they provide fans with fresh perspectives on beloved settings and minor characters—often filling narrative gaps or teasing elements that could inform future mainline entries.
Where to Follow Announcements and Releases
Official social channels remain the fastest way to receive release dates, volume shipments, and adaptations news. The franchise’s official X/Twitter account frequently posts cover art, announcement visuals, and magazine scans for new chapters—an excellent resource for up-to-date confirmation. Official X/Twitter post
Final Thoughts
The announcement of Kōtō Onmyō Gakkō — Kizumono no Hanayome Gaiden is a welcome addition for fans who crave more worldbuilding and character moments from The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride universe. With experienced collaborators Tsugaru Toba and Sen Izumino at the helm, the short manga is positioned to deliver polished visuals and compact storytelling that should appeal to both long-term followers and newcomers. Whether you’re following the light novels, the ongoing manga adaptations, or the anime seasons, this spinoff promises another engaging way to dive deeper into the series’ supernatural academy lore.
