My Top 10 Comics I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown).
Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every worthwhile release. As always, the mainstream series get all the attention, however, countless gems of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration.
A particular delight for any manga enthusiast is finding a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom.
Some of these series have not yet reached a mainstream following, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights.
10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero
- Creators: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.
More polished fantasies are out there, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. Regarding online access, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're seeking a few minutes of silly fun, the series is highly recommended.
9. Nito's Exorcists
- Creator: Iromi Ichikawa
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It reminds me of the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and was immediately captivated.
Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the visual contrast between the comedic design of foes and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — should it get the chance.
8. Gokurakugai
- Artist: Yuto Sano
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus; Viz
When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is spectacular, meticulous, and one-of-a-kind. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the characters are all quirky and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a low-income area where humans and beast-men coexist.
The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga wields magic reflecting the manner of death: a suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who died from self-harm can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai could be the next big hit, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.
7. The Bugle Call: Song of War
- Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Viz
This dark fantasy manga examines the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.
The world feels a bit standard, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but it still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.
6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian
- Artist: Sho Yamazaki
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its little feet is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you
