My Top 10 Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to keep up with every worthwhile new series. As always, the mainstream series capture the spotlight, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration.

One of the greatest joys for any manga enthusiast is finding a hidden series buried in publication schedules and then sharing it to friends. I present of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here have not yet reached a mainstream following, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials.

10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero

• Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

This may seem like a strange choice, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and that's perfectly fine. I admit that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who relieves pressure by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is one of the few published by a major house, and thus easily available to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're in need of a short, lighthearted escape, The Plain Salary Man is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. It reminds me of the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than fueling his retribution. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the comedic design of foes and the violent battles is a compelling layer. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

• Creator: Yuto Sano
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz

If breathtaking art is your priority, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, detailed, and unique. The story doesn't stray far of typical hero's journey beats, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. 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 born from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the way the human died: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that gives weight to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

• Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga tackles the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it showcases massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the addition of advanced concepts can seem jarring, but it still delivered bleak developments and shocking story pivots. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

• Artist: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A emotionally distant main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its small claws is the only thing that relieves his stiff shoulders. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you