The 10 Best 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 release. As always, the most popular series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures just out of sight.

A particular delight for any manga enthusiast is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're worthy of attention ahead of the curve.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to where they're available. Sharing any of these will earn you some impressive fan credentials.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and it's part of the charm. I confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series diverges from the template, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who relieves pressure by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. 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.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. Regarding online access, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Creator: Iromi Ichikawa
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. This series evokes the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who kills evil spirits in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the comedic design of foes and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

• Author: Yuto Sano
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz

For readers who value visual splendor, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, meticulous, and unique. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a low-income area where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who died from self-harm can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's limited due to its infrequent release pace. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

• Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a brutal fighter company to become a formidable commander, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The world feels a bit standard, and the addition of advanced concepts occasionally doesn't fit, but it still surprised me with bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

• Author: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its little feet 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