The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every noteworthy title. Predictably, the biggest series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of hidden gems just out of sight.

One of the greatest joys for any manga enthusiast is unearthing a largely unknown series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worth checking out ahead of the curve.

A few of these titles are still awaiting a broad readership, 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 impressive fan credentials.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but bear with me. The medium embraces absurdity, and it's part of the charm. I admit that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an unbeatable hero and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by exploring strange labyrinths that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a brief, enjoyable diversion, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Typically, 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. The Nito Exorcists recalls the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, distinctive artwork, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is a compelling layer. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

• Artist: 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 stunning, detailed, and unique. The plot remains within of typical hero's journey beats, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the characters are all quirky and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga wields magic reflecting the manner of death: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's limited due to its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

• Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it depicts epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a brutal fighter company to become a powerful tactician, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The world feels a bit standard, and the insertion of sci-fi elements occasionally doesn't fit, but this series still provided bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an compelling ability ruleset, and an interesting combination of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its tiny paws is a unique cure for his aches. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you