The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, staying on top to track every noteworthy new series. Predictably, the biggest series capture the spotlight, however, countless gems of overlooked works waiting to be discovered.

A particular delight for a dedicated reader is finding a hidden series buried in publication schedules and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

Some of these series lack a broad readership, notably because they are without anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to where they're available. But recommending any of these provides some serious bragging rights.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

• Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While this series diverges from the template, it follows many of the same tropes, including an unbeatable hero and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

More polished fantasies are out there, but this is an accessible title from a top company, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is highly recommended.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Creator: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the saturated market, but my opinion was altered this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, distinctive artwork, and sudden violence. I stumbled upon it accidentally and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts 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 fueling his retribution. The premise sounds simple, but the treatment of the characters is as delicate as the art, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, detailed, and unique. The narrative hews close to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's held back by its infrequent release pace. Since its debut, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

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

This dark fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it showcases large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still provided dark turns and surprising narrative shifts. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

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

A cold-hearted main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its tiny paws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you