🔗 Share this article My Top 10 Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown). Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to track every worthwhile release. Inevitably, the biggest series get all the attention, however, countless gems of overlooked works just out of sight. A particular delight for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom. Several entries here have not yet reached a mainstream following, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights. 10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero Art from the series Creators: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series diverges from the template, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. 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 readily accessible to international audiences on a digital platform. Regarding online access, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is highly recommended. 9. Nito's Exorcists Art from the series Artist: Iromi Ichikawa Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It recalls the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its eerie vibe, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and got hooked instantly. Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The storyline appears straightforward, but the character development is thoughtfully executed, and the artistic dichotomy between the comedic design of foes and the violent battles is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to run for a long time — if it's allowed to continue. 8. Gokurakugai Manga panel Author: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with heroes clashing with demons (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, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist. 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 suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series could be the next big hit, but it's constrained 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 Manga panel Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a formidable commander, fighting to eventually earn his freedom. The world feels a bit standard, and the insertion of sci-fi elements can seem jarring, but it still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian Manga panel Artist: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary adopts 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
Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to track every worthwhile release. Inevitably, the biggest series get all the attention, however, countless gems of overlooked works just out of sight. A particular delight for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom. Several entries here have not yet reached a mainstream following, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights. 10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero Art from the series Creators: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series diverges from the template, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. 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 readily accessible to international audiences on a digital platform. Regarding online access, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is highly recommended. 9. Nito's Exorcists Art from the series Artist: Iromi Ichikawa Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It recalls the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its eerie vibe, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and got hooked instantly. Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The storyline appears straightforward, but the character development is thoughtfully executed, and the artistic dichotomy between the comedic design of foes and the violent battles is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to run for a long time — if it's allowed to continue. 8. Gokurakugai Manga panel Author: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with heroes clashing with demons (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, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist. 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 suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series could be the next big hit, but it's constrained 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 Manga panel Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a formidable commander, fighting to eventually earn his freedom. The world feels a bit standard, and the insertion of sci-fi elements can seem jarring, but it still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian Manga panel Artist: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary adopts 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