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

As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it becomes a challenge to track every noteworthy release. As always, the mainstream series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of hidden gems ripe for exploration.

A key pleasure for any manga enthusiast is unearthing a hidden series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series have not yet reached a large audience, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to digital exclusivity. But recommending any of these provides some serious bragging rights.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

• Creators: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an overpowered main character and a RPG-like world structure. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. 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 via a free service. For easy reading, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're in need of a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It reminds me of the strongest aspects 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 powerful exorcist who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. 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 absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is a compelling layer. This is a series with real potential to run for a long time — 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 this is it. Yuto Sano's work on the series is breathtaking, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The plot remains within of typical hero's journey beats, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the characters are all quirky and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a poor neighborhood 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 has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It could be the next big hit, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This dark fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it showcases massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but this series still delivered dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a group of eccentric individuals, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Author: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

A emotionally distant main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that 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