A Curated List of 10 Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it's increasingly difficult to keep up with every significant title. Predictably, the mainstream series dominate conversations, however, countless gems of overlooked works ripe for exploration.

A key pleasure for fans of the medium is unearthing a hidden series buried in publication schedules and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the finest under-the-radar manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time ahead of the curve.

A few of these titles lack a large audience, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to digital exclusivity. Sharing any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

• Creators: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Publisher: 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 transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and clock out punctually 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 on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the saturated market, but two series changed my mind this year. This series reminds me of the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The premise sounds simple, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the comedic design of foes and the gory combat is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

For readers who value visual splendor, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is stunning, intricate, and unique. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: someone who hanged themselves has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It might become a major title, but it's limited due to 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
• Find it on: Viz

This bleak fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a novel angle for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. 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 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 can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still provided grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a grown-up battle manga with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Author: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A cold-hearted main character who reveres 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 his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you