The 10 Best Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to keep up with every noteworthy new series. As always, the most popular series get all the attention, however, countless gems of overlooked works waiting to be discovered.

A key pleasure for a dedicated reader is finding a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the best lesser-known manga I've discovered recently, along with motivations for they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series lack a mainstream following, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be harder to access due to their publishing platforms. However, suggesting any of these will earn you some notable geek cred.

10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero

• Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. Manga can be silly, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus readily accessible to international audiences via a free service. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a short, lighthearted escape, the series is an excellent option.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Ordinarily, 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 evokes the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and sudden violence. I stumbled upon it accidentally and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. 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 treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the visual contrast between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

• Artist: Yuto Sano
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus; Viz

When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, meticulous, and one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close from classic shonen conventions, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're not labeled as 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 people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: someone who hanged themselves has the power to choke people, one who died from self-harm can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's limited due to its infrequent release pace. Since its debut, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This bleak fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it presents 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, employing his instrument and background in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but this series still surprised me with dark turns and shocking story pivots. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an engaging magic framework, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A calculating main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its small claws is the only thing that relieves his stiff shoulders. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you