A Curated List of 10 Japanese Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it's increasingly difficult to discover every significant release. Predictably, the biggest series capture the spotlight, however, countless gems of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

One of the greatest joys for any manga enthusiast is unearthing a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're worth checking out ahead of the curve.

Some of these series have not yet reached a mainstream following, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.

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

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and it's part of the charm. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series diverges from the template, it uses similar story beats, including an unbeatable hero and a RPG-like world structure. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who relieves pressure by entering fantastical portals 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 one of the few from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences through a popular app. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists evokes the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its eerie vibe, distinctive artwork, and sudden violence. I started reading it by chance and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with the capacity to run for a long time — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

• Artist: Yuto Sano
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it 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 distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a low-income area where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

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 died from self-harm 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 limited due to its infrequent release pace. Since its debut, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

• Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it depicts epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a formidable commander, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but this series still surprised me with grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Creator: 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 becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because 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