My Top 10 Comics I Read This Year (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to keep up with every significant title. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, yet a treasure trove exists of overlooked works just out of sight.

One of the greatest joys 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 worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here have not yet reached a mainstream following, partly due to they all lack anime adaptations. A few are harder to access due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences through a popular app. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're in need of a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is an excellent option.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. This series evokes the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and unexpected brutality. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's accompanied by 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 as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the absurd look of the enemies and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is breathtaking, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a low-income area where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga has powers relating to the way the human died: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who died from self-harm induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. This series has potential for massive popularity, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

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

This dark fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme from a fresh perspective for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. 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, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a powerful tactician, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but it still surprised me with dark turns and shocking story pivots. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an compelling ability ruleset, and an enjoyable mix of strategy and horror.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

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

A emotionally distant main character who idolizes 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