The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Discovered Recently (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to keep up with every noteworthy release. Inevitably, the mainstream series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of hidden gems ripe for exploration.

A particular delight for fans of the medium is unearthing a hidden series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here lack a broad readership, partly due to they are without anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to where they're available. Sharing any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials.

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

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and it's part of the charm. I admit that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it uses similar story beats, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who unwinds by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. Regarding online access, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the saturated market, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series evokes the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and sudden violence. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts 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 supporting his vengeance. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

For readers who value visual splendor, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, intricate, and distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the characters are all quirky and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a low-income area where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the way the human died: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

• Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available 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 large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a cruel mercenary band to become a formidable commander, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The world feels a bit standard, and the addition of advanced concepts occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still provided bleak developments and shocking story pivots. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

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

A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since 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