My Top 10 Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, staying on top to track every noteworthy release. Inevitably, the most popular series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of hidden gems ripe for exploration.

A key pleasure for any manga enthusiast is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

Several entries here are still awaiting a large audience, notably because they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be harder to access due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as 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 bear with me. Comics are often fun, and that's perfectly fine. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time 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. Regarding online access, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, this manga is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. The Nito Exorcists evokes the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and sudden violence. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The premise sounds simple, but the portrayal of the cast is as delicate as the art, and the artistic dichotomy between the comedic design of foes and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, intricate, and unique. The story doesn't stray far to traditional battle manga tropes, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a working-class district where humans and beast-men coexist.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the way the human died: someone who hanged themselves can strangle others, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai has potential for massive popularity, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This dark fantasy manga tackles the common conflict theme 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—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

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

A calculating main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because 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