My Top 10 Japanese Comics I Discovered Recently (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to track every worthwhile title. Predictably, the biggest series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration.

A particular delight for a dedicated reader is unearthing a hidden series in the sea of new chapters and spreading the word to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series lack a mainstream following, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. Others may be less accessible due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but let me explain. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who unwinds by entering fantastical portals that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, 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 seeking a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the saturated market, but my opinion was altered this year. This series recalls the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, distinctive artwork, and unexpected brutality. I stumbled upon it accidentally and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than supporting his vengeance. The premise sounds simple, but the portrayal of the cast is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the comedic design of foes and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. This is a series with real potential to become a hit — if it's allowed to continue.

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 Gokurakugai is breathtaking, meticulous, and distinctive. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a low-income area where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

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 perished by suicide 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 infrequent release pace. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This bleak fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a skilled strategist, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with grim twists and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Creator: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

A cold-hearted main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts 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